The rusted iron grate shattered completely. The Ironback Hound rose from the debris with a deafening roar. Stone dust filled the ruined armory.
Kaelen coughed up blood. His broken ribs screamed in agony as he forced himself to stand. The crimson system warning flashed violently in his vision. The beast was furious. Its metallic scales screeched against the stone. It locked its glowing golden eyes directly onto him.
He had no time to retreat. The Vanguard dagger was still buried deep in the monster's side. That weapon was his only chance.
The Hound lunged forward. Its massive jaws snapped the air where Kaelen's head had just been. He activated Street Stealth instinctively. Dropping his center of gravity, he slid across the blood-slicked floor right under the beast's neck.
The cooling sensation of the passive skill masked his painful gasps. He scrambled toward the beast's exposed flank. His fingers gripped the leather wrapped hilt of the embedded dagger.
He did not pull it out. He used his entire body weight to push the blade upward.
The chipped edge carved through raw muscle and vital organs. The beast shrieked, a horrific sound of grinding metal and tearing flesh. It thrashed wildly. A heavy metallic paw slammed into Kaelen's chest, throwing him across the room. He hit a stone pillar hard. The world spun into darkness for a terrifying second.
When Kaelen opened his eyes, the beast was collapsing. Black blood poured from its ruined underside in a massive pool. The golden light in its eyes flickered and died.
The hunger inside Kaelen erupted. It was a ravenous, demanding fire.
He crawled desperately across the cracked tiles. Every movement was sheer torture. He reached the massive corpse and pressed his bloodstained hands against its cooling scales.
"Feed," he rasped.
Shadowy tendrils burst from his skin. They tore into the Bronze-Tier monster with absolute ferocity. The tendrils plunged straight into the beast's core. The energy feedback was instantaneous and explosive. Liquid fire flooded his veins. Kaelen threw his head back and screamed. The pain of absorption was blinding.
The giant beast withered into gray ash in seconds.
[Target Devoured: Bronze-Tier Ironback Hound.]
[High density Aetheric Essence absorbed.]
[Strength +12]
[Agility +8]
[Stamina +15]
[Skill Acquired: Ironclad Carapace (Passive)]
Kaelen gasped as his broken ribs snapped back into place. The deep bruises vanished. Raw, intoxicating power surged through his muscles. He felt completely invincible.
Then the blue interface shattered into a violent, flashing red.
[Warning. Core Capacity exceeded.]
[Void Core Capacity: 1500/1000.]
[Initiating Forced Physiological Evolution.]
Absolute freezing cold replaced the fiery heat. Kaelen collapsed onto his side. Every muscle in his body seized simultaneously. He was completely paralyzed. Dark Aether swirled out of his chest, wrapping him in a thick, glowing cocoon of shadows.
[Evolution in progress. Host motor functions disabled for three minutes.]
Panic spiked in his mind. He could only move his eyes. Being paralyzed in the Deep Sump was a guaranteed death sentence.
Sharp, disciplined footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.
Kaelen strained to look. A young woman stepped into the ruined armory. She wore the sleek silver uniform of a High Tier Vanguard. A glowing Aether crystal was embedded in her chestplate. She held a polished rapier casually in her hand.
She stared down at Kaelen's paralyzed, shadow-wrapped form. Her aristocratic features narrowed with intense curiosity.
Kaelen had exactly two minutes left until he could move.