「Fear.」
The fear hit Tatsuya the moment he stepped into the room, as if the very air had thickened into a suffocating wall of dread. It wasn't just the kind of fear he had felt fighting the saber-tooth or the shelf spiders—this was different. Wrong. His skin prickled, his heartbeat deafening in his ears. The air itself seemed tainted, heavy with malice, as though the world was screaming at him to turn back.
Yet, despite the terror clawing at him, Tatsuya moved forward. His muscles were tight, his legs stiff, but something darker inside him had stirred. The primal urge to hunt surged through him, overpowering the fear. His grip on the makeshift spear tightened, wood creaking under the pressure. His body trembled, not from fear, but anticipation. His ghoul instincts, buried deep beneath the surface, began to stir.
His eyes, glowing red, locked onto the monstrous King Spider before him.
The spider's massive form loomed in the center of the room, each step sending a tremor through the stone floor. Its many legs clicked in an unsettling rhythm, and its body exuded an aura of predatory intent. It was as if the creature itself was the source of the tainted atmosphere, warping the air around it.
"I won't stop until you're dead," Tatsuya growled, his voice low, his fangs elongating as he bared them at the monster. "And when you fall, the iguana's next. Come at me… if you dare."
Tatsuya crouched low, his glowing eyes narrowing with a predatory focus. His fangs extended further, claws sliding from his fingertips. An erratic, unfamiliar energy pulsed through his veins, flashing in hues of orange and pink, in rhythm with his pounding heart. Saliva pooled in his mouth, the hunger gnawing at his insides.
From the corner of his eye, he saw the old white rat—his ever-loyal companion—dart away, hiding behind a pillar. Its beady red eyes gleamed with concern as it peeked out, watching the scene unfold.
The King Spider screeched, a piercing sound that rattled the room. It tensed, its massive legs digging into the stone floor, and without warning, it lunged. The creature moved with terrifying speed, a blur of black and green barreling toward Tatsuya like a force of nature.
Tatsuya barely had time to react. He leaped to the side, his spear meeting the creature's front legs with a metallic clang. The impact sent a shockwave through the chamber, knocking cobweb-covered skeletons from their perches and shattering bones as they crashed to the floor. Dust filled the air, clouding his vision.
I can barely keep up... he thought, his chest tightening. His limbs felt sluggish, numb. But beneath that numbness was an unsettling strength, a foreign energy coursing through him, propelling his movements beyond his control.
He lunged forward, aiming for the spider's head with his spear, but the King Spider was faster. Its mandibles snapped around the spear, wrenching it from Tatsuya's hands and flinging it aside as if it were nothing.
Before he could react, a massive leg shot forward, slamming into his chest with bone-crushing force. Tatsuya was thrown across the room, crashing into the stone wall with a sickening thud. His vision blurred as pain exploded through his ribs, blood filling his mouth.
"I… I was wrong," he gasped, staring at the towering creature through half-lidded eyes. "How can anything be this strong?"
His chest heaved, every breath searing with agony. The King Spider loomed closer, its many eyes gleaming with cruel intelligence, ready to finish him off. Tatsuya's body refused to move. He couldn't stand, couldn't fight. His ribs screamed in pain as the spider closed in, its spiked legs casting long, menacing shadows across the stone floor.
This is it, he thought, his heart sinking. I can't win. I'm too weak.
A faint sound reached him—his rat, peeking out from behind a skull. The small creature's eyes met his, and for a moment, Tatsuya swore he saw a flicker of annoyance in its gaze, as if even now, it expected better from him.
A weak chuckle escaped his lips, blood dripping down his chin. "Even now... you're sassy till the end, huh?"
But the spider wasn't waiting. It loomed over him, mandibles clicking in anticipation of the kill. Time seemed to slow, each second stretching out as the inevitable drew closer. Why... why did I think I could beat the iguana? Or that damn talking skull? I'm so weak.
Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks. The weight of his failures pressed down on him, crushing his spirit. He was going to die here, alone, without accomplishing anything. But just as he began to surrender to despair, something happened that he never could have predicted.
The rat—despite every instinct to run—charged forward.
Its tiny feet pattered across the stone floor, and with a fierce squeak, it leaped at the King Spider's neck. Its small horns pierced the exoskeleton, sinking deep. The spider hissed, momentarily stunned, its legs faltering as it tried to shake the rat loose.
The King Spider reared back, mandibles opening to spit venom, but the rat's attack had thrown off its aim. The venom splattered harmlessly onto the stone floor, sizzling as it ate through the ground.
Tatsuya watched in stunned disbelief as his tiny companion fought to protect him. The King Spider, infuriated, flicked its head, sending the rat flying across the room. A heartbreaking squeak echoed through the chamber as the small creature slammed into the wall and slid to the ground, limp.
"No!" Tatsuya's scream ripped from his throat, adrenaline flooding his system. "How dare you!"
Something inside him snapped. The fear, the pain—all of it was swallowed by an overwhelming rage. His body moved on instinct, no longer restrained by pain. Blood dripped from his wounds, but he didn't care. He pushed himself up, stumbling forward, his hands forming an earth gauntlet as he ran.
"Why do I care so much?" he thought, his mind racing, his body trembling. "Why am I risking everything for a rat I barely even cared about months ago?"
And then, the answer hit him, clear as day.
Because it saved me. Now, it's my turn to save it.
With a roar, he slammed his gauntlet into the King Spider's head, the force sending the creature skidding across the floor. It hissed in pain, legs flailing as it tried to recover.
Tatsuya didn't waste a second. He sprinted to the rat, scooping its tiny, fragile body into his hands. Its breathing was shallow, each squeak weaker than the last. Tears blurred his vision as he cradled it against his chest, his heart breaking under the weight of its fragility.
"I-I won't let you die!" he choked out, his voice shaking. "I promise! Just... hold on a little longer!"
The rat's body was growing cold, its tail limp in his hand. His tears fell onto its small form, his chest tight with desperation.
Without thinking—driven by instinct—Tatsuya brought the rat closer to his mouth. His fangs extended, the red glow returning to his eyes as the ghoul instincts surged uncontrollably. The hunger inside him roared to life, threatening to consume him.
"No... what are you doing?" his mind screamed, horrified. "Stop, you monster!"
But his body didn't listen. His fangs pierced the rat's neck, a slight tremble running through him as the warm, metallic taste of blood flooded his senses. It was laced with something strange, something potent.
For a moment, Tatsuya felt disgusted with himself, but the hunger was too strong, pulling him deeper into its grip. Just as he was about to lose control, he felt it—a faint pulse.
The rat's heartbeat.
It was still alive.
He jerked back, staring down at the tiny creature in disbelief. Slowly, the rat's eyes fluttered open, glowing with a strange, otherworldly light. It scurried out of his hands, perching itself on his shoulder, its tail coiling gently around his neck.
A voice echoed in his mind, calm and serene. By blood, I am now bound to you as your familiar. Give me your command, and together, we will defeat this foe.
Tatsuya's breath caught in his throat. The voice was soft, feminine, yet filled with quiet strength. All this time, he had thought the rat was male—but now, none of that mattered.
He stood, his pain fading as a new strength surged through him. The weight of the battle no longer felt so crushing. His gaze shifted from the King Spider to the rat, and he clenched his fists.
"Let's finish this," he whispered, his voice steady. The rat remained perched on his shoulder, glowing with power.
Together, they spoke as one, their voices interwoven.
"FILTHY LIFEFORM!"