NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: First Murder
Zakar opened his eyes to a haze of smoke and blood. His chest rose and fell sharply, and for a moment he thought he was dreaming. The taste of iron coated his tongue, and his lungs burned as though fire had been poured into them. He looked at his trembling hands, blinking in disbelief.
"I'm… I'm alive?" he whispered. But his own voice felt hollow, lost, drowned out by a heavier, darker sound echoing in his skull.
His fingers twitched unnaturally. His head jerked to the side without his consent. Every movement felt detached, as if his body were a puppet and invisible strings pulled him at will.
"No… what is this?" Panic flared through him. He tried to resist, tried to command his legs to still, but his body advanced like a beast on the prowl.
[ Murderous Intent: 72% ]
[ Cannibalistic Nature: Confirmed ]
[ Death Mode: Initialized]
Zakar's lips parted, screaming, "No… No! Stop it!" But what came out wasn't words. It was a guttural roar that shook the walls.
"Roarr!!! Grghhh!!"
His eyes, once sharp and determined, now glowed with a malevolent purple light. His body turned abruptly at the scent of blood wafting into the atmosphere.
Behind him stood a girl a young woman, fragile and desperate. Her green hair clung to her face, matted with sweat and streaks of crimson blood.
"Please!" she cried, her voice cracking as she stumbled forward. "Help me! I have nowhere else to go! Some men… they're after me. They want to.." Her words broke into sobs.
Before Zakar could process her plea, she wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him like a drowning soul grasping driftwood.
For the briefest of moments, Zakar's true self stirred. His heart screamed at him to push her away, to spare her. His eyes watered.
'Don't stay close… I'll kill you… please, get away from me…'
But his body did not listen. His right hand rose, claws half-formed, and slammed against her head with monstrous force. The girl's body flew across the hall, crashing into the wall of the refectory. Blood trailed down her temple as she collapsed, dazed.
Zakar's tears blurred his vision, but his body crouched low, ready to pounce. The claws extended fully, gleaming with a murderous aura.
'No! Damn it, stop! What was all my training for if I can't even control myself?! Listen to me you will NOT kill her!'
But the beast within drowned him. His body lunged forward, tearing the air with unnatural speed. The girl lifted her head weakly—just in time for Zakar's claws to dig deep into her arm. Blood sprayed across his face, warm and fresh.
"AHHHHH!" she shrieked in agony.
The scream pierced Zakar's prison of chains. He could hear it, muffled but sharp, from within the darkness of his mind. Bound by shackles forged from his own Murderous Intent, he struggled violently, cutting himself on invisible barbs as he fought for control.
"Damn you! Let me OUT! I'll kill you if I must!" His own voice echoed in his head, filled with rage and despair.
But the beast moved on, merciless. It raised its arm again.
"There she is!" a male voice barked.
Zakar's possessed body froze and turned. Three men sprinted into the yard, their eyes wide as they spotted the girl.
"And who the hell is that freak?!" one shouted.
"Hey! That's our girl!" another roared. "Get away from her or you're dead!"
Zakar's body trembled, torn between the chained will of the man and the hunger of the beast. The girl whimpered faintly from the ground.
Suddenly, a torrent of flame slammed into Zakar's chest, hurling him across the refectory. He skidded along the yard, the skin of his arms peeling raw. Before he could rise, the air thickened around him. A crushing force pressed down, dragging his body up before slamming him hard into the floor.
THUD!
Dust and blood burst outward from the impact.
"Kill them… kill them all!" he voiced inside whispering like venom. Zakar snarled, his chains fracturing as he writhed. His vision flickered half beast, half human.
And then, a crack. The shackles in his mind splintered. His consciousness surged forward, gasping for control. His own vision returned just enough to see one of the men hoisting the green-haired girl onto his shoulder, preparing to flee.
"No…" Zakar rasped, his voice breaking through. "You bastards…"
Rage flared like lightning through his veins. He forced his broken body upright, glaring at the nearest of the three men. This one stood tall, arrogant, his chin raised as though the world bowed to him.
Zakar's lips curled into a grim smile. In the next instant, he vanished. His speed cut through the air like a blade, and he reappeared behind the arrogant man.
"You just stepped on the toes of a murderer," Zakar whispered into his ear. His hand clamped over the man's skull. The pressure built, tendons tightening, until...
POP!
SPLATTER!
The man's head bursted apart in Zakar's grip, fragments of bone and brain scattering like gore-filled picture. His body crumpled, twitching, before collapsing into a heap.
Zakar stood over the corpse, his breathing heavy. He gazed at his own bloodstained hands, then slowly turned to the second man the one who wielded gravity.
The man's smirk faltered as Zakar dashed forward, his knee driving upward. But before it could land, the man froze Zakar's limb midair.
"Hah… you can't touch me," he sneered. "Do you even realize who you're facing? We're not some weaklings. Our team is a cool one. One C-ranks, three B-ranks. You think you stand a chance?!"
Zakar chuckled, low and feral. His fist shot forward, crashing into the man's jaw with bone-snapping force. The gravity spell shattered instantly. The man stumbled back, eyes wide in disbelief.
"No… impossible! My system told me only an A-rank or above could break my spell!"
"Grhhhhh!" Zakar growled, voice warping.
(Your gravity is useless against speed.)
Before the man could form another spell, Zakar's claws sank into his face. He ripped downward savagely, tearing flesh and bone in one brutal swipe. Blood poured like a fountain as Zakar wrenched the man's head free from his shoulders, tossing it aside with disdain.
The hunger hit him then. Overpowering. Irresistible. His body bent low, fangs bared, as he sank them into the corpse. Blood gushed across his tongue, sweeter than any wine, flooding his senses with intoxicating heat. He drank deeply, wildly, until...
[ Murderous Intent: 61% ]
[ Murderous Intent: 56% ]
[ Ding! Murderous Intent has been temporarily paused. ]
He staggered back, licking his lips. His body trembled, but his mind felt clearer, calmer. For now.
The last man, fumbling with his belt and leering at the unconscious girl, froze. His face paled as Zakar's eyes locked onto him.
Rage exploded through Zakar like a storm. With a thought, he triggered his Stealth skill. His body dissolved into shadow, vanishing from sight. The hall grew still, silent, only for the man's nervous breathing.
A heartbeat later, his head rolled across the floor.
Zakar's form reappeared, dripping blood, his chest rising and falling with savage hunger. His gaze softened as it landed on the girl. She lay still, her breathing shallow, her arm mangled from his earlier strike.
Zakar's fists clenched. Guilt twisted inside him. He needed to heal her. He needed to fix what he had done before anyone saw him.