It was only minutes after Eric had darted out the cloud castle as fast as he could sprint, still filled with the sweet sense of satisfaction that came from a successfully pulled heist... in this case claiming countless confectionery treasures before anyone could say no, that Eric realized what should have been obvious from the start.

  If his quest-offering dragon had needed to shield any mention of her friend in blood-warded calligraphy… then what was to prevent the conversation that he and Irene had shared aloud from reaching hostile ears?

  Eric winced, suddenly feeling like he was in the crosshairs of a hunter eager to mark fresh prey.

  “Fuck.”

  He paused at the border between realms, smelling a faint whiff of sulfur from brooding black clouds that pressed against regio’s boundary. The air rang with wild shrieks in the dark gloom quite different from the massive herd beasts and all too sapient serpents in the clouds above, quickly scanning the address to the signed and sealed letter before putting it away once more.

  Maybel Drachen, 7th & Vine.

  Lips pressed in a thin line, Eric reviewed his options.

  “Alright, at least I know I can see the boundary. That’s a good sign. A damn good sign. And if I want to play the hero, I don’t have time to waste.” He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. Despite the growing tension he felt, the mental exhaustion that each sweet burst of pristine potency kept at bay, leaving him feeling gloriously refreshed as if he had just had a power nap, he couldn’t help but feel a relieved smile come to his features that his meridians were still almost entirely clear of plaque.

  Not completely, but he had the sense that it was well within the bounds of what evolution’s path, the most forgiving path for it’s survivors, would allow before the challenges he needed to face and their difficulty would spike.

  Because he had raised no additional troops, of course, keeping his personal kills to blade and spear alone. As true to his martial path as any, since it was also how he would ascend as a cultivator. He sighed. “It would be absolutely perfect if I could get the Path of Consumption to follow suit, but no. I can’t cultivate worth shit when I draw that power in. Only absorb it… and shudder with the sheer fucking rush off playing god.”

  He shivered, shaking his head as the air filled with distant roars and the sounds of battle. “It’s a rush, it leaves a taint, and I have absolutely no way of altering it, and I don’t dare seriously try. All I can do is embrace the Path of Endless Bounty and drink as deep from its chalice as I possibly can.” He flashed a bleak smile. “And revel in its ever growing boons of Strength and Vitality with a dash of Soul Reserves thrown in… even as my Qi Pool continues to wane, so much of my Spiritual Energy going into reinforcing my body, like the ultimate body cultivator. And we all know what happens if I run dry.”

  He smirked, shaking his head, because the solution was obvious, and, if he was honest with himself, exhilarating in its own way.

  “Alright. I’m two territories away from New York, and this one’s a red. The solution’s obvious. I hunt down every exotic critter I can find that I haven’t faced down before that I can spot on my way to New York. Once I’ve completed my mission there, I head back out and I embrace the hunt until I’ve maxed out my potential for these regions. I need to lock in every ‘easy’ cultivation level I can. Whatever my plans for the next two weeks, I’d be a fucking idiot to do otherwise… so long as I also lock in New York and see if I can make a certain dream come true.” He then chuckled. “And if nothing else, I’ve got lots of consolation prizes. Several thousand tasty crème and chocolate-filled consolation prizes, so why the hell am I stressing? Time for the hunt, because life is good!”

  He nodded, decision made, and dared to smile, looking forward to the crimson revels to come.

  And perhaps it was only because he was so deeply in tune with himself at that moment as both Classer, Cultivator and Necromancer with a Unified Perception in the twenties that he sensed it.

  The horrifying sensation that a cold, pitiless eye from directions and dimensions unfathomable had just been opened.

  That he was now being watched.

  Eric’s gut clenched, feeling the chill of frigid waters drenching him with fear and shivering down his spine as the interface message now flashing across him mind’s eye put horrifying clarity to the dreadful sensation of lingering doom.

  Unified Perception check: Success! Thanks to mastery along 3 paths of power, (near) pristine cultivation and Unified Perception enhancing your impressive attribute, you have SUCCESSFULLY spotted a Hunter’s Mark bound upon your Soul.

  Lesser Mark – The predator marks his prey! This mark causes no weakness and pierces no defenses but DOES allow the astute hunter to track down his prey!

  “No, hell no!” Eric cursed, not hesitating to embrace the most fiery variant of his old cycling technique, to burn that unwanted taint away.

  To no avail.

  Determination turned to dismay when even flooding his body with Fire’s Fury and Ice’s Dominion did absolutely nothing.

  Not even Blood Mastery would purge the crimson marking he found upon his flesh, taking scant comfort that the sigil was far less intrusive or potent than the one marking the dragon queen.

  “FUCK!” He glared at the hunk of flesh he had cleaved from his shoulder, wincing only momentarily as it grew back with a burst of potency… the mark there once more.

  “Bloody fucking bullshit!”

  Eric clenched his fists, fear instantly becoming white hot fury as he snarled and tore past the barrier, his blade alight with crimson fire.

  Some Silver-tier asshole wanted to line him up in their crosshairs? GOOD! Because Eric now wanted nothing more than to make them BLEED for their offense, honing every damn skill he could, so that when they crossed blades, or blasters or spells… it would be the last thing that fucker ever did.

  He seethed and charged into clouds of sulfurous darkness and crimson lightning, immersed in toxic fumes that he had no doubt would spell the doom of most adventurers who didn’t have the common sense to leap back out when skin sizzled, eyes burned, and lungs wheezed.

  Fortunately, the concerns of 100 or less Vitality champions were no longer his own.

  And he wasn’t stupid. With the weight of a doom curse on his head, he sure as hell would be keeping himself at a 100% at all times.

  “Creo ventus incurvo unos dies!” He roared, flashing a brief smile as sulfur fumes were replaced by oxygen rich winds whipping around his body in a tight sheath that somehow maintained itself, even when Eric locked in his targets and tore through the air.

  Shadow figures that could have been giant bats silhouetted against the flashes lightning, striking what looked like a giant air-born killer whale. Eric quickly spotted dozens of wing shuddering with darkness that previous perilous experience had noted as the Essence of Sharpness, leaving bloody furrows upon the hide of the massive whale-like creature swimming through the howling winds.

  Yet for all that it spurted blood, the piercing sharp cry the giant floating whale gave out sent half a dozen bats crumpling to the ground, far, far below.

  Eric’s brow tightened when the unexpected reverberations of the screams slammed against both eardrums and psyche, in ways that would have sent him hurtling to the ground along with the doomed bats, had he evolved along any path than the one he had chosen.

  You have been struck by periphery of Psionic Scream!

  You have saved versus Stunning Blow!

  243 Psionic Resistance mitigates all damage!

  Your Dense Neurons are far too thick and stubborn to be disturbed by any Psionic Whale’s scream!

  Yet no matter how cheerful the System messages flickering across his mind’s eye, the look in the bloodied whale’s eyes wasn’t that of a gentle behemoth but a wild-eyed killer. Eric felt chilled despite himself as the beast snapped and tore at the flock of vorpal bats he seemed just as eager to devour as they were to feast upon him.

  Eric flashed a fierce grin, feeling right at home as he locked in his prey and charged forward with a roar.

  Immediately garnering the attention of both Psionic Whale even now inhaling to shriek once more… and dozens of vorpal bats.

  Exactly what Eric wanted.

  Quickness check: Critical success!

  You have weaved past 1 dozen bats!

  Doom Bat wings are infused with the essences of Darkness and Sharpness!

  ANOMALY DETECTED!

  Doom Bats are Bronze Tier opponents!

  Psionic Whale is a Bronze Tier opponent.

  This territory is ascending to Black!

  Eric’s mind lit up with alarm he refused to feel because there was NO TIME as he weaved and dodged past countless bats as he darted forward at such furious screaming speeds that only two pairs of wings managed to score a mark.

  One left the shallowest of cuts against his wrist where he held his essence-infused sarissa, the other slammed against his Impermeability-infused Cuirass, the creature shrieking as it ephemeral wings were shattered against an alloy that refused its attempts to phase through.

  And Eric couldn’t even spare a fierce smile that that impact alone had been enough to satisfy a distant chuckling Eve as the dying bat was sent hurtling to the ground, all Eric’s focus now on the whale inhaling like a massive bellows, the flapping sales of a galleon, and a pre-apocalypse sound cannon all at once, an eyeblink from blasting him with a Psionic Scream that would be utterly beyond any Psionic attack he had ever been forced to endure.

  The spike terror he felt, knowing that even his dense neurons would be transformed to paste, compelled him to desperate action. Even the look in the whale’s eyes made it clear that his doom was assured before the eye exploded in a shower of pressurized gore as a roaring Eric crashed into his foe.

  PIERCING STRIKE!

  You have CHARGED into your foe!

  You have CRITICALLY STRUCK you foe!

  Essence-Infused Sarissa has torn through cranium!

  Essence-Infused Sarissa has torn through basal ganglia!

  Contender Eric Silver has blasted through opponent’s skull at Mach 4!

  Battletime in effect! Slow-Time in effect!

  Multiple defensive Charge Boons are now in effect!

  Fatal Damage has been reduced MULTIPLE tiers!

  478 Physical Resistance means you can survive artillery fire. Even when the artillery is YOU!

  A roaring Eric was blinded by a brilliant flash and jolt as he blasted into his target like he once had as a hot-tempered child so frustrated with his mother and his life that he had raced right for the front door, trying to body slam through it.

  Only to be sent flying back with a cracked tibia, bruised shoulder and a painful sob that became screams when his furious mother made it damn clear how she felt about Eric acting out.

  Just like he was acting out now, he was forced to accept as his world became one of blinding pain, a stunned breathless wheeze.

  Only this time it was the Bronze-Tier killer whale whose head had exploded in a shower of bone, brain, and blood raining down upon the chaotic killing fields below.

  Though Eric still found himself with a bruised shoulder and cracked wrist for his troubles… yet Unified Restoration took care of that in seconds as Eric whooped and roared with the fierce sweetness of his triumph, the shockwave of his impact stunning if not outright killing the swarm of bats that had turned their attention away from the massive battleship-sized titan slowly falling through sulfurus clouds to the Earth below to search for fresh prey.

  A still dizzy Eric filled the air with madcap laughter even as death darted in, the air suddenly alight with crimson fire as mirth turned to fury and Eric struck.

  You have successfully parried 7 Shadow attacks!

  You have successfully weaved past 12 Shadow attacks!

  You have been struck thrice by Shadow!

  Essence infused breastplate and mithril counter 2 strikes!

  1 Shadow blow strikes naked flesh!

  Multiple Resistances Mitigate Serious Wound to Superficial injury!

  Eric’s mithril blade flashed, blazing with crimson fire as he tore through multiple bat wings with cleaving Zwerchau strikes, his dachi lashing out to deliver blistering rebuttals to the swarming bats that had actually managed to nick him. Which at his Quickness was all but unforgivable.

  Of course he understood his mistake as the winds slipped past his floating form, standing so firmly on steps of air and will as he leaped and dove across surfaces only he could see.

  Because he was fighting creatures that could phase in and out of reality, looping past and striking at unexpected angles all around him.

  And attributes weren’t the be all, end all.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Knowing one’s prey mattered just as much.

  It was why he deliberately went hunting for a second pack of killer Shadow Bats, even after claiming evolution’s boon from taking out the handful before.

  Because he didn’t just want the level… he wanted absolute mastery over all his foes.

  So that the next handful of bats to strike for his feet while a second warm attacked his head and a third his torso would find themselves cleaved open in showers of blazing gore… and Eric free of any marks at all.

  It was only when he had proven his mastery over the foes of the air that he allowed himself a moment to acknowledge the gains he had made.

  Congratulations! You have successfully slain Cloud Whale and Shadow Bats in Singular Combat! (Incidental contributors ignored!)

  You have successfully slain multiple Shadow Bats in Singular Combat!

  Charge is now Rank 21!

  You have gained 2 levels as Death’s Disciple!

  3rd Tier Core Saturation is now at 90.01%!

  And that was when he saw it.

  The massive floating eye in the heart of the storm.

  Eric felt a cold shiver even as he gripped his blade as crimson lightning flashed to reveal the shockingly vast body and limbs of an eight-limbed Cloud Kracken in the heart of the storm.

  Eric’s heart began to pound even as he whispered a fresh runic chant, already knowing what his next move absolutely had to be.

  Summon the T-3 Blaster he had in reserve? See if he could get Hell Vines to manifest right on the massive multi-mile long behemoth he faced?

  He laughed at the thought, locking eye with his prey as he traded sarissa for dachi before infusing it with all his killing intent.

  Spending long seconds gazing carefully at those undulating limbs, looking for the tell he needed the creature’s deadly keening wail filled the air.

  Eric grit his teeth as his ears began to bleed.

  Because the attack was sonic, not psionic, and as grateful as he was for his mad Physical Resistance… the ringing in his ears made it damn clear he was vulnerable still. At least to a degree.

  As showcased by the tiny specks of multiple flying denizens now falling from the clouds like rain, only to be gathered by the creatures shockingly large limbs before be shoved in its beak and that was when—

  Speed Racer in effect! You are charging your foe!

  Time seemed to stretch and slow as Eric embraced pure madness.

  Thinking he could take out a creature that, in its present incarnation, was several times larger than Malice had been. As far as power went…

  Eric had no intention of finding out.

  Using everything he had to dodge away from the ginormous tendril now lazily whipping through the air, and he didn’t trust those massive suckers one bit.

  Suckers that were now flaring from each of the four limbs the creature casually put to impede Eric’s path, and he could all but FEEL the malicious glee the titan radiated, about to slurp him up as casually as a handful of suckers had just snatched one of the stunned Cloud Whales.

  Eric, not being a complete fool, didn’t flash his soon to be prey a cocky grin until AFTER he had flitted past not one, not two, but four sucker-covered limbs.

  Speed Racer successfully counter’s air resistance!

  Speed Racer successfully counters pressure differential!

  You are presently moving at Mach 4!

  Your foe FAILS to catch you!

  And in an eye blink, he was before his target. Massive, elastic. So vast that any spear thrust or, indeed, any Eric-sized hole would hardly be fatal. Might just be little more than a hindrance.

  Which was why Eric reduced air resistance to zero, tucking his legs and maximizing his inertia so his Speed no longer depended on Quickness but the massive inertia he had already generated just in time to unleash the full potency of his blade while he howled with fury, Strength and Quickness both crashing a full thousand points, Eric feeling the sudden horrific strain of what he was doing like never before.

  Yet before he could suffer injury, it was already done.

  Burst of Strength in effect!

  Strength has been reduced to 1400!

  Quickness has been reduced to 487!

  Air resistance has been reduced to ZERO!

  You are STILL traveling at Mach 4!

  The messages flashed across his mind’s eye as the gloomy air lit up with a second blazing sun that set the very air on fire as his Windfire blade grew to 400 feet in length an instant before the massive bar of liquid flame tore through both titanic eye and most of the football field-sized head in explosion of superheated gore.

  The air filled with the spray of pressurized brains and fluids and eye juice so vast it was practically rain, all of it instantly igniting in a fireball of absolute destruction. But Eric was already a mile away before retracting his blade, gasping with an odd mixture of exhaustion and the shocking rush of power roaring through him as he spun back around to gaze upon the ruined creature of massive flailing limbs and a single giant eye deflating before it could focus on anything save its own death as the blazing abomination began plummeting to the ground, far below.

  An awed Eric gazed forlornly at the giant prize slowly falling to the storm wracked lands far below.

  You have successfully slain Deep Bronze Air Kracken!

  You have ascended to Level 59 as a Cultivator!

  Bloodfire Strike is now Rank 28!

  Eve is pleased with your hunt!

  Eric flashed a grim smile. “Good thing I have my Crimson Orb up all the time to cut all Soul Reserve costs by three fourths, but sure as shit I don’t dare use that attack close to any population center on the ground. At 20-fold its baseline heat and potency, with all the other modifiers in play, piercing resistances and armor and Soul Wards… yeah. Whatever System protections keep everyone’s more person-sized melee attacks from setting the very air ablaze, it clearly gave up on 400-foot-long blades as hot as the sun.”

  Eric’s brow tightened, for just a heartbeat regretting so bitterly the transcendent breakthrough he had enjoyed only long enough to strike Malice dead… now gone, and he couldn’t even recall what it had been!

  He then smirked at his own absurdity as he stood so comfortably in the air as the kracken crashed down to the ground, earning him a fresh surge of potency.

  He had come so far from such humble beginnings, but even when first taking on the pair of lowlifes responsible for kidnapping his sister for the orc fire pits, claiming the initiative had proven to be the winning move every time.

  Ramming an unsuspecting punk with a spear before he even knew death was comng. Fusing System weapon perks with Crimson-warped Qi attacks to get the drop on an experienced Cultivator determined to cut him down, only to fall himself. And now he was charging floating behemoths who underestimated the tiny human until the very moment it was too late to ever underestimate anything ever again, using a Bloodfire Strike that had evolved by leaps and bounds compared to what he had first struck down a cultivator so eager to claim his head.

  Yet even as his gifts evolved, certain truths were universal.

  It was best to always seize the Vor and strike his foes with absolute killing intent when and where they least expected it.

  As Malice himself had learned, when contemptuous mastery of Eric’s ultimate attack had become a look of outright dismay a heartbeat before oblivion, and 3 million of Eric’s closest companions had shown that even the most direct and brutal assaults could be a feint and bluff for the obliterating strike they never saw coming.

  Eric flashed a fierce smile, reveling in the fresh surge of potency and insights yet another level had given him as he continued to ascend as a cultivator along the most perilous path imaginable.

  Before wincing at the feel of that mark STILL on his shoulder. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before some absolute fuck tried to take him out just as ruthlessly, with just as much overwhelming force, as Eric liked to unleash on all his foes.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He snarled, his hawklike gaze zooming in on the distant swarm of scythe-limbed abominations below.

  “This territory’s shooting to black, even with the delve cleared. How many Reds are going to be at risk like this? Must be a final gift left by that absolute fuckhead. Which means I’d be an idiot not to wrap this up damned quick so there is absolutely ZERO chance of any more fucking beast surges. Not after all the shit I went through building up my army, so close to the edge, coming so close to dying…”

  He shuddered the thought away, ruthlessly squelching his dismay.

  He had wanted to focus on a pristine foundation. But how fucking absurd was that in his present situation? He wasn’t in some idealized cultivation isekai. He was on his own postapocalyptic world in constant danger of erupting in all sorts of ways, and these territories needed to be claimed NOW!

  If he could grab a few taint-free levels? He was all for that. But that was NOT the focus. A clean strip of tame, stable territories linking Freetown and Ashland and New Arcadia to New York, before expanding up and down a stable White-tier East Coast that included all the territories connecting Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington DC if he could manage it... That WAS the goal, that was his master plan, and it was time he got back to work.

  Such was his resolve as he streaked down from the heavens, crashing into the mass of swarming foes below, the air crackling as the thrum of a 400 foot long blade of blinding crimson light cleaved in a bloody circle with Eric at its center, the air erupting with the roaring explosion of hundreds of beasts ripped open by a blade that tore right through them, bodies cleaved in twain even as their insides flash-boiled and exploded like superheated sausages before incinerating to ash and flaming embers before even touching the ground.

  You have critically struck 167 Swarming beasts of multiple origins with Phoenix Reach enhanced Bloodfire Strike!

  You have spent an additional 300 Qi and 7.5 Soul Reserves.

  10 Shadow Scythes have fazed free of your attack!

  Shadow Scythes are attacking!

  Eric’s brow frowned in consternation, noting most specifically that he had not been awarded any levels with that monstrous strike.

  No surge of Spiritual Energy attuned insights or illumination had caressed his psyche. Merely a delicious fresh surge to his already hyper-saturated, absurdly saturated 3rd Tier core.

  All he got was a flash of Eve’s hard smile and a sense that his attack was closer to a wujen spell of obliterating flame than any sort of melee attack… at least when he wasn’t taking on floating kracken horrors whose limbs were even longer than his blade.

  His instincts screamed warning. At his reduced speed, he was still fast, but at a Quickness now just a hair under 500… he was no longer the fastest creature on these killing fields.

  Yet his Perception was still high enough that he sensed shadowy death slipping behind him.

  You have dispelled Bloodfire blade!

  Battletime screamed into hyperfocus.

  Yet despite how fast he now moved, he still sensed impossibly sharp death plunging into his throat.

  Mithril Collar infused with runes of Dominion and Impermeability partially mitigates Rank 1 Essence of Piercing Shadow!

  488 Physical Resistance enhanced by Elemental Resistance only partially mitigates blow!

  Quickness check (partially) made!

  You have successfully rolled with the blow!

  You have suffered a (glancing) critical hit!

  Carotid Artery is spurting blood!

  Eric’s mind screamed warning as a tiny corner of his psyche cursed himself for a fool, refusing to feel panic as his widened eyes spun around to face smirking crimson orbs from humanoid-looking husks of living shadow with blazing red eyes. Nearly a dozen Shadowy assassins were now surrounding him, in a sea of wildly swarming beasts who were paying them no mind at all.

  “The hunt ends here, foolish mortal.”

  Eric suppressed a shiver, even as he sensed the mark on his neck flared with a bitter chill, attempting to freeze him while he washed his foes in a shower of his own blood as they closed in for the kill.

  His interface screamed with warning.

  Lesser Mark has SPRUNG HIDDEN TRAP!

  SPIRITUAL BINDINGS Bind your Strength and Hold you Rigid!

  You need a Strength of over 500 to—

  Strength Check made: Critical Success! You are able to move once more!

  Strength will be penalized 500 points until—”

  “Abjuro!” Eric snarled as his foes closed in their trap.

  Rank 23 Unorthodox Abjuration FAILS to Counter Bronze-Tier Lesser Mark infused with the Essence of the Hunter.

  Eric felt a sudden surge of crushing force from the Lesser Mark as the Shadow creatures launched themselves at him in unison.

  “Repudio!” Eric roared, no longer holding back his own essence infused gifts in an effort to snap a link that was doing far more than marking him. Even if he was forced to reveal himself to a foe that already knew far too much.

  Before horror struck and he sobbed with dismay.

  “NO!”

  Rank 7 Transcendent Abjuration enhanced by Rank 4 Essence of Dominion successfully COUNTERS Bronze-Tier Lesser Mark infused by Rank 2 Essence of The Hunter!

  Lesser Mark has been successfully Abjured!!

  NOTE!

  Your Bag of Holding has ALSO been ruptured!

  Gold Tier Rings RESIST all lesser forms of obliteration.

  Your personally-forged items infused with your own essence save versus destruction!

  Blood Mastery skillcheck: Critical success! You have commanded your blood to flow no more from your spurting artery, and it obeys!

  Unified Restoration is now in effect! Your critical injury is healing!

  Vitality check made. (By over a thousand!)

  You have avoided Severe Impairment.

  (But nothing will restore those precious lost treats!)

  Eric wanted to scream in frustration as the air filled with fresh rations, carefully packed sandwiches and flasks of cold milk, Sylvan mead, sweet rolls, crème puff pastries, fudge cakes, perfectly preserved and packed ice cream sundaes and every other delectable treat he had managed to order in both Freetown, New Arcadia, and most especially the magnificent selection of sumptuous confectioneries he had claimed from a mixed Sylvan and draconic feast. Including a chocolate sundae waterfall! And nougat! And heaps of fudge and burnt Basque cheesecake! Somehow, they had known his greatest weaknesses. Culinary magic that, in his heart of hearts, he had been hoping to replicate an ENTIRE TERRITORY into mirroring! Only for the entirety of his glorious confectionery collection to splatter to the ground in avalanche in all directions as the dozen Shadow Scythe-wielding killers closed the distance and Eric had to strike them dead NOW!

  Hands suddenly infused not with wild blazing fury but Ice Cold outrage became the instrument of his vengeance as he snarled and struck, embracing an attack he had last sought to master by his mother’s side just days ago? Weeks ago? A thousand years ago?

  He shoved such brooding thoughts firmly out of mind as he darted forward and STRUCK!

  Weaving past scythe-like limbs promising hissing death that now moved so slowly above his head as he delivered a right hook filled with every last bit of his fury.

  A blow that the Shadowy creature instantly tried to phase through, yet Eric’s fist, infused with six Ranks of Cold and Dominion… Dominion that DEMANDED his foe shudder fully into existence, propelled by Wrath-infused Strength and Quickness blasted through his foe faster than any cannon ball, tearing through his foe as effortlessly as punching through paper.

  Yet the fucker STILL had enough mass to squash a precious treasure with his dying stumble as Eric’s precious pineapple upside-down cake was splattered beyond all repair.

  “FUCK!” Eric roared, eyes blazing with furious hate as his snap kick exploded into the forearm of a second Shadow Scythe before his overhand punch blasted through his foe’s cranium, dropping it instantly.

  Then just barely weaving aside as three midnight scythes tried to cleave off his head, before his furious Ice-tinged fists blasted through their ribs, shattered their skulls, and tore out their still beating shadowy hearts.

  And all the while as Eric desperately weaved and struck, he still suffered over a dozen bleeding cuts as punishment for daring to hold back from embracing his ultimate attack. Yet more confectionery prizes paid the price, pristine pastries and luscious ganache soon becoming one with the dirt, mud, and blood-soaked soil feeding upon violent death and culinary wonders with equal indifference.

  His furious howl in defense of his final sundae. A miracle of frozen custard, bananas, cherries and chocolate sauce that seemed, by some miracle, destined to endure the perilous struggle, Eric using every ounce of his cunning, quickness, and killing intent to maneuver around that prize even as his SPITEFUL and doomed foes seemed to be actively seeking out his priceless prizes. As if knowing that no matter how skillfully Eric weaved and dodged past Bronze-Tier death, no matter that his wounds refused to spurt any of his precious blood at all, his foes could still hurt him with the stomp of wax paper-wrapped prizes, and the tinkling crash of priceless crystal filled with wondrous delights being forever destroyed.

  Eric’s heart was pounding in the middle of the chaotic battlefield where so many roaring predators preparing to swarm still gave the elites among them a wide birth. Wide enough that Eric had actually managed to save a few precious prizes, including his precious ice cream sundae.

  Of course he understood what was coming. He could feel it like a tingle against his neck, even as he faced down the final Shadow Scythe.

  Battleforged Book 5, Phoenix Fire, is now live on Amazon!

  Battleforged: Phoenix Fire