WebNovels

Chapter 4 - Death Mode

-----Chapter 4-----

"So, Keileen," the hooded figure said, he flew hovering above the battlefield. His tattered red cloak whipped around him like torn wings, each movement designed to terrify me.

"How should we end this game?"

I couldn't see his face. The mask made him feel too close, too personal. And his voice… I knew it, deep down.

He knew me.

"How about this, I kill your little party will this excites you?" he added, tilting his head, a cruel glint in his masked eyes.

"Sound fun. Isn't it?"

"Don't you even dare, Raven," I retorted, my voice firm despite the tremor in my hands.

"Ohh… so you remembered me." His voice was frustrated.

"Of course you did" He added.

"We've both played this game before, Keileen," Raven continued, his voice laced with bitterness.

"It was okay from the start, but when you decided to form a party, you changed. You left me all alone."

Raven pressed on, "I bet you don't even remember when a horde of gloomstalkers surrounded us, and we were cornered. Everyone voted for me to become the bait so you all could flee. You were the one who suggested the idea. So it should be me.. because I had higher agility than anyone else".

His words were like knives piercing my chest.

"Raven. I can explain everything… it's not like what you think."

"Enough of your lies Keileen!" he shouted, his voice echoing with raw fury.

So, it really was Raven, after all.

"Raven!" I shouted, my voice echoing across the frozen landscape. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why did I trap those people in this trash game?" he sneered. "Because in this game, I'm invincible! This is the world I truly belong to."

"No, Raven, this is not the world you truly belong to," I insisted, my voice filled with conviction.

"You don't get it!" he snapped, floating closer.

"You said you were alone, in pain, and I believed you! I thought, finally, someone like me!"

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check.

"Raven, what do you mean?"

"No more lies, Keileen. You had friends, classmates, but me? What about me?" His laugh was empty, broken, a hollow sound in the frozen air.

"I made this game more challenging for you as you wish, then to trap you here.

"Aren't you happy??"

"And look at you... you got powers, cheat skills. You can change this world the way you wanted to." He added.

"This is not what I want.. Raven!" I yelled, frustration building.

"I looked everywhere for you! But you were gone, I don't know what happen. But still, I kept looking for you"

He didn't answer. He raised his arms, ignoring my words. Shadows twisted into a black scythe, humming like metal scraping against stone.

"Enough!! Keileen, Let's end this once and for all."

Then, a red warning flashed in my vision.

 

>SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:

[EXCLUSIVE QUEST]

Quest: Must Survive within the time limit !!

Deadline: 10 minutes

Reward: ???

DEATH MODE ACTIVATED!!!

 

Raven floated closer, cloak flaring like the wings of a predator. "Let's see you survive alone. Just you, just me. One-on-one."

The world froze. The Blobbling King hung mid-shake, ice and slime suspended in the air like a grotesque sculpture, its gelatinous form shimmering under the eerie light of the Glitch Zone. Even my friends were frozen, their faces locked in fear.

I gripped my sword, every muscle screaming with tension. "I'll survive, and I'll stop you, Raven."

"Bold words," he said, his voice low and cruel, like a viper's hiss. "Let's see it."

He lunged, scythe swinging. Black energy tore through the air, leaving a trail of distorted pixels in its wake.

I rolled away, the shockwave rattling my bones. No tricks, no glitches, just me. I slashed back, aiming for his exposed side, using the Swift Strike technique I'd honed over countless battles.

Sparks flew as steel struck shadow. He twisted midair, dodging with unnatural grace. The scythe whistled past my ear, close enough for me to feel the chill of its dark energy.

"You're strong," he said, his eyes burning beneath the mask.

"Stronger than I thought. But can you survive without cheating?"

"I don't need to cheat!" I shouted, circling him, trying to gauge his next move. "I'll stop you myself!"

The frozen battlefield was our stage. Every step a potential trap, the ground littered with frozen remnants of past battles. Every swing could be dodged or parried. Just us, in a paused world.

Raven lunged again, faster this time. I dodged, sliding under his scythe and slicing at his leg. He jumped back, his cloak snapping violently like a whip, the sound echoing through the silent zone.

"No tricks, Keileen," he said, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.

"Just you and me. Always."

I swallowed, tightening my grip on my sword. Time to end this twisted game.

Blades clashed, shadows struck. Every move carried the weight of our shared past, the frozen world a silent witness.

Raven's masked face twisted in fury as he saw the rune sword in my hand.

"Ehhh, you think that sword can beat me?" His voice dripped with scorn.

"Pathetic."

He floated higher, cloak snapping. He swung his scythe, and the world fractured around us.

Reality cracked and distorted. Glitches flickered across the landscape, the sky turning a sickly shade of green. Then, he vanished, leaving only silence.

"Raven?!" I spun, heart hammering against my ribs. Nothing but frozen chaos and oppressive silence surrounded me.

I closed my eyes, forcing myself to focus. Perception, activate.

This way, I can detect moving entities within 20 meters, sense hidden traps and illusions, and highlight weak points and incoming attacks.

The battlefield sharpened, my senses heightened. I felt him moving, fast, erratic, teleporting from space to space, trying to disorient me.

Gotcha, I whispered, a grim smile forming.

A flash behind me. Raven reappeared, scythe aimed at my back. I swung instinctively, trusting my instincts. Sparks flew as our weapons collided.

"Stop this, Raven!" I yelled, my voice raw with emotion.

"End this! Bring them back!"

"Fool! I'm not the one whose controlling this glitch!"

His voice cut through the static air, tinged with desperation.

"What? did you just say?…" I asked.

"Enough!"

He threw a hand out. A glowing circle appeared beneath it, pulsing with dark energy. Black smoke exploded outward, engulfing everything.

"Blind!"

The smoke hit me, and darkness swallowed my vision. I gasped, disoriented.

Damn it, his trick I almost forgot about his debuff skills.

But Perception stayed active, my only lifeline in the darkness.

I tightened my grip on my sword, focusing on the information flooding my senses.

Classic move, he always strikes from behind. And he did.

Our weapons clashed again, a shower of sparks illuminating the darkness for a split second. Steel met shadow. He stepped back, brushing his mask. A small crack appeared on its surface.

"You little…"

Rage rolled off him in waves, palpable and suffocating. The air shimmered around his hand. The ring on his finger pulsed crimson, a malevolent light in the darkness.

Before he could strike again, I threw Siphonfang into my inventory, severing my connection to the rune sword. My cheap sword reappeared in my hand, familiar and comforting. Glitch Skills returned, flooding me with power.

Raven hovered, fists clenched, his eyes burning through the cracked mask.

"Tschh," he growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble.

"You'll pay."

A voice cut through the air, silencing him, a voice of authority and power.

"Enough, Raven," the figure stated, his voice resonating with an ancient power.

A red-hooded figure stepped from the rift, his presence radiating power. Ten rings adorned his fingers, each glowing with a different color.

"Time to go back," the old man said calmly, his voice resonating with authority.

"Damn! I was so close! I could kill him. Just give me more time, Master!" Raven spat, trembling with frustration.

"More chances will come," the man said, his tone leaving no room for debate.

"Be patient."

Raven glared at me, his eyes filled with hatred and resentment.

"Looks like your luck is smiling on you, Keileen. But next time, not so much."

He vanished into the glitch portal, swallowed by the darkness.

"Wait! Raven! Where are you going?" I shouted, but it was too late. He was gone.

I was about to activate Flight Mode to follow him into the rift when the red-hooded figure appeared beside me, his hands resting lightly on my shoulders, a gesture that felt both comforting and threatening.

"You, the one chosen by the True Maker," he said, his voice a low murmur that seemed to penetrate my very soul.

"He bestowed you the Glitch Skills."

Instinct kicked in, overriding reason, pushing me to act. I slashed sideways, aiming to dislodge him, to break free from his grasp. He vanished and reappeared behind me, unfazed, his movements too fast to follow.

"Join the True Covenant," he urged, his voice persuasive, promising power and purpose.

"Together, we can create a better world."

"Better world, my ass!" I growled, my voice laced with defiance, refusing to be swayed by his lies.

I activated my unique skill, Radiant Slash, Tenfolds. Ten shimmering blades erupted from my sword, arcing towards him like bolts of pure energy, a display of my own power.

He stood firm, unmoving, one ring on his finger glowing brighter, a shield against my attack. A black rift opened before him and swallowed all ten blades without a trace, a display of power that left me stunned.

No way.

I gasped, disbelief washing over me, shaking my confidence.

"Hahaha, reckless," he sneered, his eyes glinting with amusement, enjoying my shock.

"Not a single scratch."

"Fine," he said, his voice taking on a dismissive tone, as if I were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

"I'll give you more time to decide. Survive, Keileen. We will meet again."

He vanished into the rift, leaving me alone in the frozen wasteland, with nothing but questions and doubts.

 

>SYSTEM UPDATE

[QUEST COMPLETE]

Survive Death Mode

Reward: Hidden Boss Dungeon Key

EXP: 200

 

Then, time flowed again.

The Blobbling King throbbed violently, its gelatinous body pulsing crimson, the blue hues completely gone, a grotesque display of crimson rage.

A massive mouth emerged as it split open across its front, a horrifying grin that promised destruction, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Countless smaller Blobblings poured out like a rainstorm, each one a miniature bomb, each one a threat.

Explosions of sticky acid covered the entire battlefield, vibrating the ground with every impact of explosion whenever they touched the ground, shaking the very foundations of the world. The air crackled with residual energy.

The air smelled of something melting, wet, rotting slime, a nauseating stench that filled my nostrils, threatening to overwhelm me.

"Garrick! Kina! Selene!" I shouted, my voice barely audible above the chaos, a desperate call for help.

I don't have much time to explain it to them. But, if magic won't work then a direct attack was the only choice we have.

Garrick grabbed Lyra and lifted her onto his shoulder, protecting her as best he could from the falling acid bombs. His brow furrowed, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he scanned the battlefield for an escape route.

"Hold on tight, Leader!" he yelled, his voice strained with effort.

"EHHHHHHHHHH?!" Lyra shrieked, her eyes wide with terror as a glob of acid landed dangerously close, sizzling as it hit the frozen ground.

Kina and Selene dodged and weaved through the slime rain, their movements fluid and precise, honed by endless training.

Their eyes were wide with concentration, muscles taut, weapons swinging defensively, ready to strike.

Meanwhile, Dieval and his party fled strategically, trying to avoid the worst of the explosions, their faces etched with fear, as they tried to run for their lives.

I ran towards them, leaping onto Garrick's shoulder, using him as a springboard, trusting his strength.

Then, Lyra used her Vine magic, creating a tower made from vines, the enchanted plants sprouting rapidly from the ground.

Kina jumped in as it grew taller as far as Lyra's remaining mana.

"It's up to you now, Kina," Lyra whispered, exhausted, dropping her wooden staff on the ground.

I launched myself into the air thanks to Garrick.

And now, it's Kina's turn. She was there waiting for me, as she raises her broadsword for me to step with.

And then, with her almighty strength, tighten gripped, muscle coiling.. then a wild swing of her sword sending me flying as far as she can.

"Go... finish it for us!" Kina growled, her muscles straining with the effort.

Using the group as moving platforms, relying on their support.

"Barrier!" I screamed.

Then, I activated a level 1 barrier barely enough to shield me from the falling blobblings. A thin shield of energy that absorbed the brunt of nearby slime explosions, a fragile defense against the onslaught.

Sparks fizzled across my arms as some slimes struck the barrier, leaving burns on my skin, a constant reminder of the danger.

Then finally, I reached the core up high.

I spotted a glowing purple crystal, the heart of the Blobbling King, the source of its power.

Mana pulsed from it like a frantic heartbeat, throbbing against my palms, a connection that felt both familiar and alien.

The Blobbling King releases a white steam as it mixes into the air, obscuring my movement, creating a temporary screen, fusing with the overwhelming stench of the slimes. A desperate attempt to gain an advantage.

Then, I used the steam to my advantage. I stored my cheap sword inside my inventory and pulled out the Magic Blade, using the steam to conceal the sword from the eyes of everyone below.

My hands were sticky, my gloves ruined, but I gripped the magic blade, my only hope, my only chance.

One strike, now, I whispered, centering myself, focusing all my energy, channeling my will.

I pierced the core with the magic blade, feeling the connection surge through me, a flood of power that threatened to devour me.

Then, mana erupted, barely destroying its core, and light consumed the Blobbling King from the inside.

The smaller Blobblings rushed to protect their King, but they shattered on contact with my barrier, dissolving into nothingness.

Then, I channeled all my remaining energy, firing ten Radiant Slash blades at the core.

They struck precisely, slicing deeper with each impact. Sparks and purple light filled the battlefield.

Garrick, Selene, Kina, and Lyra ducked instinctively, shielding their faces. Their wide eyes reflected disbelief and terror. They had no idea how close we'd come to death.

The core cracked, then shattered. Purple light burst everywhere, blinding and all-consuming. The Blobbling King convulsed one last time, then exploded in a cataclysmic burst of energy.

The shockwave slammed me backward, throwing me through the air like a ragdoll. My barrier shattered, unable to withstand the force. Mana drained completely, leaving me weak and vulnerable.

I groaned, struggling to breathe. I stored the magic blade inside my inventory right before I fell, its power spent, and replaced it with my cheap sword.

My battered, almost cracked sword felt reassuringly heavy in my hand, a small comfort in the aftermath. The core was destroyed. Victory was ours, but I had nothing left to give.

I closed my eyes, catching my breath, trying to regain my strength.

We managed to defeated it.

But at what cost?

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