The forest groaned like a dying machine.
Each step Raiden took sank into blackened soil that pulsed faintly beneath his boots. The air was thick with a static hum, and above, the sky churned with violet thunderclouds that spat silent lightning. It was said the Blightwood was once alive, but now it was nothing more than a scar—the first known zone infected by corruption energy.
Raiden's eyes narrowed as his watch flickered.
[ Warning: Corruption Energy Detected ]
[ Estimated Source Distance: 1.8 km ]
"Guess I'm close," he muttered. His voice felt small against the forest's vast silence.
Every tree bore the same symbol burned into its trunk—a black ring, enclosing a single, bleeding eye.
Black Halo's mark.
His knuckles tightened on the hilt of his sword.
That mark was the same one he'd seen sprayed on the wall of his apartment. The night they came. The night Silva screamed. The night he wasn't strong enough.
A flicker of blue current ran down his arm.
"Let's finish this."
He pressed forward, lightning whispering across his shoulders.
---
The silence broke with the shriek of wings.
Three Corrupted Raptors dived from the canopy, their bodies twisted with shadow, red eyes blazing through the gloom. Their movements were erratic, fueled by whatever black energy gnawed at their minds.
[ Enemy Detected: Corrupted Raptor (Lv.10) - Intermediate Tier ]
Raiden's body reacted before his mind did.
He ducked beneath a talon swipe, boots scraping dirt, and slashed upward. Lightning exploded along his blade as it tore through the creature's chest. The raptor convulsed, smoke curling from the wound before it crashed to the ground.
He spun, his left hand sparking, and snapped a bolt into the next one midair. It spiraled, shrieking, before vanishing into the mist.
The third came from behind.
Raiden caught its neck mid-flight, slammed it against a tree trunk, and sent a surge of voltage through his palm. The beast's scream turned to silence.
[ Enemy Defeated: Corrupted Raptor (Lv.10) ]
[ EXP +100 ]
He exhaled slowly. "Still not fast enough."
Lightning faded off his hands.
The forest answered with a low growl.
--
From the undergrowth, six pairs of red eyes appeared.
The Corrupted Ironfang Hounds padded into view—matted fur, metal-like claws, and spines protruding from their backs.
[ Enemy Detected: Corrupted Ironfang Hound (Lv.13–15) - Advanced Tier ]
They didn't hesitate.
The first lunged. Raiden twisted aside, lightning flashing beneath his feet as Dash activated.
[ Dash Activated ]
He reappeared behind the beast, blade arcing cleanly through its hind legs. It howled, crashing into the dirt.
The second came from the flank. Raiden raised his sword, letting it graze his shoulder as he countered, the weapon humming with a thin line of light. His swing connected—one clean, bright strike that cut through muscle and bone.
Two more attacked at once. Raiden crouched, slammed his hand to the ground.
"Thunder Pulse."
A wave of raw current erupted outward, scattering the pack like leaves in a gale. The nearest hound twitched and fell limp, its fur still crackling with electricity.
[ Enemy Defeated: Corrupted Ironfang Hound (Lv.15) ]
[ EXP +750 ]
[ LEVEL UP: Lv.5 ]
[ Strength +2 | Agility +2 | Endurance +2 | Perception +2 | Focus +2 ]
[ Unassigned Points +5 ]
Raiden drew a shaky breath. Lightning simmered off his blade, his right arm slightly numb.
He'd learned to live with the ache. It reminded him he was still alive.
---
Then the ground shook.
Out of the mist came two beasts larger than anything before. Each step made the earth tremble. Black liquid dripped from their fangs.
[ Enemy Detected: Corrupted Dire Wolf (Lv.16) - Advanced Tier ]
Raiden didn't wait. His blade flared, lightning twisting along its edge as he dashed forward, cutting at the first wolf's leg. It staggered but didn't fall. The second came from behind, slamming into him like a battering ram.
He hit the ground hard, rolling just in time to avoid another strike. Pain lanced up his ribs.
The wolves moved in tandem—fast, precise, monstrous.
Raiden's jaw clenched. "Fine. Let's make it loud."
Lightning exploded across his form. He blurred forward, his sword slicing a wide, electric arc. The first wolf howled as its side tore open, but the second clamped its jaws around his shoulder.
Raiden screamed—electric fury bursting from his body in an uncontrollable wave. The beast convulsed, releasing him.
He landed in a crouch, blood dripping from his arm, and raised his sword overhead.
"Lightning Drop!"
He slammed it down. The entire clearing lit white. When the light faded, both wolves lay still. Smoke rose from their bodies.
[ Enemy Defeated: Corrupted Dire Wolf (Lv.16) ]
[ EXP +1200 ]
[ LEVEL UP: Lv.6 ]
[ Strength +2 | Agility +2 | Endurance +2 | Perception +2 | Focus +2 ]
[ Unassigned Points +5 ]
Raiden leaned on his sword. His breath came shallow.
"Still standing…" he muttered, spitting blood onto the dirt.
Then the pulse came again—louder, heavier, like a heartbeat buried in the forest floor.
---
The Nexus
The corruption source wasn't hidden—it was waiting.
A dark crystal pulsed in the center of a clearing, surrounded by machinery that hummed with unstable energy. Black smoke bled from the cracks, swirling into the air like serpents.
And there, at its base, stood a man in black armor.
"Valen Crow," the stranger said with a smirk, voice smooth, sharp. "Lieutenant, Black Halo Division. And you are trespassing."
Raiden's grip tightened. "You're one of them."
Valen tilted his head, amused. "We've been called many things. Monsters, thieves… murderers. I prefer visionaries."
Raiden's expression went cold. "You killed my wife."
"Oh," Valen chuckled, "so you're the survivor."
Lightning burst from Raiden's body like a storm breaking free. "Then I'll be your reckoning."
--
Valen moved first—a blur of black and steel. Raiden met him halfway, the clash of their blades lighting the forest with thunder and shadow.
Each strike sent shockwaves through the clearing. Raiden parried one blow, ducked under the next, and countered with Lightning Slash—but Valen caught it on his gauntlet and sent him flying back with a kick.
Raiden hit a tree, ribs cracking.
Valen advanced calmly. "Your lightning is crude, boy. You can't even control it."
Raiden wiped blood from his mouth, eyes blazing. "Then I'll let it control you."
He surged forward, faster than before—Dash chaining with instinct. His movements blurred into unpredictability.
[ Passive Skill Activated: Battle Instinct (Lv.1) ]
Valen tried to counter but was half a beat too slow. Raiden's blade slid past his guard, searing into his ribs. Valen roared, darkness spilling from the wound, and slammed a shadow fist into Raiden's chest.
The blow hurled him across the clearing.
HP dropped dangerously. His system flickered.
[ Warning: HP Critical (23%) ]
Valen raised his sword overhead. "Die with purpose, lightning boy."
Raiden's fingers twitched. He grinned through the blood.
"Not today."
He vanished in a burst of thunder.
[ Dash Activated ]
Lightning erupted behind Valen. Raiden's blade screamed through the air.
"Lightning Dash… Reverse Slash… Drop Kick!"
The three-hit combo landed—steel, flash, thunder. Valen staggered, then Raiden's final kick shattered the crystal behind him.
The explosion swallowed the clearing in light.
When the dust cleared, Valen's armor was cracked, his chest scorched. He dropped to his knees, choking on smoke.
"How…?"
Raiden pointed his sword at him. "You killed the wrong woman."
Valen's glare dimmed as the corruption consumed him. His body dissolved into ash.
[ Enemy Defeated: Valen Crow (Lv.20 - Elite Tier) ]
[ EXP +5000 ]
[ Skill Obtained: Battle Instinct (Lv.1) ]
[ LEVEL UP: Lv.7 ]
[ Strength +2 | Agility +2 | Endurance +2 | Perception +2 | Focus +2 ]
[ Unassigned Points +5 ]
---
Raiden stood among the ruins, the corruption core shattered, the air slowly clearing. His limbs trembled.
Then, behind one of the broken devices, he saw it—a containment pod. Inside was a girl, barely conscious, breathing shallowly.
He smashed the glass with his blade and caught her before she fell.
"Easy now… you're safe."
Her pulse was weak, but steady.
[ Quest Complete: Purge the Corruption Nexus ]
[ Rewards Granted ]
Raiden glanced around one last time, then lifted the girl onto his back.
The forest was quiet now. The corruption gone. Only the faint hum of the storm remained.
He started walking, each step heavier than the last, but his eyes burned with focus.
"Black Halo," he murmured. "This isn't
over."
Lightning shimmered faintly around him as he disappeared into the rain, heading back toward the city.