Desperation

He directed his nervous gaze in all directions while cautiously extending his neck.

Ethan was hidden behind an imposing crimson rock, while in front of him, a cobblestone path unfolded, allowing him to escape from this gloomy place.

Huff... Huff...

His breathing was labored for a reason: he had seen something moving quickly in the distance. Although it was only for a moment, he could distinguish a gray creature that seemed to be searching for food, just like him.

He knew very well that if he didn't stay alert in this place, he could easily be devoured. Just one glance was enough to see that he was a defenseless baby!

Moreover, he had already died once; another death would truly be lamentable...

Thump-Thump!

His heart was pounding uncontrollably, his hands were trembling, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

Despite it all, Ethan gathered courage and decided to move forward since the hunger he felt was overwhelming, and he was convinced that if he didn't eat something, he would faint.

If that happened, his death would be certain, and he doubted he could be reborn again.

"Grrk?"

His tiny figure, resembling an ant compared to the towering rock formations and dry grass, finally emerged from the barren cenote!

"!"

Before his eyes, an infernal landscape unfolded, with endless chains of crimson rocks that seemed soaked in blood. Colossal bones stood, humbling even the largest creatures on Earth.

Rivers of molten lava snaked ceaselessly in all directions.

The sky was dyed with intense red, masked by sinister clouds and thunderstorms that illuminated the horizon with ominous flashes.

The most terrifying of all were the colossal demon-like creatures that infested this world. Some reached the size of mountains, while others sowed chaos in their wake.

Majestic birds soared through the skies with overflowing arrogance.

The sky was clearly a realm of absolute death for any creature without sufficient power.

The lava, instead of being a mere blazing flow, became the home of countless demons that submerged themselves in it as if it were a bath for their scales.

"..."

Wherever Ethan looked, he found only desperation. He was convinced of one thing: he was surely going to die soon...

Surviving in such a terrifying world seemed like an impossible task!

Crrrrk...

He froze upon hearing a sinister crunch around him. In an instant, the previous creature came to his mind. Holding his breath, he remained motionless, hoping to go unnoticed.

Zaas!

Unfortunately, it was an absurd illusion to believe that such a thing could work!

"Rraaaawwr!"

Bam!

The impact was brutal!

Whoosh!

His body was pathetically thrown into the air, and in that moment, he caught a glimpse of what he was facing. A demon of smaller stature but slightly larger than him.

Its scaly skin had a dark gray tone. Its disproportionately large head was round, with a bulging forehead and small horns.

"Plaf!"

"G-grrk!"

He crashed violently into a rock! Fortunately, a layer of black moss covered it, cushioning the impact.

Zaaas!

Its yellow eyes flashed with madness and malice as it lunged towards Ethan at an astonishing speed. Its large mouth, filled with sharp teeth, left a trail of slimy saliva, making its insatiable hunger clear!

"Rraawwr!"

Ethan witnessed in slow motion as the creature pounced on him with a chilling roar.

Desperately, he tried to dodge it; however, something prevented him from moving!

"Grrrk..."

He felt the sharp teeth of the demon digging into his shoulder with a piercing pain. It was so painful that he almost lost consciousness.

However, he resisted firmly and desperately searched for a solution!

Thud! Thud!

Unfortunately, finding nothing, he had no choice but to fight!

His tiny fists struck the scaly body of the creature, but unfortunately, he only ended up hurting himself with each impact.

Thud!

Despite the pain, he kept hitting because the demon clung tightly to his shoulder and showed no intentions of letting go. That's when he saw its claw suddenly rise in the air.

Slash!

His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw one of his arms severed in a single motion!

"Grrrrrkgh!"

Unable to articulate words, he could only release sounds of pain!

If it weren't for his previous experience of being torn apart by those zombies before his death, he would have surely fallen unconscious by now!

"Grrroooooooark!"

Although that didn't change the fact that his thoughts were consumed by unfettered fury and madness due to the intense pain.

At that precise moment, something transformed within Ethan. An intense thirst for blood seized his mind, while his rage reached unimaginable levels. His primal instincts took absolute control of his body!

In the midst of his agony, his thoughts turned dark and twisted.

In that state of frenzy, he no longer felt the pain. His senses sharpened, and his cunning was unleashed. His crazed eyes fixated on the black moss that held him captive, a sinister idea sprouted in his mind.

"Grrrrrrk!"

Regardless of the impending suffering, he turned with immense force, tearing the skin on his back in a desperate act. Blood and flesh became a disgusting mixture, but his lack of sanity allowed him to free himself from the moss!

The pain became a distant sensation as his determination grew stronger.

With agile and desperate movements, Ethan extended his remaining arm towards the creature and, with excessive strength, threw it towards a section of rock covered in thick moss.

The moss adhered to the hungry creature, enveloping it almost completely!

"Raaaawr!"

The demon growled in anger as Ethan watched with his bloodshot, deranged eyes. Despite his left shoulder being practically destroyed, it seemed to matter very little to him.

Thud!

A powerful blow resounded in the air, followed by another and another!

"Rrrraaar!"

The demon roared in pain, unable to understand how the weak creature that was its prey now possessed an immense strength capable of breaking its scales!

Thud! Thud!

Its blood splattered in the air, creating a crimson rain that soaked Ethan.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The blows focused on a single spot again and again!

Craack!

The sound of something breaking mixed with the agonizing moans of the demon.

Unaware of everything, Ethan immersed himself in the frenzy of battle, his mouth twisted in a deranged smile and his eyes filled with sadistic delight. He reveled in watching his enemy writhe in pain and desperation!

"R-raawr..."

Finally, with its eyes rolling upward, it died. Its body lay lifeless and bloodied on the ground.

Huff... Huff... Huff...

Covered in wounds and blood, both his own and that of the demon, he knelt with labored breaths. He felt that at any moment he could faint from exhaustion, hunger, and his injuries.

Plop!

As if he were a prophet, his consciousness darkened and collapsed onto the inert body of the demon.

Ssshh...

Suddenly, just a few meters away, an ominous and threatening shadow rose from nothingness itself, expanding rapidly and engulfing everything in its relentless darkness.

It seemed to devour light, spreading in all directions and covering hundreds of meters with its dark cloak!

Dozens of red eyes opened on its body, scrutinizing Ethan intensely. In an instant, hundreds of claws with sharp nails emerged from the ground, eager to envelop him and drag him inside its body.

"Graaaawwwrrr!"

Despite everything, just as it was about to reach its goal, a chilling roar resonated in every corner, like the thunder of an enraged god in the face of the world's ugliness!

Ssssshhh!

The shadow trembled uncontrollably and vanished, disappearing as if it had never existed.

An eerie silence enveloped the landscape once again...

A couple of hours passed before Ethan slowly opened his eyes, feeling incredibly weak. However, something within his mind seemed different, a strange sensation he couldn't identify.

As he glanced at the spot where he had rested, he remembered that he had passed out on the repugnant corpse of the demon.

An evil smile spread across his face as he gazed upon the pitiful cadaver.

"!"

But he stopped upon noticing his strange behavior. Since when did he enjoy witnessing the death of other living beings? It was evident that the intense battle had left severe psychological scars on his mind!

Grrrrrr!

He instinctively brought his hand to his stomach, feeling the stabbing pain emanating from within. But realizing his inability to make the gesture, he remembered the loss of his arm.

In his current state, he felt as if he were halfway between life and death!

Nevertheless, his gaze settled on the putrid flesh of the gray demon, and with determination, he clenched his teeth. Summoning courage, he slowly opened his small mouth and sank into the flesh, savoring the blood that flooded his palate.

Bluaaagh!

Despite his attempt to hold back, it was so repulsive that he ended up vomiting!

Ethan writhed with intense retching until only white foam foamed from his mouth. He took a labored breath and reluctantly forced himself to take another bite.

Huff... Huff...

This time, he forcibly swallowed the meat, struggling to contain the urge to vomit.

If this wasn't torture, may lightning strike him at this very moment! He couldn't understand what he had done in his life to deserve such a wretched existence of misery!

"Grrrrk!"

Crack!

His fist collided with the bones of the corpse, driven by overwhelming anger!