Ezra stood in the aftermath of the battle, his mind racing.
The assassin's words lingered.
"You're not ready yet."
Not ready for what?
Ezra's grip tightened around Abyssfang. He hated being left in the dark.
Sylvaine approached, arms crossed. "You okay?"
Ezra glanced at his still-healing wound. "I'll live."
She frowned. "That was no ordinary assassin."
Ezra smirked. "No kidding."
Sylvaine hesitated. "You think he'll come back?"
Ezra's crimson eyes gleamed.
"Oh, I'm counting on it."
---
The Blackthorne Conspiracy
They couldn't stay here.
Blackthorne's forces would regroup, and next time, they wouldn't just send one assassin.
Ezra needed to move.
And he needed answers.
"We're going after Blackthorne," he decided.
Sylvaine blinked. "What?"
"You heard that assassin. There's something bigger happening. And I don't like being kept in the dark."
Sylvaine sighed. "And how exactly do you plan to find them?"
Ezra turned to her, a wicked grin forming.
"Simple."
He raised Abyssfang—
And let its cursed energy unleash.
Dark tendrils shot outward, absorbing the lingering lifeforce of the fallen mercenaries.
[Abyssfang Ability Activated: Soul Echo.]
- Tracing the memories of the dead…
Ezra's mind filled with visions.
A secret meeting in a hidden fortress.
Blackthorne's emblem carved into an obsidian throne.
A masked figure… not the assassin, but someone else.
And a name…
Ravus Blackthorne.
Ezra's eyes snapped open.
"I know where we're going."
Sylvaine raised an eyebrow. "You just pulled that from a bunch of dead guys?"
Ezra's grin widened. "Convenient, isn't it?"
She sighed. "Remind me never to cross you."
---
A New Threat Awakens
But as they turned to leave—
The ground shook.
Ezra and Sylvaine tensed.
Then—a deep, guttural roar echoed through the ruins.
Something old.
Something hungry.
Ezra's instincts flared.
From the shadows, red eyes flickered.
And then, it stepped forward.
A beast.
Not just any beast—
A Nightborn.
[WARNING: High-Level Entity Detected.]
- Species: Nightborn Devourer.
- Threat Level: Lethal.
- Status: Awakened by Abyssfang's energy surge.
Ezra's grin returned.
"Looks like we have a warm-up before our trip."
The Nightborn lunged.
And the battle began.
---
The Devourer's Hunger
The Nightborn Devourer loomed over Ezra and Sylvaine, its hulking form wrapped in shifting shadows.
Its glowing red eyes fixated on them, its maw twisting into something that resembled a grin.
Ezra could feel it—hunger.
This wasn't just a beast.
It was a predator.
And it saw him as prey.
Ezra's grin widened.
"Finally," he whispered, raising Abyssfang.
The creature roared—and charged.
---
The Predator's Dance
The Devourer moved fast.
Too fast for something its size.
It blurred forward, its claws slicing through the air.
Ezra barely dodged.
SHING!
A claw scraped across his shoulder, ripping flesh.
Blood sprayed.
But even as the wound formed—
It was already healing.
Ezra didn't retreat.
He lunged.
Abyssfang slashed—dark energy exploding outward—
But the Nightborn twisted, avoiding the full impact.
Instead of fleeing, it grinned wider.
Ezra froze.
It wasn't attacking blindly.
It was toying with him.
Sylvaine cursed. "This thing's intelligent."
Ezra's eyes gleamed. "Good."
He cracked his neck.
"I was getting bored."
---
An Evolution in Progress
The Devourer lunged again.
This time, Ezra didn't dodge.
Instead—
He met it head-on.
CRACK!
Their clash sent a shockwave ripping through the ruins.
Ezra's claws dug into the creature's flesh—
The beast's fangs tore into his shoulder.
Both refused to let go.
Blood dripped.
Power surged.
And then—
Something inside Ezra shifted.
[Evolution Path Triggered.]
- Absorbing High-Level Nightborn Essence…
- Synchronizing with Abyssfang's Curse…
- Mutation Possible.
Ezra felt his blood burn.
Felt his bones shift.
And the Devourer—
It sensed it, too.
For the first time, the monster hesitated.
Ezra grinned.
"You feel it, don't you?"
The creature snarled—tried to pull away—
But Ezra tightened his grip.
"You woke me up."
His crimson eyes blazed.
"Now let me show you what happens when I evolve."
---
Evolution Unleashed
The Nightborn Devourer struggled, its claws raking across Ezra's arms, but he refused to let go.
His blood boiled, his muscles burned, and his mind was on fire.
It wasn't pain.
It was power.
A change was happening.
His body felt like it was breaking apart and reforming all at once.
His claws lengthened, his senses sharpened, and a new energy coiled within him—something deeper, darker, more primal.
[Evolution in Progress.]
- Abyssborn Mutation: 37%... 42%...
- Nightborn Essence Absorbed…
- New Ability Forming…
Ezra's grin widened.
The Devourer sensed it—and panicked.
It thrashed violently, trying to escape, but Ezra's grip only tightened.
"You're not running," he growled, his voice layered with something… inhuman.
He twisted—
CRACK!
The Devourer's arm snapped.
It screeched, the sound shaking the ruins.
Ezra didn't let up.
BOOM!
Abyssfang pulsed, and a wave of abyssal energy exploded outward, tearing through the ground.
The Nightborn was sent flying, crashing into a ruined pillar.
Ezra exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
This power…
It was intoxicating.
But he wasn't done yet.
---
The Predator Strikes Back
The Devourer staggered to its feet.
Its glowing eyes flickered with something Ezra had never seen before.
Fear.
Ezra licked the blood off his claws. "Not so fun when you're the prey, huh?"
The beast let out a low snarl, its wounds rapidly closing.
It was regenerating, too.
Ezra's grin didn't fade.
Good. Let's see whose healing is better.
The creature lunged.
Ezra matched its speed.
They clashed mid-air, their blows sending shockwaves through the ruins.
Ezra drove his knee into the beast's ribs—CRACK!—before twisting and slashing with Abyssfang.
The Devourer howled in pain as dark energy ripped through its flesh.
It retaliated, its claws aiming for Ezra's heart—
But this time, Ezra caught them mid-swing.
He snapped them in half.
The beast stumbled back, its breathing ragged.
Ezra wasn't even breathing hard.
Sylvaine, watching from a safe distance, muttered, "He's… getting stronger."
But she wasn't just talking about his strength.
It was his presence.
Ezra wasn't just fighting.
He was dominating.
He wasn't human anymore.
---
The Final Blow
The Nightborn let out a final, desperate roar.
Its body expanded, shadows writhing around it.
[Nightborn Devourer enters Berserk State.]
- Strength x2.
- Speed x2.
- Regeneration x3.
Ezra's eyes flickered.
"You want to evolve, too?"
His grin turned savage.
"Fine."
His body exploded with energy.
Dark tendrils wrapped around him, his form shifting further.
Black markings crawled across his skin, his canines lengthened, and his aura became suffocating.
His voice deepened, layered with the Abyss.
"I'll show you what real evolution looks like."
The creature lunged.
Ezra disappeared.
A blur—
Then—
A single slash.
Abyssfang sang.
A wave of black energy bisected the Nightborn in an instant.
It froze mid-charge—
Then its body fell apart.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
BOOM.
The ruins trembled as the monster's remains crumbled into dust.
Ezra stood tall, his body still thrumming with power.
The hunt was over.
---
The Aftermath
Sylvaine approached cautiously.
"Ezra…?"
His head tilted slightly. His crimson eyes glowed unnaturally.
He exhaled.
And just like that—
The markings vanished.
The darkness receded.
Ezra rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck.
"Damn. That felt good."
Sylvaine narrowed her eyes. "You… changed."
Ezra smirked. "I evolved."
He clenched his fist, feeling the raw power coursing through him.
He was stronger now.
And he wasn't done growing.
He glanced at the horizon.
Blackthorne was waiting.
Ezra grinned.
"Time to pay them a visit."
---
Next Chapter Preview
Ezra has undergone his first major evolution, defeating the Nightborn Devourer.
What new abilities did he gain?
Will his transformation have side effects?
And what secrets await at Blackthorne's stronghold?
Ezra's journey has only just begun.
And the Abyss is far from done with him.