The System's cold words were more distinctly heard than Savager's roar.
[WARNING: MINI-BOSS ENRAGED – STAGE II ACTIVATED]
Crimson sigils ignited along the Wrathborne Savager's back, burning hotter than any eyes could tolerate. Wrath magic oozed from its hide like smoke, curling back toward it in coils of hatred. The ground under its hooves crumbled—in fact, withered—in disgust, as though the ground itself resisted this creature's newly transformed form.
Arin narrowed his eyes, his blood-soaked hand tightening about the sword.
"Enraged, huh…"
The beast bellowed—and its entire body twitched.
Once. Twice.
Then it expanded.
As flesh is ripped by sinew, its muscle cords convulsed horribly and its red bone armor tore asunder to reveal an underlying second lining of black spiked armor. Its one eye within its skull blazed into a full, burning crimson halo, and its mouth opened impossibly into an obdurate, fang-crowned maw of jet-black obsidian.
A twisted, crimson tail burst forth from its back, lashing back and forth, showering searing blood everywhere.
It was no longer an beast. It was the incarnation wrath.
"Rrrrrruaaahhhhhhhhhh!"
Arin barely reacted in time.
The monster attacked, faster than before—the monster blurring as it moved. Its fist crashed down where Arin had been an instant before, destroying earth and tree equally into burning ash. The force sent him blown like autumn leaves caught in a gust of wind.
He banged into the tree line, forcefully.
Agony shrieked through his flesh. Bones were cracking--his shoulder ripped from joint, his ribs cracking under the blow. He staggered, gasping spasmodically. Blood frothed from his mouth, dripping down his chin like wine from an overturned goblet.
His eyes were burning red and black. Sounds were muted.
He was dying.
And still, the monster did not stop.
The Savager sniffed, caught his blood scent in the air—and charged again, its roar deafening, its claws scraping fire along the dungeon floor.
Arin rolled, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow. His shoulder realigned into its socket in that sickening crack. Pain blinded him. He shrieked—then clenched down on his lip to remain awake.
"Out of breath. Out of mana. Out of time."
He sneaked behind a splintered tree trunk. The Savager's heavy footsteps were closer.
That is when he heard it
A voice, an old one. Echoing within the dungeon itself.
"Fall… or rise anew, my child…"
Arin froze.
His vision blurred—not from pain, but from something deeper. His Demon Eye flickered. A glyph—an ancient one—floated across his vision like a ghostly rune etched into the air.
"R…ise… A…gai…n."
His left arm began to tremble.
The flesh darkened—red-black streaks of glyphs glowing beneath it like burning veins. His palm was scorching. His fingers thrashed about. He gasped, struggling to grasp his chest, but the flames only spread further.
And then…
[Demon Lord System Awakening – Mana Triggered by Mortality Threshold]
[WARNING: Instability Detected – Prototype Vessel Not Fully Compatible]
[Override Accepted – Initiating Soul Echo Synchronization]
Flashes.
A coliseum of ash and fire.
A monstrous arena.
Thousands chanting.
A younger Zarel—not regal, but brutal—laughing as he slaughtered a beast even more monstrous than this one.
He remembered.
Or rather, he felt it.
"This was child's play… back then."
The memory was faint. Not quite his. Not yet.
But it ran in his veins like oil to flame.
"...I won't fall. Not to a monster that I've already overcome," Arin said, heaving himself to his feet. "Even if it isn't actually my memory in this life, it was still me."
Blood rushed to his head. A glimmer of darkness was detected in his eye. His forearm tattoos glowed, and System shrieked once again:
[LIMIT BREAK CONDITION MET]
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED – BLOODLUST STEP]
Consumes HP instead of Mana. Movement technique. Requires unstable demonic attunement. Warning: Overuse will result in physical deterioration.
He looked down at his burning arm. His blood sizzled across his fingers.
He smirked.
"I'll take it."
Then the world slowed.
The forest wind stilled. The trees held their breath.
The Savager's red eye locked onto Arin again—but this time, it paused. For a heartbeat.
As if sensing the shift.
And Arin... stood straighter. His broken body trembling, bleeding—but burning with something worse than rage.
Something ancient
The boy was gone.
In his place stood a shadow of the Demon Lord.
To be continued...