Acknowledged. Transfer in progress. Please stand by.

  The world around Leo exploded into a kaleidoscope of light, tearing him away from the gloomy emptiness of the cave chamber. Particles of blue, red, and dozens of other colors swirled around him, yet he felt no different. He still had full control of his body, still had access to his Essence.

  Nonetheless, he stayed put, waiting just as the System asked. He barely managed to count to ten before something happened again.

  The colorful light flashed once more, blinding him. Leo shielded his eyes, muttering curses under his breath. Thankfully, the blindness didn’t last long, and when the stinging behind his eyes went away, he lowered his hands.

  Hmm, I guess we have arrived, he mused, his eyes scanning the empty rocky plains surrounding him from every side. They stretched on farther than he could see, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but wonder just how big this place was.

  “So… Where are the Voidlings?” Nyx asked when she appeared next to him.

  Leo frowned, his gaze once more wandering to the horizon and then to the empty dark sky. A quick Hunter’s Pulse also left his body, but for the first time in a while, the skill provided him with absolutely nothing. The place felt ancient and abandoned.

  The cube’s description said this area came from a long-dead planet, so maybe that’s why, he reasoned, scratching his head. Still, Nyx is right… Where the hell are the Void—

  Just then, another System message flashed in front of his eyes, stopping his musings. He quickly read it out loud and nodded.

  Sealed Dimension V2.7 initialized. Place of origin: Unknown. Threat ranking: D+. Stages remaining: 4. Do you wish to release the lock on the first cage?

  Well, that explains it.

  Those things, after all, were supposed to be used as a prison. He shouldn’t be too surprised that even a lesser version of Sealed Dimension had a function like this. It sounded quite nice, if he had to be honest—fighting the Voidlings in stages instead of all at once.

  “Let’s do it then,” he muttered and glanced at Nyx. “Prepare yourself. I have no idea what will come at us.”

  The feline offered him a bloodthirsty grin. “Even better… Do it.”

  You heard her System. Release the lock.

  Acknowledged.

  The silence shattered as howls and roars filled the empty dimension. Shivers exploded all over his body, and a spark of fear invaded his mind. Leo narrowed his eyes and tried to squash the unwanted emotion. It resisted only for a second before his bloodlust consumed it whole.

  “Did you feel that?” he asked while searching for the Voidlings on the horizon.

  Nyx nodded. “System or the monsters?”

  “Most likely the latter.”

  The feline only hummed in response as shadows dived out of her body and spread over the ground. Leo joined her, combining their Resonances into one powerful technique. His blades extended next, and with a single pull on his bloodlust, Spectral Fury ignited inside him.

  That’s enough for now. He decided as the howls grew louder and louder with each second. Finally, dark silhouettes of Voidlings appeared in his sight, and he squinted, trying to assess the new threat.

  Dreadrunner (Voidling) | Rank: D | LVL: 82 | Type: Surface, Fear

  Fear… makes sense. Yet, even though he had already predicted this, he was still left surprised. No other monster he had fought against before wielded a concept—an emotion—as their element. Sure, bloodlust counted to some degree, but it wasn’t the same as pure affinity.

  Bestiary.

  Race: Voidling | Subspecies: Dreadrunner

  Expected Potential: D- to C-

  Arsenal: Fear, Claws

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Known Weaknesses: Separation

  Dreadrunners come from a long evolutionary path, representing those who gave into fear and made it their weapon. Those creatures have no survival instinct and will never hesitate to attack, no matter the power difference between them and their enemy. Hunting in packs is their biggest advantage, as that’s when their aura of fear becomes the strongest. Separate them, and the battle often becomes one-sided.

  Apex variant: Apex representatives of this species don’t possess any special abilities aside from greatly enhanced physical capabilities.

  Yeah… We ain’t separating shit here. Leo snorted, eyeing the approaching horde. The beasts weren’t all that different from werewolves from TV shows and movies. Only in this case did they not have any fur, leaving their obsidian, rock-hard skin exposed.

  They all ran on all fours, but not for a moment did he think that they always had to move like that. Their somewhat humanoid build made it perfectly obvious that the moment they got closer, he would be fighting against two-legged creatures and sharp, long claws coming at him from every direction.

  Let’s even up the field a bit.

  Leo ignored the spiking fear at the back of his mind and dragged a piece of his soul outside. Shadows followed, enveloping his entire form in thick armor. He also pushed more Essence into Resonance, slowly preparing more surprises for the horde.

  Next to him, Nyx backed off a bit, letting him take the lead.

  Nine, eight, seven…

  The howling now became the only sound around them, spiking the approaching aura of fear. Leo shrugged it off again.

  Six, five, four…

  The first Dreadrunners reached the edge of their Resonance. Like any other monster, they ignored the obvious signs of shadows slithering across the ground and continued running.

  Three, two, one…

  “Erupt.”

  At once, the rocky plains exploded with darkness. Waves after waves of shadows spilled onto the battlefield. Living constructs, spikes, tendrils, and so much more struck at the backs of the Dreadrunners. Kill notifications arrived instantly, but Leo pushed them away and dashed forward.

  His bloodlust roared in approval.

  Blood and corpses swallowed the rocky plains. No matter where his gaze fell, the remnants of the Dreadrunners were always there. Some looked barely recognizable, while others simply lay dead with a single hole in their body.

  Leo let out a deep sigh, allowing the armor of shadows to slide off his form. However, he didn’t release his affinity. No, instead, he guided the ever-active Resonance toward the corpses and gave Devour free reign over the technique.

  With that done, he dropped down beside Nyx and chuckled.

  “That was fun.”

  The feline didn’t grace him with an answer. Not that he expected her to. The body of an Apex Dreadrunner had to be much more interesting than some small talk. Nyx only confirmed that as she bit into the monster’s leg, the sound of cracking bones filling the air.

  Yeah… Might as well… System!

  Multiple enemies slain | Experience awarded | 51590 Ether gained

  Congratulations! You have reached level 88. Class and Racial attributes have been distributed.

  That’s what I like to see. Eight levels… Not bad at all. Leo smiled and dismissed those notifications just as another one arrived.

  Stage 2 cleared. Do you wish to release the lock on the third cage?

  No, he answered instantly. According to the System, it had been over two hours since he and Nyx entered the cube. And while they could continue, he really wanted to take some time to rest. After everything he had gone through in the past few weeks, he deserved as much.

  The last two stages could wait.

  “Finish up, and let’s get out of here,” he announced, patting Nyx’s side.

  The feline nodded, and just as she was about to go back to her meal, she tilted her head at him. “And how are we getting out?”

  Leo froze, his mouth snapping shut. He looked left, he looked right. No exit there. He asked the System for a way out—it didn’t answer.

  “Huh… knew I forgot something when we talked to Naz’Tor…”

  After a brief bout of unnecessary panic, Nyx suggested summoning the cube that had brought them there. It worked, and Leo couldn’t decide if he wanted to hug the feline or punch her for the smug look she had given him.

  He settled for neither and just transported them out of the dimension by again providing the cube with some Essence.

  Sleep found him not that much later, and for the first time in a while, he slept for longer than two hours.

  “I should do that more often,” he muttered after a long yawn.

  His gaze settled on the sleeping feline, and for a moment, Leo considered waking her up. Then, he quickly imagined her possible reaction and dismissed the idea. It was such a nice morning, no reason to ruin it.

  That was why he assumed his sealed form, wrapped his body in his trusty cloak, and headed for the tunnels. Yet, before he could even take a step outside, a thrum within his soul made him pause.

  Uh oh.

  The TEK transmitter landed in his palm, and he quickly accepted the incoming call.

  “Great, you’re finally answering, kid!” Naz’Tor’s voice exploded out of the device. “I have been calling you for the past five hours.”

  Leo stifled another yawn. “Sorry, was sleeping.”

  “Aye, I can tell.” The merchant chuckled. “Anyway, kid, I got news for you! I found a Divine Realm quite close to you. I couldn’t get a proper read on its strength, but once you finish up with that cube, you should be ready for it. ”

  Any remaining trace of sleep vanished from Leo’s mind as the words registered. He straightened, gripping the transmitter tighter.

  “I’m listening.”

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