A guard on the left charged first. He was holding a massive spear. The blade of the spear was wrapped in roaring red fire. The thick rubber tube on the back of his armor was pumping bright red liquid, drawing raw fire magic from the network. "Die, bastard!" the guard yelled. He thrust the fire spear directly at Bruce’s throat. Bruce did not dodge. He did not even blink. He stepped directly into the attack. Bruce moved his head slightly to the left. The burning spear blade missed his neck by a single inch. The heat singed the ends of his dark hair. Before the guard could pull the spear back, Bruce reached out with his left hand. He grabbed the metal shaft of the spear, right below the burning blade. The Brand of the Void activated instantly. A pulse of purple light shot down Bruce's arm. The roaring red fire on the spear did not just go out. It was violently sucked into Bruce's palm. The magic was ripped away so fast that the air popped. But Bruce did not stop at eating the fire

The giant hammer exploded into a hundred pieces of broken metal. The green lightning was instantly sucked into Bruce's fist, disappearing into his Void Brand. The Captain stumbled forward, totally off balance, holding only a broken metal stick. Bruce reached out and grabbed the front of the Captain's heavy iron skull helmet. "You called me a rat," Bruce whispered softly, looking into the dark eye holes of the mask. "But a rat only eats garbage. I eat everything."Bruce activated Devour at maximum power. The Captain did not even have time to scream. The massive surge of magic from his body was ripped out so violently that the air around them snapped and cracked. The heavy spiked armor rusted instantly. The giant man crumbled into a massive pile of gray ash, leaving nothing behind but the broken handle of his hammer. Bruce stood alone among twelve piles of dust. He took a deep breath. His body was practically glowing. He felt taller. He felt completely changed. The LitRPG progress

"She looks so broken," Bruce whispered. His tough, cold exterior—the scary young man who had just devoured twelve elite guards—was completely gone. Standing in front of this cage, he was just a little boy who had missed his mother for his entire life. "Look deeper, Master," the Ashen Seraph said softly. The giant angel stepped out of the tunnel and stood beside Bruce. The Seraph’s dark, smoky wings folded tightly against its back. The angel seemed very uncomfortable in this pristine, holy room. "Mortal eyes only see the vessel," the Seraph explained. "The vessel can be starved. The vessel can be cut. But the core remains. Use your True Sight."Bruce wiped the tears from his eyes. He took a deep breath, focusing on his mana core. He blinked, and his eyes burned with silver fire. The world shifted. The blinding white walls of the room faded into the background. Bruce looked at his mother again. He gasped. Through his True Sight, the physical decay completely disappeared. Bruce di

High Inquisitor Bontus stood tall in the pristine white room, his face twisted into a cruel smile. He held his broad sword high. The blade was wrapped in bright, burning holy flames. Behind him, ten elite Inquisitors of the Light raised their golden shields, creating a solid wall that blocked the only exit. Bruce was trapped. He was on his knees, his breathing heavy and ragged. The terrible burns on his right arm, chest, and face throbbed with a sickening, hot pain. The holy shockwave from the Golden Cell had damaged his new Void-Forged Body. His dark mana core was flickering weakly, suppressed by the overwhelming presence of his direct elemental weakness. "Kill the Void-Born," Bontus commanded coldly. "Purge the darkness."The ten Inquisitors stepped forward as one. They raised their glowing swords, ready to cut Bruce to pieces. Bontus charged forward, swinging his flaming sword directly at Bruce's neck. Bruce tried to lift his arms to block, but his muscles refused to obey. He wa

Victoria smiled through her tears. She looked so incredibly proud. "I know you will. You have the strength of the Void, but you have the heart of a Guardian. You must survive, Bruce. You must travel, grow your magic, and learn to master the Seraph. You are only at the beginning of your journey."CRASH!High Inquisitor Bontus hit the dome with a massive, two-handed swing of his flaming sword. The silver dome shattered like glass. The warm, protective light vanished, and the harsh, burning heat of the holy magic flooded back into the room. Bontus stood over them, panting heavily, a furious look on his scarred face. "Enough talking with ghosts!" Bontus roared. But before Bontus could step forward to strike, a massive, terrifying sound echoed through the chamber. RUUUUMBLE.The entire pristine white room shook violently. Bruce lost his balance and fell backward. Bontus staggered, looking up at the ceiling. A loud, grinding noise, like rocks being crushed in a giant machine, came fro