A flash of movement—Spawn.
The skeletal warrior stepped forward without hesitation, intercepting the strike. The Hunter's tongue punched clean through Spawn's ribcage, impaling him. The creature tried to reel Ethan in, but Spawn held firm, his bones grinding as he locked onto the tongue.
Grace moved in that same moment. Her long hair streamed behind her like silk in the wind as she activated her skills. Her Straightblade shimmered with a ghostly blue aura, glowing brighter as Sharpness Enhancement wrapped around it. High Speed Movement propelled her forward, her gorgeous figure a deadly blur.
With precision honed from years of martial discipline, she slashed down at the Hunter's leg.
The monster shrieked, swinging its tail mid-air like a mace toward her head. One hit would crush her skull like glass.
Grace didn't falter. In a moment of brilliance, she twisted her body low, her sword cutting upward with fluid grace. The blade, glowing with blue power, cleaved through the thick tail as though it were no more than soft tofu. A spray of cold black blood splattered across her face and armor, staining her beauty with crimson. Her eyes were steady, sharp—like a goddess of war descending into carnage.
Luke had reloaded by then. He leveled his Type 79 submachine gun, its steel frame shaking in his untrained hands, and fired in desperation. Bullets screamed through the night, sparks flying from the muzzle. Most missed, ricocheting uselessly into concrete and metal. A few found their mark, punching into the Hunter's body—but it wasn't enough. The beast snarled, still very much alive, rage boiling from every wound.
Spawn, however, had seized his chance. His skeletal hands gripped the Hunter's tongue, and with a surge of unnatural strength, he yanked the monster forward. The creature flailed, but its momentum betrayed it, dragging it straight toward Ethan.
Cold calculation gleamed in Ethan's eyes. He didn't flinch. He didn't step back. He simply raised the Stinger Pistol to meet the incoming skull.
Bang!
The shot exploded point-blank into the Hunter's head. Its skull shattered like porcelain, spraying chunks of bone and black blood across the asphalt. The stench was unbearable—like rotting meat and burning oil—but Ethan didn't even blink.
A radiant sphere of white light burst from the corpse, flying into him. At the same time, loot materialized on the ground: a blood-red gem, four white treasure boxes, and a skill book that glowed faintly. Survival Coins shimmered like motes of silver dust, vanishing into his inventory.
[[You have advanced to Level 15. You have earned 2 status points. Please allocate your attributes accordingly!]
[You have advanced to Level 16. You have earned 2 status points. Please allocate your attributes accordingly!]
The sweet sound of progression chimed in his mind, cutting briefly through the chaos.
"All into Agility!" Ethan commanded coldly. His will was absolute. His body surged with newfound speed.
There was no time to celebrate.
The second Hunter—its shoulder already half-destroyed by Luna's earlier fireball—charged at them with relentless fury. Its speed rivaled a bullet, its claws digging into the earth as it sprinted.
Luke, desperate, kept firing. His face was pale, sweat dripping from his brow as he pointed his submachine gun, the muzzle flaring with bright orange. But even as brass casings rained at his feet, the Hunter zigzagged, slipping between bursts of fire like a phantom.
Then the ring on Luke's finger glowed. With a shout, he thrust his hand forward. A yellow light erupted from the ground, and a massive stone spike—three meters tall—burst upward like a jagged spear, aiming for the Hunter's chest.
The beast reacted instantly. Its tail whipped around the spike, coiling tightly like a snake. Using it as leverage, the Hunter flipped itself aside, escaping death by sheer reflex.
It landed, hissing, blood dripping from its mangled side.
Ethan was already moving. His Shadow Step carried him forward like lightning, his Stinger Pistol raised again. He fired without hesitation.
Bang!
The bullet tore through the Hunter's torso, blowing open its side. Flesh, shattered ribs, and chunks of organ scattered across the battlefield. Any ordinary creature would've been reduced to a corpse instantly.
But Hunters were no ordinary creatures.
With its tail still coiled around the stone spike, the monster hurled itself forward, its claw stretched toward Ethan's chest, aiming to tear out his heart.
For the first time, Ethan didn't move. He knew someone else would.
Spawn stepped forward once more. His axe glowed faintly, humming with violent intent. He swung it in a wide arc, the strike creating a gust of sharp wind.
The axe met flesh.
The Hunter's body split in two, blood and entrails spilling across the ground in a grotesque torrent. The foul stench filled the air, coating Ethan in gore. He stood there, unfazed, cold eyes watching as the last twitch of life drained from the beast.
Another radiant orb of white light flew into Spawn, surging through his skeletal frame, leveling him up instantly.
Silence fell for a moment. The gun smoke lingered. The stench of blood and burnt flesh choked the night. Grace wiped her face, smearing blood across her delicate features, her beauty now terrifying in its savagery. Julia stared, trembling, her eyes wide as though unable to process how close death had come. Luna slumped, drained from her magic, her fragile body still glowing faintly from the spell she had cast.
The world was a graveyard. Humanity was crumbling, hope was dying, and in its place monsters ruled—both the undead outside, and the beasts in human skin lurking within.
But Ethan? Ethan stood tall. His cold brilliance, his quick mind, his ruthless precision—he was the razor's edge that kept them alive.
And as he reloaded the Stinger Pistol with calm, deliberate movements, one thought consumed him:
Scattered around the Hunter's corpse lay spoils of survival—a green treasure chest glimmering faintly, a lone skill book pulsing with arcane promise, four white chests stacked like the bones of fortune, and a Survival Coin etched with the value of two hundred lives.
Ethan exhaled slowly, the tension in his chest unwinding at last. The battle had been razor-thin—one wrong move, and it wouldn't just have been blood on the floor but the end of all of them. The Hunters hadn't simply been enemies; they had been executioners waiting for the final swing. Their deaths meant more than victory—it meant reprieve.
Without hesitation, Ethan stooped down and began gathering the fallen loot. His movements were quick but deliberate, each item slipping into his possession like a silent vow. The battlefield had given its verdict, and he was its sole inheritor.
[[Level 3: Magic Gem]
Type: Enhancement Material
Effect:
A radiant gem infused with condensed mana, shimmering with boundless arcane energy. When used at an enhancement altar or through a Blacksmith, it strengthens compatible gear, increasing base attributes while unlocking latent magical properties.
Special Trait – Enhancement Catalyst:
Essential for upgrading weapons, armor, or accessories of Level 3 and above. Serves as the foundation for pushing equipment past natural limits, allowing it to reach higher tiers of power. Multiple gems may be required for advanced upgrades.
Limitation:
Cannot be used directly in combat. Functions only when fused into compatible gear at specialized facilities.
Description:
This gem is the crystallized essence of pure mana, mined from treacherous rifts and magically active zones where natural energy runs wild. Revered by mages, blacksmiths, and warriors alike, it is the cornerstone of all high-tier enhancements. Without it, even legendary weapons cannot evolve beyond their threshold.
Legends whisper that entire wars were fought for mines rich in these gems, as kingdoms rose and fell upon their possession. To wield a weapon upgraded with such a gem is to hold both history and destiny within one's grasp.
Compatibility:
Usable only with upgradeable or enchantable weapons, armor, or accessories.
Durability: N/A (consumable upon use)
Sell Value: 2000 Survival Coins]
[[Devil Flame – Level 3]
Type: Active
Effect:
Upon activation, the user becomes enveloped in cursed infernal fire—the Devil Flame—an unholy blaze that devours everything in its path. The flames surge with malevolent will, scaling dynamically with the user's Spirit, Stamina, Strength, and Vitality. This allows more complex and powerful manipulations as skill levels up and mastery deepens.
While active, these flames can be manipulated both offensively and defensively: scorching enemies at close range, igniting the battlefield in hellfire, and vaporizing minor projectiles upon contact. The user becomes a walking pyre of destruction, their every motion trailing embers of corruption and ruin.
Activation Cost:
Consumes 5 MP and 5 Stamina Points upon activation.
Sustain Cost:
Consumes 2 MP and 2 Stamina Points every 10 seconds while active.
Duration:
Maintained as long as the user's MP and Stamina reserves allow.
Cooldown:
None – can be toggled freely depending on available resources.
Description:
A mid-tier elemental ability infused with infernal might, Devil Flame is infamous for its relentless burn and overwhelming power. Those who wield it walk the razor's edge between brilliance and self-destruction. The flames grant dominance in battle but demand constant sacrifice of the body and soul to sustain.
Legends tell of battlefields reduced to molten wastelands under its glow—where even the ash dared not cool. To master the Devil Flame is to master agony itself, bending pain into power and fire into fury.]