Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System
Chapter 103: Trial of Suppression Reversal (III)

Chapter 103: Trial of Suppression Reversal (III)

The second Reaper surged forward without pause, its claws hammering down in a relentless flurry, each strike a blur of deadly intent. Kael blocked the first two, Abyssal Fang singing with each clash, but the third clipped his side, slicing through his armor like paper.

Flesh tore, blood welling instantly, and Kael grunted, stumbling backward. His back slammed into the cavern wall, a burst of pain exploding through his ribs, stealing his breath.

The third Wyrmkin dove toward him, all claws and primal rage, its eyes glowing with hunger. Kael rolled aside just in time, the beast crashing into the stone where he’d stood, the floor splintering under the impact.

He rose, wincing, blood soaking the left side of his robes, a crimson tide that marked his every step. Pain clawed at him, but he didn’t back down. He *couldn’t*.

With a snarl, Kael charged, his movements fueled by sheer will. Mid-sprint, he hurled his smaller dagger at the second Reaper’s face, the blade spinning end over end with deadly intent.

It struck the creature’s mask, piercing just enough to make it flinch, its head snapping back. A distraction—exactly what he needed.

Kael veered right, targeting the injured Reaper, its side still oozing ichor from his earlier strike. He ducked under a wild swipe, planted a foot against the creature’s knee, and launched upward, Abyssal Fang flashing in a brutal arc.

The blade slashed across its throat—once, twice, three times, each cut deeper than the last. Black mist erupted from the wounds, a noxious cloud that stung his eyes, but the beast didn’t fall. Not yet.

Kael seized the dagger still embedded in its tail, ripping it free with a wet crunch. He rammed both weapons into the Reaper’s neck, twisting with all his strength, forcing the blades deeper until the bone gave way.

The Wyrmkin convulsed, its limbs spasming, a gurgling hiss escaping its ruined throat. It stumbled back, then collapsed, its body dissolving into a cloud of dark mist.

[DING! Wyrmkin Reaper Eliminated – 1/3]

Kael landed hard, one knee buckling beneath him, his hands shaking as he fought to steady himself. His breathing was ragged; each gasp was a battle against the pain threatening to drown him.

The remaining two Reapers screeched, their fury a piercing wail that reverberated through the chamber, shaking the very stone around him.

They came together this time, a synchronized assault of claws and tails. Kael rolled, barely avoiding the twin strikes, the air hissing with their force. He tried to rise, but the second Reaper’s tail whipped across his back, a lash of agony that launched him forward.

He crashed into the wall, stone cracking under the impact, a choked breath escaping his lips as he hit the floor, limbs sprawled.

Pain engulfed him, a tidal wave that threatened to pull him under. His vision blurred, the world dimming at the edges. But his hand—bloodied, trembling—still gripped Abyssal Fang, its weight a silent promise that he wasn’t done.

The scrape of claws drew closer, shadows looming over him, their eyes glowing with predatory intent. Eldritch Reversal wasn’t ready; its cooldown was a cruel reminder of his limits. Kael pushed himself up with a guttural growl, blood pouring from the gash on his back, staining the stone beneath him.

His knees wobbled, but he stood, back pressed to the wall, facing the Reapers as they stalked forward, slow and cautious now. They had seen him kill, and it gave them pause.

"I’m still here..." he muttered, his voice raw but defiant, a challenge to the creatures and the trial itself.

One Reaper shrieked and lunged, its claws a storm of death. Kael couldn’t dodge—not this time. Instead, he stepped into the strike, slamming his shoulder into the creature’s chest with a bone-jarring impact.

The collision sent a shockwave of pain through his body, but it brought him an opening. Abyssal Fang flashed upward, slicing beneath the Reaper’s mask, the blade finding soft tissue. The creature reeled back, its claws slashing wildly in retaliation.

One carved a deep line down Kael’s chest, the pain white-hot, tearing a scream from his throat. But he didn’t fall. His blade found the Reaper’s thigh, then its ribs, then its throat again, each strike a testament to his refusal to break.

Ichor sprayed, mist rising, the beast staggering under his onslaught. Kael’s vision blurred, but he advanced, his movements fueled by a fire that burned brighter than his pain.

Slash. Stab. Knee to the gut. Elbow to the chin. Every strike was a battle, every movement a defiance of his body’s limits. The Reaper faltered, its movements slowing, and Kael seized the moment. Raising Abyssal Fang high, he brought it down in a final, brutal arc, cleaving through the Reaper’s collarbone with a sickening crunch.

[DING! Wyrmkin Reaper Eliminated – 2/3]

The last Reaper struck from behind, its claw punching through Kael’s side—not a slash, but a pierce, the steel-like talon burying itself deep. The sound that left Kael’s mouth was a ragged gasp, more air than voice, blood bubbling from his lips as the claw twisted within him. The world slowed, the edges of his vision darkening, his body teetering on the brink of collapse.

Then—

[Passive Skill: Eldritch Reversal – Activated]

The pain faded, replaced by a cold, crystalline clarity that flooded his veins. Time snapped back into motion, the world sharpening around him. Kael turned, his eyes burning with an eerie violet glow, a predator awakened.

His hand shot up, seizing the Reaper’s arm before it could retract its claw. With a surge of monstrous strength, he yanked the talon free, blood spraying as he tore himself loose.

The creature screeched, a sound of shock and fury. Kael drove his forehead into its mask—once, twice, the third strike fracturing bone with a sickening crack. The Reaper staggered, and Abyssal Fang flared in Kael’s hand, its edge alive with his resolve.

He slashed in a relentless flurry, each strike fueled by the unnatural power of Eldritch Reversal. His movements blurred, his muscles ignoring the damage, his mind cutting through the fog of pain and fatigue.

He didn’t stop until the Reaper fell, its body collapsing in a heap of ichor and mist, its glowing eyes dimming into nothingness.

[DING! Wyrmkin Reaper Eliminated – 3/3]

Silence descended, heavy and absolute, broken only by Kael’s ragged breaths. He stood over the corpse, chest heaving, Abyssal Fang dripping with black ichor, its blade a mirror of his unyielding spirit.

[Phase Three – Cleared. The Final Phase Begins in 4 Minutes.]

Kael fell to his knees, the strength of Eldritch Reversal flickering out, leaving him hollow. Pain rushed back like a crashing wave, a torrent that threatened to drown him.

He clutched his side, blood seeping through his fingers, his face pale beneath the shadow mask. His body trembled, each breath a battle, but a faint smile curved his lips, defiant and fierce.

"Still not broken..." he whispered, his voice barely audible, a vow to himself and the trial.

The fourth torch ignited, its flame no longer cold silver but a blazing gold, brilliant and radiant, casting long shadows across the chamber. Kael looked up at it, his eyes dim with fatigue but burning with an unquenchable resolve. The light seemed to acknowledge him, a silent recognition of his defiance, his refusal to fall.

He wasn’t done. Not yet.

The final phase awaited, its promise looming like a storm on the horizon. Kael pushed himself to his feet, his body protesting with every movement, but his spirit unbowed. Abyssal Fang gleamed in his hand, its weight a reminder of the path he’d carved and the battles still to come.

The chamber hummed with anticipation, the air thick with the weight of what was to come. Kael stood ready, bloodied but unbroken, a predator forged in the crucible of the pagoda.

The final phase would test him as nothing had before—but Kael was no longer just a survivor. He was a warrior, and he would meet the challenge head-on.

The silence that followed the Wyrmkin Reapers’ defeat was fleeting, shattered by a low, ominous rumble that reverberated through the chamber floor, a primal pulse like the breath of some ancient beast stirring beneath the stone. Kael’s blood-slicked hands tightened around Abyssal Fang, its familiar weight a lifeline amidst the chaos of his battered body.

Every nerve screamed, his wounds a tapestry of pain etched across his flesh, but his silver eyes remained fixed on the torch blazing with golden fire, its light casting long, flickering shadows across the cavern walls.

Three phases down. One left.

He exhaled slowly, a ragged breath that did little to steady his trembling limbs. Blood soaked his side where the Reaper’s claw had pierced him, his robes clinging to his skin like sodden parchment, heavy with crimson.

Each heartbeat sent jolts of agony rippling through his chest and back, a relentless reminder of his mortality. Yet Kael didn’t fall. Not now. Not ever.

The cavern trembled, loose pebbles skittering across the floor as ancient mechanisms deep within the Ascension Pagoda groaned to life, their metallic resonance echoing like a dirge.

Kael limped toward the center of the chamber, each step leaving a crimson footprint on the stone, a trail of his defiance.