Darkness swallowed the neighborhood.
The black fog spread across every street.
Every rooftop.
Every broken window.
Kai couldn't see the gray sky..
Only the giant Nightmare standing before him.
Smiling.
Waiting.
THUD!
Another step.
The pavement cracked beneath its foot.
Kai tightened his grip around the burning dagger.
White flames danced across the blade.
The chain wrapped around his arm rattled softly.
The System's warning remained floating before him.
(Survival Rate: 13%)
Kai clicked his tongue.
"Yeah."
"I noticed."
Then—
The Corrupt Walker vanished.
Kai's eyes widened.
Gone.
No.
Too fast.
A blur exploded through the fog.
Kai instinctively raised his chain.
BOOM!!
Something struck Kai from the side.
A single hand.
A casual slap.
CRASH!
Kai's body launched through the air.
Kai smashed through a concrete wall.
Through a parked vehicle.
The world spun.
Glass shattered.
Metal twisted.
Debris exploded everywhere.
CRASH!
Kai's body finally stopped two blocks away.
Silence.
Then—
COUGH!
Blood sprayed from Kai's mouth.
Pain erupted through his entire body.
His ribs screamed.
His organs felt crushed.
Kai can hardly breathe.
A System notification appeared.
HP: 102 / 137
Kai stared.
"A quarter of my health gone, from one casual hit."
Kai wiped blood from his mouth.
"Son of a bitch..."
The Corrupt Walker slowly emerged from the fog.
Still smiling.
Still relaxed.
Like the fight had already ended.
Kai forced himself upright.
White Flame flickered.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
A warm sensation spread through his wounds.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
White Flame Lv.1
1% Hp per minute.
Effects:
+10% Damage against Nightmares
Recover 2% of damage dealt as Health
"Not enough."
Nowhere near enough.
Kai inhaled.
Then charged.
WHIP!
The burning chain shot forward.
The Corrupt Walker tilted its head.
The chain wrapped around its arm.
Kai pulled.
Nothing happened.
It didn't budge.
Not even an inch.
Then the Nightmare yanked back.
Kai nearly lost his footing.
The Nightmare moved.
Again.
Far too fast.
BOOM!
A black blur appeared before Kai.
The giant fist descended.
Kai barely rolled aside.
CRASH!
The street exploded.
Concrete flew into the air.
A crater formed instantly.
Kai's heart nearly stopped.
One direct hit would kill me.
No question.
No debate.
Death.
Kai sprinted.
The Corrupt Walker chased.
The black fog followed it.
Every movement became faster.
Sharper.
More terrifying.
The fog wasn't decoration.
It was empowering it.
Kai quickly noticed.
Whenever the Nightmare moved within the fog—
It accelerated.
Like darkness itself pushed its body forward.
THUD!
BOOM!
THUD!
BOOM!
The giant covered impossible distances.
Kai barely avoided strike after strike.
My stamina burned.
My lungs screamed.
My muscles begged me to stop.
But stopping meant dying.
The burning chain rattled around Kai's arm.
Then an idea appeared.
Kai immediately rewound the chain.
Link after link.
Around Kai's right fist.
Around his wrist to the forearm.
A crude flaming gauntlet.
White flames erupted across the metal.
The chain glowed brilliantly.
Kai smiled.
"Let's try this."
The Corrupt Walker lunged.
Kai stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Forward.
Their fists collided.
BOOM!!
Shockwaves erupted.
Kai's entire arm went numb.
Pain exploded through the bones.
But the burning chain tore flesh from the Nightmare's hand.
Black smoke erupted.
The Corrupt Walker paused.
For the first time.
It had taken damage.
A tiny amount.
But damage nonetheless.
Kai immediately followed.
Punch!
Punch!
Punch!
Every strike ignited white fire.
Every strike burned corrupted flesh.
Tiny fragments disintegrated into ash.
Small amounts of health returned.
Not much.
But enough to keep Kai alive.
The battle continued.
Minutes felt like hours.
Kai dodged.
Blocked.
Countered.
Survived.
Again and again.
Yet the difference in power remained overwhelming.
Then—
The Corrupt Walker suddenly stopped moving.
Its smile widened.
Its leaking eyes stared directly into Kai.
And it spoke.
Its voice sounded ancient.
Rotting.
Wrong.
"̵̧̛͖̔̀̒̍̓̓̈́W̷̛͕͇͕̪̪͗̌̾̃͝h̷͓̹͈̋̊̌̀̿̍y̵̖͌̀͊͘ ̴̛̻̙͚̫̩̫̣͙͛̃̏̎̐͘̕̚s̵̙̟͚̮̔̍t̸͇̍̈́̋̊͠ͅr̷͕̅͌́̿̿͑̎̍͝ŭ̶͉̲̌̀͐̐g̷̡̙̙̥̰̖̰̝͝g̵̡̤̫̉̒͌̃̂̈́͠͠͝l̷̛͇̖̬̝̝̞̣̇͑̋́̍ę̴̭̤͓̪̪͍̠̲̈̽̀͘?̴̙̄̈́̅̈́̍͒̓̕̕ͅ"̶̨̠̲̮̬̗̯̮͛̑̀̈́̈́͝
Kai froze.
The Nightmare tilted its head.
"̶̙͔̟̬̳͠Y̴̡̡̡̝̪̜͕̼͕̓̆̾̓̈́̚ö̶̻̩̝͍̪̳̼́̑͌̒̽̏́̅͘ụ̸̲̟̲̮̭͙̺̹̟̽͛́̎̈́̕͠͝͝r̴̛͓̂̌́̊̈̇̔͝ ̷̰͇͔̥̤̑̓̈́̇̉̂̏̇͐w̵̥͓̩̖͇̖̺͈̾̂̄͜ơ̸͉̖͙̤͖̣̟̪̦̒̃̓́̂̾̚͘͝ȓ̶̜̠͉͈̯̳͈̔̒̃̋͘͠l̷̰̬͂ͅͅͅd̵̼̜͈͈̃̌̔͑̍͒̒͂ ̷̨̨̨̯͈̠͔͉́͑̎͛̐̉̀͜͠i̶̖͎̦͓̝̦͔̗̺̓̀s̷̭̦̙̄̃͆̔̔͘ ̴̧̧̪̝̄̌̂͆̔̐ě̸͔̗̰̩͓͎̼̊̆̂̕͠͠n̷̛̙͆̾͊͐̀̓̕d̸̨̢̥͓͓̞̤̫̪̠́̃̃́͑̓i̶̘̥̖̰̙̗̽̑̏́̄n̷̝̰͖̘̾̂̈g̵̰̞͔̲̊́̅͆̽̂̍.̴̢̦̝̻̹̤͖̰͎͌̆"̵͕̙̱̪͙̞̥̺̗̤͆̈̌̈́̒̽̈́̽̎͝
Its words echoed through the darkness.
"̵̢̲͙̲̱̭͖͒̀̈̏̂͜Ŷ̸̢̗͚̝̜̥̯͔̭̦̈́̍̊̂͆̑o̶̧͙̲̞͚͉͎̿̀́̾͛͂͊̾͑͝ǘ̵̳͍ ̷̧̞̫͕̈́h̴̡̫̹̘̳͚͚̦̣͒̽̈̈́̈́̓͂̊̅å̴̹̦̝̱̜͔̟̤̭̅̿͒́̀̈́̓́͝v̷̡̡̝̼͉̈́̍̐͘ȩ̴̛̛̛͓̞̥̟̅̈ͅ ̷͇̝͖̿n̵̛̬̓͛̎o̷̧̰̳̼̻̎̅ ̸̢͔̖̹͓͉̫̿̄p̷̢̝̉͛l̸̻̥̫͊̋̊̏͌̅̊̚ả̸͍̞̱̳̲͒̑͛͗͛̿͠c̵̝̳̹̘̣̮̫̏̓̉̐̑͜ȩ̵̨̨̰̬̤̫̬̈́̂̄̊̃̾̇̈́͐ ̷̝̮͕̠̅́̽̔̉͛͆̅͠ť̴̢͇̯͖̭̜͇̗̊̄̽̿̀͝͝ǒ̵̟̑̎̽̋̄̉͛̊̕ ̴̝̆̚͜ȓ̷͕̫̝̠͎̥̍̍͑̂͘ë̴̱̪̠̦̼͛̊̈́́̐t̶̢̧̧̗͕̍̑̂̕͝ư̴̧̻͕̖̏̄̎̿̈́̚͘r̷̡̟̩̮̜̱̘̩̝̳͂̍̄̏͂̆͘ñ̴͔͚̝̈́.̷̨̭̰̰̭͙̩͍̿̄̎͌̽̐̀̋̀̚ͅ"̶̮̟̱͓̬̯̔͂̆̏̏̈́̃̀̍͝
The fog thickened.
The voice grew slower.
Creepier.
Like a lullaby spoken by a corpse.
"̸̙̝̟͋̃͝N̵̢̠̜͕̼͈̦̥̭̹͂͝o̷̧̫͍̠̥̖̖̳͚̟̐͌̒̉̾͋̈w̴̺̿͜͝.̷̡͎̫̟̀̍͂͐.̸̧̏͐͂͐̀͌̆̐.̶̢̛̥̹̤̝̑̌͗̈́̈́̀̄"̷̲̝̼͋͘͜
"̸̡̰̭̝̪͓̱̎͊̎̌H̴̨̠̫̦̰̗͍̒͆͛̃̿̀̈́̕͝ͅͅa̸͈͇̭͋͜͠͝ͅv̷̢͈̭̳̤̩̝̹̱̽̓̾́̎͒͋͠ḙ̵͖̖̲̭̗͊̂͂̿̉̉̚ ̶̭͇͎̰͔̪̎̂̌͜à̷͓̊͛̈́̈̾̾͒͠ͅñ̴̛̺̪̘͈͖̜̮̱͔̼͒́̔̒̈͛̊͘ ̵͙͇̭̲̱͆̒̔̅̐͊͠ȅ̸̗̰̘̬͜ţ̵͈͇͍͚̲͔͕̟̜̂͐͘e̴͇̬͆̌̐̉̋̍̊̈́̄̕r̸̠̞̒̅͜n̶͈̣̼͉̠͊̆̑͒̓͛̐̓ȧ̴̧͇̰̹̺̞̩̮̀̓͐l̸͖͍͆̉̑ ̶̨͇̹̇͌͊̉̿̚s̴̢͍̿̈͂̒̀̆l̴͚̲͇̬̓̆́ų̵̜̜̯̘̠͈̰̩͈̑̀m̷͔̣̰̝̎̋͒́b̵̧̙̥̺͒̇̅̂͑̈́͑̂̾̔è̷̢͎̣̀̏͌̊͗̃̚̚͘r̴̮̼̤͗̈́͂̂̽̉.̷̛͈̞̯̩͎͈͓̯̊̓̿"̸̰̹̭͚̰̬̩͉̞̾̎̓̈́͊̆̚͝
The moment those words entered Kai's ears—
PAIN.
A violent headache exploded inside his head.
"AAARGH!"
Kai collapsed to one knee.
The world spun.
Vision blurred.
Vertigo overwhelmed him.
The black fog seemed alive.
Whispering.
Calling.
Inviting Kai.
S̷͉̜̍͜l̴̜̱͚̬̼̳̻̲̀̀͗̈́̔̋̓̉͒̾ĕ̸̛͍̰͔̪̓̓͝ê̴̡͎̜̩̤̣̽p̵̰̱̄̾͂̓̓͌́.̴̢͍͇͂̄͌̇̿
Ŗ̸̛͔̠͋́̇͒́̅̀͒̾ḙ̶̛̳͒̔̈́̽͌̃s̸̠̙̱̭͔͋̍̋͊̂t̵̢̛̮̪̜͚͔̅͌̓̚.̶̛͕̲̓̔̾̾̽
F̵̯̮͖͉͎̊͜o̸̧̡̩͔͂ṙ̵̡̡̮̘̞̮̓̅͜g̴̩̝̪̈́e̴̥̓͝t̷̨͈̺̞̟͇̝̝̞̐̃̕͝ͅ.̷̥̖̫̥̆͐͆̎̀͗̐̈́
Kai gritted his teeth.
Blood dripped from his nose.
"What..."
Kai clutched his head.
"What did you do to me?"
The Corrupt Walker approached.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Like a predator watching a dying prey.
Its smile never faded.
"̸̠̆̃͋͗͌̏̐͂C̶͎̜͓̥̦̹̃̉̿ͅḧ̸̗̩̠̥̤̾ḯ̸̢̬̗͕͎͝l̶̻͖̹̭̳̥̈́̌̍͛̂̀̃͌̎d̵̨̦̣̥͎̝̝̹̲̙͌́.̵̨͕̣͇̊̈̂"̷̛̼͇̓̿̐̄̓͂̾͘̕
The voice echoed from every direction.
"̷̛̰͈̪̯̱͕̿́̐̈́̅̾̈̋͗S̵̨̨̨̘̾̀͂̚ͅt̶̰͙̤́̓̎́r̶̨̛̞͔̩̮̤͓͒̾̍͗̓̔́̚͝ů̶̡͇̜̬̠̜̭̾͌̈̾̓̂͘͠g̵̣̠̙̣̞͎̀͛͝ģ̸̛̦̽́ḻ̸̹̲͇̱̬̔̓̐̈̐͒̕e̸̠̰̖̽͐̐̅͘ͅ ̷̩͔͑͒͒͝î̷͇̪̔̇͒͋̿̀́̈́s̷̱̳̏͛͂̓̀̅͝͠ ̶̭̪͔̰͍̯̄͗̓͗͠ͅf̷̨̮̗̥̑̑̄ơ̸̖͉͊̂̈́͠r̴̛̜̩̘̪͓̾̑̉̿̒͛ ̴̧̫͕͎̖̠͕̹̌͆͛t̴̢̤̹̤͖̗̹̑̾͋h̷̫̦̦͗͋̋̑̈̂͊̓̕ȅ̷̥̟̫̪͋͠ ̶̘̲̤̬̙̋̽̐̋̓̐̽̽͠͠ͅš̶͖̜̞͔͔͍̳͔̀͋̿̽̂̈́̋͗̋ų̵̛̭̩̱̖̺̬̤͉̄́̐̓͠f̶̱̠̬͖̹̙͓̿̀̈́͗̋̑̽̃ͅf̷͚̩͔̲͔̣̄̇͌́́̇͝ė̵̜̦͕̐̀̈́̈́̑̎r̷̳̥͛̂͛̚͝e̷̲̖̱͚̦͓̗̖̩̿̌͗̔́r̴̡̻̥̗̘̙̙̦̄͗̓̓̆͝ͅ.̷͚͍̰̳̱̭̱̭̖̑͂̈̚"̷̧̣͈̮̲̹̜͔̦͚͂͛
Another wave of pain struck Kai's head.
The fog entered his ears, eyes, and mind.
"̷͚͇͚̍̄̉̽͠R̵̨̼̪̹̥͙̖̉̌̿͑̈́̓͐̃̚̚e̷̡͖̞͖͉̝͎͈͖̺͋͐̂̈́͒̐̾̈̂̚ş̶̛̩̥͚͕̊̋́͌́͂͂̈́͝t̵̖͉͋͗̉́̔̃͝͝ ̸̣̫̥͍̓͛͂̍̊̔̈̓͘n̴̡̟̳̹͎̘̒̿͜͜o̷̘̳̤͆̆͛̓̃ẉ̷̜̳͔̩̎͛.̷̢͇̗̗̹͎̠̻͕̍"̴̤̜̜̹̩̦̈̿̔͛̅͒̓
Kai's body trembled.
His eyelids felt heavy.
His consciousness began fading.
The white flames flickered.
Growing weaker.
The giant Nightmare stood before him.
Towering.
Smiling.
Victorious.
And for the first time since awakening in this ruined world—
Kai felt truly helpless.
The Corrupt Walker raised its massive hand.
Preparing the final strike.
And Kai's vision slowly darkened.
To Be Continued...