Death Heir’s Devouring System

The ground beneath them shattered, sending chunks of stone flying outwards.

Azrael moved faster than he had all his life. With one hand he wielded the deadly scythe, trying to deliver harm over a large area, while with the other he used his short sword to stab every time the opportunity presented itself.

Despite fighting with its non-dominant hand, the Death Knight blocked every single strike that tried to harm it.

Cinder screeched, flying over the two. Should its crimson eyes take a glimpse at an opening, the bird would dive downwards like a missile. Beak trying to tear the armor of the Death Knight apart.

Yet the monster always seemed one step ahead; with graceful movements, it navigated through the relentless flurry of attacks.

'Faster!' Azrael screamed in his heart. He was able to feel it weighing, threatening to crush him on the spot. Power so grand, so mighty that he felt like an ant. With the threat of the godlike beings slowly coming closer, bringing their domains of destruction with them, it felt like his bones were being ground to dust, like his heart was about to explode.

'Don't stop!' He pushed his body to the limit. If there was no opening, he was going to make one. If he felt pain, he was going to make his foe experience something worse.

Should his foe be unable to feel fear, then he would teach them the dread of looming Death.

Another cut on his cheek, another strike went past his cracked armor, cutting his right shoulder.

'Throw away your preserve for life, ignore your instincts keeping you whole! Overwhelm it with so many attacks, its defense would be rendered meaningless!'

The Death Knight sensed the change in Azrael's attack pattern, so it adjusted accordingly. The black sword no longer hovered with defense in mind. Now it was all about inflicting as much damage as one could against one's foe.

"Is that all you got?!" Azrael taunted, spinning his body, Gravebloom carving a wide wound on the being's back.

The Death Knight roared, turning, and kicked Azrael's chest so hard his ribs broke, which in turn pierced his lungs.

"Not yet!" Azrael roared; rather than taking a step back, he took one forward.

Simultaneously, Cinder dove behind the Death Knight, about to dig its beak deep.

But the abomination wasn't going to allow that. In a flash, it spun, burying its long sword deep in the ashen bird's body.

It was for a faint moment, but that gave Azrael an opportunity to attack from the rear.

His scythe blurred through the air and went past the monster's armor. Half of the Death Knight's leg was severed.

Another roar echoed from the hidden maws of the knight before striking Azrael with such force that he was sent into the air.

His bottomless eyes narrowed in surprise as being sent so high gave him a better vantage… And then he saw it.

The Apex Queen and the way her giant eye had curved upwards, mimicking a smile, as she watched the clash between the two. The withered soul beneath her looming figure.

The two domains of the Calamity monsters that were just a few kilometers away from descending on the entire kingdom and reducing it to nothingness under their wrath.

'I… caused this?' His mind raced, time seemingly flowing slower. 'This all started because I pricked a simple flower on the Queen's body?'

With Cinder unable to fly, he crashed hard into the ground, blood spilling from his mouth. Yet instead of giving in to pain or fear, a menacing smile curved across his face.

The cries of the Chosen locked in battle amongst themselves and the King monster rang out from the cathedral in the far distance. The Death Knight ran with all the force it could muster. Its injuries limited its power significantly, yet it didn't seem to be affected by the pain until the very end.

"Every disaster here happened because of me?" A dry laugh escaped Azrael's maw as he jumped from the roof of the house he had fallen on, descending upon the Death Knight.

The monster, slow to react, barely raised its sword in time. A heartbeat later, Azrael's scythe fell like the guillotine of death, shattering the ground beneath.

The cracks on the knight's armor widened even further; it wouldn't be able to withstand much more.

"Come on!"

He spun, side-kicking the being's face, staggering it back.

Chunks of metal fell, revealing the darkness that had been hidden beneath all this time.

"Is that all you've got?!"

The knight roared, sword accelerating. Instantly, it went past Azrael's damaged armor and severed his left arm.

"This isn't new for me!" He roared unfazed, responding with an attack of his own. The scythe slashed across the knight's face, silencing its ear-piercing scream.

The knight remained unyielding. Taking a step forward, it let go of its sword and hit Azrael's lower jaw.

His eyes widened as bones and flesh gave way. In a single, brutal strike, his lower jaw was torn off, leaving his tongue flailing and blood spurting.

The crushing aura of the Apex Queen intensified. Azrael's laughter didn't cease despite his injuries. He got even closer, mere centimeters away from the Death Knight's face.

Wrapping his fingers so tightly around his weapon that they turned white. He slashed, aiming for the gap that had opened up on the knight's neck.

The body of the monster shivered for the first time, as it sensed the danger. In an attempt to avoid its end, it tried to get out of the way.

But Azrael's foot was placed in such a way that it restricted its movements.

The winds stilled. Azrael's eyes blazed with unshakable determination.

An instant later, his scythe carved through the Death Knight's neck, cleanly severing its head in one clean motion.

Slowly, the Death Knight fell to its knees, letting go of its weapon before collapsing fully onto the ground.

Azrael wordlessly stared down at the monster, bleeding from his severed arm, torn-off jaw, and internal wounds.

He blinked a few times, struggling to come to terms with what had happened. After several seconds, he raised his gaze to the Apex Queen, whose eye was locked onto him as she loomed closer.

'I did it?' He thought, barely standing on his feet, exhaustion threatening to finish him off.

His heart beat erratically, limbs shaking, and body writhing in pain. He wasn't whole… But he was alive.

He, the Heir of Death, had slain a Savage Profane monster.

Despite it all, he was victorious.

Not the horde of Proven that had tried to stand in his way. Not the numerous monsters that he should never have fought. Not the hostile terrain that threatened to burn him until no trace remained, nor the one that attempted to brainwash him.

He was the winner.

Just then, the monotone voice of the system echoed in his head.

[You have slain the boss.]

[You have gained an item: Ring of Eternal Vengeance]

[You have devoured a skill: Ghostwalk]

[You have devoured a Remembrance: Death Knight]

[Corrupt soul has been devoured. The taint in your soul grows darker.]

Corruption Progression: [100/100]

[The Corrupted power in your soul has reached full saturation.]

[Evolution commencing…]