Chapter 34

It has been a month and a half since the cohort left on their expedition, unraveling the truth behind this place. Soon, it would be time for their arrival. As Kiyotaka looked at the artificial sun in the distance and sighed to himself, he glanced around. He was in the grand hall, the same grand hall where he had battled the Forsake Knight. All around him were the corpses of Nightmare creatures.

Without the menacing steel guardian, many Nightmare creatures had tried to assert their dominance in this area. Too bad for them, there was a certain golden-eyed sleeper who had [Darkness Veil], which turned him into a deadly memory in the darkness of the grand hall.

Sitting on top of yet another creature, he solemnly looked at his runes.

[War Fragments: 999/1000]

"One more."

Kiyotaka didn't know what awaited him once he hit 1000, but a strange feeling of anticipation within his heart made him believe that there had to be something he should gain.

Humans could only have one soul core. This was a universal rule; that's why the Spell identified humans' class as "Beast." But who knew how Divine Aspects operated? Nephis and Sunny were also holders of Divine Aspects. Unfortunately, they didn't saturate their cores to the fullest before they left, so he had no one to base his guesses on.

"I will find out myself."

There was also a new possibility that would open up to him when he saturated his core to the fullest. His only echo, Asher. Kiyotaka could feel that once he hit 1000, no matter what it would bring him, he would be able to at least gain the ability to summon his Ascendant Human Echo.

Still, as a warrior, there was one irrational desire in his heart. He wanted to get that last war fragment in a worthy battle, against a strong opponent. He momentarily looked at the Crimson Spire.

"A strong foe would be hard to find; guess I will have to look around a bit."

And so, Kiyotaka joined the hunt.

He had been looking for a strong opponent for almost a day. His Flaw started flaring up stronger and stronger, his bloodlust almost at its peak. As he was about to give up and just kill a random Awakened Beast, he finally saw the foe he had been looking for: the Cursed Herald, also known as the Spire Messenger.

A massive, winged creature with a pale body and black feathers stained by blood. When its terrifying beak was open, it revealed rows of sharp, needle-like fangs and a long red tongue.

This monstrous creature that resembled a cross between a lion and a raven stretched its numerous limbs. Its body was pale as a corpse, while its head and chest were covered with dark feathers. It was massive in size, with muscles rolling like steel cables under the skin. It had two powerful hind legs and six more protruding messily from its wide chest, each ending with a set of deadly claws. It also possessed a long, jagged black beak.

When the first humans came to the dark city, they found one of these creatures in the Castle. Surprisingly, they were able to defeat it. Effie also mentioned that it was a Fallen Beast. However, Kiyotaka could feel that his opponent in front of him was not a mere Beast. It was a Monster.

Sneaking up on his foe, Kiyotaka mused.

"I should ask Kai to teach me archery when he comes back. I really need more methods of long-range attacks. Still, I should be able to fight in melee."

Summoning the Veil of Darkness, he gripped his bloodsword and dashed at his opponent. He put all his augmentation into acceleration and also manipulated his blood to enforce his bloodsword and set it ablaze, just for one initial strike.

The unsuspecting Spire Messenger was late to properly react and could only tilt its head to avoid a lethal strike. Unfortunately, it was still hit in its spine with a loud bang. It shrieked from the sudden attack and was sent rolling a few meters. Not wanting to lose momentum, Kiyotaka slashed again at his opponent. This time, however, the Fallen Monster managed to defend itself and blocked the strike with its hands. The attack failed to deliver much damage, only inflicting minor cuts.

What the Herald did fail to counter though, was blood that unnaturally flowed to the cuts, invading its open flesh. Kiyotaka didn't wait long as he set the blood inside the creature ablaze, burning the insides of its arms. The Fallen Monster madly screamed as it tore away its own flesh that was burning in crimson flames. Kiyotaka was surprised at its decisiveness, but didn't let it stop his advance.

He effectively maneuvered through the deadly claws of the Spire Messenger and engaged it in a deadly dance. His Flaw was pressing him to kill the creature, and Kiyotaka knew he had roughly 10 minutes before madness would take over.

The battle grew fiercer. Kiyotaka's strikes became more brutal, his movements more erratic as the minutes ticked away. The Cursed Herald retaliated with savage ferocity, its claws and beak slashing through the air, each missed strike creating shockwaves in its wake. The ground beneath them was torn and scorched, a testament to the intensity of their clash.

With five minutes left, Kiyotaka's blood started boiling, a searing heat radiating from within. He could feel his body responding, muscles twitching, senses heightening. Every beat of his heart felt like an explosion, driving him to fight harder, faster.

When three minutes remained, the transformation began. His eyes and hair started changing colors to a deep, menacing blood red. The pain was excruciating, but it also fueled his power. His strikes became even more devastating, each swing of his bloodsword carving through the air with lethal precision.

The Cursed Herald roared in defiance, its body writhing as it tried to counter Kiyotaka's relentless assault. But Kiyotaka, now a whirlwind of blood and fury, was unstoppable. He moved with supernatural speed, dodging the creature's attacks and landing blow after blow, his blood-red eyes locked onto his prey.

The last minute was a blur of violence and blood. Kiyotaka's strikes became a frenzied onslaught, each one carrying the weight of his unrestrained power. The Cursed Herald, despite its monstrous strength, began to falter under the relentless assault. Its roars turned to pained screeches as Kiyotaka's bloodsword tore through its flesh.

Kiyotaka never stopped using his blood manipulation either , constantly trying to open up a wound and set tore creatures insides with tiny blood needless. One such moment came as Creatured coughed blood violently as Kiyotaka was finnaly able to damage its insides , creating a great opening he wouldnt miss.

With a final, devastating strike, fueled with every ounce of energy and essence he had , Kiyotaka drove his bloodsword through the heart of the Cursed Herald. The creature let out a final, agonized scream before collapsing to the ground, its body convulsing before going still.

Kiyotaka stood over the fallen beast, his breath heavy, his body trembling with the aftershocks of the battle. His eyes and hair slowly returned to their normal color, the red fading away as the last remnants of his rage subsided. He looked down at the Cursed Herald, a sense of grim satisfaction washing over him.

[ You have slain Fallen Monster, Cursed Herald ]

[ ...You have received a Memory ]

[ Your war spirit grows stronger ]

[War Fragments: 1000/1000]

And just like that, one Monster Fell.

To create a new Monster.