After Hawkeye transformed into a nightmarish half-raptor, Mikhail's body froze, trembling uncontrollably. His face went ghostly pale as he stared up at the hovering monstrosity, its serpentine eyes narrowing with a predatory, almost inhuman hunger, pinning them with a gaze that promised death.
[Monster Name: Noctivane (A rank)]
"What kind of ugly monster is that?" Mikhail gasped, hovering closer to Jullian's shoulder.
"I don't know," Jullian said, placing his hand on his waist as if to draw a sword. "But I have to stop it before it hurts anyone else. Even if I have to kill him."
Jullian gripped the hilt of his sword and pulled with a flourish--only to find his hand grasping empty air.
For a long, awkward moment, the transformed Hawkeye hovered above the lot, feathers rustling in the cool breeze. Mikhail looked on with pure exasperation.
"Jullian--you didn't forget how to retrieve your weapon from storage, did you?"
Flustered, Jullian cleared his throat. "Open storage: Blaze Sword!"
An orange glow flared at his waist. As the sword materialized, its blade gleamed with a warm, flickering light. He gave it a quick test swing to find his rhythm, then pivoted to face the beast.
"Sorry for the wait," he muttered, dropping into an offensive stance. "I didn't mean to keep you hanging."
The monster let out a raw, guttural shriek that pierced Jullian's ears. It lunged, talons flared wide and aiming straight for his throat. Jullian whipped his sword up to block, but the Noctivane twisted its body mid-air and dove into the dirt with a wet thud, vanishing instantly into the earth.
"What the--? Did it escape?" Jullian scanned the empty lot, listening for the slightest shift in the air.
Without warning, the gravel exploded. Jullian snapped his body around, swinging his sword just as ten hardened feathers shot from the dust. He deflected the first volley, but when a second set followed, he leaped back--only to realize the feathers were tracking his movement.
He clicked his tongue and triggered his skill.
[Skill Activated: Fire Dash]
[Notice: Due to seal status, speed increase is limited to 30%]
"Shit!" Jullian grunted. An orange hue enveloped him as his speed ticked up. He blurred through the lot, dodging the incoming projectiles and shattering any that got too close.
Suddenly, the Noctivane erupted from the ground beneath him, slamming into his chest and knocking the wind from his lungs as he hit the hard ground. As the monster prepared to drive its claws home, Jullian reacted on instinct, jabbing a heavy fist into its beak. A sickening crack echoed through the lot, and the creature was hurled backward into the dirt.
Jullian stood up and spat blood onto the pavement, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword and his gaze narrowing on the monster lying on the ground.
The Noctivane scrambled up, glaring at Jullian before diving back into the earth. Jullian remained still, his eyes fixed on the spot where it had vanished. When the monster suddenly erupted from his own shadow, Jullian snapped his head toward it. A trail of flame-like mana flared from his eyes as he hewed his sword downward.
The Noctivane let out a piercing shriek as its wing was sheared clean off, the severed limb dissolving into embers before it even hit the ground.
The monster, now grounded and snarling, let out a raspy breath. A crimson magic circle flared on its chest, drawing the surrounding shadows into a concentrated vortex. Jullian watched as the beast siphoned the shadow, fueling a spell that erupted into twenty shadowy tendrils, living whips designed to drag him into a never-ending dark prison.
Jullian dove aside as the tendrils coiled towards him, but like the feather blades, the tendrils tracked his every move. He gritted his teeth; it was time to end this.
[Skill Activated: Flame Wings]
[Notice: Due to seal status, speed increase is limited to 15%]
Twin lines of golden fire sprouted from his shoulder blades, shaping into shimmering wings of light. Jullian vaulted into the air, gliding through the chaos. He sheared through the tendrils that almost lash at his legs, his movements a blur of orange and gold.
On the ground, the Noctivane snarled, condensing the remaining shadows into a sphere of volatile black mana. Sensing the impending blast, Jullian spiraled through the air, diving toward the monster. He bypassed the last of the grasping shadows and brought his blade to his side.
[Secret Skill: Blaze Sword—Hundred Step Fire Dance]
The Blaze Sword ignited with a blinding brilliance, trailing a ribbon of fire as Jullian began to spin. Mikhail watched from the sidelines, mouth agape, his eyes locked on the orange flare dancing around the monster with lethal precision.
Each rotation sent a wave of searing heat slicing through the air. It wasn't just one cut, but dozens—strikes moving so fast they blurred into a single ring of steel. The sword traced intricate arcs, like a blacksmith's hammer striking an anvil in rapid succession, carving through feathers, scales, and bone.
As Jullian completed the final rotation and his feet touched the ground, the monster's body stood still for a heartbeat--then split into countless pieces. Blood sprayed across the dirt before the remains dissolved into violet dust, carried away by the wind.
"Jullian!" Mikhail exulted, rocketting toward him so fast his tiny crown slipped dangerously low over one eye. "You won! I knew you were strong, but oh my Goddess--you're more of a monster than that bird!"
Jullian's ears began to ring, a familiar, throbbing heat surging through his veins-the same unbearable fire he felt inside the Black Rift.
"Hey—Jullian, are you okay?" Mikhail reached out, but he snapped his hand back instantly. "Aww! Hot! You're scalding!"
Jullian gritted his teeth, sweat soaking his skin as he struggled to remain upright. A blood-red system window flickered into existence, bleeding light into his blurring vision.
[WARNING: Mana levels critical (18%)]
[Mental Stability: UNSTABLE]
[Note: Due to seal status, berserk state will emanate if Mana proceeds to drop.]
Jullian stared at the warning and, even in his fading state, managed a weak smirk. "Damn you, system," he rasped, before his knees buckled.
Mikhail screamed his name, but before Jullian could hit the gravel, a pair of strong arms caught him. Mikhail stared up at the man-blonde hair and piercing crimson eyes. A sense of strange familiarity washed over the prince, but he flinched when the man's gaze swept past him. Can he see me?
Avgust lowered Jullian gently to the ground, a glass vial of glowing green liquid appearing in his hand.
"Look at you, reckless as always," Avgust murmured. He pulled the cork out with his teeth, his gaze locked on Jullian's unconscious face. "And you claim to be a mere F-rank. Interesting..."
A dark glint sparked in Avgust's eyes. He took a long draught of the liquid himself, then leaned down, closing the distance until his lips met Jullian's to transfer the life-saving tonic.
[Consuming Mana replenish potion]
[Mana rise to 95%]
Even barely conscious, Jullian still felt the cold liquid sliding to his throat and the soft, warm thing pressing against his lips.
Meanwhile, Mikhail's tiny, royal scream echoed through the vacant lot.
[Status: STABLE]