Steel and claw collided once more as they charged at each other.
The clash echoed like thunder. Steel rang against claws, sparks lit the darkness, and the ground cracked beneath their weight. Dream swung his sword with desperate fury, but the beasts armored hide absorbed most of the blows. Deep scratches carved it's bone plates, but nothing fatal.
Meanwhile, every swipe of the zone boss carved into him. A claw raked across his chest. He barely rolled aside before the next strike came, blood sprayed, his tunic already shredded.
Dream staggered, panting, his arms trembling. His vision blurred as his health bar blinked furiously at the edge of his sight.
-10 HP
-12 HP
-15 HP
Each number felt like the filling of a bell. His knees buckled as his HP dipped lower and lower. Another strike hurled him against a jagged rock, pain searing through his ribs. He coughed blood, but subconsciously dragged himself to his feet.
HP: 5....4....3..... The system voice rang cold and final:
[ Warning!! HP critically low]
[ Host life signs unstable]
The beats was just clawing it's way at Dream as he felt so weak he couldn't defend himself. "Is ... This the end" he thought as another claw at his chest, sent him flying a good distance. His vision blurred as he coughed blood.
[ Initiating Emergency protocol....]
[ Skill unlocked: Void Berserk]
Dream blinked, dazed. His sword slipped from his trembling grip. The system's voice continued, detached and merciless.
[ Skill use requirements: when HP drops below 1% host enters berserk state]
[ Stat increase: +200% across all attributes]
[ Drawback: Host consciousness is suppressed, void influence: 72%]
[ Warning: Risk of permanent corruption]
Dream just played, he didn't have the strength to scream. His mind says no-- but his body has already chosen. A sudden, violent surge tore through him. His body convulsed, veins burning black. His chest heaved as his vision bled crimson.
Dream arched his back, a scream ripping from his throat-- not human, not sane. The ground beneath cracked as he exploded outwards, whipping the air into a frenzy. His grey eyes were gone -- replaced by a blazing, monstrous crimson glow.
The system's monotone echoed like a curse.
[ Void Berserk: Activated]
Dream roared, a guttural, feral cry that shook the trees. His nails elongated like claws, his muscles bulged, and his wounds sealed with unnatural force.
The hell cat boss snarled in response, but for the first time there was hesitation in its eyes.
Dream lunged. No sword, no strategy --- just raw, primal speed. In an instant, he riped through the air and crashed into the beast. His fist smashed into its armored face, shattering bone playing that had resisted steel.
The monster howled, stumbling back, but Dream didn't stop. He tore into its limb with his bare hands, veins bulging, crimson eyes blazing with hunger. With a savage cry, he ripped it's front leg clean off in a spray of blood.
The boss screamed, staggering, desperately swiping with it's remaining claws. But Dream was already behind it, faster than the beast could comprehend. His body slammed into it, cracking ribs, shattering bone.
The once-- terrifying predator now shrieked in fear. It turned, limping, trying to flee.
Dream roared again, a beast in human form. He leapt, slamming into its back, his fist raining down like sludge hammer. With one final, horrific motion, he seized it's skull in both hands and crushed it. Bone spluttered, flesh tore, and the ground shook as the boss collapsed lifeless beneath him. The void was silent again-- except for Dream's ragged, animalistic breaths.
Blood dropped from his hands. His chest rose and fell with feral rhythm. His eyes, glowing crimson, reflected nothing human. The system notifications chummed relentlessly, ignored by his berserk mind.
[Zone boss defeated!]
[ You have obtained this zone]
[ +15,000 XP]
[ XP:15,000/10,000]
[ Level up!]
[ Level 10 reached]
[ Goat Quest: level 10]
[ Reward: +2 to all stats]
[ Additional reward: Evolution unlocked]
Dream stood over the corpse, growling. His body was drenched in gore, his mind consumed by the void's whispers. He was no longer Dream-- he was a predator, a beast.
The system's voice intruded again, colder than before.
[ Warning! Host has lost consciousness]
[ Host mind is not strong enough to withstand the void]
[ Host is going insane]
[ Host evolution will begin in order to fight the void's madness]
[ Initiating evolution to prevent permanent corruption...]
[ Evolution won't stop until success has been achieved]
Pain--- worse than any wound--- exploded through his body. He screamed, clawing at the air, his crimson eyes wide with agony. His muscles twisted, bones cracked, his veins glowed with void emergency.
The ground quaked around him as if rejecting what he was becoming.
His voice echoed through the broken landscape, half- human, half- beast.
"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhh ahhhhh !!!!!!"
The system tone rang like a hammer of fate.
{ Evolution 10% ..... 20% ..... 40% .....}
This moment, Dream's world dissolved into pure excruciating darkness.