Shadow Blood and Fire

Eli glanced down to see one of the Rothsoths clamped onto his leg, with the other three not far behind. With a forceful swing, he smashed his fist down onto the Rothsoth's skull, which was also encased in the metallic lump. The damage was minimal, almost laughable.

[–12HP]

The Rothsoth released its grip but was still very much alive.

The proximity of the other three left no time for Eli to input the code.

"Phantom step."

In an instant, Eli was behind them, but he could only reach one of the four Rothsoths due to the limited range of Phantom Step—five meters at most.

[Hammer Activated]

[–5 Energy]

[65/150 Energy]

Eli's hand slammed into the head of the Rothsoth that had bitten him. The creature exhibited remarkable reflexes, twisting away, but Eli was too close. His hand struck the Rothsoth's back, slamming it into the ground and raising a cloud of dust, breaking its spinal cord.

SHHRREEEERKKK!

[–15000HP]

A massive damage indicator hovered above its head.

As the dust settled, Eli saw the other three Rothsoths retreating.

"Not bad, at least you know when to give up," Eli muttered as sand poured from his head like a fountain.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

[ You have killed a Basic Tier Beast (Mutated Metallic Rothsoth) level 9]

[ You have gained +3000 EXP]

[20000/24000EXP]

He turned to open the door but felt the ground vibrating as if a thousand feet were stampeding. A cloud of dust approached from all sides, and within it, countless Mutated Metallic Rothsoths encircled him. The three Rothsoths that had fled earlier now flanked a larger, sleeker Mutated Metallic Rothsoth with bluish armor.

"Inspect."

[Mutated Metallic Rothsoth (General)]

[Intermediate Tier Beast]

[Level 3]

[HP: 30,000]

"What the?.. Talk about bad luck."

The Rothsoths charged from all angles, except for the Intermediate Tier Rothsoth and the previous three guarding the doors. 

Eli swung his arms, activating his blood swipe, now a darker shade of crimson.

[Blood Swipe Activated]

[–5HP]

[Blood Swipe Activated]

[–5HP]

[Blood Swipe Activated]

[–5HP]

Damage indicators popped up, but he was overwhelmed by the tide of beasts.

[ –500HP]

[ –500HP]

[ –500HP]

The Rothsoths leaped at Eli in unison, becoming easy targets mid-air. However, their chests swelled before they exploded with a loud bang, the force of which hurled Eli against the wall amidst a shower of blood and metal shards.

BOOOOOOOOMMMM!

[–420HP]

[Your health is low (5HP)]

[Your health will continue to reduce until blood is consumed]

[Your health will continue to reduce per minute HP]

Eli's ears rang, his vision was blood-red, and he lay in a river of his own blood. He could hear the shrieks of the Rothsoths and the approaching horde.

His vision twisted as he used his last-ditch effort, revealing a serpentine river looping into itself like an ouroboros, with silvery strands anchoring from beyond and further still from the structures outside. The intricate web overwhelmed his senses, blurring his vision further and sending throbbing pain through his mind. Familiar with the unfolding chaos, Eli allowed a burst of energy to surge from his body, freezing time in a small region.

[ Time Freeze Activated ]

[ – 60 Energy ]

[ Duration: Three Seconds ]

He picked himself up, entered the correct code this time, and as he entered, he shut the door behind him, ensuring it was locked before collapsing on the ground. He had been confident in dealing with the horde; if he had just ignored them and entered the building, perhaps things would be different. He hadn't expected the Rothsoths to be suicide bombers. Now, Eli's mind could hardly hold any thoughts; they were as heavy as boulders.

He found himself in what appeared to be a reception area, resembling a canteen with several seats and a desk at the front. It was in pristine condition compared to the rest of the city, almost like a different world.

Two hallways branched off, one to the left and one to the right, both labeled 'Training Centre.'

With his health dwindling and energy low, he had less than five minutes to find the return crystal. He crawled into the main training hall, a large room with several seats in the stands, all white and modern.

But the field at the center was empty, void of anything, including the return crystal.

Eli fell to his knees in despair. This felt like his last chance, and he lacked the energy to search further.

Yet, he didn't surrender. He lifted himself off the ground and scoured the training center—preparation rooms, offices, the gym, and the reception area.

But there was nothing. He lay on the floor in the center of the arena, gazing at the ceiling.

[ 1/750 HP]

"What happens if it reaches 0? … will I die?.. I don't—"

The pain in his stomach was too intense; his vision blurred, and he could no longer think or move.

"So this is how my life ends, huh," Eli murmured. "Mom, I thought when I got this system, maybe I could change something, but I guess not."

Then the final hour passed.

[ 0/750 HP]

[ Transformation will now begin ]