The monster screamed.
It wasn't just sound. It was distortion, a violent tearing of the air itself as its body recoiled, tentacles twitching uncontrollably. The rhythm that had governed its movements until now began to break apart, its coordination slipping as if something fundamental had been disrupted.
Then, for the first time since the fight began, it hesitated.
The shift was small and barely noticeable but it was there.
A flicker. A flaw.
A system window appeared.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Skill Interrupted: ROARING SLASH
Effect: Fear Status Removed
The pressure vanished instantly. The invisible weight that had crushed their bodies moments ago disappeared like chains snapping apart.
Rohan gasped, his lungs expanding sharply as control returned to his limbs. His knees buckled for a second before he forced himself upright, breathing hard.
"…I… I can move…" Rohan said it with slight relief.
Across from him, Aarav lowered the gun slightly, flexing his fingers as sensation returned fully to his grip. The stiffness was gone. The hesitation, it's gone.
Another window flickered into existence.
[SYSTEM EVENT]
TIME REMAINING: 01:00
Objective: SURVIVE
Rohan's eyes widened as he read it.
"One minute…?" he whispered, before his voice rose sharply. "AARAV! Only one minute left!"
He turned toward the monster. It was still recovering, its movements unstable but not harmless.
"We don't need to kill it!" Rohan shouted, urgency breaking through his voice. "We just need to survive! Stall it, block it and run if we have to!"
Aarav didn't respond.
Something felt wrong. Rohan's brows furrowed. "…Aarav?"
Aarav's head tilted slightly, almost thoughtfully, as if considering the suggestion.
Then, slowly he smiled.
Not relief. Not excitement. Something quieter. Something that didn't belong in a moment like this.
His eyes sharpened, locking onto the monster with a focus that felt almost predatory.
Rohan felt a chill crawl up his spine. "…what are you doing?" he asked, more cautious now.
Aarav turned toward him, and this time there was no hesitation in his gaze.
No fear. No doubt.
"We're not running," he said.
His voice was calm. Too calm.
"I'm killing it."
He paused briefly, as if weighing his own words, and then added, almost under his breath
"…for Pranav."
Another pause.
His grip tightened slightly around the gun.
"…and because I can."
There was no laughter, no outburst but the intent behind those words was far more unsettling.
Behind them, the monster steadied itself. Its movements regained structure, but something had changed. The tentacles rose again—faster than before, sharper, more aggressive. The momentary hesitation was gone, replaced by a focused hostility.
Rohan clenched his teeth and picked up what remained of his shield, the fractured metal barely holding together. "…damn it… fine," he muttered. "Just don't die."
Aarav stepped forward.
A system prompt flickered briefly.
[CLASS ACTIVATION]
Assassin – Active
Effect: +2 Speed [Enhanced Agility]
The moment the dagger settled into his grip, his body responded. His posture shifted subtly lighter on his feet, weight balanced, every movement more precise. The world seemed slower, clearer.
The monster attacked. Multiple tentacles surged forward, cutting through the air with violent force, each one targeting a different angle.
But Aarav didn't retreat.
He stepped into it.
The first strike came straight for his chest. He angled his body just enough for it to pass, the tip grazing past his side as displaced air whipped against him.
The second followed immediately from the right. He pivoted on his foot, the motion minimal, controlled, letting the attack pass behind him without wasting movement.
The third thrust aimed low.
He stepped over it, his timing exact, as though he had already seen it coming.
From the outside, it didn't look like speed. It looked like inevitability.
Rohan stared, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
"…what the hell…?"
Aarav's eyes tracked everything.
Not the chaos but the structure beneath it.
Front. Right. Left. Pause.
Still the same.
"Too predictable," he murmured.
He raised the gun mid-motion and fired. The shot rang out sharply, but the monster twisted its body at the last moment, the bullet grazing past and slamming into the concrete behind it.
Aarav clicked his tongue softly, "Annoying."
The creature retaliated immediately. Its tentacles surged with increased aggression, slamming into the terrace with explosive force. Concrete split under repeated impacts, debris scattering across the rooftop.
Rohan barely managed to block another incoming strike, the weakened shield ringing under pressure.
"Ten seconds!" he shouted. "AARAV! ONLY TEN FUCKING SECONDS!"
Aarav didn't look at him. His focus had narrowed completely.
The monster. Its movement. Its core. Hidden but not invisible.
He fired again. This time the bullet struck, embedding itself into the creature's body, but not deep enough. Not where it mattered.
The monster shrieked, still very much alive.
A warning flashed.
[WARNING]
Mana Critical
Current Mana: 1
Next Usage Will Result In Unconsciousness
Aarav exhaled slowly, "…so this is the last one."
The world seemed to quiet around him. Not because the battle had slowed, but because his mind had filtered everything unnecessary out.
The timer continued to fall.
The monster lunged.
Rohan shouted something behind him.
None of it mattered.
Only the pattern remained.
Front. Right. Left.
He waited. Longer than before.
The third strike passed.
The pause appeared.
And within that fraction of a second, something shifted beneath the creature's rib-like frame.
The core got exposed.
Aarav raised the gun. His finger tightened on the trigger. His breathing was steady. His expression unchanged except for the faintest trace of a smile.
Not wide. Not wild. Just certain.
He fired.
The final bullet cut cleanly through the air and drove straight into the exposed core.
The effect was immediate. The monster froze.
Its entire body convulsed as if the impact had reached something vital. The tentacles spasmed violently before losing coordination entirely.
Then it collapsed.
The massive body hit the ground with enough force to shake the terrace, the sound echoing outward as the movement finally stopped.
Aarav remained standing.
Gun lowered.
For a moment, everything felt distant.
Then the world tilted. His vision blurred at the edges, darkness creeping inward as the last of his strength drained away.
A system message flickered faintly in front of him.
[MANA: 0]
Status: Loss of Consciousness Initiated
"AARAV!", Rohan's voice broke through as he ran toward him, panic evident despite everything,"…you idiot…"
Aarav turned slightly, his vision unfocused now, shapes blurring into motion. He saw Rohan approaching, broken shield still in hand, expression strained.
Then the darkness deepened.
And just before everything faded,
A voice.
Calm. Cold. Close.
"You did well…"
A pause.
"…my vassal."