Chapter 83: I Am Your End

Mother staggered back, her hand flying to her chest, where a thin, red line of blood bloomed on her pristine dress. Her eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief flashing across her face. “What… what was that?” she whispered, her voice laced with a hint of fear she had not felt in a very long time.

She looked at Vell, who was now crouched low to the ground, his body radiating a strange mix of power and grace. His posture was feline, almost feral, his limbs coiled like springs, ready to unleash an explosive burst of movement. A low purr vibrated from his chest, a sound that seemed to echo with the power of a primal beast. She was confused by his sudden transformation. Was it a skill? She had never encountered a human with such an ability, and that terrified her.

His sword was still glowing, but now, it was also pulsing with a dark energy, as if it was absorbing the shadows around them. His eyes, no longer solely red, were now ringed with a bright yellow glow, and his fingernails had sharpened into wicked-looking claws. She had fought many, many enemies over the years, but she had never encountered someone like him, someone so unpredictable, so… chaotic.

[Oh, this is the same thing you were trying to do back in the forest… amazing,] the system noted, its tone carrying a rare hint of awe.

He looked at her, his mouth stretched into a wide, predatory grin. “You are not the only one with tricks up your sleeve,” he said, his voice low, almost a growl. “And now… we are going to play my game.”

He vanished. She barely had time to react, her senses scrambling to track his movements. One second he was there, crouched low to the ground, and the next he was gone, leaving behind only the whisper of disturbed air.

’Fast… way faster than before!’ She instinctively raised her guard, her fans forming a protective shield around her, but it was too late.

A sharp, searing pain exploded on her side, followed by a second and a third. Her skin was sliced open, not with a blade, but with razor-sharp claws that seemed to tear through her defenses as if they were made of tissue paper. She gasped, recoiling from the surprise attack, her eyes darting around, desperately trying to find him.

He appeared and disappeared, a blur of movement that danced around her like a vengeful spirit. He was everywhere and nowhere at once, his claws tearing at her armor, his sword a flash of crimson light. Each strike was precise, brutal, and aimed at a weak spot. She tried to counter, to anticipate his movements, but she was always a step behind. It was like fighting a ghost, a creature of shadow and claws.

“What… what is this?!” she snarled, her frustration growing with each new, painful attack. She swung her fan, sending out a wave of mana that ripped through the air, trying to catch him, but he was too fast. He was a shadow, a phantom.

He reappeared, not behind her, but above her, his legs coiled. He fell like a meteor, both his claws and sword aimed at her face. He landed a devastating kick to her cheek, and when she was mid-fall, he used his sword and claw combo, sending her tumbling to the ground. The attacks were relentless, each one causing her to stagger and lose her footing. The serpent-like tendrils around her arms writhed, their fangs snapping at the air, desperate to help their mistress, but they were too slow. She had underestimated him, had thought his power was just a boast. She was now starting to feel desperate. She had to end this. She felt the flow of power rising within her.

’He needs to die!’ she thought with a surge of anger. Her mana exploded outwards, the force of the blast throwing him across the room. She pushed herself up and looked around, her eyes narrowed as they scanned the ruined throne room. She could feel his presence, almost like a prickling sensation against her skin. She was growing enraged at the fact that she, the creator of everything around her, was being pushed around like a common toy. She could no longer keep up with his movements. His speed was too high, his attacks were too precise. She could barely track him with her eyes. It was like she was fighting a creature from a different world, a beast that had evolved for the sole purpose of killing.

He reappeared directly in front of her, their faces inches apart. His eyes were glowing, a dangerous red surrounded by a yellow light, and his mouth was stretched into a feral grin, revealing his sharpened teeth. “Scared?” he whispered, his voice low and mocking.

She did not reply, but she knew she was losing, and fast. He then did something unexpected. Instead of launching another attack, he stepped back, putting some distance between them.

“What… why did you stop? Are you afraid? Did you finally realize how strong I am?” she asked, her voice still laced with defiance, but there was a hint of desperation in her tone.

He simply chuckled, his purr still echoing through the room. “I just want to see something, before I end this.” His body began to tremble. Mother could sense it, the power that was growing within him. It was not normal. It felt wrong, like his very being was being twisted. He was no longer just trying to kill her, but to completely destroy her, and she did not understand why.

[Master… I think you should stop. This might get ugly if you keep this up.]

He was no longer listening. The power flowed through his body. He felt like he was floating, weightless, and he knew exactly what he needed to do. He needed to see it, to feel it, to accept it. He extended his hand, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop. He closed his eyes, and then, he did it.

The chains holding back his power snapped, and a new form began to take shape. A single, sharp horn sprouted from the middle of his forehead. Then, a massive, black wing, twice his size, erupted from his back. The wing flapped once, sending a powerful gust of wind throughout the room and sending her flying.

She gasped, her eyes wide with terror. She had never seen anything like this, something that defied all logic, something that made her feel so utterly powerless. “What… what are you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

He opened his eyes, a cruel smile spreading across his face. His voice was deeper, colder, and it seemed to echo with a power that was far beyond anything he had shown before.

“I am your end.”

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