Strax felt the emptiness where his left arm used to be. The wound, still fresh, bled incessantly, and the pain was a constant threat to his consciousness.
Yes, Scarlet had severed his arm.
However, he knew that surrender was not an option. He couldn't lose consciousness, not for anything in this world, and Scarlet showed no rcy. Her unrelenting expression and the sadistic gleam in her eyes made it clear that this was no ordinary training.
Each of her strikes ca with overwhelming force, as if the air around her shattered with every blow. Strax could barely keep up with her speed, and though his regeneration was active, it wasn't fast enough to compensate for the loss of the limb.
Scarlet launched another attack, this ti aiming directly for his torso. Strax tried to dodge, but without the balance his left arm provided, he stumbled. The impact sent him crashing into a nearby tree, snapping it in half with the force of the collision.
[Alert! Vitality at critical levels.]
[Regeneration insufficient to compensate for accumulated damage.]
[Imdiate evacuation recomnded.]
'Evacuation? How the hell am I supposed to do that?!' Strax thought, spitting blood as his eyes remained fixed on the threatening figure of Scarlet.
"You're not going to last much longer like this, kid," Scarlet said, walking slowly toward him. The calmness in her voice was worse than a scream of rage. It was as if she had already decided he wouldn't survive.
Strax gritted his teeth, trying to gather the little energy he had left. His mana was almost depleted, but he still had willpower. "Is that... is that the best you've got?" he challenged, his voice weak but full of defiance.
Scarlet raised an eyebrow, as though amused by his audacity. "You have courage, I'll give you that. But courage without power is useless."
She vanished from sight for a mont, then reappeared in front of him with inhuman speed, her hand slamming into the right side of his torso with a force that made him feel like his bones were about to shatter. Strax scread in pain, but used the montum to launch himself backward, rolling on the ground and creating so distance between them.
[Critical danger detected.]
[Physical endurance at its limit.]
[Special ability blocked: Insufficient mana to activate.]
'Damn it... Damn it!' he thought, desperately searching for a solution. Scarlet was clearly toying with him, testing how much he could take before she finally ended his life.
But even as his body scread at him to give up, sothing inside Strax refused to relent. A fla, small and fragile, but inextinguishable, burned in his chest. He couldn't just surrender. Not here. Not now.
Scarlet sighed, watching him stagger to his feet once more. "You really don't know when to give up, do you?"
"And you really... don't know how to stop talking," Strax replied with a crooked smile, still trying to appear defiant despite being on the brink of exhaustion.
Scarlet laughed, a short, cold laugh. "Very well, then. Let's see how far this determination of yours goes. But I'll warn you now, kid..."
Her eyes glowed an intense red, and her murderous aura grew to almost suffocating levels.
"If you don't die now, maybe... just maybe... you'll have a chance to be soone worthy of your ambitions."
She said, pointing her sword at him, and a fire tornado ca rushing in his direction.
The fire tornado roared toward Strax like a wild beast, the intense heat burning the air around him and turning the ground into ashes. He had no ti to think; his instincts took over.
"Kael'Vyr!" Strax shouted, channeling what little energy he had left into a defensive rune. A golden fla barrier appeared in front of him, but the impact of the tornado was overwhelming.
The ground beneath his feet trembled, and the barrier began to crack. The pressure was crushing, and Strax felt his knees buckle as he struggled to keep the rune active.
[Alert! Barrier compromised.]
[Imminent impact: Fatal damage predicted.]
'Damn! It won't hold!' he thought, his heart racing.
The tornado finally broke through his barrier, the impact throwing Strax dozens of ters, his body crashing to the ground with brutal force. He rolled until he ca to a stop, his body covered in burns and deep cuts.
[Critical! Vitality reduced to 3%.]
[Motor functions compromised.]
[Evacuation highly recomnded!]
Strax tried to rise, but his remaining arm trembled, unable to support his weight. Scarlet walked slowly toward him, her posture relaxed, but her eyes glowing with a predatory intensity.
"Is this all?" she asked, her voice echoing like thunder in his already weakened mind. "You said you wanted power, that you wanted to be strong... and this is what you show ?"
Strax lifted his head with difficulty, his gaze focusing on her imposing figure. "I... I'm not done... yet," he murmured, spitting blood, still trying to drag himself to his feet.
Scarlet shook her head, her expression a mix of irritation and disappointnt. "You have determination, kid, but determination without power is just an excuse for failure."
She raised her sword again, and a fiery aura began to surround the blade, its unbearable heat distorting the air around them.
"Last chance, Strax," Scarlet said, her voice calm but deadly. "Prove you're worthy. Show that you have more than just empty words. Or I'll end this myself."
'System...' Strax called out in a distant thought that intrigued him... 'How does a Vampire co to be?' He suddenly questioned, 'Or better yet, if I consu her blood and die... can I beco a Vampire and retain my traits?' It was an unusual option, especially, but... he rembered sothing...
Despite having the physique of a Dragon... His race had still started as Human, and if he was still human...
[The individual "Strax Vorah" does not have a defined race due to the contract with the Underworld Goddess "Persephone"]
Strax read the ssage as he saw her coming toward him.
[Due to the absence of humanity, the user's body has remained undefined; it can be altered.]
'Wait! Undefined??!!' Strax quickly questioned while opening his Status window...
[Character Status]
[Na: Strax Vorah
[Age: 18
[Cultivation: Grain - Master of the Supre Cultivator Stage
[Talent: Rare
[Race: Undefined!!
[Physique: Three-Headed Dragon Demon Body (Level 3), Celestial Incubus King Body (Level 1)
[Level: 100]
[HP: 728/1528]
[Vitality: 107]
[Resistance: 100]
[Strength: 105]
[Agility: 100]
[Intelligence: 98]
[Defense: 105]
Strax looked at his Race status... and saw the word 'Undefined' clearly written... 'The contract with Persephone... damn, I've never been so happy to just sell my humanity!' He roared internally.
'Is it possible to acquire a race?!' Strax thought quickly, waiting for the System to respond.
The system, as if anticipating Strax's question, responded almost imdiately, its cold, chanical voice resonating in his mind.
[Response: Yes, it is possible to acquire a race. Due to the user's undefined nature, any transformation or absorption of sufficient power may permanently alter their racial composition. The type of race acquired will depend on the materials or energies consud.]
Strax felt a surge of excitent and urgency mixed together. He had a unique opportunity to shape his existence according to his needs. The idea of acquiring a new race, of transforming himself, of becoming sothing beyond just a human or dragon, excited him, but it also terrified him. The implications of such a change were vast and unknown.
"So, if I consu her blood... and die..." Strax thought, wondering what might happen. The system said he could acquire a new race, but what if he died in the process? Would that be the end, or a form of rebirth? He needed answers.
[Response: Death is not necessarily a consequence of consuming the blood. The transformation process can be risky, depending on the type of blood ingested and the user's resistance.]
The ssage wasn't clear enough for Strax, but he no longer had ti to question it.
Scarlet was about to strike again, her searing aura growing.
He could feel her flaming blade cutting through the air with every move, each step bringing him closer to his defeat.
'I'll use everything I have... a single drop should be enough...' Strax thought.
[Incorrect! To transform into a vampire, a substantial amount of her blood must be drained, followed by drinking the blood of a Vampire. However, considering the current status of the user... The draining will not be enough. A significant amount of Vampire blood is still required.]
"So... it won't be enough," Strax murmured, hearing the system's response, his thoughts racing. "But what if I'm more daring? What if I consu more?"
The system responded again.
[Response: The necessary amount of vampire blood can only be obtained through substantial draining. However, if the user succeeds, the body can transform more quickly. The risk of death remains high. Caution is recomnded.]
Strax looked at Scarlet with a focused determination, despite the pulsing pain in his body. The system had given a clear answer: he would need more blood. Much more. And the risk of dying was still present, but if he had any chance of transforming, it would be now or never.
"If I'm going to die, then so be it. But not without fighting until the end," Strax thought, rage and adrenaline pushing him forward.
'I think I've pushed him too far... I'll just scare him a little more and then heal him,' Scarlet thought, smiling, seeing how close to death he was. 'I must admit, he's the first person to last this long.'
What she didn't anticipate was that... he didn't intend to be defeated so easily.
'I'll use my ice manipulation to create two fangs in my mouth, dodge her first strike, throw myself back, and bite her neck.' He thought. It was a bold plan, but... it was all he had.
[Do you wish to use all remaining energy?] The system asked.
"Yes." He said, before releasing all his aura and charging forward.
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