As I approached the lizardmen ahead, they took a step back. "Oh? You monsters know fear?" I muttered, amused. I hadn't expected that.
Then I felt it a massive presence looming above. I turned just in time to see the claw of the same bat-like creature that had grabbed me before, inches from my face. I dodged, the rush of air from its strike whipping past me as it came to an abrupt halt.
Now that I saw it clearly, I realized just how enormous it was. A giant bat, its skin a dark leathery brown, its claws sharp enough to lift a man, and its blood-red eyes glowing like embers. Hideous didn't even begin to describe it.
It let out a deafening roar that sent a gale rushing past me, my hair whipping around violently. Any normal person would've frozen from that sound alone but I stood my ground. I could feel the tremor in the air, the raw strength in its lungs, yet my focus didn't waver.
I didn't know what toll Obliterate would take if I used it again, so I held back. From my observation, these beasts lacked intelligence. They moved purely on instinct. If I stayed calm, I could exploit that.
The creature flapped its massive wings, launching itself toward me with terrifying speed. I could barely keep up with its movement but I'd seen this before. "The larger they are," I muttered with a smirk, "the easier they are to hunt."
It lunged, claws raised to rip my face apart. Just as planned. I slid beneath its swing, my sword tracing a crimson arc through the air. As I passed under it, my blade met flesh, cutting deep into its belly. A burst of dark blood followed as I moved past, the sound of tearing flesh echoing behind me. The beast hit the ground with a thunderous crash, letting out one final screech before it fell silent.
A grin spread across my face. "Perfect."
Then two more roars thundered above. "Guess that one had friends," I muttered. "Fine. Let's see what this skill can really do."
I took my stance, eyes burning red. The two massive bat creatures dove from the air.
"Obliterate."
The world flashed crimson. A crescent wave of red lightning shot forward, slicing through the air and cleaving both beasts in one devastating strike. They screamed as they fell, crashing into the ground with enough force to shake the floor.
When the dust settled, I stood surrounded by carnage—monsters torn apart, their bodies scattered around me. I looked at the destruction, the blood, the silence that followed, and smiled. My arms and legs trembled from exhaustion. The cost of power, I supposed.
I slumped down on two lizardmen corpses stacked nearby, using them as a chair. "This is fun," I muttered, an evil grin twisting across my face.
Elsewhere, a girl clutched a dagger, having barely killed her first lizardman. When she turned and saw me sitting among the corpses, her eyes widened. Around me, the battlefield was a massacre—bodies piled, blood splattered, and in the center of it all, me. My crimson eyes glowed faintly under the dim light, and my smile was anything but human.
"Is that… a person?" she whispered, trembling. "No. Those eyes… that grin… that's a monster."
Before she could process it, a sharp snap echoed through the chamber, halting every movement. The angelic being reappeared, smiling faintly. "I guess I've had my fun," it said.
Every monster began turning to ash. The chaos ended in an instant, revealing the aftermath—corpses of humans everywhere, blood pooled across the floor. The survivors stood in silence, many injured, many broken. With a casual clap, the being healed the wounded. The dead, however, remained motionless.
"These humans are interesting," the being said, its voice laced with amusement. "More of you survived than I expected." It looked down at us with disdain, its golden eyes gleaming.
I glared up at it, my grin returning. "Tch. If I had the strength, I'd cut that smug face in half." But I knew better. Right now, I'd be crushed like an insect.
Another snap and the world dissolved.
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a vast white room. Hundreds of survivors were gathered around me, all looking as lost as I felt. The angelic being appeared again, this time wearing an almost friendly smile.
"Congratulations, survivors. Since you've made it this far, it's time I reward you. You will now awaken your abilities and powers—tools you'll need to climb this tower."
Its expression darkened slightly. "To do so, I will send each of you into your own mind space… to face your worst fear. Those who conquer it will be blessed with power—your class, stats, and maybe even a special ability. Some of you have already started awakening, I see."
So I wasn't the only one who'd unlocked something. Things were getting interesting.
"But," it added, "if you fail to overcome your fear, your mind—and your existence—will be erased."
The room fell silent. Fear washed over the crowd. A woman with crimson hair and pale skin spoke up timidly. "W-what happens if we fail?"
The being's smirk widened. "You die."
Murmurs broke out, panic spreading like wildfire. I simply smiled. "Face our worst fear, huh?" I muttered. "I wonder if I even have one."
The being clapped its hands once more. "Let's begin, shall we?"
Pain exploded in my head. My vision blurred. The world faded to black as I fell into unconsciousness.