The void twisted unnaturally, the air itself becoming heavy and suffocating. Zami's silver eyes locked onto the vortex as it expanded, revealing a form that defied comprehension. The Eternal Hunger emerged, its presence overwhelming, its form matching the nightmarish vision Zami had endured in the Withering Spire.
A writhing mass of limbs and grotesque shapes melded together into a single, shifting entity. Multiple hollow, glowing eyes blinked across its shifting body, each one leaking a dark, viscous substance that dissolved into the air. Its body radiated a deep, consuming void, drawing the very fabric of the realm inward. Tendrils of shadow and pulsating veins stretched out endlessly, clawing at the terrain, fracturing it further.
The crown of jagged, twisted spikes sat atop the monstrosity, floating just above the grotesque form. It shimmered with an unholy light, its presence alone exuding a maddening pressure. Its maw, an ever-shifting void of teeth and shadow, pulsed with hunger as a guttural roar escaped, shaking the very foundations of the Void Deux.
Zami stood firm, though his breath caught for the briefest moment. This was it—the malevolence he had felt during the illusion. The Eternal Hunger wasn't just a vessel; it was a manifestation of endless consumption, a pure will to annihilate.
Karesh's voice quivered. "Zami… you know what this is. It's the same as before, but now it's real. This isn't a trial. This is the end, should you fail."
Zami didn't respond. His gaze never wavered, his katana steady in his grip. He could feel the weight of countless eyes upon him—not just those of the Eternal Hunger, but those of the entities themselves. They were watching, their silent judgment bearing down on him.
The Eternal Hunger let out another deafening roar, its many eyes locking onto Zami. Tendrils lashed out with terrifying speed, aiming to crush him where he stood.
Zami moved. His body reacted instinctively, honed by years of relentless training and countless deaths. He sidestepped the first tendril, his katana slicing through the air to sever another. The blade, imbued with the shards of the Bone Monarch and Wailing Dread, sang with power, carving through the malevolent tendrils with precision.
But for every tendril he destroyed, two more took its place. The Eternal Hunger was relentless, its attacks unending. The void itself seemed to fight against him, the terrain shifting to throw him off balance.
"This thing…" Zami muttered, dodging another tendril. "It's not just alive. It *is* the void."
Karesh's voice was grim. "The Eternal Hunger is a manifestation of the entities' will. To fight it is to fight against existence itself."
"Good," Zami growled, his silver eyes narrowing. "Then I'll tear existence apart if I have to."
He activated *Adrenaline Surge*, his muscles tensing as his reflexes heightened. With a roar, he used *Blood Cell Explosion* on his katana, igniting the blade in crimson flames. Each strike now carried a burning ferocity, the fire consuming the tendrils faster than they could regenerate.
The Eternal Hunger shifted, its maw opening to release a torrent of dark energy. The attack was devastating, a wave of pure annihilation. Zami leapt, using the momentum of *Wild Cat Flow* to propel himself upward and out of harm's way.
As he descended, he combined *Multiple Slashes* with *Precision Strike*, unleashing a devastating combo aimed directly at the creature's core. The strikes landed, tearing through its form and creating a momentary gap in its defenses.
But the Eternal Hunger was unfazed. Its form began to reconstitute instantly, the torn pieces of its body reforming as if nothing had happened.
Karesh's voice cut through the chaos. "You can't beat it like this, Zami. This isn't just a fight of strength. You have to find its weakness."
Zami landed, his breath heavy, his body already pushed to its limits. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing. The Eternal Hunger was relentless, its form indestructible. But Zami had faced the impossible before—and he hadn't come this far to fail.
As the creature loomed over him, preparing another onslaught, Zami tightened his grip on his katana. His silver eyes flickered with determination, the faint glow intensifying.
"I don't care what it takes," he muttered, his voice low but resolute. "I'm not falling here."
The Eternal Hunger roared again, its malevolence filling the void. And Zami, battered but unbroken, prepared to face it head-on.