The Paladin's sword pulsed with runes, silver fire roaring along its edge. The ground shook with each step he took, radiance bleeding into every shadow.
Elior's claws flexed, his scales burning with crimson heat. The Dungeon Heart in his chest throbbed in rhythm with his hunger. His wings flared open, dripping sparks of bloodfire into the night.
---
The Clash
The Paladin charged.
"By the Silver Order!"
Elior met him head-on, sword and claw colliding in a storm of sparks. The shockwave splintered ruined beams and sent ash spiraling into the sky. The clash wasn't just steel versus claw—it was light against hunger, oath against evolution.
The Paladin's blade cut across Elior's chest, searing flesh and scale alike. Pain flared white-hot.
> [Health: 62%]
Elior roared, his fangs sinking into the knight's arm as he twisted, tearing through armor and flesh. The taste of holy blood was fire on his tongue—burning, but empowering.
> [Soul Drain Active]
Vitality Restored: +12%
Holy Resistance Increased: +5%
---
System Surge
The systems screamed in chorus:
Dragon Protocol: "Dominate! Split his shield!"
Vampire Protocol: "Drink deeper. Hollow him out."
Overflow Engine: [Loot Priority Updated: Rune-etched Silver Sword – Epic].
Elior's blade—reshaped by bloodfire resonance—sliced across the knight's shield. The silver barrier cracked, splintering into fragments of fading light.
---
The Breaking Point
The Paladin, face pale beneath his visor, snarled. He drove his sword into the earth. Radiance erupted skyward, a pillar of holy fire threatening to consume the battlefield.
Elior staggered—heat scorching him raw. His scales began to peel, smoke rising from his flesh.
> [Critical Alert: Survival Chance – 18%]
[Option Unlocked: Forced Fusion – Dungeon Heart + Crimson Core]
Warning: Irreversible mutation possible.
Elior's eyes blazed red.
"…Then so be it."
---
Ascension in Fire
He pressed his claw to his chest. The Dungeon Heart and Crimson Core fused, molten energy racing through his veins. His scream became a roar that shook the ruins.
Wings of fire and shadow burst open behind him, scales shifting into a blood-crimson armor that pulsed with living heat. His claws glowed molten red, each fingertip a blade.
The Paladin's holy fire met Elior's new bloodfire storm. The two forces smashed together, tearing apart the ground, blasting the village ruins into dust.
When the light faded, only one figure still stood, bloodied but unbroken.