Limitless Undead System! I can Copy all Undead attributes.-Chapter 57: The Power of The Grey Knight

[Mass release 2/5]

Steven closed the gap between himself and the battling Blood Burst as it pummeled the last spider, destroying it with a single overwhelming strike.

The creature was still distracted, its gaze fixed on the mangled corpse of the spider. Steven did not hesitate for even a heartbeat.

{Rampage Blast}

{Mana: 480/500}

Out of his palm, the seething beam of condensed energy tore through the air and collided with the side of the Blood Burst. The force of the impact caused the monster to stagger back with an ear-piercing wail. Sections of its crimson flesh along its side browned and shriveled away, exposing portions of its bony ribcage beneath.

"You fool!" the Blood Burst snarled in fury, swiping its claws toward Steven while unleashing its own counterattack—blood-red crescent slashes hurled violently through the air.

The attacks were fast, terrifyingly so, but not fast enough.

In an instant, Steven vanished from where he stood, evading the strikes entirely, before reappearing directly in front of the Blood Burst. The sudden movement stunned the Disaster.

{Mana Burst used}

{Mana: 470/500}

Steven ground his teeth and drove his dagger straight into the chest of the Blood Burst. The blade dug deep into the grotesque mass of flesh, forcing the monster to shriek in pain as it retaliated, launching two thick tendrils toward him in a vicious counter.

At that speed, at that distance, it should have been impossible to evade without taking damage.

Yet, by sheer instinct or fortune, Steven did.

He disappeared once more and reappeared right behind the deplorable beast, verdant lights weaving violently into the gruesome blade of the Echo.

{Mana Burst used}

{Mana: 460/500}

He attacked again, this time cleaving with all his strength at the waist of the Disaster. The strike landed true, cutting deep into its flesh, though not enough to split it in two. Still, it was enough to make the ghastly monster bleed profusely.

It shrieked again.

From its back, over a dozen blood tendrils erupted outward, spiraling toward Steven as he was still mid-attack.

{Mana Burst used}

Steven pivoted backward faster than the assault, escaping the range of the tendrils all at once.

"You pest! I’ll kill you!" the Blood Burst snarled, spinning sharply and lunging forward with murderous intent.

But at that moment, Shawn had already woven six spiders and sent them charging at the Morbid Blood Burst. The creatures lunged with a dangerous thirst for flesh, forcing the monster to halt its advance toward Steven and face the spiders in raw, feral fury.

It killed each one with a single strike.

Every impact sent a splitting, shuddering sound echoing throughout the sanctum.

"Shit... it’s in a hurry to get rid of me," Steven thought, hunching slightly as he watched the desperate clash between the Blood Burst and the spider weaves.

From afar, the effects of the Red Fang had already begun to take hold, yet it still wasn’t enough to slow the Disaster.

Steven tensed as his entire body trembled under the strain of using Mana Burst too frequently. This was one of the few skills he had learned from his master back at the Sanctuary, how to use mana to forcibly reinforce the body and compensate for his lack of raw strength and speed.

It allowed him to move nearly three times faster than normal, but it devoured stamina just as quickly as mana. That was why he felt so exhausted after only three uses.

"I’ll need to go beyond that if I want to win," Steven muttered to himself. He turned away for a brief moment, steadying his breathing, then faced the Blood Burst once more.

The monstrous fiend was digging its grotesque fangs into the remains of the last spider again and again, indulging in continuous brutality.

"Hahahahahaha! Is this all you can offer?!"

Steven stretched out his hand and activated Rampage Blast once again, firing it straight at the Blood Burst.

This time, the hideous Disaster did not repeat its earlier mistake. It sidestepped effortlessly, allowing the attack to soar past and crash into the ground behind it. The explosion sent dust and grit bursting into the air with a deafening roar.

The Blood Burst bent down, ripped free the abdomen of a spider, and hurled it toward Steven.

Propelled by the immense strength of the Shadow Eater, the chunk of flesh tore across the battlefield almost like a bullet.

"Shit!" Steven groaned, using Mana Burst at the last possible moment. He barely evaded the projectile, pivoting away—

And then his breath caught in his throat.

He had stepped straight into a trap.

The first attack had been a feint. By dodging aside, he had placed himself directly in front of the charging Blood Burst.

It grinned, exposing rows of monstrous teeth. "Gotcha," it muttered, thrusting its fist straight toward Steven’s throat with enough force to shatter flesh and bone alike, to behead him outright.

"Shit—"

Steven snarled, raising both arms to block.

The impact slammed into his forearms with devastating force. His armored gauntlets shattered instantly, his forearms cracking beneath the blow as he was launched into the air like a broken doll. He crashed and rolled several meters before coming to a halt flat on his back, groaning as his body trembled violently with pain.

Shawn, witnessing this, staggered backward.

’Damn... what do I do...’ he thought as he stopped manifesting spiders. The idea of running...of escaping, flooded his mind. The monster’s attention was still on the young Awakened. This was his chance to survive.

He was no hero. He barely even knew Steven. So why shouldn’t he leave?

Steven would have done the same... yes. He would have—

Shawn took one trembling step backward.

Then the Blood Burst’s face turned toward him.

Its shallow, demonic eyes locked onto the fat half-Awakened. "One more step," it said coldly, "and I’ll kill you first."

The reverberating, venomous voice froze Shawn completely.

{Skill used}

{Oppressing Aura: the aura of a Disaster Rank Two. When fear is sensed, it subdues opponents without fail}

The Blood Burst turned back to Steven, who was still struggling to move.

Steven groaned, trembling as he forced himself onto his knees. His arms hung limply at his sides, useless—he had lost all control from the forearms down.

He was no longer in any condition to fight.

The Blood Burst grinned widely. "Hahahahaha! It’s been over a thousand years since the corruption... and yet you remain uncorrupted? How is that possible?"

Steven let his lips curl slightly despite the pain. The hideous grin, almost human in nature, made him find the situation strangely amusing.

"I don’t have a single idea what you’re talking about."

The Blood Burst chuckled lowly, rubbing its temples as it stuck out its nine-inch tongue and dragged it slowly across its face. It then wiggled the tongue mockingly at Steven.

"In that case, I’ll make sure this is painful—"

It stepped forward to close the distance between predator and fallen prey.

But something went wrong.

A metal hand suddenly clamped down on the Blood Burst’s tongue with crushing force. The crimson appendage burst apart, torrents of blood spilling freely.

"What?!" Its eyes twitched sideways in panic.

The Blood Burst twisted in fear, and for a single moment, its entire world flashed before its eyes.

The last thing it saw was the face of the Grey Knight slamming forward as he headbutted it violently, snapping its head back with a crack of bone and flesh.

The Grey Knight did not stop.

He advanced instantly, a grey battle-axe materializing in his grasp. With all his might, he swung.

The axe cleaved cleanly through the Blood Burst’s throat.

The beheading was instant.

The monster’s head flew through the air and crashed several feet away. Its body staggered, convulsing violently as blood poured out in torrents before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

It was dead.

The battle had ended.

Standing victorious was the mighty, scarred Grey Knight—battle-axe slick with blood in one hand, and in the other, the severed tongue of the Blood Burst.