Chosa gritted his teeth, heart pounding like a war drum as the battle raged ahead. Dust and splintered stone filled the air, the walls of the dungeon groaning from the sheer force of the clash. He could feel the raw fury bubbling just beneath his skin, the dormant power of the Berserk skill clawing to be unleashed.
"Luna," he growled through clenched teeth. "Activate Berserk."
"Understood," she replied with a calmness that contrasted the chaos.
A violent surge of energy erupted from within. Crimson veins of pulsating light rippled up his arms and across his chest. His vision narrowed, every motion and detail sharpening with uncanny clarity. Each heartbeat struck like a hammer inside his chest. Pain and heat melted together into a singular, overwhelming force of destruction.
With a feral roar, Chosa shot forward like a crimson meteor. The earth beneath cracked with every footfall. He maneuvered around the edge of the chaotic battle between Kaisel and the cloaked hunter, waiting for an opening.
Kaisel's body trembled from the toll of his own Berserk state. Though powerful, the ability gnawed at his life force, making each motion feel heavier than the last.
Chosa appeared behind him like a ghost, placing a hand on Kaisel's back and channeling his healing skill. A soft blue glow flowed from his palm, weaving over Kaisel's form. The tension in Kaisel's muscles eased, his breathing calmed, and his movement steadied.
Kaisel shot him a look, wide-eyed. "You—you're using Berserk?"
Chosa's mouth curled into a grin. "We'll talk later."
With no further words, the two charged at the hunter together, blades gleaming with energy. Their strikes became a synchronized storm—Kaisel with brutal precision, Chosa with blinding speed. For the first time, the hunter was pushed back, his cloak tattered by the sheer ferocity.
The hunter twisted through their attacks, parrying and deflecting with uncanny skill. But even he couldn't keep up with their tempo forever. A slice of Chosa's blade grazed the hunter's shoulder. Blood, a deep violet hue, beaded and dripped to the ground.
The cloaked figure stilled, staring at the wound. Then, with a quiet, breathless laugh, he spoke. "Interesting... you're both anomalies. Not one, but two in the same place. My instincts were correct."
He pointed at Chosa. "You... your aura isn't just strange—it's offensive. It feels... wrong. Unnatural. And yet... oddly familiar."
Kaisel lunged forward, landing a heavy strike that was blocked just in time. The impact cracked the stone floor beneath the hunter's feet.
The hunter spun and unleashed a pulse of force from his palm. The wave flattened everything in its path, shattering stone pillars and sending Chosa and Kaisel flying backward. Dust rained from the ceiling as chunks of rubble tumbled down.
Chosa recovered mid-air, flipping and landing hard but balanced. Kaisel crashed into a wall, bounced off, and rolled to a stop, rising with a growl.
"You're not bad," the hunter muttered, brushing dust from his cloak. "Most would've been crushed by now. But you're still standing. Curious."
He launched forward, fists glowing with unnatural energy. The next minute was a blur of devastation. The walls cracked, the floor split, and the dungeon chamber shook with every impact. Sparks flew as blade clashed with bare hands. The hunter's strength was monstrous, each blow like a hammer of dark intent.
But Chosa and Kaisel adapted. Chosa danced around attacks, striking fast and retreating before retaliation. Kaisel, empowered by Chosa's healing, began matching the hunter's power, using his Berserk-enhanced strikes to land punishing blows. The two anomalies worked in tandem—fluid, deadly, relentless.
A deep cut finally sliced across the hunter's cheek. He froze again, touched the blood with a gloved hand, and then chuckled.
"Amusing," he said, his voice rich with twisted delight. "But I've seen enough."
He stepped back slowly, his presence still suffocating. The cavern dimmed around him as if the shadows obeyed his will.
"This isn't the last you'll hear of us," he said. "My master will be informed. I've found not one, but two anomalies. This changes everything."
He reached up and pulled back his hood.
His face appeared almost human—but his eyes were voids, swirling with the consuming darkness of miniature black holes. A jagged scar ran from the edge of his lip up across his left cheek, as if something monstrous had once tried to tear his face off.
"Remember this face," he said, his voice echoing unnaturally. "I am Grim. Grim the Hunter."
He lifted a hand. A glowing rune blazed into existence on his palm—pulsing with ominous energy.
With a rush of wind and an implosion of shadow, his body vanished in a cloud of thick, black mist. The darkness spun like a cyclone before dispersing, leaving behind only silence and a ruined battlefield.
Kaisel collapsed to one knee, exhausted, sweat pouring down his brow.
Chosa stood still for a moment, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The red veins along his arms flickered and dimmed as the Berserk energy drained away.
He looked around at the destruction, at the silent chamber that had once housed a powerful enemy. He exhaled slowly, the weight of the encounter settling in.
"I... actually survived," he muttered, barely above a whisper.