The suffocating darkness inside the wraith's stomach felt alive, pressing against Creed and Dagga like a malevolent force.
The stench of decay was overpowering, making the whole place feel like a room of death itself.
Creed pressed his hand against the slick, pulsating surface and exhaled slowly. Each breath felt heavier, as if the stomach was draining the life out of him.
Dagga crouched nearby, its massive form visibly weakened, black blood dripping from wounds that refused to heal. Its crimson eyes flickered with frustration and pain, and a low growl escaped its throat.
Creed wiped sweat from his brow and morphed the ring into the red sword. Its glowing edge cast a faint light in the gloom, making the stomach walls shimmer with an unsettling, wet gleam.
"This is insane," he muttered to himself, gripping the blade tightly. He turned it toward his wrist, hesitating for just a moment.
"This better work," he whispered, and with a swift motion, he sliced a shallow cut across his skin.
A single drop of blood oozed out, glowing with an intense crimson radiance. It wasn't ordinary blood—this was blood essence, the very core of his life force.
As the drop left his body, Creed instantly felt his strength drain. His vision blurred, his face turned pale, and his knees buckled.
His chest heaved as he fought to remain upright, his entire body was trembling with weakness.
Blood essence was the purest form of life energy, condensed and irreplaceable. Humans only possessed a few drops of it in their lifetimes, and losing even one meant months, if not years, of recovery.
The glowing droplet hung in the air for a moment before Dagga's gaze locked onto it. The demon's nostrils flared, its instincts taking over. It lunged, swallowing the droplet in one swift motion.
The effect was instantaneous. Black smoke began to seep from Dagga's body and its injuries started closing rapidly.
Its muscles rippled with renewed vitality, and its claws flexed, sharper than ever. For the first time since entering the wraith's stomach, Dagga looked formidable again.
Then its crimson eyes turned to Creed, glowing with raw hunger. A guttural growl built in its chest before it lunged forward, claws extended.
Creed's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "STOP!"
Dagga froze mid-pounce, its body jerking as if bound by invisible chains. It crashed to the ground, growling furiously but unable to move against the Dominion Mark's power.
Creed staggered backward, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I knew you'd try something like this," he muttered, his breath ragged.
Relief washed over him, but he kept his guard up. 'Thank goodness the Dominion Mark is as strong as advertised.' He thought.
He closed his eyes and focused inward. "System, is there a way to punish a marked demon if it betrays me?"
The System's cold, monotone voice echoed in his mind.
[Yes. Do you wish to punish this marked demon?]
"Yes!" Creed said without hesitation.
Dagga's reaction was immediate.
It let out a guttural scream, collapsing onto the fleshy floor. Its body writhed violently as it clawed at itself, the black smoke that once signified its healing now twisting into a tormenting haze.
Creed watched coldly, his voice firm. "Let this be a warning. Try to betray me again, and you'll regret it."
'System, stop the punishment,' he commanded, and Dagga's suffering ceased. The demon lay gasping, its body trembling as it glared at Creed with a mix of hatred and fear.
Above Dagga's head, a glowing interface appeared, displaying the words:
[Trust Level: 6%]
Creed frowned. He suddenly had a bad feeling about this notification. Why else would the system emphasize it's current trust level if it didn't mean something?
'System, what happens if the trust level drops to 5%?'
[Ding! If trust level reaches 5%, the marked demon may break free of the Dominion Mark.]
A chill ran down Creed's spine. 'Break free? How do I increase trust?'
[By forming a deep bond with your marked demon.]
Creed stared at the trembling demon and cursed under his breath. "A bond? Are you serious?"
Desperate, he raised his sword again, slicing his palm. Another glowing drop of blood essence emerged, its radiance even brighter than the first.
Creed felt his legs give out, and he collapsed to one knee, barely holding himself upright. "Here," he muttered, forcing the droplet toward Dagga.
The demon's eyes gleamed as it devoured the blood essence, its aura growing even stronger.
Creed leaned against the wall, panting heavily. His vision swam, and his body felt like it was being crushed under its own weight.
"That should help," he muttered weakly.
But as he glanced at the interface, his heart sank. The trust level remained stubbornly at 6%.
'You ungrateful lump of muscle!' Creed cursed inwardly. 'I'm practically killing myself here, and you still don't trust me?!'
Dagga tilted its head slightly, seemingly unimpressed by Creed's efforts.
Frustrated, he pointed at the demon. "Fine! Use my sword and cut us out of this thing!"
Dagga hesitated, then grabbed the glowing red blade with surprising ease. Turning toward the stomach walls, it slashed and clawed with relentless ferocity.
The fleshy walls quivered and groaned as the demon tore through them.
_____
Outside, the wraith shark swam lazily through the dark ocean depths, its massive form undisturbed. Suddenly, it twitched, its body spasming unnaturally.
A low, guttural groan escaped its gaping maw, and its sleek form writhed violently.
The writhing grew more frantic, and the surrounding waters churned as the shark's agony reached its peak. With a final, desperate heave, its jaws opened wide, expelling two figures in a burst of black water.
Creed and Dagga tumbled out, splashing into the murky sea. Creed gasped for air, coughing and laughing in relief. "It worked!" he exclaimed, his voice hoarse. "I knew it would spit us out if it realised we could hurt it from the inside!"
Dagga growled softly, its claws flexing as it scanned the waters.
A deafening roar shattered the brief calm. The wraith shark emerged from the depths, its glowing eyes blazing with unrelenting fury.
Creed's smile faded as he reached for his sword, which Dagga promptly returned. He stood shakily, his body screaming in protest, but his determination burned brighter than ever.
The shark surged toward them, its massive maw wide open, ready to devour them once more.
Creed tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade. "Time for round two."
[WebNovel Rising Star II Entry] ALL SUPPORT is appreciated.
Don't hesitate to add it to your library and give Power Stones!!