Chapter 19: Chapter 19: FIRST DIMENSION

David forced down a rising tide of panic. Wildly thrashing about wouldn't help. This was a game, a twisted one perhaps, but a game nonetheless. Survive, complete the objective, and get the hell out.

His gaze darted to the hovering blue window: "[User has entered the domain of the Blood Alpha]." So, a boss fight then. The name sent a shiver down his spine. "Blood Alpha," it echoed in his mind, a guttural growl of raw power.

He steeled himself. Whining about the difficulty wouldn't get him anywhere. Finding high ground for observation seemed like a good first move. But a primal instinct, a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, screamed at him to stop.

The world lurched sideways as he lunged forward in a desperate roll. A whoosh of air missed him by a hair, the wind tearing at his clothes. Heart hammering, David crouched low, scanning the inky darkness beyond the moonlit clearing. What the hell was that? His eyes caught a fleeting glimpse – a shadowy blur vanishing into the thick undergrowth where the moonlight dared not reach.

Fear turned his blood to ice. He wasn't alone in this twisted game. This was no ordinary foe, but a predator lurking in the shadows, a nameless terror waiting to claim him.

Crouched low, David strained his eyes into the suffocating darkness. It was a futile effort, the dense foliage swallowing the feeble moonlight whole. A prickle crawled up his spine, a primal instinct screaming "Move!" But the warning came too late.

A force like a battering ram slammed into him, sending him hurtling through the air like a discarded ragdoll. He collided with a dead tree with a sickening crack, the aged wood splintering under the impact.

Coughing, blood splattering his lips, David tasted the metallic tang of fear and pain. A broken rib screamed in protest, but his street-forged resilience refused to yield. He'd danced with death countless times before, and this wouldn't be the brawl that finished him.

With a ragged groan, he hauled himself up using the splintered tree trunk as a makeshift crutch. As the clinging fog parted, a monstrous beast emerged from the shadows. Towering above the tangled undergrowth stood a creature unlike any he'd ever seen. A white wolf, its fur the ghostly pallor of fresh snow, loomed large, gleaming with an otherworldly sheen in the filtered moonlight.

Its massive frame pulsed with raw power, each muscle a testament to its predatory dominion. Its amber eyes, burning with an unnatural intensity, pierced through the gloom, pinning David with an icy stare that threatened to freeze his soul. A guttural growl ripped from its throat, revealing a maw lined with razor-sharp teeth, capable of severing bone with a single snap.

Claws, tipped with a menacing glint, protruded from powerful legs, ready to tear through any defence. Most men would crumble under the weight of such primal terror, but David was a different breed. A darkness resided within him, a reflection of the streets that raised him.

He met the beast's gaze with a defiant glint in his own eye, a manic grin twisting his lips. The wolf creature snarled, taken aback by this display of twisted defiance. And just as quickly as it appeared, it faded into the shadows, vanishing as if it were never there to begin with. David stood there, a lone figure bathed in an eerie green glow, his broken ribs a dull throb.

A shuddering breath escaped David's lips, a plume of vapour dissipating into the oppressive swamp air. His head hung low, hands clenched into fists – one raised near his temple, the other guarding his heart. He pivoted sharply, legs planted shoulder-width apart, a grounded stance against the unseen terror. Yet, martial arts alone wouldn't suffice against that monstrosity.

With a slow exhale, David squeezed his eyes shut. The snap of twigs, faint but undeniable, betrayed the beast's predatory patience. A sudden snap of his eyelids revealed a startling transformation. His irises, previously unremarkable, now swirled with a captivating dance of colours – deep blues and vibrant whites swirling like a galaxy collapsing inwards, carrying the secrets of the cosmos within their depths. The vibrant edges bled into an inky black, imbuing his gaze with an otherworldly glow. It was an eye that transcended the physical, a window reflecting his soul's core and the universe's grand design.

A voice, alien yet familiar, resonated in his mind – "[Skill: Celestial Wheel]." The words hung heavy, their meaning imbued with a power beyond comprehension. David reacted instinctively, a blur of motion as he sidestepped and lashed out with a fist. The strike hit nothing but air, but a shimmering distortion erupted beside him, wisps of dark shadows dissipating to reveal the enraged white wolf.

"Not this time, mutt," David taunted, a cruel edge lacing his voice. His newfound power simmered beneath the surface, a potent weapon against the horrors this twisted game had unleashed. A ripple of dark energy dissipated beside him, revealing the white wolf, fangs bared in a furious snarl.

The "Celestial Wheel" ignited within David, a beacon cutting through the suffocating darkness. It wasn't perfect – his inexperience with this newfound power left it flickering like a dying candle. Yet, it granted him a glimpse into the unseen, a fleeting image of the wolf's attack.

But his triumph was short-lived. The Celestial Wheel, while a potent weapon, revealed the limitations of its fledgling user. David's punch, fueled by a surge of adrenaline, connected with the wolf's side. Yet, the blow seemed to have little effect. The creature, impervious to the attack, lunged forward with a guttural growl.

David's heart hammered against his ribs. "Shit," he cursed, realization dawning on him like a cold slap. "Too weak… not strong enough." Desperation fueled him as he tried to scramble back, but it was too late. Razor-sharp teeth clamped down on his hand, a searing pain ripping through him. The wolf, a whirlwind of fur and fury, flung him aside like a ragdoll. He landed with a sickening thud, the world spinning around him as darkness threatened to claim him.

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