Chapter 83: Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Inside the Veil, in another area, Kael stood frozen, stunned, and utterly confused. Before the beast had activated this dark, suffocating realm, it had tossed aside the Reaver’s shield. Luckily, Kael had been quick enough to recover it, clutching it now as though it were his lifeline.
And yet, despite that, he stood alone. He could barely see more than a foot ahead of him. Darkness pressed in on every side, a thick twilight that swallowed even the faintest trace of light.
The chilling, muffled screams of his comrades echoed faintly around him, distant but close enough to gnaw at his mind. He wanted to rush to them, but he could not. He was helpless, trapped, and unable to do a thing.
There was only one goal in his heart: to kill the Lycan. That was the sole reason he gritted his teeth and held on.
Currently, thick clumps of earth swirled restlessly around his shield, coiling like living armor. He tossed his gaze left and right, spinning slightly in place, trying to discern a safe path to take.
Before he could even move a step, he froze. Out of the mist, a figure emerged, striding toward him with steady steps. The sight made Kael’s blood turn cold. His body stiffened, his shield lowered ever so slightly as his eyes widened.
"Re... Renzo?" Kael muttered, his lips trembling.
Sigh.
"Kael," Renzo’s voice carried through the gloom, tired and heavy. He let out a long breath as though burdened by sorrow, then slowly strode closer. Kael’s tears began to blur his vision, dripping down his cheeks uncontrollably.
"I’m... I’m sorry, Renzo. I’m sorry that my stupidity and impulsiveness got you killed. I never meant for that to happen. It wasn’t my intention," Kael cried, his voice shaking as guilt suffocated him.
Renzo only shook his head, disappointment plain on his face. "I knew all of you were impulsive, but dumb too? I didn’t expect that. I’m shocked." His gaze swept the darkness as though he could see through it. "Right now, some of our clanmates are drowning in illusions—illusions of me. You would’ve fallen for the same trap if I hadn’t come in time."
"Me... meaning?" Kael asked weakly, slowly wiping the tears away with the back of his hand, though his voice quivered.
Renzo’s expression softened, and he placed a firm hand on Kael’s shoulders. "Listen. I don’t blame any of you. My death... it wasn’t in vain. I died because I chose to. I died saving a clanmate, and I would make the same choice again if I had to.
The only regret I have is leaving Rina behind, but I trust you’ll all take care of her for me." His lips curved upward in a grin. "I don’t have long. My soul’s fading, but I came to say one last thing."
Kael lifted his head, his tears stilled, his gaze fixed on the friend he lost.
Renzo’s grin widened. "Screw you, sucker."
And just like that, his form scattered into nothingness.
Kael froze, stunned beyond words, until in a split second, the air warped. His eyes widened as Renzo’s fading image shifted and twisted, revealing the towering form of the B-ranked Lycan. Its dark lips curled upward into a cruel smirk.
BAM!
The Lycan swung its massive fist with devastating force, the strike so fierce it seemed to shatter the very sound barrier. Kael reacted with instinct. His shield shot up, earth swirling rapidly to reinforce it, but even so...
BANG!
The impact landed like a thunderclap. A shockwave erupted, tearing the ground apart in a violent burst. The earth shielding the weapon shattered instantly, fragments scattering like dust. Cracks spiderwebbed across the shield’s surface before it broke apart completely.
Kael’s body was hurled backward, blood spraying from his lips as the sheer force rattled his insides. His eyes rolled back from the impact, and he crashed hard into something unseen. His body hit the ground and lay still, unmoving.
__
Elsewhere within the suffocating darkness of the Veil, Vynn stood tall. His sword remained sheathed, his hands steady on the hilt as his sharp eyes swept the void around him.
’I don’t know what’s happening here. I keep hearing screams, faint and muffled, echoing all around me. Where’s the Lycan hiding? No matter what, I need to find it. I need to send that monster to hell myself,’ he thought grimly.
The silence deepened, broken only by the steady beat of his heart. Just as he took a cautious step forward...
A growl. Low. Deep. Terrifying.
It rolled into his ears like thunder, vibrating through his bones.
"On my left," he mumbled under his breath as he swiftly unsheathed his sword. Lightning crackled violently around his hands, raw energy dancing across his skin. He swung hard to the left, the blade slicing through the air with precision, but... there was nothing. No resistance. Just emptiness.
’Huh? Nothing there?’ Vynn thought, narrowing his eyes. His grip tightened around the hilt as his gaze swept the suffocating gloom. ’Where is it? Where the hell is that mutt hiding?’
Growl!
Another guttural sound rolled through the darkness, scraping against his ears. Instinctively, Vynn spun and thrust his sword to the right, his blade cutting the air with lethal force. Again—nothing. No resistance. Just a taunting void.
’What is going on? How the hell is the beast moving faster than me when I’m using the lightning Veil?’ His heart pounded harder, his pulse quickening as tension wrapped around him like a vice.
"Come on, show yourself, you damn overgrown dog!" Vynn bellowed, voice echoing in defiance. "What’s wrong? Afraid? Show me your ugly face so I can give you a proper makeover!"
Silence.
The stillness pressed in, heavy and suffocating. His head jerked from side to side, scanning desperately, but the beast remained unseen. Then...
AWHOOOO!
A howl tore through the air above him. Vynn’s head snapped upward, his instincts flaring. He squinted into the oppressive darkness but saw nothing. Still, he bent his knees and prepared to leap, aiming to slash the beast from the sky. But before he could...
WHAM!
Agony tore through his body as razor-sharp claws raked across his leg. The impact hurled him sideways, his body tumbling several meters before crashing to the ground. Blood sprayed, trailing along the dirt as his leg throbbed in burning pain.
"Shit!" Vynn cursed, grimacing as he forced himself to a stop. He staggered to his feet, his sword raised once more. "Is the Veil amplifying its speed and strength? Or am I being toyed with?"
He spat blood, his chest heaving. ’Come on, Vynn, focus. Control your breathing. Calm your nerves. If you can’t find it, you’ll die here. Renzo is counting on you!’
Drawing in a sharp breath, Vynn closed his eyes. He steadied his stance, raised his sword, and listened. His head tilted slightly, turning from side to side, seeking the faintest whisper of sound.
Growl!
The sound slithered into his left ear, deep and menacing. But Vynn did not flinch. He waited, his breathing steady, his muscles coiled like a drawn bowstring. Then...
CRACKLE!
SIZZLE!
BANG!
Vynn moved. His body blurred as lightning exploded across his frame. In a streak of blinding speed, he dashed to the right, his sword cutting a lethal arc. A deafening boom followed, the clash sending shockwaves rolling across the battlefield.
The blade collided. Sparks erupted as his sword locked against the beast’s claws. The Lycan loomed in front of him at last, its glowing eyes burning with murderous intent.
Vynn’s teeth ground together, his eyes blazing. "Screw you!" he roared, fury and lightning coursing through every fiber of his being.
The ground beneath his boots shattered violently, spiderweb cracks spreading as more lightning bolts rained down, scorching the earth.
"ARGHHHH!" His voice thundered as he kicked off with explosive force, the ground erupting into a crater beneath him. His sword flared with blinding light, the lightning surging so fiercely it looked like a storm condensed into steel. With one savage slash, the blade cut true.
The beast’s claws flew through the air, severed cleanly. They struck the ground with a dull thud, twitching uselessly as the Lycan’s furious snarl filled the darkness.