Chapter 12: The Revenant's Trial
The Flamebound Revenant stepped fully into the world with the weight of a fallen star. Its body was a mass of scorched armor, molten veins, and screaming faces that faded in and out of its molten skin. A chain of fire wrapped around each wrist, dragging behind it as it moved with a slow, methodical hatred.
Rayden didn't wait.
The moment the quest registered in his vision, he charged. His blade was an extension of his fury, already wreathed in the System's unnatural black fire. He aimed high, slashing toward the creature's head—but the Revenant blocked with a backhand so powerful it sent him flying ten meters backward, crashing through a broken column.
[Warning: Internal Damage – Minor Fractures Detected]
He groaned but stood, gritting his teeth as blood dripped from his mouth. "You hit harder than your pets," he snarled.
The Revenant didn't answer. It simply raised its flaming chains and cracked them forward. One wrapped around Rayden's ankle mid-dash and yanked him violently off his feet, slamming him into the ground again. The other chain followed, arcing toward his chest like a viper.
[Auto-Response Activated: Blood Shield Lv.1]
A dome of blood-red light surrounded Rayden just in time to deflect the strike, but the impact still sent tremors through his bones. He rolled to his feet, panting, blade dragging behind him as the Revenant approached again—slow, steady, burning.
The System whispered again. "You cannot win in a clash of power. Overwhelm with speed. Unleash rage. Burn your fear."
Rayden clenched his fist. "Then take it all."
[Manual Override: Unchained Fury Lv.3]
[New Status: Berserk Rush – All attacks gain lifesteal. Defense reduced by 30%. Duration: 15 seconds.]
He launched forward like a comet.
Their weapons met in an explosion of flame and darkness. Rayden's sword carved across the Revenant's chest, but the creature retaliated with a molten punch that shattered the blood-shield and knocked Rayden to one knee. But he didn't stop. He slashed upward, severing one of the flaming chains in half.
The Revenant screamed—its voice not its own, but that of a thousand souls bound in agony.
Rayden pressed the advantage, darting beneath the Revenant's guard and driving his blade into the creature's chest. Black flames surged through the wound, igniting the Revenant from the inside out. It reeled, stumbled, then swung blindly, catching Rayden across the shoulder with a molten fist.
He hit the ground, twitching, body steaming.
[HP Critical – 12% Remaining]
The creature staggered toward him, fire leaking from its eyes. But as it raised a final fist, Rayden grinned. His hand lifted toward the Revenant, and a glowing rune pulsed at his palm.
[System Override Skill – Devourer's Brand]
Effect: Drain remaining HP of marked enemy. Convert 50% to user.
A black tendril shot from his hand and stabbed into the Revenant's core. The creature froze mid-strike. Its body convulsed as its life-force was siphoned into Rayden's body like smoke into a vacuum. The armor cracked. The flames flickered. And then—
It exploded in a shockwave of ashes and screams.
Rayden dropped to one knee, gasping. His wounds healed slowly, energy surging back into his limbs. The System pulsed—satisfied, feeding on the victory.
[Trial Completed: Revenant's Trial]
Reward: Skill Unlocked – Infernal Grip Lv.1
Bonus: Rage Capacity Increased
As the ash settled, only the masked figure remained, watching from the edge of the ruins.
"You have passed the first gate," it said. "But the path ahead will demand more than rage, boy. It will demand sacrifice."
Then it vanished into flame.
Rayden stood in the silence that followed, the scent of burned stone and old blood in the air.
"I've already sacrificed everything," he muttered. "There's nothing left but this path."
The System said nothing.
But something deep in the earth stirred again.