Devil Spawn

[Skill: Fear Inducement has been activated.]

The moment the system spoke, I felt a gush of energy rush into my body and I caught sight of the cockatrice's scarlet orbs jerk violently.

Fear Inducement...?

I thought, bewildered. My mind instantly recalled the description.

[Skill:] Fear Inducement: Fear Inducement strikes terror in others, unraveling their courage and clouding judgment. With a mere glance, it draws out hidden fears, leaving foes vulnerable and desperate to flee. It is the mastery of unease, a silent weapon that conquers before the first blow is struck. This skill invokes the Effect of 'Fear' into all entities in range, when activated.

Just as I recalled the skill's description, something frightening happened.

The cockatrice went mad.

"CRRRRREEEEE!!!"

Its terrible cry became even harsher. The sound echoed across the dark space, creating a deafening cacophony.

"CRRRRREEEEE!!!"

I took a step back as I saw the scarlet eyes expand in the dark and then, a sharp, scaly body crashed into me with a dangerous blow.

"ACK!", I let out a cry as I was sent tumbling across the coarse ground.

[You have been wounded.]

The system spoke as I elicited a pained groan.

Shit...

I tried to get up but fell instantly.

[Skill: Resistance is active.]

I felt a strange feeling in my body and thought.

Am I hemorrhaging...?

In that singular moment, I suddenly felt closer to death than I have ever been before.

My eyes were wide open, staring into the absolute darkness of the hole I had fallen into. My body was flat on the ground completely still, unmoving.

I am going to die...

My life began to flash before my eyes, but strangely enough there wasn't any particular memory that my mind recalled to give me strength or anything like that. In fact, all my memories just flowed through my mind, like the jittering colors of a kaleidoscope.

Not one stood out.

"..."

Is my brain craving death that bad?

I chuckled internally, even that seemed to hurt somehow.

Pfft! Even if my whole body craves death...my self will never die...

My eyes glistened with a familiar dark light in it, a light that refused to die.

My head twisted in the direction of the cockatrice who had come to a stop after performing that deadly lunge earlier. It seemed to have crumpled to the ground once again, probably reeling from the blowback of its own attack, that didn't mean it lost its bite though.

I could still hear the sound of it slowly scrapping the ground with its claws.

And I haven't lost mine either...

I used all the strength I could muster to get back to my feet, pain and anguish coursed through my body but I ignored them. They were all useless noise after all.

The dark light in my eyes shone in the darkness as they made their way to the cockatrice's scarlet orbs.

I have to live...

And there's only one way to live...

My throat throbbed with thirst yearning to be quenched, my hurting stomach cried for satiation and the wounds on my body grew irritable. My muscles had long gone numb, leaving behind a feeling of silent angst within them. My mind wished to be relieved of the burden of pain and my soul longed for the feeling of respite.

I was in a horrible state, barely tethering on the edge of life.

Just one step away from falling into the harrowing embrace of death.

I wanted to just collapse on the ground and give up, but...

Something inside me wouldn't let me.

Something within me didn't want to die in a dark hole.

That thing didn't want to be extinguished by the maws of a hungry beast.

Especially, one that resembled my nature.

And that is by...

"Killing... this thing.", I croaked in a murderous tone as the cockatrice seemed to regain its footing, its scarlet orbs bobbing in the darkness.

I raised my left hand and summoned Silver Lining.

Countless silver sparks accumulated on the outline of a regal uchigatana to form a blade of silver.

[Equipped Item:] Silver Lining

The moment I gripped the hilt of the blade an invigorating strength filled me. Feeling the nascent power, I rose my head and pierced the red orbs of the cockatrix with a cold glare.

[Skill: Fear Inducement has been activated.]

At the skill's activation, I saw the orbs jolt and then expand once again.

"C-CRRREEEE!!!"

Letting out another shrill cry, I heard a scrapping sound as it approached but unlike last time, I didn't falter.

Sidestepping at the last moment, I dodged the barreling beast.

CRASH!

The sound of it smashing into the wall, echoed in the dark space.

A Level 9 Beast through and through...

The cockatrice didn't stop there though, because I heard the scrapping sound once again but instead of waiting for it to reach me...I did something unexpected.

CLANG!!

I struck the blade of Silver Lining straight to the ground, producing a deafening ringing sound.

RIIIINNNGGG!

RIIIINNNGGG!

The sound of the ringing resonating on the dark hole's walls could be heard as the system spoke.

[Skill: Echolocation has been activated.]

I strained my ears and listened closely to the reverberations, at the same time, the system spoke.

[Debuff: Partial Hearing is active.]

Despite my hearing handicap, I still forced my ears to pick up on the vibrations in the air.

Come on!

My ears perked up as several reverberations slowly reached them and soon, I could hear the echoes of the sound deflecting off the walls.

Yes...! Now...

I activated another skill almost immediately.

[Skill: Memory Palace has been activated.]

Closing my eyes, I appeared on a throne in a school hallway surrounded by several classrooms. I took a look at everything in it, all of my knowledge.

In the imaginary space, I took a deep inhale and then with a snap.

I cleared the space.

The throne, the rooms, the hall, the school vanished into nothing, leaving behind an empty canvas.

With a solemn expression, I snapped again.

Next...

I gathered the several reverberations I had picked up with my ears and began to form a 3D mental map.

Deciphering the many rebounds, I used the sounds to form a mental space of the dark hole, creating a space of a rock chasm.

Going above my mental limits, I formed a 3D copy of the chasm and also a copy of the...

Profane Cockatrice.

That's it...!

So, what if I can't see...that doesn't mean I can't kill you!