Eryx walked through the crimson-stained forest, each step a testament to the destruction he'd left behind. Blood coated his boots, dripping from the tattered remains of his clothes, but he barely noticed. His focus was on one thing—killing. He had tasted power, felt it evolve within him, and now nothing could stop the urge to destroy.
The air around him hummed with energy, thick with tension. Every shadow that moved, every rustle of leaves, set his senses alight. He had crossed the line—no longer just a hunter of monsters, but something else entirely.
His evolution was far from over.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him quaked. From the earth, fissures formed, splitting the soil as dark energy surged. Before he could react, massive forms burst from the ground—twisted, hulking creatures with elongated limbs and gnarled bodies covered in thick, oily skin. Their mouths were filled with rows of jagged teeth, and their glowing red eyes locked onto him with a savage hunger.
"Terrorfiends," Eryx muttered, naming the new abominations. The beasts moved unnaturally, their bodies distorting and twisting as they charged toward him with feral speed.
The first Terrorfiend lunged, its long, spindly arms flailing wildly as it tried to tear him apart. Eryx dodged to the side, his body moving faster than he had anticipated. His hatred pulsed, feeding his reflexes, sharpening his instincts. He swung his blade, cleaving through the creature's arm with ease. Black, oily blood sprayed across his face, but he didn't stop. He spun around, severing its head in one fluid motion.
But there were more.
Dozens of Terrorfiends emerged from the cracks in the ground, their shrieks filling the air. They swarmed him, moving in grotesque, erratic patterns, trying to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Eryx didn't hesitate. The darkness inside him responded, the power coiling around his arm, forming another spear of pure shadow.
He hurled the spear at the oncoming fiends. It sliced through three of them in a single strike, pinning their writhing bodies to the ground. But they didn't stay down long. Their severed limbs twitched and crawled, regenerating as their flesh fused back together.
Eryx cursed under his breath. These things weren't just fast—they were relentless.
The nearest Terrorfiend lashed out with its claws, aiming for his throat. Eryx raised his hand, summoning a barrier of dark energy just in time. The claws raked against the barrier with a shrill screech, sparks flying as the fiend pressed forward. Eryx pushed back, releasing a pulse of energy that blasted the creature away, sending it crashing into a nearby tree.
But it wasn't enough. More were coming, their numbers seemingly endless.
Eryx felt the rage inside him bubbling to the surface, hotter and fiercer than before. He clenched his fists, his blood roaring in his ears as the power surged. His hatred fed the flames, and he could feel his abilities growing—changing. This time, the darkness didn't just respond—it consumed him, flowing through his veins like liquid fire.
A new weapon took shape in his hand—this one different. A scythe, long and curved, its blade forged from the same writhing darkness as his spear. It pulsed with deadly intent, and the air around him crackled with energy as he swung it in a wide arc. The blade cut through the horde of Terrorfiends, slicing them in half with brutal precision. Their bodies hit the ground, twitching as they dissolved into pools of inky black blood.
Eryx grinned, the thrill of battle sending a jolt through his veins. He was getting stronger—faster, deadlier with each swing of his scythe. The Terrorfiends didn't stand a chance.
He spun the scythe with blinding speed, cutting down fiend after fiend. Their shrieks filled the air as they fell, their regenerating bodies no match for his newfound power. Each kill made him feel more alive, more attuned to the darkness within him. He could feel it growing, coiling around his soul, feeding off his hatred, sharpening his instincts.
But then, the ground shook again—this time, harder.
From the gaping cracks in the earth, something massive began to rise. Eryx froze as a giant, serpentine creature emerged, its body covered in thick, armored scales that shimmered in the pale moonlight. Its eyes were a deep, soulless black, and its mouth was filled with rows of serrated teeth that dripped with venom.
"Void Serpent," Eryx whispered, the name echoing in his mind.
The Void Serpent towered over him, its presence suffocating, its gaze cold and unrelenting. It opened its massive jaws, unleashing a deafening roar that shook the trees and sent the remaining Terrorfiends scattering into the shadows.
Without warning, the serpent struck.
Eryx barely managed to leap to the side as the creature's massive tail whipped through the air, crashing into the ground with a thunderous crack. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, nearly knocking him off his feet. He steadied himself, gripping his scythe tightly as the Void Serpent coiled around him, its massive body cutting off any chance of escape.
It lunged again, faster than something of its size should have been able to move. Eryx threw up his barrier just in time, but the force of the serpent's strike shattered it like glass, sending him flying backward into the trees. Pain shot through his body as he slammed into the trunk of an ancient oak, the air knocked from his lungs.
The Void Serpent slithered forward, its massive body crushing the earth beneath it as it closed the distance. Eryx could feel its hunger, its malevolence. This was no ordinary monster—it was something ancient, something born from the very depths of the abyss.
He staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. The hatred burned inside him, fiercer than ever. He couldn't stop now. He wouldn't.
With a roar, Eryx charged, his scythe blazing with dark energy. He swung it at the serpent's head, but the creature was too fast. It dodged the strike, its tail whipping out and slamming into him with bone-crushing force. He hit the ground hard, blood spraying from his wounds as pain wracked his body.
The Void Serpent loomed over him, its eyes gleaming with cold amusement. It hissed, venom dripping from its fangs, ready to deliver the killing blow.
But Eryx wasn't done.
With the last of his strength, he pushed himself up, the darkness surging through his veins, stronger than ever before. His eyes blazed with fury as he summoned the scythe once more, the weapon crackling with raw, chaotic energy.
The Void Serpent lunged, and Eryx swung.
The blade connected, slicing through the serpent's scales with a screech of metal on bone. Black blood sprayed across the clearing as the creature let out a deafening roar of pain. It recoiled, thrashing wildly as Eryx pressed the attack, his scythe moving with deadly precision.
With each strike, he felt his power growing, his body breaking through its limits. He was no longer just a hunter of monsters—he was a force of destruction.
The Void Serpent shrieked as Eryx's final blow cut deep into its body, its massive form collapsing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Eryx stood victorious, covered in blood, his scythe humming with power. He felt the darkness coursing through him, stronger than ever before.
And this was just the beginning.
He would hunt them all.
He would kill them all.
And when the time came, Vekros would fall by his hand.