"...It’s time to use 8x Overdrive."

The instant those words left Zac’s mouth, a translucent system window appeared before his eyes.

[Host, you do understand the physical strain it will cause, correct? Especially in your current condition. There is a high probability you may die from it.]

Zac stared silently at the message for a brief moment before speaking.

"Do I have any chance of defeating him without using it?"

[No.]

"Then do you think I’ll survive if I keep fighting like this?"

[I don’t think so.]

"Is there a chance for running?"

[Not anymore.]

Blood dripped from Zac’s chin onto the shattered ground below. "Then I’ll end this before my body collapses." A dangerous smile slowly formed across his face.

"OVERDRIVE ACTIVATE."

KRAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!

An overwhelming eruption of mana exploded from his body. Blue-white lightning burst into existence around Zac. The sheer pressure alone blasted away debris across the battlefield.

The ground beneath him collapsed instantly, with electric currents spiraling wildly around his arms, legs, sword, and even his eyes.

His heartbeat thundered like war drums inside his chest as overwhelming energy surged through every vein in his body.

His senses sharpened to an absurd degree where he could see and feel the movements of the cultist’s muscles and even hear his heartbeat.

At the same time, his muscles trembled violently under the impossible strain. His body was literally tearing itself apart trying to contain that monstrous power.

The cultist’s expression finally changed for the first time since the battle began; he looked unsettled. "What now?"

Lightning illuminated Zac’s face as he slowly raised his sword.

"Now you die."

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The battlefield exploded with Zac’s blade appearing inches from his neck.

CLAAAAANG!!!

He barely blocked in time, but the impact shattered his claws and sent him flying through multiple ruined structures like a cannonball.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the hell was that?!"

Before he could even stabilize himself... Zac was already there, and a lightning-covered knee slammed directly into his ribs.

BOOM!!

Several bones cracked instantly, and the cultist spat out a mouthful of blood. Zac followed immediately with a spinning slash aimed at his waist.

The cultist desperately jumped backward, but he was just a little too slow.

SHRRKK!!

Blood exploded into the air as the blade carved deeply across his abdomen.

"Impossible!"

BOOOOM!!

Zac’s fist crashed directly into the cultist’s face, and lightning detonated point-blank. The cultist’s body spun violently through the air before crashing into the ground, creating a crater.

Zac descended from above like a thunderbolt; his sword pierced downward. The cultist rolled aside at the last instant as the lightning strike obliterated the entire ground behind him.

***

Far behind the battlefield, Lima weakly pulled herself against a broken wall, her breathing unstable.

The emotional corruption inside her mind continued clawing at her consciousness, trying to drown her in unbearable desire.

She bit down her tongue hard enough to draw blood just to stay conscious. Her diluting pupils reflected the flashes of blue lightning erupting across the battlefield.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. An A-rank variant, and a cultist at that, was being completely overwhelmed by a newly awakened variant like Zac.

"...How...?" she whispered weakly.

Even among great variants, crossing ranks in battle was considered nearly impossible. Yet Zac was forcing an A-rank backward through pure brutality alone.

The entire scene felt unreal, even as she watched it with her own eyes.

***

BOOOOM!!

The cultist crashed through another building. He immediately forced himself back up, panting heavily.

"This is insane!" he roared. "You’re just a D-rank!"

Zac appeared behind him instantly. "You talk too much."

SHRRKK!!

One clean slash. The cultist’s right arm flew into the air with blood erupting like a fountain.

"AAGGHHHH!!"

He screamed and instantly retaliated with a claw strike using his remaining arm.

Zac tilted his head slightly, missing the attack, and grabbed the cultist’s face, slamming him through three consecutive walls before throwing him across the street.

The cultist crashed and rolled violently before trying to stand again.

Fear had finally appeared in his eyes. "You think you’ve won? Open your eyes and witness the true power of an A-Rank."

He raised his remaining hand and began gathering the last of his energy.

[Hurry, Host. He’s trying to summon his Domain.]

Zac vanished instantly.

SHRRKK!!

The cultist froze. His remaining arm slowly slid off his shoulder.

A second later...

BOOM!!

Lightning exploded from the severed wound. The cultist dropped to his knees, screaming in agony. Before the screaming could even end, two more slashes flashed through the air and severed both of his legs.

He collapsed violently onto the ruined ground, blood drenching the earth beneath him.

The mighty A-Rank Variant who once stood above countless awakened hunters had now been reduced to a limbless wreck trembling in terror.

Slowly, he looked up.

Zac stood before him surrounded by roaring lightning, his glowing blue eyes piercing through the darkness like twin storms.

"Wha... what are yo...u...?"

"Zac Godson."

"What...? Godson...? You are Eld..." Before he could utter another word.

THUD.

Zac drove his sword straight through the cultist’s mouth, the blade piercing out through the back of his skull.

[+1 A-Rank Variant Killed]

[+300 Info Points]

[+1 level]

[+1 level]

...

...

[+1 level]

"Finally..."

[It’s not over yet.]

Suddenly, the buildings around the battlefield began collapsing one after another. The entire area had become unstable from the sheer destruction caused by their fight.

Zac staggered slightly as blood suddenly burst from multiple wounds across his body.

[Hurry, go to a safe place before you collapse.]

"Tch..."

Without wasting another second, he turned toward Lima. She weakly looked up just as Zac reached her side.

Before she could say anything, he carefully lifted her into his arms in a princess carry and shot through the ruined city at terrifying speed while buildings crumbled behind them.

A few seconds later, he reached the northern part of the city and entered a half-destroyed apartment building and found a room that was somehow still intact.

Zac gently laid Lima onto the bed.

The moment he stepped back, his body finally gave out.

THUD.

He collapsed heavily onto the floor as every muscle in his body stopped responding. He quickly tried to use the healing potion he had saved for emergencies.

But the strain he had suffered was far beyond normal damage. His body had become completely immobile, to the point where he couldn’t even move a finger.

Endless pain flooded through him like waves crashing against his nerves.

[Your body has sustained catastrophic strain. The only reason you are still alive is due to the extraordinary physical attributes of your fallen bloodline.] 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

[Had you maintained that state even a little longer, your body would have been reduced to a mangled mass of flesh.]

Zac slowly closed his eyes.

"Save the nagging for tomorrow..." he muttered weakly. "Just let me sleep for now."

[I highly doubt that.]

Suddenly he felt weight pressing down onto his stomach. His eyes slowly opened and immediately froze.

Lima was sitting on top of him with uneven breathing and a face like a tomato.

Those green eyes stared down at him with dangerous intensity while she struggled desperately against the lingering corruption still burning inside her mind.

"...Zac..."

[The tree beast has died.]

[Unfortunately... the she-beast has woken up.]

[Your, survival probability has once again become uncertain.]