Chapter 5: Suffering
Nova hurriedly scanned his surroundings, his eyes settling on the wet soil beneath him.
An idea sparked in his mind. As the Abyssal Monsters approached, he swiftly scooped up handfuls of mud, molding them into crude spheres.
The clawed monster was the first to close in, its massive limbs tearing into the ground with each stride. Timing his move, Nova flung a mud ball directly into its eyes.
"ARGH! CANT SEE!" the creature hissed, clawing at its face in frustration.
Seizing the opportunity, Nova dashed toward the bladed monster.
He aimed a precise kick at its hand—the one gripping the ominous blade that seemed to absorb all light around it.
His foot connected solidly, and the weapon flew from the monster's grasp, embedding itself into the ground a few feet away.
"Yes!" Nova exclaimed, a surge of adrenaline coursing through him.
But his victory was short-lived. A chilling sensation crept up his spine. Before he could react, the tailed monster's appendage wrapped around his neck from behind, tightening like a rope.
The rough, scaly texture scraped against his skin as it constricted his throat.
He clawed desperately at the tail, his nails digging into its flesh, but the grip was unrelenting. His vision blurred, dark spots dancing before his eyes as oxygen escaped him.
"Not... like... this..." he choked out, his voice barely a whisper.
The world faded to black.
[You have died.]
[Death Count: 4]
Nova gasped awake, his lungs greedily drawing in air. Anger and determination burned in him.
"FUCK!" he shouted into the emptiness. "Why do these monsters work so well together? If I can break their coordination..."
He recalled how the monsters had hesitated when they first saw the black mist swirling around his hands. "Maybe I can use that," he mused, clenching his fists as wisps of dark energy began to gather.
As the Abyssal monsters reappeared and charged toward him, he focused intently, transforming the black mist to become something tangible. The mist thickened, swirling around his arms like living armor. The winds cracked around him as the intensity of the Abyssal Aura increased.
The monsters paused, their movements became hesitant as they sensed the Abyssal aura thickening.
"WHAT'S THIS?" the bladed monster snarled, uncertainty visible in its monstrous eyes.
Taking advantage of their hesitation, Nova thrust his hands forward. Tendrils of dark energy shot out, striking the ground between them.
An explosion of dark wake erupted, a shockwave rippling through the air and sending the clawed monster sprawling backward.
'That's new!' Nova exclaimed in his mind, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips at his achievement.
But the excitement was short-lived. Controlling the Abyssal energy was draining—not just physically but mentally. He felt a crushing pressing over his mind, his limbs started to feel heavier.
He stumbled, his focus wavering for a split second.
The bladed monster seized the opportunity. With a swift, fluid motion, it closed the distance and slashed across Nova's legs.
A sharp pain tore through him as he collapsed onto the wet ground, the cold mud seeping into his clothes.
The tailed monster loomed over him, its eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "HISSS FOOD," it hissed.
Before he could react, the appendage struck, delivering the final blow to his neck.
[You have died.]
[Death Count: 5]
Breathing heavily, Nova sat up, his body trembling from the residual pain. But beneath the exhaustion, a hint of crazed excitement flickered.
"I'm getting closer," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "That energy attack worked, but its too draining on me. I need to increase my control over this weird aura thing first."
He stood up, quickly surveying his surroundings for anything that could benefit him—the wet soil, jagged rocks jutting from the earth, and swirling patches of Abyssal mist that clung to the ground like ghostly tendrils.
'This shitty place is really like hell.' His face twisted in disgust as he slowly saw the surroundings that were becoming familiar.
An idea formed in his mind. And before the monsters appeared he began practicing, manipulating the mist around him.
He focused his will, guiding the dark energy to shape itself into a crude shield. The mist around him responded, solidifying slowly as he concentrated, forming a barrier that felt both ethereal and solid beneath his touch.
"Now this is better," he whispered, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
But before he could refine it any further, the Abyssal Monsters arrived once more, their forms materializing from the shadows.
'Fuck! These motherfuckers really don't give me even a minute to prepare.' He thought as the tailed monster struck first, its appendage whipping toward him with lethal speed.
Nova hurriedly raised his shield just in time. The impact reverberated through his arm, the force nearly knocking him off balance, but he managed to withstand the blow.
"Ha!" he exclaimed, pushing back with his shield and knocking the tailed monster off balance. The creature stumbled back, surprise flickering across its grotesque features.
Without wasting a moment, Nova redirected the mist, molding it into a blade along his forearm. The weapon felt like an extension of himself, pulsing with dark energy.
The bladed monster advanced, its eyes narrowed. "WHAT A NUISANCE," it growled.
They engaged head-on. Their weapons clashed, sparks of dark light illuminating the abyss around them with each strike. Nova matched the monster blow for blow, his movements fluid and precise.
Drawing from his previous attempts, he maneuvered toward a slippery patch of ground he'd noted earlier. Feigning a misstep, he lured the bladed monster into overextending.
As expected, the creature lunged, its footing compromised by the slick surface. It stumbled, arms flailing around as it tried to regain balance.
"Got you," Nova thought, an evil grin spreading across his face. He aimed a decisive strike at its exposed side.
But a sudden force slammed into him from the side. The clawed monster had anticipated his move, blindsiding him with its massive claws.
Pain surged through his body as he felt the claws tear into his side, warm blood seeping through his clothes painting the ground crimson.
"Ahh!" he cried out, dropping to one knee.
The bladed monster recovered, its gaze burning with fury. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT," it snarled.
Nova's vision blurred, the edges darkening as his strength waned. He could feel the life draining from him, but he refused to yield.
"So close..." he whispered, his voice barely audible as the darkness enveloped him once more.
[You have died.]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone