HP: 19 / 137
Blood dripped from Kai's chin.
Kai's right arm trembled.
Every breath sent a sharp pain through his chest.
Kai's vision blurred.
Yet...
Kai stood.
The Corrupt Walker slowly lifted its enormous hand from Kai's burning chain.
The stitched smile across its face twitched.
Its leaking eyes stared at Kai.
Confused.
Disbelief.
The illusion...
Failed.
The whispers...
Failed.
The despair it nurtured...
Been rejected.
For the first time...
The Nightmare hesitated.
Kai slowly lowered his arm.
White flames quietly flowed around the burning chain.
Calm.
Steady.
Like fire that refused to die.
Kai looked at the monster.
Kai's face was expressionless.
"...You're disappointed."
The Corrupt Walker tilted its head.
Its stitched mouth slowly widened.
Then—
It spoke.
Its voice came from every direction.
Echoing from the fog.
"̴̡͕͇͓̼͛Y̴̛̬̲̙̲͇̟͍̾̈̾̂͋̂̕ò̵̢̱͙̼̊͊̄u̶͕̰̞̖̱̼̥͍͆̓̿͊̎̅̎̃͒̈́ ̵̢̰̳̙̌̐̏̔̚̚ͅą̸̬̫̄͐̈́̇̀͗̋͒́ḅ̴̧̛̝̟̣̌̌̀̚ȧ̷̗͎̻̥̝̳͎̔̓̏͗̈́͑͋n̴̨̞͉͇̼͐͗́͛̓͆̈́͠d̶͈͙̪̯̋͌͜ǫ̸͙͍͔̯͋̌̑̈́̎n̴̞͐̑̅e̴͙͈̾́̒̽̂̈́̀d̸͕̓́͜ ̵̧̫̙̩̠̚p̵̢̩̤̖̟̟͖͕͚̺͗a̵̧̝̘͓͚̐̈́̓͜r̷̨̡͇̞̪̟̘͍̥̆̎͑̔̽ͅȧ̸̙͖̲̻͍̈́̈́͑̋͌̂̏d̵̨̢̡͇͎͉͆͂į̶̝̠͖̘̮̞̈́s̴̘̦͔̥͙͚͛̂̓͜e̸̩̿͗͜.̷̛̮̀͑̉͗̃͑̚͝͠.̵̨̧̧̨͎̘͉̿̂̂̇̈͂͌̓̐̄.̵̳̗̒̈́̔̊̿͠"̸̉́̐̌͜͝
"̶̧̼̤͇̘̝̘͎̎̒͆̈͗͂́̓͒͒Y̵̧͚̠̖͚̠͉̮͚̽̎̀ŏ̴͖̯͍̓̔̅u̵̼̭̦̙̠̜̳̺̓̓̈̋͋̃̔̄͒͜ͅ ̵̛̝͍̗̓̿̇̊̆͊͋̆̾c̷͓̺̗̱̖̳̦̼̠̗̈̊̔͌̓̾̔̚͘h̶̡̭̯̮̒̽́͋͑̋̊̄o̴͖̥̱̣͖̖̿́̓͐͂͌̅̔͌s̸̯͚̱͓͙̏̏͐̐̚͝e̴̢̞̯̳̩͊̉͆̃͆̚͜ ̴̙̏̊͗p̷͖̹̳̳͚͑̆͝a̷̮̱͇̪͕̞̝͚͋̾̀͊̐̀͂͠ĭ̷̮̽̈́̆͌͘͠n̸͉̥̬̤̽̿͝.̷̭̄̀̔̌͠.̷͍̻̘̭̂.̶̡͍͇͇͓͔̠̩̞͉̏̿͂"̸͍̔̑̆̍͋̚
"̷̱̲͕̘͒͆̑Y̴̲̗̮͎̚͜͠o̷̤̰̭̝̘̖̬͈̓̂́̏̓͆̓͐͛͝ų̷̟̭̭̪͚̥̥̫̔̍̃͂̇̄̆̚͠ ̸̧͍̣͖̝̘̙͖͊̀͊̈̚͘e̷̡̝̲̭̭͔̖̥̖̘͊̃̅̍m̶̨̮͋̒̌̈́̃̈́̊͒͘b̴̡̥̭̭̪̃̒͂̐͂́̽̕̕͘ŗ̵̘̖͙̫̪̥̟̑̎̕͜͜à̵̡̟͎͉͉̹͕̹̰̋̉̔̈́̆̐ĉ̴̡̡̜͎͓̟̏͐̆ẻ̸̛̼̖̺͈́̋̅̍̄̊̚͠d̸͖̫̭̫̰̤͋͗̅͒͜͠ͅ ̵̩̲͙̳̹̮̹̲͎̼͂͒g̸̨͍̬͋̀ȑ̷̲͖̗̲̝̮̹̺̤͎̿͊̀͝ĩ̵̢̧͔͍͍̫̟̤̯̾̉̔̋̉͑͝͝ͅḛ̴̛͊͛̇̐̍̈̓̚f̵̩̬̈́̓̇̈́͠͝.̸̟̦̮̰̼̟̀̿̿͌͝ͅ.̵̭̤͍͓͎͈̜̘͉̗̈́͆͝.̶̧̨̛̜̥̑̓̂̒̄̎͝"̴̡̡̞̮̜͍̣̜͇͘
Its neck twisted.
Bones cracked one after another.
Its smile stretched wider.
Far wider than a human face should.
"̸̻͍̗̤̋̓ͅͅḦ̸̢̤̹̥͓̺̼́̈̑̓͒͒̕ô̸͓̤͇̜̰͐͋̓ͅw̸̨̨̛̠͈͕͓̪͍̞͌̈͆̾̈́̔̍ ̵͈͕͔̓͊̎͑͌̾̃̚p̸͚̖͍̰̙͎͐̊͊͑͌ͅi̷̡̜̳͉̭͙͙̾̽͊̅͜͠t̷̗̪̻͔̞̀̉́̋̒͆̈̓̈͜͜͝i̵̭̇͂́́̋͠͝f̴̙̌̇͆̍̊̆́͝u̵̞̳̻̮̻̖̞͓̻͑̀̿͋̉̿̕͠͝l̸̬̬̻͈͎̽͆͜.̵̪̦̯͛͒̃̽.̷̟̙̝̻̫͙͚́͊̿̎͆̌̈͘͜.̸̢̡̡̩͖͍̬̹̎̓͆̊̕͠"̴̻̪̙̆
"̵̧̯̦̓̍̃̌̒̄̂͜H̷̨̨̝̼͖͔̻̼͈̘͌̓ŏ̸̰̘ͅw̵̢̗̥̻͊̎̓̄̀̈́̃ ̶̡̛̰̖̫̗̦̭̟̝͕͋̑͑͐͐͌̒̇̚l̷̨͙͎̝̞̟̈́̇̐̓̂ǫ̶̦̮͇̮̙̖͚͚̲́́̌n̶͉̺̮͒̃͒̐͌e̵̩̠̺͔̩̭͌̈̎͛͂͋́̍͝ͅͅl̷̮̱͖͉͉͋̀̎ͅÿ̵̪͉̺́̔͛͌̊͒̈́͛͝.̵̼͔̼̟͚̮͈̟̦̘͋̀́̓͑̔̇͌̚͝.̸̨̧̹̬̣͔̗̈́.̷̛̱̟̊̀̅̿͒̄̋͘"̸͎̩̣͈͉̭̾̂̅̾̅͗̍̀̔̚
Black tears poured endlessly from its eyes.
The tears hissed against the pavement.
Where it landed...
The concrete rotted.
The air itself screamed.
"̴͇͇̱̻̲̕W̴̢̩̋̈̓̎̾́̅͠ȟ̸̢̛͑̕è̶̞n̸̘̯̠̯̝̾̾̿̇ ̵͎́̎̈͋̒̀̕y̸̡̯͚̗͖̱̖̹̓̏̐̎͠ö̵̢̪̗̀͝͠u̴̲̦̟̾͌̒́̓͛́͜͠ŗ̵̹̺̲̬͎̎ ̴͕͍̣̜͊̕f̴̬̲̮̾̑̑͠ḽ̷̨̨̡̒̇̒͒̔́̅͠a̷̩̫͕͉͉̝͑m̸͍̦̲͔̉ẹ̴̡͎̐͂̓͋̇̿͆̊̚ ̴̢̛̬̤̟̱̻͖͔̆͛̎̂͝d̷̥̭͙̬̬̚ị̴̬̳̰͈͎͓̰͓̐é̵͉͕͎̞̦̲͔̙̩̆̍̈̅́͐͜ş̵͎̰̩̮͔̠̽̇̀́.̴̺͔̈́̈́͗̽̓́͘.̷̢̥̩͎̜̣̫͕̼̆͝.̴̥͖̇͋̊͒̍̉̈́̚̚"̶͍̫̱̩̲͛͆̈͋͐̂̔
"̷̮̠̯́̅̏̀͒̌͆͝N̷͖̯̣̘̳͔͍͗̍͊̓͠ơ̶̮̪̟͆̐͐͑͝ ̴̭͈̞̠̜̂ơ̶̢̥͉̬̦͕̾̎̔̈́n̴̡̩̘̜̦̥̬̗͈͊̈́͆̓̀͊̿͘ě̵̢̡̦̻̗͉̺̃͒̿͌̉̓̉ ̵̬̞̪̩̥͔͇̊w̶̛̟̲͕̎͒i̵̢͆́͒͌̚l̶̳͚̣̍̑͛͐̌͒̑̽́l̵̡̧̰̻̻͔͉̤̳̣͐͂̽̓̎ ̴̖͉̞̦͖̪̞̏̏r̵̠̟̼̺͌͒͠ͅė̵̩̲̣̞̒̽̈̚m̷̧̦̘͉̪̟̬̾̃̈̋́̄̚̕͜ę̴̛̲͎̖̬̙̺͎̹͗͑̓͂̀̀̒̑m̸̩̟̲̰̫̲̫͎͚͆b̶̗̙̖̪̪̼̤͇̈͒͗̈́͝e̶͇̞̪̱̔̒͌͋̐̌̚r̴̺̮̋͠ ̶̳̪͎̬̲̓y̴̘̹̘͍̙̙͙̠͐̆͑̏͆͑́̈́͜ͅơ̶͙̙͈̼̥̙͕̥̘͓̎ù̵̲̼͓̬̘̩̥͕̈́̔̒̾͜͝r̵͎͗ ̷̢̩͂͒͒͒̿͊́̅̚n̷̨͇͔̜̮̼̺̘͙̤̽̌͋͗̄̍͒͠͝ạ̴̧̛̖̯̜̯̙̟̟̦̀͑̆͂m̶̛̫͇̰̫̯̖̤̥̏̂̅͊͆͗̌ȩ̵̩̼̝̰̩̦̃͆̊͐̋̕̚͠.̴̢̯̱̞̞̟̪̿̍͒̎͌̎̑̇̚ͅ"̶̣̖̙̥̜͚̄̏͛͝ͅ
A long silence followed.
Kai didn't answer immediately.
Kai simply took one step forward.
Then another.
White flames illuminated the darkness beneath Kai's feet.
Finally...
Kai spoke.
Kai's voice was calm.
Cold.
Certain.
"...Then I'll become the flame they'll remember."
BOOM!
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The Corrupt Walker vanished.
A black blur tore through the fog.
Its fist shattered the air.
Kai moved.
One step.
The gigantic fist passed beside Kai's face.
Kai's chain ignited.
SWOOSH!!!
Kai's fist crashed into the Nightmare's ribs.
White flames erupted.
The corrupted flesh burned away like dry paper.
The Corrupt Walker stumbled.
At the same moment—
Warmth flowed through Kai's battered body.
Kai's torn muscles tightened.
The pain eased.
Kai's breathing became steadier.
The Nightmare stared.
Kai disappeared.
BOOM!!
Another punch.
Its shoulder exploded into white fire.
More warmth surged through Kai.
The blood running from his mouth slowed.
Another notification appeared.
24 / 137
HP Recovered.
Kai never stopped moving.
Every strike restore a small portion of HP.
Punch.
Heal.
Kick.
Heal.
Chain.
Heal.
The White Flame wasn't merely burning corruption.
It devoured.
Transforming every wound inflicted upon the Nightmare into life for its bearer.
The Corrupt Walker swung wildly.
Its movements became frantic.
Slower.
Less precise.
Kai slipped between every attack.
Each counter left another burning scar.
Each scar healed another injury.
31 / 137
HP Recovered.
The Nightmare staggered backward.
Its stitched smile quivered.
Kai stopped several meters away.
The chain rattled softly around Kai's arm.
"...What's wrong?"
Kai's eyes remained fixed upon the monster.
"I thought you wanted me to rest."
The Corrupt Walker shrieked.
Ą̴̿͂̅̓̈́̂̿̀̓ŗ̷̼̫͕̪̿͘r̵̩̟̞͉̫̬͔̞̾̃̔̏̕͠o̸͚̮̼̩͔̳͒͗g̵̨̿̋̒̌a̵͖̓͆̃͑̊͑̓n̶̡͓̬̦̞̱̽̑̓̀͌̈́̕c̴͓͚͙͓̝͓͚̈́̓̿̈́̇͋̚͝e̴͕̓͘
The black fog exploded outward.
The streets cracked.
Dark figures crawled from the shadows.
One.
Three.
Seven.
Twelve.
Black Skin Walkers.
Their skin resembled burned charcoal.
Their hollow mouths opened together.
They rushed Kai like starving wolves.
Kai sighed.
"...Move."
Kai walked forward.
Slowly.
Not hurried.
Not cautiously.
Simply...
Walking.
The first Walker lunged.
SHHK!
The burning chain flashed once.
SWOOSH!
Its head rolled across the pavement.
Its body turned into ashes.
Warmth spread through Kai again.
HP recovered.
The second charged.
Kai punched straight through its chest.
White flames erupted.
Leaving a hole.
The creature disintegrated before it even hit the ground.
HP recovered.
A third leaped from above.
Kai didn't even look.
The chain wrapped around its neck.
A single pull.
CRACK.
Its body burst apart into burning fragments.
HP recovered.
One after another...
The Walkers disappeared.
Not a single one managed to touch Kai.
By the time the ashes settled...
Only the Corrupt Walker remained.
It looked at the empty battlefield.
Then at Kai.
Its breathing grew uneven.
Its massive body trembled.
For the first time...
Its stitched smile faltered completely.
Fear.
The Nightmare feel fear.
Kai slowly pointed the burning chain toward it.
Kai's white flames roared brighter than before.
"You kept feeding on fear."
"So tell me..."
"...what does fear taste like?"
The Corrupt Walker suddenly screamed.
Not in rage.
But in desperation.
The sound pierced the heavens.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Kai staggered.
Blood spilled from both ears.
The surrounding buildings shook violently.
Windows exploded.
Streetlights bent.
The black fog spiraled toward the Nightmare's body.
Its stitched mouth ripped wider.
Wider.
Until it split open to the back of its skull.
Its jaw dislocated.
Its neck snapped backward.
Bones burst through flesh.
Its arms twisted into impossible angles.
Black veins spread across its body like living roots.
Then—
It began to speak.
Not words.
Not any language mankind had ever known.
A chorus.
Thousands of voices speaking through one mouth.
P̸̲̞̟̹̻͐̿̽ṙ̴̩̻̱͎̦̋̀̋͋̀̋ǫ̸̺͔͔͒͆̀̀̈́̆̚͠ ̵̡̗̰͓͍̤̒͊͊͘M̷̼̤͖̳̤̲̗̣̈́̇͛̕͘̚͜a̷̪͔̜̹͗ͅṯ̴̢̢̛̘͎̙͎̫̘̟̈̑͗̽r̴̨͙̱̲̯͈̦̳̪͂̏ͅe̴̢̢̥̯̼̮͚̮̱̩͒͒̆̒̇ ̴̡̳͖͚̣̬̱́T̸̢͕̼̯̳̣͛̎̈́̏̏̈͠e̷̛̯̼̹̰̮̙̳̝̍̀̈́͋ͅn̵̯͕̳̖͕͎̝̰͓̮̋͒̀̀͛̌͑̃͘͝ę̴͙̰̤͉͑͂̓̉͜͝͝b̸̜̖̬̩̳̻̦̺͚̥͑r̵̲͎͇̉͝ͅą̴̳̟̮̲͚͕̒̃͑r̵̢̛͉̩̱̗̤̀̌̍̈́̓̑͊̔͘ǘ̷̘̫̪̀m̵̢̖̖̖̪̳̲̦͕̌́̇̑͑̑͂̐̐̕ ̶̮̞͍̥̭͛͐͑̏͛A̴̦̬̩̜̙͊̑̅͌̉̇́́̈̋ȅ̵̹͆̀t̶̢͙̦̝̭̾̆̅̒̉̈́̇͘è̸̡̦̯̘̖̹̯̓̑̓͆̒́̕ͅr̸̠̊͋̃͛̄̑̈́̚͝͝ͅņ̶͖͖̬̮̬̫̪̾̍͂̂̐ͅá̶̭͉͈̖̃̍͋̌̀̕r̸̪̀́͆̃̒͑͗̅̋ụ̵̠͕̳̳̲̃́̋̅̉̿̀̕̚m̸̹͒̒̀̈́̐͛̕͠͝.̶̢̛̲̠͓͉̓̈́͗̿́̓̃͜ͅ.̵̯̮̟̦͇͗̅͌͝.̶͕̳̘̩͓̼͌̔̏̒͋̾͊͑̚ͅ
S̴̯͙̯̙̿̆̋͗ǎ̴̧̦̪̭̀͆̚n̶̨̎̍̃͗͒g̶̼̹͓̬̙̰͔̗̮̠͐͌̒͑̒̏̚͘ư̸̲̠̲͙̲̔̈́͊̊̿̍͘͝͠ͅi̶͈̇̆̓̋͋͗̔͠͝s̵̺̗̥̻̻̺̞̓͐͛̚ ̷̧̠̤̼͙͈͇̮͍͉͂̂b̵͇̟͇̋͋i̷̗̖̘͉͎͖̩̼̫̰͊̋̾̔̈͒͝b̷̡̟̭͕̮̲͙̩̘̜̍́a̵̯͇̥͊̋͐͝t̶̩͖͇͐̓̒͐̂̿u̷̫̳̔̊̓͘ȓ̸̡̰͚͎͉̯̟̱̯̓̀͊̈́͜.̴̧̛͍͙̟̩̣̟͈̙͛̅ͅ.̶̛͖͎̈̑̽͘.̷̡̦̝́͋͐
C̷̡̙̜̱̊́̃̾̈́͑a̸̯͍͔̍̄͜r̴̨̢̳̹̰͈̼̩̥̆̀̓̈́͑͠o̸̧̰͈̻͕̦̯̠͕̦̓̿͋̌̉̐͒̓ ̶̡̞͉̈́́d̴̛̰̘̬̲̱͋̾͒̽͌͑̅̀̚ę̵̧̨̜̝̺̮̦͚̂̓͐̋͑̌́̈́͘v̵̢̡̦͖̝̣̬͆͐̄̈́͂͊̈̄͛õ̴̡̜͙͓̟̣͎̬͓̱̀r̵̛̯͉͕͉͍͎͎̮̥̲̈́̈̔́̓̎͘ȩ̸̛̭̝̠͛͆̆͝ṭ̸̻͓̮̬̰̒͆̒u̶̙̳͕̗̪̻̰͚͑̏͜͜r̶̘͖͔͓̬͉͇̪̊͒͑̂̎̃̈́͘ͅ.̵̢͇͋̉̇̀̉̅̿͊̚͝.̴̭̦͚̫͙̲̼̲͊̋̍ͅ.̷̬͉̝̥͇͚̳̺́̍͒͒̿̃̏͋̚͜
A̸̦̲͔̯̰͚͒̈͠͝ṋ̷̂̽̇͊̍̚͠i̸̹͕̦͇̰̙̇̔̐̿̀̈̅̄͝͝m̴̡̥̝̼̰̟̦̗̃ͅą̴̞̭͐̅̐͘͝͝ȩ̸̜͔͕͚̗̳̖̻̝́͒̇̈́̔̑͘ ̸̡̞̯̺̇́͐̐͂̉͐̌c̷̡̧͖͕̪͉̈̎̾̇̚͝ͅȏ̵̙̹̠̺̦̥̬̥̏͌͊̑̐ṉ̴̙̰͕̪̆̋̓ş̵̠̗͕̰̳͙̩̓͝u̴̫̫̻̯͉͇̮̥͂m̸̢͔̤͔͝a̵̡̛͎͙͂́͋̆̚n̴̨̼͔̘͂͛̋͛̉̕͜͜ṱ̶̪̮̗͌̒̔̒̾̔̇͗̚͝u̵͎͔̖̰͇͌̓̃̂͊̔́̆̚͝ͅr̴̡̫͈̯͔̮͖͒̿̅̽̚͜.̷͓̼͚͇͇͇̭̮͌̓̄̄͂̈́͆.̵̥̬̠̝͓͙͈̩͉̖́̑́̐̈́̓̄̇̅͘.̵͈̙̤̘̝̘͖̝͕̽͒͌̾͗̒̀̚͜͝
Ä̵̧̧͚̗̰̓́̿́͊̃̈́̓̕ṕ̶̡̛̗̟͍̾̈́̈ȩ̸̛̞͍͓̲̹͕̝̄͒̔̂͂̊͘͠͝r̷̗̙̙̳̯̦̍ḭ̶̧̳̟̅̈͛͗̐͂͐ͅ ̴͍́̅͐̓̂̽̈̍͘ͅP̴̢̩̠̺̝̤̬̃̊̆̇͑̉̀̂̕͠o̸̧͗̈́̾̽͊̍̕͝͝r̴̠̖̹̭̩͇̹̜̥̯̔̓͊̋͑͋̔͒̚͠t̶̫̩̪̩̳̼͓̭̼͒̾̊͑̕͘͘a̵̜͗͊̇́̾͌͆͑͘̚ṃ̷̧̣̱̣̟̞̤͓̠͘ ̸̏͐̅͋̇̂̓̿̀̚ͅͅP̴̢̳̟̳̹͓̫͕̰̓̂̀͆̇͊̄̏̂̄r̷̩̲̋̉̋͛́̾̽̃̽̔o̵͖͈̒̈̽̆̎̀̚͠ͅḥ̶̤̖̹̃́̔̾͌͘͠į̴̭̰͈̞̮̝̣͗͌́͌b̵͔̓̃̐͒i̶̼͔̟̳̝̟͚̖̔͋̇̄͐͛̈́͛̈͋t̷̡̡̯̘̪͇̭͎͖̂a̸̢̪̱͙͚̳͐̏̈̈̀̌́̇͐̀m̷̛̗̼͙͉̗̼̗͔̟͝.̸̢͖̮͓̰͈́̈́͂̎̀͐̚͘.̷͓̺͕̺̣̃̆̿̀́̄͘̚͘͜͠.̷͔̇͆̈́̀͂͂̕
D̶͇̰̮̫͉̂̓͋̐̆̿e̵̢̛͉̞̬͔͈̫̪͔͜s̷̨̛͍̺̲̞̙̳͙͙̘͌̏́c̵̡̻̭̫̮̜͈͎͔̅̏̈́̀̾̽͝ę̴̞̟̘̱͊̐̀́̀͋͂̂̕n̶̨̓̀͝d̸̤̺̂͐͑̂̕͝͠à̵̡̛͓͎̽̉͋̍͐͑̈́͝ṱ̶̟̗̞͍̥̱͖͌̀͐͒͋͋̒̎ ̵̢̲̞̤̲̋̆̅̉̈F̵̜͔͉͛̔̆̈́̾́̍ỉ̴̧̧̫̫̙̹̥̲̠͓ĺ̸͈̄̚͝í̸̛͈͔̩̬̮̹̯̈́͜u̸̩͍̺̘̙̯̗͇̘̍̀͊͜s̸̞̑̈́̈́̓ ̸͉̎̃̅͆̃C̴͎͎̘̅̓̿̑̚͜ở̷̙͇̖̝̦͠ͅͅr̷̡̨̧̭̭̗͉͑̄͛̊̏͘͝r̷̪̰̪̥̼͙̳̱̰̿̈̍͗̿̓͌͐ū̴̪̘̝͐p̸̱͍̩̖͙̲̼̤͎͍̑̄̃t̴̡͕̦͈͓̞́̊͗̎ḭ̵̡̞̖̥̭̫͋o̶̧̳̺̩̬̻̮͎̒̾͠n̵̢̢̖͙̘̝̊̌͌į̵̬̜͕̈̿̓̔̂ͅṡ̸̛̩̲̲̞͉̩̤̻͈ ̷͙̗͎̭̯̲͓̉́̈́͐͝i̷̩̞̙̟̠̅͜ņ̴̠̩̪̙̇̈́͘͘͘ ̵̨̻͔̟͙̰͂̾̆͛ḩ̵̢̲͔͖̩̜͙͆́̈́͒̆͝ȗ̸͔̣̲͕͚̗̺̳͔̜͆̂́́̇ń̵̨͋̇̈́̐̃̑͐c̵̨͕̤͕͍͚̙̀̐̌͝ ̵̖͉̳̟̫̜̼̟̱̓̽̿͌̒̕m̶͎̭̙̂͆͝ụ̷͚́̃͑́̑̿́͊͆̾n̴͔̗̭̞͙̟͚̺̆͐̅͌͆̓͘͜ͅḑ̶̲̬̜̦̺͌́ư̷͍̮̣̖͕̝̘̮̥̽̒̈́̈́̚̚m̵̫̱̞͚̘͛͊̆͋̂͘̚.̵͔͈̝̎͆͗̀͗̈́͗͝.̴͎̝̈́̆̐̇̔̚͝͝.̷̛̛̤̜͕̙͐̌͛̇̀́ͅ"̵̰̘̼̝̜̙̜̗̉̔͋͒͘͝ͅ
Ancient.
Rotting.
Sacrificial.
The air itself recoiled.
The ground bled.
The black fog condensed into countless ritual symbols beneath its feet.
Every syllable warped reality.
Kai's Mental Stability resisted...
But even his strengthened mind trembled before the ritual.
The System appeared.
[WARNING]
Forbidden Ritual Detected.
Unknown Corruption Authority Activated.
Manifestation: "Child of Corruption"
Manifestation Progress:
18%...
21%...
26%...
Threat Level: Unknown!
Recommendation: Eliminate the Ritual Before Completion.
Kai stared at the deforming Nightmare.
Its body no longer resembled anything human.
It looked like a cocoon...
Trying to give birth to something far more horrifying.
Kai tightened his grip on the burning chain.
The White Flame blazed like a rising sun against the endless darkness.
Kai's expression never changed.
"...Good."
Kai's voice was quiet.
Yet it carried across the ruined city.
"If that's everything you've been hiding..."
"...Then I'll burn you to ashes..."
White flames burst around Kai's body.
"...And show me your fear."
To Be Continued...