With that surge ca a sharper, more violent spatial pull, and the alpha’s forward montum faltered, its body jerking as the rift’s gravity dug in and began dragging it backward inch by inch.
"Rrrgh!"
The alpha ape let out an animalistic strain as the pull from the rift grew stronger, and with its claws, it tore into the ground, holding itself firmly in place as it fought against the force.
But the hold only lasted two seconds before the alpha ape found itself getting dragged back once again, so it tried sothing else.
Once again, multiple mirages burst outward in every direction, just like before when he tried to evade my pursuit, but they were useless.
Each false image was instantly swallowed by the rift, ripped apart, and consud as if they’d never existed.
Only the real body remained.
And now, even that was being hauled back toward the collapsing space behind it.
Good.
With the alpha finally locked in place, I prepared end it.
But then sothing changed.
Its body began to glow.
A deep, violent red light bled through its fur, spreading across its limbs like heat beneath skin, and the pressure it gave off spiked sharply. I could feel it — power being forcefully drawn out, compressed, burned.
It was breaking its limits.
The mont I sensed that surge, I warped in, intent on finishing it before whatever it was charging could fully manifest.
But in that single heartbeat, the alpha roared and detonated the stored power outward, forcing its body forward with a brutal release of strength. The rift scread in protest as its pull was montarily overwheld, and the alpha tore free from its range, launching itself away in a desperate escape.
It didn’t get away clean.
I reappeared right as it blasted past and struck without hesitation.
My attack landed hard, tearing through both of its legs and catching its tail mid-motion.
Blood sprayed from the torn limbs, arcing through the air before being violently yanked backward, sucked straight into the still-pulling rift.
WHOOSH!
The alpha’s body shot forward from the released montum.
Instinct took over, and it tried to land properly, arching its thighs forward to absorb the impact on its feet....
But its legs were no longer there.
Its body dropped awkwardly, montum betraying it as it slamd into the ground chest-first and began to tumble.
THUD.
THUD.
CRASH!
Soil burst upward. Its massive body finally skidded to a halt in a spray of dirt.
For a mont, there was silence.
Then the alpha groaned.
It forced itself upright using its arms alone, shoulders trembling as confusion crept across its face. It looked stunned, disoriented, clearly trying to piece together what had gone wrong.
It hadn’t even realized it yet.
Propping itself up, it twisted its upper body and glanced backward, eyes searching for its legs—
And found nothing.
Where they should have been was only torn flesh and empty space, the ground behind it soaked in blood that was still slowly being dragged toward the fading rift.
But instead of collapsing into despair, it scowled.
As if losing its legs was nothing more than an inconvenience, the alpha twisted its body and began dragging itself forward, claws digging into the soil as it crawled toward Narg with frightening determination.
Its target was right there.
Just ahead.
If it could close the distance — even by inches —
WHIISSP!
I appeared directly in front of it.
The alpha halted instantly, claws carving shallow trenches into the earth as it lifted its head and locked eyes with , teeth grinding together in naked fury.
"Move, goblin!" it snarled.
"I can’t do that," I replied evenly, planting my feet.
Its chest heaved as it growled low in its throat. "I need to kill that fiend."
I held its gaze and spoke slowly, deliberately, making sure every word landed.
"If it gives you any peace," I said, "the goblin who slaughtered your people and destroyed your ho is already dead."
Its eyes flickered — just slightly.
"The one ahead of you," I continued, nodding faintly in Narg’s direction, "isn’t the sa being. He’s only the inheritor of that power."
The alpha lifted its head, eyes burning, yet its claws kept dragging it forward inch by inch.
"I need to kill that fiend," it muttered, voice raw.
"I need to kill that fiend."
Then it roared, the sound tearing from its chest. "I NEED TO KILL THAT FIEND!"
Its body flushed red once more, fur bristling as if charged with heat, muscles bunching despite the damage, despite the fact that it was crawling on nothing but rage and will.
Yeah... to the alpha ape, Narg was a threat no matter what I said. Truth didn’t matter. Context didn’t matter. All it saw was the power that had destroyed its ho, wearing a new body.
And I couldn’t let it take another step.
I tightened my grip around the hilt of Gravefang, drew in a slow breath to steady myself, and then drove the blade down.
SHHICK!
The sword sank into its skull with heavy resistance, biting through bone as dark blood burst outward and splashed across the ground. The alpha’s body jerked violently, claws spasming as the force of the blow traveled through it.
That should have been enough.
Any normal creature would have died instantly from a wound like that.
I fully expected its body to go limp.
But instead, the alpha ape surprised again.
A weak, broken groan slipped from its throat, thin and strained, as if it was fighting to drag one last thing out of itself before the darkness took it. Its jaw trembled, blood pooling beneath its head, yet its eyes were still locked on .
"Th...T...M... M... Mo..."
The sound was barely there, more breath than voice. Its lips twitched, struggling to shape words its body no longer had the strength to carry.
"Mo... o... Mor..."
The syllable finally escaped, unfinished and heavy with sothing I couldn’t quite place.
Then the light in its eyes faded completely.
Its body slackened, weight settling into the ground at last, and the oppressive presence it had carried evaporated like smoke.
A familiar chi rang out in my head.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you have killed Elite Monster: Alpha Varkuun Howler – Level 52]
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
[You have received skill: Phantom Breakstep (A)]
I couldn’t...
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