Extra Borne: Transmigrated Into A System Apocalypse Soulsborne Novel-Chapter 40 - 38: You’re Not Ready

When did it happen?

The thought clawed at my mind as blood bubbled from my lips. My breath hitched, shallow and sharp, and I cast my eyes downward to where a spear... dark and pulsating.. protruded from my stomach. It radiated a dark energy, its surface writhing faintly as though alive.

The pain wasn’t sharp like I’d expected. Instead, it was cold, numbing, as if the spear had torn not just flesh but something deeper, leaving behind a void. My legs wavered slightly beneath me, but I forced myself to stand firm.

Then another spear flew toward me, silent as death itself, slicing through the air. I twisted to the side just in time, the weapon barely grazing me before it disappeared into the darkness.

When did it get past my mist?

I barely had time to think before a voice, deep and calm yet laden with authority, reverberated through the hall.

"You dare disturb this kingdom?"

The voice was almost too calm, each word a declaration that carried an unspoken weight. It echoed endlessly in the vast chamber, a sound that crawled under my skin and stayed there.

Turning slowly, I faced the source.

The figure that emerged from the shadows was no mere foe. A knight, clad in dark, silvery ash armor, stepped forward with an unnerving grace. His figure towered just slightly taller than a man’s, but it was the aura around him that commanded attention. His helmet obscured his face, but faint reddish-orange lights glowed ominously from its eye slits, flickering like dying embers.

The knight’s presence wasn’t just imposing... it was suffocating.

I reached for the spear lodged in my side, gripping its pulsating shaft. A faint hiss escaped through my clenched teeth as I yanked it free, blood spurting from the wound. The weapon clattered to the floor with a dull metallic thud, its edges dissolving into a faint, shadowy mist before it disappeared completely. I pressed a hand to the wound, feeling the warm, sticky blood seep between my fingers.

Still, I stood my ground.

The knight’s steps echoed as he approached, his stride slow and deliberate. He stopped a short distance away, and his voice filled the air again, calm but unyielding.

"Name yourself, and state your purpose in my lord’s kingdom."

His words carried the weight of expectation. He was not asking. He was demanding.

I said nothing at first, staring back at him in silence. My hand, still pressed to my side, was smeared with blood. I wiped my face instinctively, only to streak it with crimson. My pulse thundered in my ears, but I kept my expression blank.

The knight’s voice thundered once more.

"I ask again. Name yourself."

I finally spoke, my voice low and steady, devoid of emotion.

"0924... a Wanderer," I said, my eyes locking with the faint glow of his. "One who’s about to take your head and walk through that door... to get to the next."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Then, it began.

A dark energy seeped from the knight’s armor, an oppressive void that seemed to swallow what little light remained in the hall. The air grew heavier with every passing second, each breath a labor.

It wasn’t just darkness.

The energy felt alive. It writhed, pulsing with a deep, unrelenting grief. The raw emotions emanating from him were almost tangible... grief, rage, despair... all swirling together in an unquenchable hunger.

The ground trembled.

Du! Du! Du!

The vibrations grew stronger, a deep, rhythmic pounding that echoed like a war drum.

The knight’s voice cut through the chaos, steady but calm.

"I am afraid I cannot let you pass, Wanderer."

I smirked, blood staining my teeth. The tension in the air was almost intoxicating, and I could feel the faint tremor of adrenaline coursing through me. My lips twisted into something between a grin and a grimace, an expression that made my blood pumped.

"I didn’t ask for your permission," I replied, lifting my hand.

Mist began to coalesce around me, thick and tangible, swirling like a living storm. The familiar energy surged through me, cold and unrelenting, wrapping around my body like armor. In my hand, the mist solidified into a blade.. long, sleek, and jagged at its edges. Its translucent form shimmered faintly, its presence as menacing as the aura surrounding the knight.

I pointed the blade at him, without saying a word.

A chime echoed faintly in my ears,

[SYSTEM]

+

DEFEAT THE GENERAL OF THE FORSAKEN

ASHEN KNIGHT GERALT

FAILURE: ???

+

The air between us crackled with tension, and then, in an instant, we moved.

Our figures blurred, vanishing and reappearing as the first clash rang out.

CLANG!

The sound of steel meeting armored fist reverberated through the hall, a deafening impact that sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

The knight’s fist glowed faintly with dark energy as it collided with my mist blade. Sparks flew in the dim light, illuminating the dark space for a fleeting moment before plunging it back into darkness.

I pivoted, bringing my blade around in a sweeping arc, aiming for his neck.

Bang!

He blocked the strike with his armored forearm, the impact sending a sharp jolt up my arm. The force of his parry pushed me back, but I regained my footing quickly, darting to the side as his armored fist crashed into the ground where I’d been standing.

KANG!

The floor beneath his strike cracked, fissures spreading outward like veins. Dust and debris clouded the air, but I didn’t let it distract me.

I lunged, driving my blade toward his exposed side, but he twisted at the last moment, his movements impossibly fast for someone wearing heavy armor. His fist met my blade again, deflecting it fast before he retaliated, his fist swinging in a wide arc.

I barely managed to dissolve into mist, his strike passing harmlessly through the cloud before I reformed behind him.

My blade came down again, a diagonal slash aimed at his back.

But he was ready.

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Spinning with inhuman speed, he raised his fist and met my strike head-on.

CLANG!

The collision sent vibrations rattling through my arms, but I didn’t relent. My mist blade pushed against his armored hand, the two of us locked in a battle of strength and will.

The knight’s glowing eyes flared, and I could feel the raw dark energy emanating from him intensify. His voice rumbled, low and ominous.

"You are not ready for what lies beyond that door."

I gritted my teeth, pressing harder against him.

"We’ll see about that."