THE COMMANDER HOWLED.
HIS ARMOR SPLIT OPEN, REVEALING A TWISTED, SHADOW-INFUSED BODY.
CRIMSON ENERGY POURED OUT, MAKING THE AIR TREMBLE.
"GET BACK!" ARIANA SCREAMED TO THE TEAM.
"IT'S GOING TO RELEASE EVERYTHING!"
BOOM!
A SHOCKWAVE SENT EVERYONE FLYING—
EXCEPT RYUJIN.
HE STOOD STILL, HIS EYES DARK AND COLD, KATANA LOWERED.
"YOU… DIE HERE."
THE HUNT BEGINS
THE COMMANDER LAUNCHED FORWARD, FASTER THAN BEFORE.
RYUJIN MOVED JUST AS FAST.
CRESCENT STEP.
HE VANISHED FROM SIGHT, REAPPEARING BEHIND THE COMMANDER.
SLASH!
ONE ARM FELL TO THE GROUND.
"GAAAAAH!" THE COMMANDER SCREAMED.
RYUJIN SMILED.
"I LIKE THAT SOUND."
DARK MOON FORM – SECOND STANCE
HIS BREATHING GREW CALMER, DEADLIER.
HE STEPPED IN CLOSE, USING KICKS AND ELBOWS TO BREAK THE COMMANDER'S DEFENSES BEFORE EVERY SLASH.
RIP AND TEAR.
HIS KATANA STRIKES WERE PRECISE—
CUTTING LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, AND JOINTS ONE BY ONE.
THE COMMANDER TRIED TO COUNTER, BUT RYUJIN USED HIS OWN BODY AS A WEAPON, CRACKING BONES WITH EACH STRIKE.
"YOU'RE JUST LIKE THEM…"
"ALL OF YOU MONSTERS… I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE."
THE COMMANDER'S SCREAMS TURNED DESPERATE AS RYUJIN PLAYED WITH HIM.
HE SLASHED OFF THE CREATURE'S LEGS FIRST, THEN KICKED HIM TO THE GROUND.
WHOOSH!
RYUJIN PUT HIS FOOT ON THE COMMANDER'S CHEST, PIERCED HIS KATANA THROUGH HIS ARM—PINNING HIM.
"PLEA—"
SQUELCH!
RYUJIN JAMMED HIS HAND STRAIGHT INTO THE COMMANDER'S CHEST, TEARING OUT HIS VOID CORE WITH A SICKENING RIP.
"BEG LOUDER."
"NO? … THEN DIE."
SLASH!
THE COMMANDER'S HEAD SEPARATED FROM HIS BODY IN ONE CLEAN MOTION.
LEVEL UP!
RYUJIN – LEVEL 38 → 40
AFTERMATH
THE TEAM ARRIVED JUST IN TIME TO SEE RYUJIN STANDING OVER THE COMMANDER'S CORPSE, BLOOD DRIPPING FROM HIS HANDS.
KAI FROZE.
"T-THIS GUY… HE'S NOT NORMAL."
ARIANA SAW THE EMPTY LOOK IN RYUJIN'S EYES.
IT WASN'T VICTORY.
IT WAS HUNGER.
"RYUJIN…?" SHE CALLED SOFTLY.
HE LOOKED AT HER, EXPRESSIONLESS—
THEN WIPED HIS KATANA CLEAN.
"LET'S KEEP MOVING. I'M NOT DONE KILLING YET."