Day forty-nine. Morning light barely penetrated the suffocating purple-white mist. Draven moved with a tense deliberation, the Genesis Codex glowing faintly at his hip, its barrier humming a silent prayer of protection. Beside him, Malvorn was an anchor of absolute stability, his twenty-five stories of earth-element power moving at magnitude zero, completely unaffected by the spiritual poison.
They tracked deeper, following the path of torn earth and the trail of pure corruption. The atmosphere worsened with every step. The pressure was crushing, the cold absolute, the silence total, as if they were approaching the epicenter of the zone's wound.
"Beast ahead," Malvorn projected, his earth communion reading the world beneath their feet. "Two hundred meters. Moving erratically. Stumbling. Attacking trees. In pain. In madness. Suffering."
Draven's jaw set. He checked the tight barrier of the Codex. "We approach carefully. Attempt calming first. Communication. Understanding. Like I did with you."
"Worth trying," Malvorn agreed, his deep voice carrying a rumble of recognition. "But prepare for failure. If consciousness is gone, calming is impossible."
The evidence of the beast's agony grew starker. Blood spattered the bark of the trees—fresh, dark, with a sick purple tint mixed into the red. It was hurting itself, tearing at its own body in a futile attempt to stop the pain the corruption caused. Trees were violently destroyed, their trunks shattered, not for food or territory, but in mindless lashing out. The ground itself was scored in repeating circular patterns—the creature running in confused, disoriented loops, unable to rest, unable to think. Purple-white lightning scorch marks covered the area, uncontrolled discharges of a corrupted element.
"It's suffering," Draven whispered, the word thick with grief. "Not evil. Not malicious. Just suffering beyond endurance. The corruption is destroying the mind while the body survives."
He remembered his own battle with the Ice Serpent in his V1 memory—a creature that had mutated beyond reason and massacred everything in its path. That pattern was repeating, and the fear of what this beast could do if it escaped the zone spurred him forward.
"Remember," Draven said to Malvorn, "You were magnitude seven, completely uncontrolled. But inside, you were still conscious. Still aware. I reached that."
"I was never corrupted," Malvorn corrected, his tone gentle. "Mind intact. This beast? Only one way to discover."
A low, tortured scream echoed through the stillness, closer now. Very close.
"Ready?" Draven asked.
"Always. Overlord immunity means no risk to me. I protect you. You attempt communication. Simple."
They emerged into a small clearing. The mist swirled, and the silence was absolute, save for a constant, low, agonizing screaming sound.
And there it was: a Thunder Wolf. Once a magnificent, elegant, intelligent King-tier apex predator.
Now, a monster.
Its fur was blackened completely, the corrupted shade absorbing all light. Purple veins glowed bright across its entire body, pulsing like a spreading infection. Its eyes were empty white, vacant—no consciousness, no intelligence, no recognition, just madness made visible.
Its body was swollen grotesquely, muscles bulging unnaturally as the corruption forced its King-tier physiology toward peak Lord-tier power without the required natural growth. The skin was stretched tight, and physical deformities were manifest: a twisted spine and a third, incomplete limb attempting to emerge from its shoulder. Corrupted purple-white lightning cracked erratically around it, lethal and uncontrolled.
The creature was suffering made audible and visible.
Draven stepped forward slowly, hands visible and empty, his voice calm and gentle, attempting to pierce the madness.
"Easy. I'm not here to hurt you. I know you're suffering. I know corruption hurts. But I can help. I helped Malvorn. I can help you."
There was no response. Not even recognition of the sound. The empty white eyes stared without seeing, tracking his movement instinctively—predator watching prey.
"I know you were someone's bonded beast once. Someone loved you. You had family. I can bring that back. Can calm the corruption. Can restore consciousness."
The beast's head tilted slightly, a small, hopeful gesture that was quickly negated. It was not understanding. It was just an automatic tic.
"Please. Let me try. Don't make me kill you."
The Thunder Wolf lunged. There was no warning, no hesitation—just a blur of pure, mindless aggression.
Purple-white lightning exploded, striking Draven's position. The Codex barrier flared, deflecting the deadly arcs, forcing Draven back.
Malvorn materialized effortlessly between them, his earth armor taking the full force of the beast's charge. Claws scraped harmlessly off the crystalline material; the lightning was grounded instantly into the Overlord body, absorbed and negated. Peak Lord-tier power was nothing against Overlord immunity.
The beast didn't stop. It just attacked, again and again, mindlessly. Draven looked into the empty white eyes and saw nothing inside.
"It's gone," he said quietly, his hope dying. "Consciousness is destroyed. Mind erased. We can't save this one."
His hands trembled, not from fear, but from grief. This was someone's family, now reduced to this. But the vision of the Ice Serpent's victims was clearer. Mercy was required, both for the beast and for anyone it would encounter if it escaped.
"We kill it," Draven said, the decision final, tragic, and necessary. "Quickly. Cleanly. Mercy killing. End the suffering and prevent a massacre."
Malvorn rumbled a low assent. "I'll restrain. You deliver the final strike. Painless as possible."
"I'm sorry," Draven whispered to the beast, before the combat began.
The Thunder Wolf moved faster than a King-tier should, fueled by its corrupted peak Lord-tier enhancement. Lightning exploded everywhere—purple-white arcs striking trees, ground, and mist. Draven rolled behind an earth pillar Malvorn had raised casually, the stone absorbing the corrupted energy easily.
"Peak Lord-tier power confirmed!" Malvorn called, completely unfazed. "Dangerous to you—nothing to me. Fight freely. I'll protect you."
The beast ignored Malvorn entirely, having instinctively recognized the Overlord's immunity. It circled, its gait stumbling but fast, focusing solely on the vulnerable human.
"It's drawing power from the zone! We must end this before it gets worse!" Draven shouted.
"Agreed! I'll restrain! You strike!"
Draven focused, the Genesis Codex pulsing power into him, increasing his speed and sharpening his perception. "Malvorn! Restrain front legs!"
Earth erupted effortlessly, crystalline constructs wrapping the wolf's front limbs. The beast thrashed, purple-white lightning superheating and shattering the bonds quickly.
"It's stronger than expected!" Draven called.
"Just resilient. Persistent. Need repeated attacks," Malvorn replied calmly.
The Thunder Wolf countered by focusing a torrent of lightning on Draven's position, overwhelming the Codex barrier and forcing constant, exhausting movement. Draven saw an opening—the beast momentarily distracted by Malvorn's restraining efforts—and moved aggressively to strike the exposed flank.
He connected, landing a good, solid hit, and the beast howled in pain.
But the Thunder Wolf twisted faster than anticipated. Its claws raked across Draven's shoulder, ripping through the barrier, the thin leather armor, and the skin beneath.
Pain exploded. Blood flowed hot, the wound deep. Draven gasped, staggering back, his hand pressing the injury.
Malvorn roared, and earth immediately shot up to shield Draven, his protection absolute.
"I'm fine!" Draven called, fighting past the physical wound and the emotional toll. He was injured, exhausted, but functional. He looked at the relentlessly attacking beast. No fatigue. No slowing. Corruption sustained it.
"Coordinated strike!" Draven shouted, breathing hard. "End this now!"
Malvorn restrained with overwhelming earth control. Pillars erupted, chains formed, immobilizing the beast completely. Draven struck, the Genesis Codex blazing with his full available power. It was a direct hit to the beast's corrupted core.
The Thunder Wolf screamed. A massive wound opened, and purple-red blood flowed heavily. It was dying.
But still fighting. Still thrashing against Malvorn's restraints. Still attacking, its absolute survival instinct refusing to stop. They had wounded it severely. It was close to death.
But not dead yet. The mercy killing had prolonged into a desperate battle. Victory was close, but not yet won.
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