Nightmare at the site

"Shit, I'm... I'm gonna die," Rylan said weakly, unable to move.

The terrifying beast growled, blue saliva dangling between its metallic shark teeth.

"Saske!" Aaron called out as he quickly rose to his feet, his body shaking and beads of sweat slowly emanating from his face.

Saske raised his index finger, signaling for Aaron to hold on.

"I don't care what your motives are, but when it gets intense, I'll save them," Aaron mentioned, feeling uneasy.

"What's this? I can't move my body," Rylan lamented in pain. "Just a hit and I'm unable to move. Damn it, was I always this pathetic?" he questioned his strength as the hollow stepped closer.

Lifting its leg high like someone about to crush an insect, the hollow smashed down toward Rylan's head, crushing the ground to pieces.

"Uh?" the hollow growled, a look of surprise appearing on its face.

Below, Katsumi was holding its leg, stopping it just in time before it could land on Rylan. With blood splattered across his face, Katsumi used his strength to push the hollow's foot off.

"Katsumi," Rylan called out.

"I'll hold him off. Make a run for it," Katsumi said as he drew out a golden sword from his status board.

"Hey, who do you think I am?" Rylan said slowly as he managed to stand again.

"You're a healer, aren't you?" Katsumi asked.

Like a flash, the hollow appeared behind Rylan, about to decapitate him.

"Decay Haven: Souls of the Grave!" Katsumi shouted, Dark energy surged from the ground, enveloping the hollow and pulling it into a shadowy abyss. Ghostly apparitions swirled around the beast, binding it in place as the ground beneath it seemed to decay.

"You've realized it, don't you?" Katsumi said to Rylan, who wore a grave look on his face. This just proved how weak he was.

Rylan clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. "I... damn it !! . ''

Katsumi focused on the hollow before him, his breathing heavy and labored. The beast was an imposing figure, its decayed body oozing with a dark, sinister energy.

"Llee lemme eat youuu," the hollow said, its voice hoarse and rough, like someone learning how to talk.

"It can talk?" Katsumi said in surprise, his eyes widening.

"Lemme eeaat you," the hollow repeated, its upper arms shredding the binds that had once restrained it. Its decayed foot, covered in rotting flesh, instantly regenerated.

"Damn it... Like hell I will let you!" Katsumi shouted, his voice filled with determination as he maintained his stance, gripping his sword tightly.

The hollow roared, releasing a heavy and dominating magical energy from within its grotesque body.

"Bl..ood art," the hollow chanted, and millions of webs made of blood emanated from its fingers, filling the air with a crimson glow.

Both Katsumi and Rylan gasped in shock.

"It can use arts!!" Katsumi exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and dread. The webs glittered in the air, creating a deadly and mesmerizing display. This was no ordinary hollow; this was a disaster, a nightmare made flesh. Katsumi braced himself for the incoming attack.

Rylan's attention quickly shifted to the notification that appeared on his status board. A holographic image floated before him, displaying a quest.

"To unlock webs of destiny, devour the blood hollow."

"What does this mean?" Rylan wondered, his mind racing. He didn't have much time to ponder, as Katsumi's warning brought him back to the present.

"Here it comes!" Katsumi shouted as the blood webs shot toward them with terrifying speed.

"Decay Haven: Domain of Graves!" Katsumi recited, sprinting across the walls. He clasped his palms together, and the environment warped into another domain entirely—a graveyard filled with countless tombstones and swirling mists. Rylan watched in awe at Katsumi's power.

The blood webs attacked, shredding everything they touched into pieces. Katsumi clashed with the hollow, his sword moving like a blur as he sliced through the crimson strands with precision. The hollow retaliated with vicious swipes of its claws, each blow resonating with dark energy.

Rylan dodged the webs, his mind still grappling with the quest. "Devour the blood hollow?" he thought. "Just moments ago, Katsumi seemed scared and weak. But this version of him... he's amazing." Rylan's admiration for Katsumi grew as he dodged another web coming from above.

Suddenly, the domain vanished, returning them to reality. The graveyard faded away, and they were back in the midst of the battlefield, smoke and debris filling the air.

"Is it over already?" Rylan wondered, his body badly wounded and cut from the webs. He looked around, trying to assess the situation.

"Ahh," Rylan gasped in horror at the sight before him.

The hollow's hand was thrust through Katsumi's chest, blood dripping profusely. Katsumi's face was twisted in pain, but he managed to turn his head slowly toward Rylan.

"Katsumi!" Rylan screamed, his voice filled with anguish.

The hollow let out a guttural laugh, relishing in the suffering it caused. Katsumi whispered something, a faint smile crossing his lips, before the hollow bit off his head. Blood sprayed into the air, and Katsumi's body fell lifelessly to the ground.

"No!" Rylan screamed, tears streaming down his face. His heart pounded in his chest, the pain of losing his friend tearing at his soul . The quest notification flashed before his eyes again: "Devour the blood hollow."

Witnessing Katsumi's brutal death, Rylan fell to his knees, his body shaking as sobs wracked through him. The hollow lifted Katsumi's lifeless body with its web, a grotesque trophy of its victory. The sight of his friend's desecrated body was too much to bear.

Suddenly, Rylan's sobs turned into a guttural laughter, drawing the hollow's attention. The hollow paused, intrigued by this unexpected reaction.

Rylan's emerald green eyes glittered with a murderous look, a fury so intense it seemed to radiate from his very soul. The sky above them darkened, and a bolt of black lightning struck Rylan, enveloping him in a dark, crackling energy.

The transformation began swiftly. Rylan's body convulsed as the dark energy seeped into his flesh, reshaping him. His once fair skin darkened to a deathly gray, veins pulsing with the black energy. His hair, already long, grew even longer, becoming wild and unrestrained, swinging behind him like a dark, flowing river. The black lightning danced through his hair, giving it an almost ethereal, shadowy glow.

His muscles bulged, growing more defined and powerful, as if his very body was being reforged in the fires of his rage and sorrow. His fingers elongated into sharp, claw-like talons, crackling with dark energy, capable of rending flesh and bone with ease.

Rylan's eyes, once a beautiful shade of emerald green, transformed into glowing orbs of pure malice, shimmering with a deep, murderous red. The pupils elongated into slits, giving him a predatory, otherworldly appearance. His mouth twisted into a savage grin, revealing sharp, elongated fangs ready to tear into his enemies.

A pair of twisted, black horns emerged from his forehead, curling back like those of a demonic beast, further emphasizing his transformation into a hollow. His clothing was shredded, replaced by a dark, organic armor that clung to his body like a second skin, pulsating with the same dark energy that coursed through his veins.

Rylan's back arched as large, skeletal wings burst forth, the bones covered in tattered, shadowy membranes that flapped ominously behind him. The wings crackled with black lightning, adding to the terrifying spectacle of his transformation.

As the transformation completed, Rylan stood there, a dark, menacing figure radiating a murderous aura. The hollow, sensing the overwhelming power emanating from Rylan, took a step back, a rare flicker of fear crossing its grotesque features.

Rylan's voice, now deeper and filled with an echo of dark energy, boomed across the battlefield as he roar .

The hollow roared in defiance, but Rylan moved with blinding speed. He vanished from sight, only to reappear behind the hollow, his claws slicing through the air. The hollow barely had time to react as Rylan's claws tore into its flesh, dark energy searing its decayed body.

The battlefield erupted into chaos as the two clashed. Rylan's new form moved with a terrifying grace, each strike infused with the power of the black lightning. The hollow fought back fiercely, but it was no match for the transformed Rylan.

The air crackled with energy as Rylan unleashed his fury, the dark lightning illuminating the night. Each blow was a devastating mix of physical and magical power, tearing through the hollow's defenses.

The hollow, realizing its impending defeat, attempted to escape, but Rylan's skeletal wings flapped once, propelling him forward with incredible speed. He caught up to the hollow, his claws digging into its back and dragging it down to the ground.

With a final, deafening roar, Rylan plunged his claws into the hollow's chest, the dark energy surging through his arm and into the creature. The hollow writhed in agony as the energy consumed it from within, its body disintegrating into ash and dust.

The transformation had granted him immense power, but at what cost? He had avenged Katsumi, but he was no longer the same.

The hollow tried to rise one last time, its body broken and battered, but Rylan wasn't done. With a primal roar, he lunged at the hollow, his fangs bared. He bit into the hollow's neck, tearing through its flesh with savage ferocity. The hollow screeched in pain, its decayed flesh crumbling under Rylan's relentless assault.

Rylan's jaws clamped down harder, severing the hollow's head with a final, brutal snap. He spat out the remains, the taste of the hollow's foul blood lingering in his mouth. The body of the hollow disintegrated into nothingness, leaving only a dark, ominous stain on the ground.

Breathing heavily, Rylan stood over the spot where the hollow had fallen. He had done it. He had devoured the hollow, as the quest had commanded. The black lightning that had enveloped him slowly began to recede, his body returning to its normal form, but the experience had left an indelible mark on his soul.

He looked down at his blood-stained hands, a mix of horror and grim satisfaction on his face.

"Blood arts unlocked, hollow transformation unlocked, God of Thunder unlocked," a voice announced as Rylan's status board appeared, filled with notifications.

Noelle and Izuki gasped in shock as they witnessed the intense battle between beasts.

Noelle drew her sword and aimed it at Rylan. "What in Christ's name are you?"

"Alright, guys!" Saske interrupted, appearing beside her with Aaron.

Tears streamed down Rylan's face as anger surged through his veins. "Why? Why are you just coming now? You could have saved him!"

"Hey, brat, watch who you talk to," Aaron cautioned.

"What the hell is going on here?" Izuki yelled, his voice echoing through the desolate battlefield.

"Katsumi is dead!" Rylan fired back, bringing absolute silence to the scene.

Noelle slowly lowered her weapon. "Huh? Cut me that crap. Look behind you, idiot!"

Izuki yelled, his usual anger issues flaring up.

Rylan slowly turned behind him to see Katsumi, smiling and very much alive.

"Sorry to worry you, Rylan," Katsumi said, looking down.

Rylan was filled with surprise. "But how?"

Saske smiled.

FLASHBACK

Seeing the massive destruction above them, Aaron asked, "Are we helping now?"

"Wait just a little," Saske assured as he placed his fingers by his right eye as if trying to capture an image. His eyes suddenly started to glow, enabling him to see the battle happening on the roof of the building.

Penetrating Katsumi's domain, the hollow grabbed Katsumi, lifting him high up. Saske spoke to Katsumi telepathically.

"You sure are having a hard time here, aren't you?" Saske asked, his tone more sarcastic than concerned.

"Sensei!" Katsumi replied, surprised.

"I need to do something. Sorry to interrupt," Saske said, clasping his palms together, his eyes still glowing.

In an instant, Katsumi appeared before Saske and Aaron outside.

"Sensei! But how?" Katsumi asked, his body battered.

"I replaced you with a clone," Saske explained.

"But the boy at the top..." Katsumi asked, his voice filled with worry.

"Don't worry, he won't die," Aaron assured.

END OF FLASHBACK

Rylan stood there, his mind racing to comprehend what had just transpired. The transformation, the battle, and now the revelation that Katsumi was alive—it was all too much.

"Rylan, you need to understand," Saske began, stepping forward. "We had to let you face this challenge. It was the only way for you to unlock your true potential."

Rylan's fists clenched, the anger and confusion evident on his face. "You let me think he was dead. You let me suffer."

"It was necessary," Saske replied, his voice firm but not unkind. "You needed to experience that pain to awaken the power within you. At least you have proven you're not a threat for now. Putting your life on the line to fight for someone you barely met was something I admired. I have faith in you, Rylan Maxwell."

The hollow's remains had long since dissipated, and the battlefield was eerily quiet. Noelle sheathed her sword, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and confusion. Izuki, still fuming, looked ready to argue but held back.

"So, what now?" Rylan asked, his voice quieter, the anger still simmering but controlled.

"Now let's go party!" Saske spoke, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Rylan couldn't help but smile. "You're unbelievably crazy."

"Rylan," Katsumi said, stepping forward. "I'm sorry for that. But you saved me in more ways than one. Your power is incredible, and together, we can become even stronger."

Rylan looked at Katsumi, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Alright. Let's do this. Let's get stronger," Izuki yelled as they all left the building.