Renji went to the next gate and it was shimmering like a wound in reality, a swirling vortex of violet and black. Renji tightened the new silver-rank knuckles around his fists, flexing them once. They pulsed faintly with his resonance, ready for battle.
He stepped inside.
The air was suffocating, thick with ash and iron. A barren wasteland stretched around him, its ground cracked with glowing void veins.
Then the tremor came.
The earth shook beneath a storm of hooves.
A herd of monstrous bulls surged over the ridge—skin blackened, void cracks glowing across their bodies, horns jagged like obsidian blades. Their purple-burning eyes locked onto him with mindless fury.
"Voidspawn Bulls," Renji muttered, planting his stance.
The first one charged. Its bulk hit like a battering ram, the ground exploding under its weight. Renji sidestepped, claws sparking as they scraped its horn, then slammed his fist into its ribs.
Crack!
The beast reeled, coughing dark ichor. Renji pressed on, moving with controlled fury, weaving between the charging herd. Each kill was brutal but efficient—slashes across tendons, crushing blows to skulls, strikes that left the voidspawn twitching in the dirt.
By the time the dust settled, Renji stood panting, blood and ichor dripping from his claws. Dozens of corpses littered the wasteland.
He exhaled, steadying himself. "That's the herd down…"
Then the ground quaked again.
Harder. Heavier.
Renji looked up. His breath hitched.
From the cracked earth lumbered a colossal bull—towering over the rest, its body fissured with blazing void energy, horns like jagged lances. And around its neck… a collar.
The crest of the Academy.
Renji froze. His claws trembled. "…An Alpha."
His chest tightened. This wasn't just another monster. It was one of the descendants—another living relic of the civilization tied to his own school. The same crest he wore every day, now corroded and half-buried in corruption.
The Alpha Bull lowered its head. Purple lightning sparked across its horns.
Then it charged.
The impact rattled Renji's bones as he blocked, sliding back through dirt, teeth gritted against the sheer force. Every clash was like colliding with a landslide. His stamina bled away with every second, his arms screaming in protest.
The Alpha pressed harder, void energy surging. Its horns slashed again and again, each strike shaking the wasteland. Renji clawed back, countering when he could, his breath growing ragged.
I can't last like this… I'll burn out before I can even scratch it.
The Alpha lowered its head, horns glowing brighter. A killing charge.
Renji clenched his fists. His instincts screamed to dodge, but his heart said otherwise. He steadied himself, pouring everything into his legs, and sprinted forward to meet it head-on.
At the last instant, he slid low—claws blazing upward.
Silver flashed. Flesh tore.
A roar of agony ripped the wasteland as his strike shredded the bull's throat. Momentum carried the beast forward, its body crashing into the dirt, kicking up a storm of dust.
Renji staggered upright, chest heaving. His claws dripped black ichor, and his arms shook violently.
Then the system window flickered into view:
[New Skill Acquired: Voidheart Endurance (C-Rank)]
> Voidheart Endurance (C-Rank)
Passive: Stamina drains 40% slower during combat.
Active (Cooldown: 5 minutes): Fully restores stamina and grants resistance to fatigue for 10 seconds.
Side Effect: Slight increase in muscle durability.
Renji blinked, sweat dripping down his brow.
"…A stamina skill."
He clenched his fists. Not flashy. Not overwhelming. But steady. Unyielding.
Then he turned to the fallen Alpha Bull. Its collar, still faintly glowing, flickered once… then went dark.
Renji's chest tightened. His victory felt heavy, hollow.
"…Sorry," he whispered, lowering his gaze.
The herd was gone. The Alpha was gone. And though he stood victorious, the weight of what he'd killed clung to him like a shadow.
Still, he walked toward the Gate's exit, step by step.
Now, at least, he had the strength to last.