The Elder Vine Fiend darted forward with terrifying speed, its smaller frame moving like a blur. DK barely had time to react before a thorny vine lashed out, slamming into his abdomen with brutal force. The impact knocked the wind out of him, sending him sprawling backward as a sharp, searing pain ripped through his body.
HEALTH: 5/15
DK's vision blurred as he hit the ground hard. The world around him seemed to fade, the twisted trees and writhing vines of the Hollow Thicket dissolving into darkness. He felt weightless, as though he were floating, his mind spiraling into a distant memory.
Flashes of his past life played before his eyes like a disjointed dream. He saw himself in his old world, laughing with his best friend—the one person he had trusted above all others. Then came the betrayal.
"Why?" DK's subconscious voice echoed in the void. The memory of his death, the ultimate betrayal, burned in his mind. Anger bubbled to the surface, raw and unrelenting. It wasn't just anger at his betrayer—it was anger at himself for being so blind, so trusting.
"I won't let go now of this chance. I am not going to be killed a by a random piece of a grass." DK thought
Suddenly, a piercing screech pulled him back to reality. DK's senses returned just in time to see the Elder Vine Fiend lashing out with its vines, aiming to finish him off. But before the attack could land, a wave of heat surrounded him, and the air crackled with energy.
A sphere of fire erupted around DK, the flames forming a protective barrier that burned the incoming vines to ash before they could reach him. The Elder Vine Fiend recoiled, its tendrils writhing in pain as it screamed in frustration.
DK blinked, his head spinning as he tried to process what had happened. Inside the fiery barrier, the world outside was distorted, the flames casting flickering shadows. He glanced up to see Lucy standing a short distance away, her staff glowing brightly as she maintained the spell.
"Wake up, DK!" Lucy shouted, her voice strained but filled with determination. "I'm not holding this barrier forever!"
The firelight reflected off DK's blade as he struggled to his feet, his breathing ragged. His Nexus Core pulsed faintly in his chest, but he could feel its energy faltering. His health was dangerously low, and his strength was waning. He closed his eyes, willing himself to focus.
Is there any way to beat this thing? he thought desperately, his mind reaching out to the system.
The familiar glow of the interface appeared in his vision, its calm text a stark contrast to the chaos around him.
SYSTEM: OPTION AVAILABLE
Do you wish to use corrupted energy?
Warning: This will increase corruption levels in your Nexus Core as you absorb more from the ambient mana.
Proceed?
DK hesitated for only a moment. The warning was clear—using corrupted energy would further destabilize his Nexus Core, pushing him into uncharted territory. But without it, there was no way he could defeat the Elder Vine Fiend and survive this fight.
I accept, he thought firmly.
The response was immediate. A surge of dark energy erupted from his Nexus Core, the once-faint hum growing into a deafening roar in his chest. His veins turned black, pulsating visibly as the corruption coursed through his body. It was both exhilarating and terrifying—a raw, untamed power that threatened to consume him.
Dark, viscous mana oozed from his hands, flowing onto the blade of the Darkmoon Sword. The weapon transformed before his eyes, its edge becoming serrated and jagged, pulsating with a sinister glow. DK's pupils darkened entirely, his eyes now pools of inky black.
The Elder Vine Fiend paused, its crimson eyes widening as it let out a shriek of fear. It recoiled instinctively, the once-relentless predator now acting like prey. The dark energy radiating from DK filled the air, oppressive and suffocating.
DK stepped forward, the fire barrier around him dissipating as Lucy lowered her spell. She stared at him, her expression a mix of awe and unease. "What… what did you do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Stay back," DK said, his voice low and guttural. The dark energy surrounding him made every word feel heavy, final. "This is my fight."
The Elder Vine Fiend let out another scream, this time calling for reinforcements. From the shadows of the Hollow Thicket, two more Elder Vine Fiends emerged, their crimson eyes glowing as they approached cautiously. The three creatures circled DK, their movements hesitant but filled with deadly intent.
Lucy's grip on her staff tightened as she watched the scene unfold. "DK, this is madness," she said, her voice urgent. "You can't handle three of them like this, not in your condition!"
DK didn't respond. His focus was entirely on the creatures before him, his corrupted energy pulsing in time with his Nexus Core. He no longer cared about his health and was just thinking of killing of the Elder Vine Fiend. The Elder Vine Fiends seemed to sense the danger, their vines moving in unison as they prepared to attack.
The first Fiend lunged, its tendrils whipping toward DK with blinding speed. But DK moved faster. With a burst of dark mana, he sidestepped the attack and countered with a vicious slash, his serrated blade cleaving through the creature's core in a single strike. The Fiend collapsed, its body disintegrating into ash as the dark energy consumed it.
The other two Fiends attacked simultaneously, their vines converging on DK from both sides. He raised his blade, the corrupted mana swirling around him like a shield. With a single, fluid motion, he activated Swift Strike, his blade cutting through the attacking vines with ease.
The second Fiend let out a screech as DK's blade pierced its core, the dark energy obliterating it from within. The final Fiend hesitated, its crimson eyes flicking between DK and its fallen companions.
DK turned to face it, his corrupted form exuding an aura of unrelenting power. The creature shrieked in fear, but there was no escape. DK dashed forward, his blade glowing with dark energy as he delivered the final blow, cleaving the Fiend in two.
ENEMIES DEFEATED: 10/10.
BONUS OBJECTIVE COMPLETE: 2 Elder Vine Fiends Defeated. +1 Elder Vine Fiend Defeated
As the last Vine Fiend disintegrated, DK staggered back, his body trembling. The dark energy surrounding him began to dissipate, but the effects lingered. His veins still pulsed faintly with corruption, and his Nexus Core felt heavier, darker.
Lucy approached cautiously, her eyes filled with concern. "DK… what just happened?"
He didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the ground. Finally, he looked up, his dark eyes meeting hers. "I did what I had to do," he said, his voice steady but filled with a quiet intensity.