The rogue staggered. His knees buckled as his breath caught in his throat. The hand that had been gripping his side tightened, his fingers digging into the torn fabric. Blood dark and sluggish seeped between them.
"Captain!"
Krad lunged forward, but Mist's body gave way before he could reach him. He crumpled to the ground, his ragged breaths breaking the eerie silence of the ruins.
A harsh chime rang through the air. Krad's system interface flared open once more, flooding his vision with crimson warnings.
DING!
System Alert!
Player 'Mist' Has Collapsed
Critical Condition Detected
True Damage Revealed
"True damage?" His voice trembled. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Then the screen flickered again, and his stomach dropped.
Injury Identified!
Curse Slash of the Vessel detected
Status: Incurable by standard means. all potions, healing magic, and recovery items are ineffective. Support Player required for emergency healing
Krad's heart pounded. "No... no, no, no. This can't be happening."
He knelt beside Mist, panic surging through him. The rogue's face was pale, his breaths shallow. The dark veins that had twisted around his wound spread further, creeping beneath his skin like a sinister web.
"Damn it!" He slammed his fist to the ground.
Mist coughed weakly, his eyes flickering open. "Heh… I told you…" His voice was barely above a whisper. "Just a scratch…"
"Shut up," Krad growled, his voice cracking. "You're dying, and you're still trying to act like it's nothing?"
Mist's lips curled into a weak grin. "Not… dying. Yet."
Krad grit his teeth. "You idiot, captain."
Suddenly, the air thickened. A foul energy slithered through the ruins, accompanied by a low, bone-chilling hum. The shadows around them twisted unnaturally, writhing like serpents.
Krad's breath hitched.
DING!
Warning: Cursed Presence Detected
Entity Identified: Cursed Elf Fairy (Barbara)
Threat Level: S-Extreme
A sound like cracking branches echoed as the shadows peeled apart, revealing a figure.
The Cursed Elf Fairy emerged, her slender, twisted form draped in rotting vines and tattered silk. Her once radiant wings were now skeletal, with holes that oozed with dark mana. Hollow, green eyes locked onto them, glowing with malice. Her face a grotesque blend of sorrow and rage twisted into a hollow grin.
"Poor intruder," she whispered.
Krad instinctively moved in front of Mist, his body trembling. The oppressive aura of Barbara crushed the air around him.
"What… what the hell are you?" Krad snarled, forcing his voice steady.
Barbara giggled, "You tore the veil. Now the echoes of the Moon Eater gnaw at your soul." Her eyes flickered to Mist. "And he… is the price."
DING!
Warning: Player 'Mist' Entering Final State. Death Countdown Initiated
Time Remaining: 00:05:00
His eyes widened in horror. A glowing crimson timer materialized above Mist's body, its numbers mercilessly ticking down.
"Five minutes…?"
His heart pounded. He could barely hear the rhythmic tick, tick, tick of the countdown.
"No," Krad gasped, his body trembling. "No, no, no. There's no way---"
But the truth was undeniable. In this realm, the boundary between virtual and reality had shattered. If Mist died here, his real body would die too.
And Barbara knew it.
"You carry the stench of guilt," she sneered, stepping closer. "The vessel's awakening shattered the balance. The curse devours him. And no potion, no skill, no stone can undo what has begun."
Mist coughed, blood trickling from his lips. His body convulsed, the veins of corruption crawling further beneath his skin. His breaths grew shallower.
"Damn it," Krad hissed, his eyes burning. "There has to be a way."
The system had demanded a Support Player. But they were alone.
He turned to Barbara, his fists clenched. "There has to be a way to stop it!"
She smiled coldly. "A choice, little vessel. Offer yourself. The cursed power within you and I shall spare him."
The air twisted. Dark tendrils wrapped around Krad's wrists, his body trembling as the oppressive weight of the Cursed Elf Fairy magic bore down on him.
DING!
System Prompt: Sacrifice Detected
Offer Acceptance: System override enabled
Initiate? Yes / No
Krad's finger hovered. But then...
"Don't… you dare."
Mist's voice, weak but defiant, broke through the haze. He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning through the pain. "You think… I'd let you pull that hero crap?"
"But you'll die!" Krad shot back, desperation cracking his voice.
Mist's bloodied grin widened. "Then I die. But not like this."
Barbara cackled. "Such bravado for one so broken. Foolish human."
But then, Mist's weak laughter joined hers. "Foolish? Nah." His eyes gleamed with something sharper than pain. Resolve. "What's foolish is thinking I wouldn't see through your lies."
Krad's gaze shot to Mist, confusion swirling. "What?"
Mist's trembling hand gripped Krad's wrist tightly. His voice, though weak, was venomous.
"She's lying. That cursed hag doesn't want to save me. She wants to devour you."
Barbara's grin twisted, the shadows around her writhing. "What nonsense do you speak, wretch?"
"You think I didn't notice?" Mist coughed, dark blood dripping down his chin. "The way your aura slithered when you mentioned the Moon Eater's awakening. You want its power. You're desperate for it. And what better vessel than him?"
Krad's fists tightened. The weight of Mist's words crashed down on him.
Barbara's voice turned guttural. "The Moon Eater's power is not yours to protect. You are nothing but fragments of a broken world. That beast's soul shall be mine."
"Like hell it will." Mist's voice was low, but his glare burned with defiance. "And I bet you're not even as strong as you act. Otherwise, why offer a deal? You're scared, aren't you?"
Barbara's skeletal wings snapped open, a deafening screech echoing through the ruins. The shadows twisted, forming monstrous tendrils that lashed at the air.
"You dare insult me, mortal?!"
Krad moved, stepping in front of Mist. His knuckles cracked as the last remnants of his strength surged through him. The air thickened with killing intent.
DING!
System Alert!
Battle Initiated
Barbara's twisted grin returned. "Very well. If death is your wish, then I shall grant it!"