Stand down. Don't fug move! Leo roared right into the link with his subordinates. His Essence also spiked, shing out at the e. From now on, even the slightest movement from anyone could bring forth their demise.

  Calm down. Don't panic. Everything is fine. Leo ted in his mind as he sed everything in sight. Upon first look, this floor didn't seem much different from the one above. Yet, when his eyes refocused and finally registered the dark silhouettes on the floor, he realized what shit he had just stepped on...

  Spread across the entire hall, Nightmares slept. The bulky Collectors y on the floor, curled into a ball, while Scouters sat like statues, ed in their own wings. Thanks to the color of their skin and the violet glow ing from within their bodies, Leo almost mistook them for Corcera structs. However, the occasional shudders going through the monsters' bodies quickly cleared things up.

  This is hell, fug Nightmare , or worse. Leo swallowed, not daring to move another muscle until his head cleared. Not even the bloodlust flowing through his veins could fight against the primal fear that almost ed him now. There must be hundreds of them here... And what the fuck is this?!

  Where on the upper floor, the bodies hanging from the ceiling weren't more than decoration; here, this also ged. Darker than night ooze dripped from the corpses, only for it to gather on the ground and form cat-sized blobs. Those things never moved from their inal spots, but they whirred and shook almost stantly, addi another worry to the pile in Leo's head.

  Identify, please don't fail, not now.

  Phantom (Nightmare Voidling) | Rank: F | LVL: N/A | Type: Nightmare, Aerial, Ghost

  Okay, that doesn't seem too bad. Leo noted, his nerves settling down just a bit. Bestiary. Let's see what you have for me.

  Raightmare Voidling | Subspecies: PhantomExpected Potential: F to N/Aon of choice: PossessionKnown weaknesses: Inplete BodyA Nightmare born after the Outbreak's stabilization. At first gnce, Phantoms are weak and useless. Yet, out of all the early stage Nightmares, Phantoms possess the most potential. Their unique ability, 'Possession,' allows them to pletely take over a Voidling or sometimes even a survivor. Afterward, they force their host to evolve, ging them into a creature of the Night. With that, the host dies, and Phantom bees the new primary oct of the body without the ability to leave again. It is wise to remember that Phantoms are susceptible to Essence-powered attacks due to their inplete form.

  Shit! Ghosts that mutate others into Nightmares. Just what we all need. Leo ched his fists, the fear slowly giving way to anger. And there is no way to stop this bloody mess from tinuing, not with how weak humans are pared to Nightmares for now...

  And what do you want?! Leo she st part as a System notificatiorying to force itself into his field of vision.

  The System has acquired enough information about Wolford's Graveyard. Do you wish to dispy the collected assessment now?

  No, there is no time. I o get the fuck out of here. Leo nodded, f all the worries, theories, and other dangerous thoughts out of his head. It might have felt as if he had stood there frozen for hours, but barely a minute passed, and he didn't dare to waste another one on watg the Nightmares sleep.

  Just stay calm and back off, oep at a time.

  Listening to his own and, Leo, without even tearing his eyes away from the Nightmares, began to retreat into the tunnel. He didn't even think of giving his minions the same order, which turned out to be a mistake.

  One of the Runners, who artially turo him, met his eyes and screeched lightly, the tone questioning. Fear gripped Leo's heart as his ces of getting out silently colpsed like a domino.

  In the er of his vision, something stirred, followed by a howl that echoed through the entire building. Leo hardly registered the noise as he spun around and shot towards the tunnel's exit. A final and also went out to his subordihe words short and simple.

  Distract them.

  More howls answered the first one just when Leo reached the top floor, but he didn't stop and only pushed his legs harder than ever. Reinfort also joihe escape, fuelling strength right into its user's muscles.

  Yet, none of those things meant Leo was fine, and the System only proved that fact with its following message.

  Nightmare Pursuit in progress. Good luck.

  Screw you! Leo growled, flipping the Ether Fre's lid. A single spark of Essence shot into the thing, igniting the tip in a blinding explosion of golden fire.

  Leo grimaced as the fre's surface grew warmer with each millised. It didn't bur, but that was only a matter of seds. Great time to learn how this bloody thing affects me...

  At this point, he already reached the office area, barrelling right into the same corridor he had e through. Roars and howls rang in Leo's ears as they became louder than ever. heless, he didn't turn around; he knew what was chasing him after all.

  Death, represented by tens of beasts straight out of nightmares. All of them hot on Leo's heels, waiting to tear him apart and then use his body to create more Phantoms.

  "Not today!" Leo shouted, sliding into the only office that offered him a ce at freedom.

  The fre, still burning bright, dropped to the flht in the middle of the entrao the room. A momehe beasts behind screeched in distress, the Ethereal fire doing its job.

  Knowing the success was short-lived at best, Leo closed the distao the hole and jumped. With Reinfort still burning in his legs, he had to finish the nding with a roll. Not that it mattered, not when he was free once more, basking in the light of the setting sun.

  Yet, before Leo could lower his defenses, Hunter howled within his mind, the message clear as the sky above. He spun around, eyes on the hole as another fre nded in his hand.

  A sed or five passed before a loud roar pierced through the silence, shutting all hopes of it being over. Heavy thuds reached Leo's ears right after, followed by a light tremble of the roof as a massive body shot out of the hole.

  Leo didn't wait for the beast to nd and ighe fre while simultaneously putting some distaween him and the hole. A good decision as the beast nded a moment ter, leaving a small crater in its wake.

  The monster roared again, louder than a Brute or even the Cursed Juggernaut Leo had the displeasure of meeting.

  Collector (Nightmare Voidling) | Rank: E+ | LVL: N/A | Type: Nightmare, Surface, Regeor, Might

  Okay, don't panic. There is only one, and it definitely doesn't like the sun. Leo noted, his feet already carrying him across the roof, far away from the Collector. Or at least that was the pn...

  Although the beast shied away from the sun, parts of its skin igniting in a crimson fire, it never gave up the chase. The Nightmare moved on all fours, cutting straight for Leo, who, even with Reinfort fuelling his every move, couldn't escape too far.

  Guess I'm not the only one here with Gra the Supernatural tier. Leo hissed, sliding out of the path of the monster's long and thick cws. Limit Break to one hundred pert, System! Now!

  Instantly, Reinfort and Limit Break flooded Leo's body with new energy. Every vein ignited with a golden light, the plete opposite of his form's color scheme. At the same time, a weight settled upon his soul, carrying an obvious warning.

  I just o buy some time. Leo flinched as the beast's fist almost collided with his side. Without ahought, he brought out aher Fre, activating it right away. Let's dance, you sack of shit!

  Bloodlust spilled out in waves into his body and mind. However, despite knowing well how to activate Focused Bloodlust now, Leo didn't proceed. This skill was too primal, too focused on fighting, and fag the Collector head-on was the st thing he wanted.

  Aime, Hunter. Leo called out to the beast, still weaving through the Collector's tinuous onsught. Although the Nightmare didn't care much for the Ether Fres, it definitely couldn't ighe wounds that the items and the sun caused to its body.

  The sunlight had already burned away all of the beast's skin, leaving only blood in sight. The violet glow from within also almost died out during the fight, now barely visible behind the dark liquid dribbling out of the Collector's body.

  As the dance of cat and mouse tihe Nightmare grew slower and sloppier. At some point, Leo even ma a fre across the Collector's side, earning a ground-shaking roar from the beast.

  e on, die already, you stupid shit! Leo growled, throwing one of the fres in the Voidling's face. It stumbled back, and with all the power still c through his veins, he pouhe remaining fre went right into one of the Collector's eyes while a Kiss of Death enhanced bde stabbed into the other.

  Evehe Collector spped Leo away, sending him flying across half of the roof's width. He gasped for breath upon nding, the crag of bones within his chest telling a story of its own.

  Shit! O and I barely move. Still, Leo didn't stay put and rose on trembling legs, his tails ing around to support his weight.

  Ahead, the Collector writhed on the roof. Blood pooled underh the beast, as even some bones became visible beh the burned-away muscles. The sun's judgment fell upon the Nightmare, and now it had to pay the full price.

  End of the road for you, mate. Leo grimaced, stumbling towards the almost-dead Nightmare without the support of Reinfort or Limit Break.

  "Was it worth it?" He asked, finally stabbing his cws into what remained of the Collector. "Was it worth to die for a ce to kill me?"

  As if trying to ahe Nightmare screeched for the final time befoing still. Leo shook his head, Devour activating as System notifications began their assault.

  Give me a damn minute, Leo growled, f his ability to move faster. Only it didn't work. Even as a few bones snapped bato pce, Devour's attack stopped, the healing and steady flow of new Essence along with it.

  What? Leo's eyes widened. I wasn't do!

  However, the momeried to activate Devain, the System forced its message to the forefront of his mind.

  Warning! The user's soul ot filter any more fn Esse the moment. Disabling Devour. Limit Break inactive. The System advises against straining your soul any further to avoid perma damage.

  Leo groaned, colpsing to the ground. Of course there had to be a limit to Devour. Even for an Epic ability, it just seemed to to not have any drawbacks...

  Guess it could have been worse... I survived a Nightmare, after all... Leo chuckled even as the few partially healed bones screamed in protest. This will be annoying. Not enough to stop me from returning to the Safe Zohough... But first, System, show me what you've got.

  Nightmare Pursuit forcefully stopped. You live to fight another day.