The moon bled red overhead, its light spilling across the battlefield like a curse. The wind howled, carrying the scent of ash, blood, and death. Russ stood at the heart of the chaos, his shadow stretching unnaturally far, writhing like a living beast.
Opposite him, the Dark Warlord emerged from the smoke—armor black as obsidian, eyes glowing with molten gold. His weapon, a jagged greatsword, pulsed with corrupted qi.
"You've delayed me long enough," the Warlord snarled, his voice a low rumble that cracked the air. "Your world dies tonight."
Russ's lips curved into a grim smile. "Not while I'm breathing."
His qi flared, swirling in a vortex of blood-red light and black shadow. The Blood Core within him thrummed like a war drum, syncing with his racing heartbeat. Crimson veins rippled along his arms, fusing with the Shadow Mantle until his body became a silhouette wrapped in liquid darkness.
The Warlord lunged first, his greatsword cleaving downward with enough force to shatter stone. Russ vanished into the ground—Shadow Step—and reappeared behind his enemy, slashing upward with Blood Fang Strike. The crimson arc carved through the air, but the Warlord twisted, blocking it with a clang that sent shockwaves through the battlefield.
"You're faster… but not enough," the Warlord growled, unleashing a blast of corrupted qi.
The force ripped through Russ's defenses, hurling him across the field. He rolled, coughing blood, but his grip on his blades only tightened. If I hold back, I die here. No… worse—everyone dies.
Russ's eyes gleamed with the glow of the Crimson Eclipse—a forbidden skill that merged the essence of his blood and shadow qi. As he activated it, the red moon's light thickened, drawn into him. His aura became suffocating, every shadow in the battlefield bending toward him.
The Warlord hesitated—just for a heartbeat—and Russ struck.
In a blur, Shadow Chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around the Warlord's limbs. Russ followed with Blood Nova, exploding in a storm of crimson shards that sliced through armor like paper. The Warlord roared, breaking the chains, but not before Russ was already on him, driving both blades toward his chest.
The impact sent a shockwave through the night, the ground splitting beneath their feet. The Warlord staggered back, armor fractured, ichor leaking from his wounds.
"You think this will stop me?" he spat, lifting his sword for a final strike.
Russ's voice was a whisper of steel and fury. "It's not about stopping you. It's about ending you."
He let the Blood Core Overdrive consume him. Power flooded his veins, burning and freezing all at once. His vision narrowed to a single point—the Warlord's heart.
The world slowed. The air thickened.
Russ stepped forward, shadows curling around him like wings, blood energy spiraling into his blades. He roared, unleashing Void Rend, a fusion of shadow qi, blood magic, and the void inheritance within him.
The attack tore through the Warlord's chest, shredding flesh, armor, and soul alike. The sky itself seemed to rip open, a dark chasm swallowing the crimson moonlight.
The Warlord fell to his knees, disbelief in his fading eyes. "Impossible…"
Russ stood over him, chest heaving, his own lifeforce flickering dangerously low. "Welcome… to the void."
With a final slash, the Warlord's head fell, and the battlefield went still.
The shadows receded. The blood moon dimmed.
Russ dropped to one knee, gripping his chest, his vision fading to black. Somewhere in the distance, he heard Mira's voice calling his name—but he didn't know if he could answer.