in shadow slave

I could feel the temporary empowerment from the well, at least for the next hour or so, plenty to crush this dog to a pulp.

The 'dog' in question tensed its legs and shot towards me like a rocket, what's gonna be my response I wondered.

Just as it neared my face, I clenched my fist and swung, *BOOM* the temple fell in a storm of dust and debris, the trees near it were squashed as the beast fell on them, it didn't even have time to get up as I stepped on its face.

"what's wrong? weren't u barking earlier?"

*rooaaar* the beast howled with rage as it almost tore me apart with its claw, too bad I already jumped away. The abomination quickly got up and gave chase.

I kept jumping from tree to tree as it destroyed everything in its path, wanting to turn me into meat paste for humiliating it, luckily for it I didn't make it wait long, I suddenly stopped near a tree and waited for it.

The beast lunged towards me mouth wide open, planning to swallow me whole, but I prepared another dish for it, using simply my hand, I uprooted a tree and smashed it to the beast's side, it barely fazed it as it broke to shards, as the abomination neared me again I clenched both my hands high in the air and swung down as if I held a hammer.

*Boom* the hit connected and the beast's head was buried in the ground, but it ate the hit as if it was dead and launched its tail like a bullet, *clang* it hit straight on my chest, luckily the armor protected me.

The force was completely absorbed and turned to power, as the beast raised its head it was engulfed by a rain of fists, but it didn't give up and kept clawing and biting my body.

The surrounding land was decimated, and as blows upon blows were traded, the human looked like a devil as he tore into the abomination flesh, tearing it bit by bit, he soon found it insufficient as he started using his mouth.

Human rage faced eldritch monstrosity as both beast and human feasted on the other's flesh, the armor did its best to minimize damage but it couldn't hold out for long, the battlefield was soon smeared with black and red blood, and pieces of mutilated flesh.

The human bathed in blood, found himself growing stronger, as each bite of flesh healed him and strengthened his body, the beast on the other end found itself the true prey.

Blinded by hate, hunger, bloodlust, and a twisting desire to destroy, the human trusted his clawed hands into the beast's jagged mouth, then his muscles expanded as veins bulged and moved like snakes under his armor, the said armor itself started to mend itself with new vigor, supporting its master, it glowed red, anticipating its opponent's blood, and so the so-called human finally shredded the abominations head, splitting its skull in two, its howl was abruptly cut short as it fell to eternal damnation.

[You have slain a Fallen Monster, Cursed Flesh Hound]

the human fell to his knees soon after as he tiredly looked at the corpse beneath him, "finally...it finally ended.." he closed his eyes as the world around him shattered like glass.

[Wake up, Ares! Your nightmare is over.]

[prepare for appraisal...]

waking up again, I growled, " I swear to god if I'm in that sea agai-" I couldn't finish my words as what I saw left me speechless.

All around me, was an endless space, there was nothing, but a boundless black void illuminated by a myriad of bright stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex pattern. Glimpsing at the threads, it felt as if it hid a secret in its cosmic pattern that was so immense it could drive a person mad.

A tired sigh escaped my lips, from blood-red oceans to a dead forest and a frightening mist, to a temple of carnage and almost dying at the hands of a mass of flesh, I don't have my memory but I'm pretty sure I never had all of that happen to me.

Then that weird sound whispered again, this time from all around me.

[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]

[a lost soul far from home, with no origin nor end, traversed the bloody oceans and the misty dead lands, fought dread, fear, and death, escaped from the jaws of the end, damaged but hateful, a fragment of [unknown] listened and answered his pain.]

[You have slain a dormant beast, cursed flesh]

[You have slain a fallen monster, cursed flesh hound]

[You have received a fragment of [unknown] blessing.]

[Final appraisal: Glorious, your hate truly knows no bounds, soul from another world.]

my eye twitched at its remarks, ' What use is hate if you're too weak'

[Dreamer Ares, receive your boon!]

even though I didn't understand what was happening, I got tense and excited.

[You have been bestowed a True Name: Scarlet King]

[Your aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve aspect?]

'I just want to get this over with' "Yes".

[Dormant aspect Blood Sacrifice is evolving...]

[New Aspect acquired.]

[Aspect Rank: Divine.]

[Aspect Name: King inheritor]

'Divine aspect? It sounds good I guess, I was a sacrifice huh, no wonder I was naked' A chuckle escaped my lips, whatever told me all of this gave me an instinctual feeling on how to read my abilities so that was a bonus.

Following my instinct I concentrated on my aspect.

Aspect Description: [You are the inheritor of a once-great being, a small fragment of the [unknown] found you and gave you the chance to inherit its power, but beware of being weak, as it is only worthy for the strong.]

Innate Ability: True King

Ability Description: [As a true king, It is only natural for you to be respected and feared, the more you act like a King, the powerful you become.]

[The First Seal is broken.]

[Awakening dormant powers...]

Ares suddenly clutched his chest, he felt something burning inside him, but it was not painful, instead, it felt liberating, as if a power within him finally woke up, his emotions clearer and sharpening his senses, and then the brimming energy within changed his muscle fibers, bones, organs, his whole body was rebuilt stronger than ever, it was euphoric, millions of times better than whatever happened to him below that bloody well. He felt as if a star was formed in his chest, supplying him with strength and courage, he felt powerful, after being so weak from the moment he opened his eyes in that blood-red ocean, it was a changing experience.

The feeling stopped gradually, and when he opened his eyes again he found himself in a different place amidst the star-filled void.

A small smile appeared on my face, 'What a beautiful star', the ground beneath was red, and above him was a crimson sun, filled with power.

The voice then pulled him out of his 'inner world'.

[Awakening Aspect Ability]

[Aspect Ability Name: Monarch's Gluttony]

[All power has a price.]

[You have received a Flaw.]

[Your flaw is: oblivion.]

he was confused at first, but a whisper told him what to do, "runes"

then a list appeared in front of him.

Name: Ares

True Name: Scarlet King

Rank: Dreamer

Crimson Core: Dormant

Destruction fragments: [14/1000]

Memories:--

Echoes:--

Attributes: [King's Road], [King's Instinct], [Monarch's Body]

[King's Road: the threads of fate bind all beings, but The King despises fate, and so he created his own. fate doesn't control you, but you make your own]

[King's instinct: all beings have instinct, yours is a step above.]

[Monarch's body: your eyes are more powerful, your heart is special, your blood is unique, and your soul is more vigorous.]

Aspect: [King's inheritor]

Aspect Rank: Divine

Class abilities: Dormant ability: [terror]

[Terror: upon use, Whoever glances upon you feels primordial fear.]

Aspect abilities: [Monarch's Gluttony]

[Monarch's Gluttony: you are capable of devouring other beings to get stronger.]

Flaw: [Oblivion: you are unable to gain memories.]

Aspect Legacy: [Bloodforged Aegis: A legendary armor crafted in the depths of an ancient, cursed forge, where molten blood replaced steel. It is said to have been created under the watchful gaze of a tyrannical god, imbued with the wrath and hatred of countless souls.]

Before I could make sense of what I was seeing, the voice spoke again, and the world was covered in darkness once more.

[Wake up, Scarlet King!]