The forest grew darker as dawn approached, though the moon clung stubbornly to the sky, casting silver light over the carnage. The trail of blood and broken bodies we left behind seemed endless. Lilith moved with deliberate slowness, savoring every sensation, every scent of fear still clinging to the air. My tip pulsed inside her grip, humming with anticipation, urging her forward.
The echoes of the previous night's kills had not faded; they lingered like ghosts. I felt it in the soil, in the trees, in Lilith's racing heartbeat. Each soul that bled into me sharpened the edge of my consciousness, my energy ticking higher with each kill.
[Energy: 33/100]
[Passive Active: Bloodlust Synchronization]
[Skill Node Available: Unlock 1 Active Skill]
A faint notification flickered inside me. The choice came naturally.
[Active Skill Unlock Options:]
→ Searing Strike – Deal massive damage in a single thrust, consuming energy.
→ Soul Drain – Temporarily siphon life force to restore energy.
→ Rending Spin – Sweep multiple enemies with one spinning attack.
Lilith's hands tightened around me as I pulsed. "She will want speed. She will want ecstasy."
[Active Skill Unlocked: Rending Spin]
I whispered the guidance inside her mind. "Spin, Lilith. Leave none standing."
The distant crackle of movement caught our attention. A larger hunting party had entered the forest—dozens of men in crude armor, torches blazing, weapons ready. They had heard the screams, the tales, and now they were coming to stop the demon who had painted the woods red.
Lilith's grin widened, her lips stained dark, her eyes glowing brighter than the moonlight. "More," she breathed. "I want them all."
The first man lunged with a spear. Lilith didn't dodge—she stepped into the motion, spinning with me in her hands. The point caught him squarely in the stomach, piercing through ribs and organs. Blood erupted like a fountain, hot and metallic. He collapsed instantly, gurgling, clutching at me uselessly.
[+3 Soul Fragments]
[Energy: 36/100]
Another tried to flank her, swinging a sword wide. Lilith spun again, my blade slicing through his shoulder, tearing muscle and tendon. The scream that followed was ragged, choking, and ended in a wet thump as he fell onto the mud.
I pulsed. "Yes… their fear. Their pain. Their blood. All for me."
The formation broke instantly. Panic spread among the humans. Some dropped weapons and fled; others froze in horror.
Lilith's steps were slow but precise. She chased those who ran, spinning with me extended. My edge cut through them like water through reeds, splitting torsos, severing limbs. One man's arm flew off, landing atop a shattered skull with a wet slap. Another's leg was ripped open from hip to knee, muscle and sinew hanging like grotesque streamers in the cold air.
The screams were intoxicating. The sight of blood coating Lilith's skin, dripping down her face, hair matted and tangled—beautiful, terrible, and perfectly attuned to my hunger.
[+5 Soul Fragments]
[Energy: 41/100]
The leader of the group, a burly man wielding a greatsword, finally recovered his senses. He roared, charging like a bull, screaming for his men to stand their ground. Lilith's crimson gaze met his. I pulsed inside her, guiding, suggesting, pressing her to taste the fear before finishing him.
She didn't hesitate. I whispered the rhythm of the attack into her mind, the perfect motion to end him quickly yet beautifully. She lifted me high and spun, slicing his chest open with a horizontal sweep. The force tore through his armor, snapping ribs and spilling his heart partially into the mud.
He stumbled, chest heaving, coughing blood in thick, wet bursts. Lilith twirled, and I drove into his throat, bursting it open, spraying gore across both of us. His legs kicked one last time before collapsing entirely, twitching in the red sludge.
[+7 Soul Fragments]
[Energy: 48/100]
The remaining men tried to flee, but Lilith's speed had increased. The passive Bloodlust Synchronization surged, restoring her stamina, sharpening her reflexes. I hummed in approval. "Yes. Never tire. Spin. Kill. Consume."
She twirled again, Rending Spin in full effect. My tip tore through two men at once, splitting torsos, severing necks in a single motion. Blood arced in fountains, painting the trees and mud around us. Another tried to throw a spear, but she stepped forward, impaling his shoulder through and through, twisting me. His scream was brief, cut off by the rupture of his lungs.
The ground became slick with gore, a river of red carrying entrails, limbs, and the occasional skull along with it. Lilith moved through it effortlessly, laughing, spinning, twisting, never pausing.
[+10 Soul Fragments]
[Energy: 55/100]
I guided her to the last two survivors. One was a boy, no older than seventeen, trembling, holding a dagger far too small to save him. The other, a man whose armor was mangled from the fray, tried to protect him.
Lilith's grin softened, cruel but almost… affectionate. She twirled me above her head and leapt forward, impaling the man first. I sank deep into his chest, tearing through muscle and bone. He gasped, blood frothing at his lips, as his eyes met Lilith's. He died fast, but not before she whispered, "Now you see… there is no mercy."
The boy screamed, dropping the dagger. Lilith didn't rush. She advanced slowly, savoring the terror radiating from him. I guided her hand, and the tip of me hovered just over his chest. He fell to his knees, hands shaking, eyes wide and wet.
"Please… please…" he choked.
Lilith tilted her head, hair falling over her blood-smeared face. She pressed me forward. My tip pierced his shoulder, cutting muscle and sinew. He screamed, a raw, animalistic sound. I pulsed, and the Bloodlust Synchronization activated fully, replenishing energy as his fear and pain surged into me.
[+5 Soul Fragments]
[Energy: 60/100]
She spun, ripping through his belly, splitting him in half with a final, clean motion. Blood sprayed across her face, dripping into her hair, her eyes shining brighter than the moon.
"Isn't this wonderful?" she whispered, voice trembling with mania. "Asmodius… do you love me more now?"
I pulsed in answer, letting her feel it. "Yes, Lilith. Every scream, every drop… it is ours. The world has begun to taste despair."
The remaining humans scattered, abandoning even their wounded. The forest grew silent again, save for the wet drip of blood from the corpses. Branches snapped, the wind moaned through the trees, but no sound dared approach us.
Lilith stood amidst the carnage, her chest rising and falling, her hair stuck to her blood-coated skin. She held me high, letting the last red droplets slide along the black steel. Her eyes glowed with obsession, adoration, and unholy delight.
I pulsed once more, noting the growth in energy.
[Energy: 62/100]
[Skill Ready: Rending Spin (Cooldown Available)]
My system whispered new possibilities. Soon, stronger skills could be unlocked if we continued to hunt, to slaughter, to drink in despair. Lilith would become the perfect vessel for my essence.