The black blast from Aiden's palm tore through the air like a cracked beam of shadow.
It hit the Bloodclaw Hound—
—but only for a second.
BOOM!
The creature was thrown sideways, slamming into a wall hard enough to dent the steel.
Aiden gasped.
His vision blurred. His knees buckled.
His own ability was tearing him apart.
[WARNING: Internal strain detected.]
[You are exceeding safe capacity.]
[Severe backlash imminent.]
Aiden collapsed to one knee, clutching his chest.
It felt like his ribs were splitting open from the inside.
"What… is this ability…?"
His palm smoked. Skin cracked. Black energy sparked uncontrollably.
The Bloodclaw Hound staggered back to its feet, shaking its head, blood dripping from its jaw.
Not dead.
Not even close.
"You've gotta be kidding me…"
Aiden forced himself upright. His whole arm trembled violently.
His pulse was erratic. Sight fading.
The system chimed again—
[You cannot use the ability again without self-destruction.]
The hound roared and charged.
Aiden barely dodged. The creature's claws sliced across his side, ripping his uniform open and drawing blood.
Pain seared through him.
He stumbled back, holding his side.
The hound pounced again.
Aiden rolled out of the way, barely avoiding teeth meant to rip out his throat.
He couldn't win this.
Not like this.
He wasn't strong enough.
Not even close.
But if he failed…
His system would punish him. Break him.
And everyone in the academy would be right — he was worthless.
Aiden's hands shook with rage and fear.
"No… not again… I refuse…"
He grabbed a metal pipe from the broken cage beside him and swung it with everything he had.
The hound dodged.
Aiden struck again.
This time the pipe connected with its jaw — a sickening crack.
But the beast barely flinched.
Instead, it leaped forward, jaws clamping onto the pipe and wrenching it from Aiden's grip like nothing.
It tossed the metal aside and lunged directly at him.
Aiden's foot slipped on blood.
The creature's claws came down.
Slash—!
A deep cut opened across Aiden's arm.
He screamed in raw pain.
His vision pulsed.
His tattoo glowed—
[WARNING: User is in fatal condition.]
[Do you want to activate the ability again?]
[Chance of survival: 12%]
12%.
Twelve percent.
His breath shook.
He could die.
Right here. Right now.
But the hound was already circling him again, ready for the final pounce.
Aiden's body trembled violently.
He lifted his injured arm.
"…Do it," he whispered.
The system paused.
[CONFIRMATION REQUIRED.]
[Do you want to risk your life to activate the ability?]
Aiden stared at the blood pooling at his feet.
At the monster preparing to rip his throat out.
At the timer still blinking in the corner of his vision—
00:03:11
Three minutes left until punishment.
He grit his teeth.
"I said—"
The Bloodclaw Hound launched forward.
Teeth open.
Claws extended.
Aiden screamed—
"DO IT!"
His palm ignited with black, unstable light.
The ground shook.
The walls cracked.
And then—
—
A VOICE echoed in the darkness:
[New Skill Unlocked: ???]
[Fatal Surge Mode: Activating…]
Aiden's entire arm erupted in swirling black flames—
—and the hound's jaws closed around him.
---