Chapter 57: Summoner Kaela’s ability

Chapter 57: Summoner Kaela’s ability Meanwhile, outside the cave—just where the skeletal remains of the monstrous spider Kairos had slain lay—something strange was already underway. The vast, grotesque body of the spider had already been stripped to its bones, the flesh long gone. Vulture-like beasts circled above and pecked at the leftovers, desperate to salvage anything they could from the corpse. They scavenged hungrily, yet they found nothing—just lifeless, sun-bleached bones that hinted at a battle long over. But as the group of vultures prepared to take flight in search of fresh prey, something unexpected happened. The bones... moved. It wasn’t a sudden, explosive movement that would have startled the scavengers—it was subtle, eerie. A twitch, a shift, like a skeletal muscle remembering how to breathe. The vultures cocked their heads, blinking their beady eyes, sensing something off, but it wasn’t enough to scare them. And then it happened. Three vultures, still perched on the ribcage of the dead spider, suddenly let out bone-chilling shrieks. Their cries echoed through the forest, unnatural and filled with agony. Their bodies began to tremble violently, spasming as if possessed. Then, as though an invisible acid had been poured over them, their feathers and flesh began to sizzle and melt, peeling away in disgusting patches. It was grotesque. Their wings were eaten away by a corrosive force that left behind nothing but gleaming bone. In mere seconds, they were skeletons—grotesque parodies of their former selves. But that was not the end. No, it was only the beginning. A dark, malevolent smoke began to rise from both the vultures and the spider’s remains. Wisps of shadow coiled around their bones like serpents, whispering life into what should have stayed dead. The skeletal vultures moved. They sprang from the spider’s carcass with violent jerks, propelled by some dark force, and shot towards their still-living brethren. Claws sharpened by undeath tore into feathers and flesh, spreading the curse with terrifying efficiency. One after the other, the living vultures shrieked as their bodies convulsed, melted, and joined the undead. The spider’s remains shifted again—this time more drastically. It rose. Bone by bone, limb by limb, the spider reconstructed itself, now held together not by sinew or muscle, but by dark, corrupted energy. Its once-dead eyes glowed with crimson fury as it stood upright, the swarm of skeletal vultures hovering around it like death’s heralds. And then they moved. They spread into the forest, an undead plague infecting every creature they encountered. Each beast that fell to their talons and bites was reborn in death—a bone zombie, corrupted and enslaved by the cursed essence that had taken root within the spider. It was fast. Too fast. And soon enough, this forest—this haven of life—would become a graveyard of bone and ash. And from there... who knew what hell would follow. Meanwhile... Deep within the twisting, suffocating cave tunnels, something equally dangerous was taking place. The Abyssal-ranked beast Ny’kara stood once again, rising slowly to its feet. Its blood no longer leaked, but the mark Kaela had left on its side was a deep and dangerous wound. Though it hadn’t looked like much at first, the blow had been far more damaging than expected. For the first time in the battle... Ny’kara looked cautious. Kaela wasn’t done. Her eyes flared with dark power, and she raised her left arm. Instantly, a stream of dark energy responded, soaring from her hand like an elongated limb, slicing toward Ny’kara with speed. But the beast was fast—too fast to be taken so easily. With a nimble leap, Ny’kara twisted mid-air, barely avoiding the darkness as it whooshed past him by less than a foot. He landed in a crouch, his eyes narrowed, studying her more carefully now. This was no longer brute force—he was thinking, calculating. Carlos, watching from a distance, shifted his gaze to Lina. She lay slumped against the cold cavern floor, white smoke pouring from her gut where Ny’kara had struck her. He rushed to her side, worry flashing in his eyes. There was a mark. A glowing, purple infection spread across her stomach—a curse or poison, likely from Ny’kara’s ability. But Carlos noticed something else. It had stopped spreading. Slowly, it was fading, dissipating from her skin. "She’s healing herself..." he muttered in his thoughts, relieved. Her strength was incredible. Carlos stood, his body aching. The aftershocks of his brutal battle with the Minotaur rippled through his bones, his energy depleted. He turned toward Kaela and Ny’kara once more. ’I need to analyze this bastard’s ability... the teleportation. And recover my energy before I join in,’ he thought, knowing deep down his body would fail him if he moved too soon. And so, the battle remained one-on-one—Kaela versus Ny’kara. Kaela stood still, her eyes locked onto her prey, waiting. Ny’kara lunged. With an ear-splitting roar, he charged forward, his clawed fist aimed straight for Kaela’s face with terrifying speed. But Kaela was ready. The shadows around her erupted—splitting into twin streams of darkness that slashed toward Ny’kara like serpents. He didn’t have time to dodge. So he vanished. In a blink, he teleported several meters away, reappearing just behind her. Kaela turned too late. Ny’kara lunged once more, his claws tearing through the air toward her face—but his strike hit only darkness. Her body dissolved into shadow like smoke blown by the wind. He’d been tricked. Outsmarted. From the corner of the cave, a new pillar of darkness erupted, and Kaela stepped out of it, eyes burning. She raised her hand. The ground beneath Ny’kara swelled, boiling like tar. Then it burst—chains of pure shadow erupting upward, wrapping around his limbs with unrelenting force. "Gaaaahhh!!" Ny’kara shrieked, thrashing. The chains cracked under his strength, but did not break. "Die." Kaela’s voice echoed through the cave as a massive spear of darkness formed before her palm and launched like a missile. There was no escape. The spear slammed through Ny’kara’s chest, puncturing his heart and emerging from his back. His roar turned into a scream, primal and filled with panic. He writhed, the chains holding him tighter than ever. Kaela raised her hand again. This time, a larger spear formed—one that burned with black flames, screaming with energy. Ny’kara’s eyes widened. Fear. Desperation. He twisted, thinking, hoping, begging for a way out. The second spear launched. With sheer willpower, Ny’kara bent the shadow chains just enough to throw his body sideways. The spear missed his chest—but struck his arm, tearing it clean off in a shower of blood and bone. He screamed again, then vanished. He teleported several meters away, collapsing onto the ground, clutching his shoulder. Kaela narrowed her eyes. "So that’s how you teleport?" she murmured. Carlos, watching, had reached the same conclusion. Ny’kara’s body trembled. No longer majestic, no longer confident. It was the posture of a creature who knew it was beaten. His breathing was ragged. His eyes darted across the battlefield. He knew going back in was suicide. He needed a distraction to escape before she killed him. His gaze landed on something—Lina’s blade. With sudden purpose, he darted toward it, picked it up, and hurled it at Kaela with all his remaining strength. "The Core weapon!" Kaela gasped, raising both hands. A shield of darkness surged to life. But it wasn’t enough. The sword pierced through her shield, slowed but not stopped, and sank into her gut. "Aaaahhh!!" she cried, falling sideways. The blade burned her insides, and worse—it nullified her powers. She tried to grip it, but her hands sizzled on contact. ’Damn! I can’t touch the weapon! If it keeps burning me... I’ll die!’ She bit her lip, forced her hand to the hilt, and with one final scream of agony, ripped the weapon free. But her body failed. She collapsed. Numb. Paralyzed. It was the effect of the Core weapon on her body. Ny’kara straightened up, his eyes gleaming with joy. He no longer looked desperate. No. He looked victorious. He approached slowly, lowering himself near the weapon. And with a wicked grin, he reached for the second blade. This time, he wouldn’t take chances. And Kaela... she would be the first to die.