Apocalypse Unbound

The Necrotic Heir

Grey emitted a growl as he felt his energy boost fill his body. His body grew hot as his muscle mass increased. He glanced at his stats and saw they had all been doubled.

[Berserk ~ 0: Double all stats for one minute]

[Side Effect: Drained Stamina and Temporary halt in recovery]

[Effects get better once proficiency increases]  

Though handy in tight situations, [Berserk] wasn’t advisable to use because of its drawbacks.

There was a timer attached to it, meaning he would be in great danger if he didn’t finish off [Duskfang] before one minute ended.

Grey sighed, convincing himself that he had no choice. Besides, how would he increase his proficiency if he abandoned the skill?

“One minute,” Grey exhaled as he readied himself. “Make it count.”

[Duskfang], who seemed relaxed, suddenly became alert, sensing that the air around Grey had changed. The human had gotten stronger.

Though it didn’t understand how, it knew there was only one conclusion to this fight: the human's death. 

[Duskfang] summoned [Abyss Orb] and fired at Grey, but the energy sphere was split in half with a swing of [Banesword].

The separated parts darted past Grey, crashing into the walls with an explosion.

Using [Quickstep], Grey moved, the force of his lunge causing an impact that left cracks in the ground.

In a second, he had reached [Duskfang], about to decapitate the beast.

But [Duskfang] leaped away at the last moment, evading the strike. 

[Duskfang] didn’t even get the chance to land as Grey was on him once again.

[Duskfang] darted backward once again, in such a manner that Grey was convinced it was using a movement skill similar to [Quickstep].

He fired [Arc Flash], which struck the beast in the chest.

[Duskfang] grunted in pain as it fell but hurriedly stood as Grey’s sword was about to descend once again.

If [Duskfang] could speak, it would be cursing in frustration as Grey gave it no break nor space to counter.

This was exactly the situation Grey was in earlier; now their positions were reversed, with [Duskfang] trying to stay away from Grey as much as possible, and Grey chasing without relenting.

As Grey pursued, he felt [Duskfang] was purposely trying to drag the fight. It had gotten a couple of chances to dish out attacks but instead had chosen to flee. As if it knew Grey was running on a timer.

Grey glanced at his panel to see how much time he had left.  

=============  

[30 seconds remaining]  

=============  

He sucked in a deep breath.

He needed to end this soon.

Grey attacked with more ferocity and managed to slash [Duskfang]'s legs, enough for its movement to slow. This gave Grey the chance to close the distance.

[Duskfang] seeing Grey closing in ignored its pain and tried running, but Grey fired [Arc Flash], which electrocuted it, causing it to grunt in pain.

[Duskfang] now had a panicked expression on its face for the first time since the beginning of the fight.

It desperately unleashed [Abyssal Orb] towards Grey.

But it struck nothing, as Grey had disappeared.

[Duskfang] then felt a chill and turned to see [Banesword] coming.

It moved its claws to parry the attack.

But it was a feint. 

Grey left the sword midair, letting it get swatted away, then punched downward with a powerful fist enhanced by [Lightning Gauntlet].

The blow landed on [Duskfang]'s face with mighty force, dislocating its jaw.

Grey then held [Duskfang]'s face to the ground and activated [Lightning Blade] to pierce its skull. 

“This is your end,” Grey said, about to strike, truly believing it was over.

But [Duskfang] opened its mouth and howled.

“Ruuuarrrhh!!!”

A powerful sonic blast escaped [Duskfang]'s mouth, and it hit Grey point blank, bursting his eardrums.

“What...what the hell is this?”

Grey couldn’t move, and [Duskfang] used the chance to shove him off. 

Grey, knelt on the ground and placed his hands on his bleeding ears, which kept humming.

He could only hear his erratic breathing, and with a sense of urgency, he glanced at how much time he had left.  

======

[10 seconds remaining]  

======

Time was running out. Grey knew he had to finish this now, or it would be over for him.

He turned towards [Duskfang] and saw an [Abyssal Orb] dangerously heading his way.

He hurriedly leaped out of the way, avoiding getting hit, and knitted his brows.

He hadn’t heard it, hadn’t even sensed it.

If he hadn’t turned to look when he did, he would have been struck with the unexpected attack.

He gritted his teeth and glanced at the timer.  

=======  

[5 seconds remaining]  

=======  

He got up, now more desperate than ever to finish the job, but another [Abyssal Orb] headed his way.

And this time, it didn’t miss.  

Boom!  

Grey’s body rocketed into the air, and he crashed on the ground, rolling like a ragdoll. Bloodied, battered, with broken bones.

Only one second left.

But Grey was unable to move.

Motionless in a pool of his blood. 

“One more [Quickstep],” he muttered, trying to force himself up but it was futile.

======

[Berserk has ended]

======

Immediately, exhaustion hit Grey like a train. Intense pain pounding at his body all at once.

“Aargh!” Grey groaned in agony, as he squirmed on the ground.

His injuries weren’t healing, and his stamina had been reduced to zero.

He was so close.

Just one more strike and [Duskfang] would have met its end.

If not for the strange skill it used.

Speak of the devil.  

[Duskfang] lunged at him, pinning Grey to the ground, its jaws poised to sink its sharp teeth into his neck.

In a desperate effort, Grey raised his arm, taking the bite meant for his throat.

[Duskfang] latched onto his arm, ripping through flesh and muscle with feral savagery.

Grey screamed in agony, trying to fight back, but [Duskfang] drove its claws deeper into his body, shredding skin and muscle, draining his strength with each piercing stab.

He couldn’t even scream anymore as the pain had overwhelmed his body.  

“I’m...I’m not done yet,” Grey muttered weakly.

He tried to summon [Lightning Blade], but his energy points were empty.

So he punched as hard as he could. With all the strength he could summon.

But his blow had no strength to it.  

“What a pathetic strike,” Grey chuckled at his weak attack, blood seeping out his mouth.

He punched again, but this time, his blow was even weaker.

Then he struck again and again.

His heart racing rapidly.

Was this fear?

"No. Something else."

He could feel something waiting for him to reach, dangling at the edge of death.

It was strange that even at this moment, with death approaching, he was having no flashbacks.

He was close to death, yet he felt even more alive.

His blood was splattered on his face, blurring his vision, but Grey kept hitting.

He couldn’t stop...he wouldn’t. 

[Duskfang] had reduced Grey’s arm to bone with barely any flesh and pinned Grey’s arms with its limbs.

It was over.

Yet for some reason, Grey wasn’t worried about his promise to Jace and how he wouldn't fulfill it.

“Why is that?”  

He didn’t get much chance to ponder as [Duskfang] buried its teeth into Grey’s neck, and clamped down.

Grey eyes widened and he took his last breath, before sinking into darkness.

Then it happened.

Ding!  

=============

[Title detected: Necrotic Heir]

[Condition to awaken as the Necrotic Heir met]

[Innate Passive Skills Activated: Regeneration, Necrotic Touch, Cursed Blood...[Locked] [Locked] [Locked]]

[Regeneration: Heal any wounds, major or minor. But you won’t survive decapitation or a crushed heart.]

[Necrotic Touch: At will, you can drain the life of anything you touch as long as it possesses life.]

[Cursed Blood: Your blood is now akin to the most potent poison, granting you resistance to poison. Any poison taken enhances its potency.]

=============

Since [Regeneration] was a passive skill, it activated on its own, setting Grey's healing process in motion.

His charred skin regained its healthy color, pulsing with renewed vitality.

Broken bones snapped back into place, mending and realigning.

Wounds sealed shut, and fresh layers of flesh rapidly grew over them, restoring Grey to his full strength.

Grey, now full of vitality, opened his eyes with a wide grin on his face.