9:57...
The first spirit came faster than I expected. I tightened my grip on the scythe and swung hard. The curved blade caught it mid-lunge, tearing through smoke-flesh like it was paper. The thing howled, then vanished.
[Soul Points +50]
I didn't have time to celebrate. Another one was already upon me.
I spun, ducked, and slammed the scythe into the next. It dissolved before it could shriek.
Two down. No break.
They kept coming—dozens of them, maybe more. I could barely tell them apart, just glowing eyes and broken limbs crawling over each other to reach me.
"Host, you've killed two 'Outer Ring – Low Strat Realm' spirits," Morrígan's voice rang calm inside my skull. "You now have 130 Soul Points."
"Save the report!" I shouted aloud, panting. "I don't need a f***ing scoreboard right now!"
One spirit tried to slither past me. I lashed out with the scythe and split it in half. It exploded in a puff of black mist.
9:31...
I glanced back. The girl was still unconscious. Her chest moved—barely—but that was the only sign of life.
"I've got to hold out," I muttered. "Just ten—no, nine minutes now..."
Another one dove at me from the side. I didn't dodge in time—its claws scraped across my ribs. I felt pain shoot up my side, but the clock's aura shimmered again and blocked the worst of it.
[Clock's Passive Defense Activated]
"Host, your stamina is decreasing. You're currently at 42%. Estimated time before collapse: 6 minutes, 12 seconds."
"That's less than the mission time," I hissed, slicing another spirit's head clean off. "That's a f***ing problem."
9:00...
I stepped over the girl's body, scythe spinning, blocking another set of strikes. One spirit jumped at me from above—I swung upward and cleaved it through the chest. Another one came from behind. I barely twisted in time, but my blade only clipped its shoulder.
Too slow. Too many.
8:36...
One of them grazed my leg. I stumbled. Another spirit tackled me, shrieking into my face with a rotting grin. Its breath smelled like old blood and bone dust.
I roared and smashed the hilt of my weapon into its jaw.
"Back off!" I howled, kicking it away.
8:02...
My vision was blurring. My body was screaming. My lungs felt like they were filling with ash.
And still—they kept coming.
8:01...
I staggered to my feet. My leg burned from the graze, and I could feel warm blood soaking into my pants.
"Morrígan," I grunted. "Any—any skills to buy? Boosts? Pills? Anything?"
"You have 180 Soul Points," she answered calmly. "Options available: Minor Healing Pill (10 points), Burst Strength Pill (50 points), Spirit Bane Pulse (Single use, area attack – 150 points)."
I didn't even think.
"Buy the Pulse. Now."
"Confirmed. Consuming 150 Soul Points."
A chill passed through my hand. My scythe glowed faintly—then a sudden hum rose in my ears.
"Activate it!" I roared.
The weapon responded with a thunderous pulse. For a brief second, the entire clearing flashed blinding white.
The spirits shrieked. Loud. Awful.
And then, ten of them vanished at once—shattered like glass against a hammer.
[Soul Points +500 (Bonus Kill Streak)]
I gasped, heart pounding in my ears. The pressure lifted—just for a moment.
6:59...
"That's... better," I panted, but my arms were shaking. My muscles felt like sludge.
"Morrígan, stamina?"
"31%," she said. "Holding, but dropping with each action."
No kidding.
A spirit lunged through the leftover mist, its mouth wide open like it was trying to eat my damn soul. I whipped the scythe up in reflex—too slow—
But before it hit me, something unexpected happened.
A thin barrier of silver light shimmered up from the girl's unconscious body. It lashed out like a whip—and struck the spirit mid-air. The creature exploded.
I froze.
The light vanished again. Her body was still. But I knew what I saw.
"...What the hell are you?" I whispered, staring at her.
"Morrígan, what just happened?"
"Unknown," she said, slightly hesitant. "It was not from your system. But it responded to the threat. Most likely a passive ward. Defensive soul binding?"
Perfect. Now I had an unconscious time-bomb glowing and killing spirits in her sleep.
5:12...
I couldn't stop. More were coming.
I pushed forward, teeth bared, slicing through the next three with raw anger. Every kill made my arms heavier. Every breath cut like fire.
Blood on my hands. Cuts across my side. Stamina dropping fast.
One spirit bit my shoulder—I screamed, turned, and beheaded it with a shout.
I collapsed to one knee.
3:49...
Can't go on.
Can't fall.
Not yet.
I looked at the girl again—unmoving, but glowing faintly now.
"You're... my target?" I muttered, smiling bitterly. "Lucky me..."
Then Morrígan's voice cut in again. Urgent this time.
"Host—two high-level spirits approaching."
"...What?"
"They are not like the others. Estimated realm—Outer Ring, Middle Strat. Danger level: lethal."
I pushed myself to stand. My knees nearly gave out.
This was it.
3:01...
The two new spirits emerged from the shadows. Taller. More defined. Their bodies were almost solid—blackened skin, twisted horns, and eyes that shone like molten silver.
I gripped my scythe tighter.
If I go down now, we both die.
I clenched my teeth, shifted my stance, and whispered—
"Come get me, bastards."2:57...
The first elite spirit moved like lightning.
Its clawed arm slashed straight at me—I barely managed to parry with the scythe, but the impact sent me flying into a tree. Bark exploded. My ribs screamed.
I coughed up blood and fell to one knee.
The second spirit didn't wait. It surged in with a scream that shattered the air.
I threw the scythe like a spinning blade—it cut across its face, carving a deep gash. It staggered, but didn't stop.
They weren't like the others. They weren't mindless.
These two wanted to kill.
2:22...
My body refused to move. My vision blurred. My stamina was nearly gone.
This was it.
No power.
No backup.
No mercy.
I stared up at the spirit standing over me, claws raised—and for the first time in this new life, I felt the cold bite of death breathing down my neck.
Then—
Ding!
[SYSTEM CONDITION TRIGGERED: FEAR REACHED CRITICAL THRESHOLD]
[UNLOCKING SEALED PASSIVE: SIN-FORGED CORE (Dormant)]
[Analyzing Host's Instinct...]
[ERROR: Host will not survive.]
[Override Activated: Proto-Evolution Unlocked]
Everything froze.
Time didn't stop—but the air thickened, slowed. A hum echoed from inside my chest. I felt something burn through my spine, my blood, my skull.
Like a chain snapping open inside me.
Then came the voice—not Morrígan's.
It was older. Colder.
"You want power, Reaper? Then take it."
And I did.
BOOM.
Black flame erupted from my body. The ground cracked beneath me. The elite spirit screamed as the energy burned its skin just by being near.
I rose—my body torn, but standing. My eyes burned crimson. The scythe, once dull, now pulsed with a heartbeat of its own.
[MORRÍGAN SYSTEM NOTICE:]
PASSIVE: Sin-Forged Core (Stage 1 – Fear Ignition) ACTIVATED
• When host reaches fatal limit and is surrounded by fear, latent demonic blood will awaken.
• All stats temporarily increased by 500%
• Active for 2 minutes. After effect: Host collapse.
"...Let's dance," I whispered, voice hollow and deep.
1:57...
The first elite spirit rushed.
I didn't dodge—I vanished.
I appeared behind it with the scythe already slicing. One clean arc.
Its head hit the dirt.
The second spirit turned to flee.
It made it two steps.
I was faster. The scythe split it in half—clean, brutal, final.
[Soul Points +1000]
[Bonus Item Unlocked: Hellbrand Shard (Rank: ???)]
The world spun.
I stumbled back toward the unconscious girl, breathing heavily.
0:43...
My vision wavered. Blood still dripped from me, but the power was receding now—like a wave pulling away from shore.
"...Still alive..." I muttered.
"Morrígan... am I...?"
"Alive? Barely," she said softly. "You activated something that was not meant to awaken yet. But... you survived."
I dropped beside the girl, the scythe fading from my grip.
The last seconds ticked down.
0:01... 0:00
[SYSTEM MISSION COMPLETE]
+50 Soul Points
+Bonus Item: [Hellbrand Shard] added to inventory
+System Memory Recording Added: First Proto-Evolution Awakening
I fell back, eyes closing. Muscles locking. Heart pounding like war drums in a cave.
Then everything went black.