The gang leader roared. The sound vibrated with an unnatural, distorted bass that shook the rusted shipping containers around them. Thick purple veins pulsed across his expanding muscles. His jaw unhinged, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth. The corrupted Abyssal shard embedded in his neck glowed with a sickening, toxic light.
Kaelen gripped his Vanguard dagger. The ethereal interface in his vision flashed a violent crimson warning.
[Warning. Target has triggered Abyssal Mutation. Strength parameters exceed Bronze Tier limits.]
The mutated brute charged. He swung his heavy spiked club. The weapon was now cloaked in a volatile aura of purple magic. Kaelen activated Street Stealth and dropped to his knees. The club whistled inches above his hair. It smashed into a welded iron wall behind him. The thick metal crumpled like wet paper, showering the courtyard in sparks and shrapnel.
Kaelen lunged upward. He drove his dagger toward the leader's exposed ribs. The chipped blade sparked against the magically hardened, mutated flesh. It barely drew a single drop of blood.
The leader laughed. A horrific, gurgling sound echoed through the toxic smog. He kicked out with a massive boot. Kaelen crossed his arms to block the strike. His Ironclad Carapace absorbed the worst of the impact, but the sheer kinetic force sent him flying backward. He skidded through the mud, digging his heels into the dirt to halt his momentum.
"You are nothing!" the leader bellowed. He raised his club high above his head. The purple aura condensed into a massive, razor sharp crescent of pure Aether. "Aether Slash!"
He swung the club downward. A blade of purple light erupted from the weapon. It tore through the ground, carving a deep trench in the mud as it sped directly toward Kaelen.
Kaelen poured all his stolen agility into his legs. He dove hard to the right. The Aether Slash missed him by a fraction of an inch. It struck the outer wall of the hideout, blowing a massive hole completely through the reinforced iron.
The leader roared in frustration. He raised his club to unleash another wave.
Kaelen did not give him the chance. He scooped up a handful of dirt and debris and hurled it directly at the brute's eyes. It was the exact same beggar's trick he used before. The mutated leader blinked, his golden eyes momentarily blinded by the grit.
Kaelen closed the distance in a blur of motion. He did not aim for the thick chest muscles or the hardened arms. He aimed directly for the glowing red crystal jutting out of the man's neck.
He leaped off a rusted crate to gain height. He brought the Vanguard dagger down with both hands. He drove the blade precisely into the Abyssal shard.
The crystal shattered into a dozen glowing pieces. The leader shrieked in absolute agony. The dark magic holding his mutated body together violently destabilized. He dropped his club and clutched his bleeding neck, falling heavily to his knees.
Kaelen stepped forward and pressed his bare left hand against the leader's chest. The Void Core pulsed with ravenous hunger.
"Feed," Kaelen whispered.
Shadowy tendrils erupted from his palm. They pierced the mutated flesh and plunged directly into the leader's chaotic Aether core. The energy feedback was explosive. It felt like swallowing a thunderstorm. Kaelen gritted his teeth as raw, unbridled power flooded his veins.
The towering brute withered rapidly. His mutated muscles deflated. His bones turned to brittle dust under the dark magic. Within seconds, the terrifying gang leader collapsed into a pile of dark gray ash.
The system interface glowed with a brilliant purple light.
[Target Devoured: Mutated Bronze-Tier Human.]
[High density essence absorbed. Abyssal corruption rejected.]
[Stats Acquired.]
[Strength +10]
[Agility +5]
[Skill Extraction Successful.]
[Skill Acquired: Aether Slash (Active)]
[Description: Focus Aether into your weapon to launch a deadly, long range kinetic wave.]
Kaelen exhaled a long, shaky breath. The dark energy settled comfortably in his core. He had won. The Scrap Gang was completely dismantled. He now possessed a devastating long range attack. He turned around, preparing to head back to the ruined outpost to retrieve Lyra.
Slow, rhythmic clapping echoed through the silent courtyard.
Kaelen froze. He tightened his grip on his dagger and turned toward the shadows near the blown out gates.
A man stepped out of the toxic smog. He wore a pristine, silver trimmed uniform that looked completely out of place in the Lower Tiers. He had a harsh, cynical face and a heavy broadsword strapped to his back. His right sleeve was pinned empty at his shoulder.
"Brutal, efficient, and absolutely merciless," the one armed man said. He offered a cynical, knowing smile. "I am Vanguard Captain Vane. And I think you and I need to have a very serious conversation about your future."