" Wrr... " - A painful and menacing growl broke through the rumble and rumbling caused by the sudden fall.
Night Deuce wailed in pain as Ramiel's fist, covered in the Dark Spectrum, crushed its ribs, knocking it back several meters.
The monster's stamina was surprising. It had survived Ramiel's massive and endless attacks throughout the day. But everything has its limits. Nothing can last forever. And so it was this time.
Night Deuce could no longer stand still. Its four paws shook with fatigue, then gave up. The exhausted monster fell inertly to the ice-covered ground.
The relic of the past was panting heavily as it fought for every breath. Numerous wounds and internal injuries didn't help him.
His half-closed eyes were fixed on the figure of the ruthless hunter.
Ramiel slowly approached the fallen Night Deuce. He ignored the sounds of the ongoing battle around him. Their din hadn't the slightest effect on him.
He wasn't interested in loud explosions or quiet whimpers. To say more, he even left his back exposed. He wasn't worried that a stray monster might get in his way or, worse, hurt him.
Any hunter with a shred of common sense would have grabbed his head. But Ramiel was no ordinary hunter. He was the Dungeon Master and could afford it.
The role of his subordinates was to keep the monsters away from him. Caera waited hidden in the dark in case of unforeseen events. Even if something managed to break through the host of skeletons, he had to face the deadly elfess first.
Overall, the situation is under control, and Ramiel can fully focus on the monster lying in front of him.
The man waited a long time for an opportunity for revenge. He was patient, meticulously preparing every little detail. He wanted to savor this sweet moment but wouldn't be foolish enough to do so.
Nevertheless, he was still in the heart of hostile territory. Tempting fate wasn't the wisest thing to do.
Ramiel concentrated the mana in his right hand. It took the shape of a pitch-black stick with a sharpened tip. The man was satisfied. However, he didn't stop there. It wasn't definitely enough. Something more was needed to kill the Night Deuce.
Microscopic frost patches appeared on the surface of the black matter. At first, they were difficult to see. Their color didn't differ from mana mixed with a dark element, but with time, the situation improved. The spots grew larger and larger until they merged into a large shell surrounding the destructive energy.
The metamorphosis didn't stop there. Ramiel injected more mana, transforming the thin shell into a thick layer of Dark Specter.
A piercing chill immediately penetrated deep into his skin, making him shiver. The object that had been a simple stick became a full-fledged spear.
The weapon was heavier and larger than Ramiel's, but this didn't prevent him from handling the weapon efficiently.
The spearhead flashed, cutting through the seemingly empty air. Ramiel tested the weapon's stability, repeating the process several times. After all, he couldn't waste the last vial created by Darwin. Each attempt left faint and barely visible snowflakes behind.
Ramiel pulled the previously prepared vial from the ring, then poured its contents onto the spearhead. The spear trembled, absorbing the carefully prepared substance. This forced Ramiel to tighten his grip on the spearhead, creating a thin membrane of mana to protect his exposed hands.
Some lunatics might be tempted to add infirnyt crystals, or Lily flower, but this would negatively affect the overall and broad stability of the weapon.
Ramiel has just been lucky lately. A small mistake, and he would forever reside in a block of ice. The stability of mana particles is an intricate and complicated subject that I'm sure no one wants to delve into right now.
The whole process took no more than a minute.
" Finally. " - A quiet but satisfying whisper escaped the hunter's lips, then he moved forward confidently. An unspoken threat could be sensed in Ramiel's words, backed by confidence.
Ramiel's expression became cold and emotionless. He resembled a cold warrior, ready to mercilessly take life at any moment, and the spear in his right hand only heightened the effect.
Night Deuce lazily closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable death. Perhaps over the years, it had let itself be consumed by savagery, but the monster still retained a modicum of dignity. Considering the position it was in, it was supremely calm. It had no intention of whining or putting up unnecessary resistance. He considered Ramiel a superior predator.
With the rest, even if he wanted to, he could do nothing. His legs refused to obey him. The festering wounds never stopped bleeding and caused unbearable pain, and the mana particles, mixed with the Dark Spectrum element, wreaked havoc inside his body. Night Deuce preferred to overlook the numerous weaknesses and curses imposed by the man's strange spell. In addition, with each passing minute, the relic of the past felt itself becoming weaker. Something was definitely wrong, but he couldn't find the cause.
There was nothing left for him to do but acknowledge the superiority of man, whose species was nothing more than sustenance for miles. Accepting reality hurts, but at least the monster can do it with dignity.
Ramiel wasted no time. His figure disappeared, followed by the sound of bones breaking in the area. The spearhead, accompanied by a modest explosion of blood, plunged into the top of the Night Deuce's head. The weapon, backed by the hunter's strength, easily reached the stomach and stopped there.
With a deft flick of his wrist, Ramiel twisted the spar, forcing even more mana into it. This was accompanied by the sound of ripping meat, which was familiar to Ramiel. A gentle smile crept onto the man's cold and indifferent face. The feeling of a life being taken gave him sadistic pleasure, especially when it belonged to a hated enemy.
" Can I still call myself a man when I enjoy such things? " - The feelings he bargained with Ramiel while Night Deuce's eyes clouded forced him to reflect briefly.
" I have never been normal, and I never will be. It's wrong, but if that's who I am, there's nothing I can do about it. Life is too short to worry about flaws. "
Ramiel knew that his behavior wasn't normal. Once, he tried to correct them, but suppressing his instincts only had the opposite effect. He was a sadist who loved to inflict pain on his enemies and had come to terms with it. Everyone has a dark side inside them that waits patiently to come to light. Ramiel's dark side was just a tad worse than the rest.
Sometimes, he was afraid of the monster he had become. The part of his personality he tried to avoid became stronger after the interaction of the original. He masked well the changes that had taken place in him, but he couldn't hide everything. He became cold and emotionless towards innocent people. In his eyes, they were no different than essential resources or meat sacks.
Ramiel was afraid of what he had become. This wasn't how Ceti had raised him. I wonder what she would say if she saw him now.
" As long as they are safe, I think I can accept it... ". - Ramiel had Asme and Caera in mind. After Samantha's betrayal, he would never say that he would allow other women so close to him or even trust them. At first, his intentions toward them were not pure.
Ramiel wanted to take advantage of them. He tried to manipulate the feelings of both women to make them dependent on him. This was to assure him of their devotion and additionally secure them. However, no one is perfect. While calculating, he made a small but crucial mistake. He underestimated his nature.
Apparent and feigned affection turned into indifference. Then, there was interest, followed by a faint and barely perceptible attachment. Before Ramiel knew it, he began to worry about Caera and Asme. Day by day, he paid them more and more attention. At first, he excused himself by saying that he was doing it for the good of the dungeon. After all, the stronger the soldiers, the better for him. But that was just an excuse to soothe his heart.
It wasn't long before Ramiel grew fond of the two. He could see the flaws in their advantages and the advantages in their disadvantages. He loved Caera's shy personality and hated the damage her family did to her. It was the same with Asme. Her fake confidence and her head on her shoulders in crisis situations unknowingly shattered the shield around his heart.
Ramiel rejoiced when his women were happy and suffered with them when sadness consumed them. He was willing to do much for their safety and happiness. It took me a while to realize my feelings. This is also one of the reasons why his soul degraded so quickly. Contrary to nature, his behavior couldn't rebound without negative consequences.
Everything became simpler as Ramiel accepted his feelings. The degradation of his soul slowed down, and he was able to enjoy his fleeting life, no matter what it looked like.
The real breakthrough came after meeting the first Ramiel. The original made everything easier. He brought to light and strengthened the personality traits that should guide Ramiel. Through this, he was able to open his wronged heart once again.
The bond and feelings that formed between him and Asme and Caera were a far cry from what he created with Samantha. After all, you can't compare a long-term relationship to less than one year. Only a recent dream made him realize how much he missed her. Ramiel once wanted to treat women the same way as his ex... but is that possible? This question can only be answered by time.
Everything in the universe is characterized by a certain resilience. The spearhead was no exception. Under the influence of a new factor, it exploded, splashing into hundreds of splinters, which enthusiastically set out to meet the Night Deuce's organs.
Countless circles of damnation activated, littering Ramiel's focused gaze.
Numerous cracks appeared on the spear's spar, after which the spear disintegrated into tiny black snowflakes. The weapon inevitably joined its predecessors, leaving behind a bloody trail.
Together with the last breath, Night Deuce let out a pain-filled moan. Ramiel felt sorry for the tormented monster for a moment. After all, if Ceti wasn't lying, it once ruled the universe ... and now? It died at his hands like an inferior monster.
It's sad how fate mocks us. One day, you're at the top, and the next, you're rubbing shoulders with death. - Ramiel thought.
To be sure, he dipped his hand into the open wound, then unscrupulously ripped out Night Deuce's still-beating heart. It was amazing. Even after destroying the brain, its organs were still trying to keep the relic of the past alive.
Ramiel crushed the shrinking heart in his hand. He intuitively transferred the core he found inside to the spatial ring. Later he will take care of its inspection.
" Seraphine, it's all over now. Tell everyone to retreat under the lake. Remember what we talked about. Don't kill all the monsters. We can't let the ecosystem collapse. The Night Rippers are temporarily the best source of cores we have. Their annihilation and slow rebuilding by the abyss will be painful. "
Ramiel watched the small soul escape his shadow. After a moment, he added quickly.
" Don't wait for me. I can handle it. "
Ramiel's words could be considered arrogant, but he could afford them. Nothing in the forest could threaten him. Nothing, considering statistics, experience, knowledge, and spells. He was dominant in every respect, especially when the only real threat was lying at his feet.
" I hope you aren't picky. "
Ramiel felt a sudden weight in his hands.
" Come on, what are you waiting for? After all, I won't do it for you." - Ramiel's remark may have seemed oppressive, but nothing could be further from the truth. In a clumsy way, he tried to interact with the weapon. Far from perfect, but better than nothing. Everything has to be reached by small steps.
The jewels embedded inside the damaged handle released streaks of blood in the form of smoke. The scarlet ribbons acted like magnets, attracting the life-giving liquid. The next seconds coincided with Ramiel's prediction.
Blades devoured every milliliter of blood. The once proud ruler of the universe became nothing more than a twisted and desiccated corpse. Not even the bloodstains that soaked deep into the ground escaped the weapon's unbridled appetite.
After all this, Ramiel felt fresh and refreshed. The blood had restored his strength and replenished his depleted stamina.
" Do you still need more? "
Ramiel couldn't describe how or why, but sometimes, he just knew what his weapon expected. It was strange but intimate at the same time. Still, sometimes anger and irritation seeped into his thoughts, but it got better.
Ramiel wasn't the only one who benefited from the meal. Apparently, the blood of the Night Deuce is of better quality than that of ordinary monsters from the abyss. The blade of the sword wielded in his right hand could again present terror to the world. Fragilnote runes emitted a faint glow, perfectly matching the black material from which the weapon is forged.
The sword still lacked much from its glory days; in various places, Ramiel found barely visible cracks, glued together by sticky blood. Still, it was better than nothing. At least he had temporarily recovered his weapon. Full recovery will take some time, but nothing by force. Some things must not be rushed.