Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System
Chapter 75: Kael vs Primal Sentinel (I)

Chapter 75: Kael vs Primal Sentinel (I)

Kael rolled, heart pounding in his chest, Abyssal Fang Dagger clutched tight. The mist swirled, thick with primal energy, stinging his eyes.

The sentinel’s runes pulsed, its bone-metal frame looming like a nightmare forged from the canyon’s heart. Its core rune—glowing gold in its chest—taunted him, a guarded weakness.

Kael’s Night Predator trait screamed—danger from every angle. The canyon groaned, rocks tumbling from the walls. The mist glowed, primal energy surging, pressing against his chest like a fist.

He darted right, Eclipse Step cloaking him in shadows. The sentinel’s blade grazed the air where he’d stood, sparking against stone. Kael reappeared behind a crumbling pillar, panting, sweat mixing with blood on his face. His Bloodthread Mantle hung in shreds, barely holding together.

"Too fast," he muttered, silver eyes flicking to the sentinel’s core. He needed to hit it—hard—but its blades guarded every approach.

His Devour Essence hummed, craving the sentinel’s energy, but siphoning too much risked frying his meridians.

The sentinel roared, its hum shaking loose gravel. It stomped forward, each step cratering the ground. Kael leapt over a fallen boulder, using the terrain to keep distance. The canyon’s chasm widened, mist pouring out, glowing gold. A rockslide crashed nearby, spraying shards that nicked his arm.

[Status: HP 88%. Minor Bleeding]

Kael gritted his teeth, pain flaring. His Primal Endurance trait dulled the exhaustion, but his body was still a mess—ribs aching, shoulder throbbing from earlier hits.

The sentinel’s blades swung again, a wide arc that pulverized a pillar. Kael dove, sliding under debris, gravel biting his skin.

[Predator’s Instincts Alert: Incoming Attack Pattern – Flank Sweep]

Kael twisted, spotting the sentinel’s fist arcing from the side. He rolled left, the fist smashing the ground, sending a tremor through the canyon. Dust clouded his vision, but Night Predator sharpened his senses, catching the sentinel’s next move—a blade thrusting straight for his chest.

[Skill Activated: Essence Pulse]

Kael slammed his palm down, primal energy erupting in a concussive wave with him as the core. The mist rippled, and the sentinel staggered, its blade veering off course. The pulse’s stun was weak against a Lvl 31, but it bought Kael a second to scramble up.

[Skill Cooldown: Essence Pulse – 28 seconds]

"Keep moving," Kael hissed to himself, darting behind a rough outcrop.

The sentinel recovered, runes flaring brighter, gold light pulsing faster. Its core rune flickered, exposure ticking up.

[System Note: Core Rune Exposure: 15%. Weakness Vulnerability +5%]

Kael’s grin flashed, feral but strained. "Getting sloppy, big guy." He needed to push that exposure higher—force the sentinel to overextend.

His Abyssal Endurance stirred, ready to blunt damage if things got dire, but he couldn’t rely on it yet. His HP was still too high to trigger Eldritch Reversal.

The canyon shook harder, a chasm splitting closer, primal energy flooding out. The sentinel charged, blades whirling.

Kael leapt, using a fallen rock as a springboard. He aimed for the core, Abyssal Fang gleaming, but the sentinel’s arm snapped up, deflecting the strike. Sparks flew, the dagger skidding off its hide.

[System Note: Abyssal Fang – Insufficient Force for Core Penetration]

A fist grazed Kael’s side, sending him sprawling. He hit the ground, rolling to avoid a follow-up blade that carved a trench beside him.

[Status: HP 82%.

Blunt Trauma: Moderate]

Pain seared his ribs, but Primal Endurance kept him moving. Kael scrambled behind a boulder, chest heaving. The sentinel’s hum grew louder, its core pulsing erratically. Overcharge was straining it—Kael just needed to survive long enough to exploit it.

[Trial Zone Instability: Collapse Risk 55%. Collapse in 80 seconds]

A boulder crashed nearby, dust choking the air. The chasm’s glow intensified, primal energy sparking like lightning. Kael’s Devour Essence clawed at his control, begging to feed. He siphoned a sliver from the mist, careful not to overload.

[Ability Activated: Devour Essence – Absorbed 8% Environmental Energy.

HP Restored: 86%.

Temporary Buff: +5% Dexterity.]

The boost sharpened his reflexes. Kael darted out, weaving through debris. The sentinel’s blades slashed, but Predator’s Instincts caught their rhythm—left, right, thrust.

He ducked, slid, and leapt, staying one step ahead. His Night Predator enhanced his vision, piercing the mist to track the sentinel’s core.

[Core Rune Exposure: 18%. Weakness Vulnerability +8%]

"Almost there," Kael growled, landing on a sloped rock. He gripped Abyssal Fang, knuckles white. The sentinel roared, charging, its blades a blur. Kael dove, Eclipse Step readying as its cooldown ticked down.

A blade grazed his shoulder, blood spraying. Kael hissed, rolling behind a pillar. The sentinel smashed through it, stone exploding. Kael leapt, aiming for the core again, but a fist caught his leg mid-air, slamming him down like a stuffed toy.

[Status: HP 78%. Major Blunt Trauma. Bleeding Debuff: Severe]

"Fuck!" Kael hit the ground hard, his vision swimming.

The sentinel closed in, its core pulsing, gold light blinding. Abyssal Endurance kicked in, dulling the pain, but his body was fraying—muscles torn, breath shallow. He forced himself up, dagger shaking in his grip.

[Trial Zone Instability: Collapse Risk 60%. Collapse in 60 seconds]

The chasm erupted, primal energy surging like a tidal wave.

The sentinel’s blades descended. Kael rolled, gravel biting his skin. He sprang up, darting toward a narrow ledge. The sentinel pursued, smashing through rock, its overcharge making it reckless. Kael used that to his advantage, leading it into a cluster of pillars, hoping to trap it.

[Predator’s Instincts Alert: Structural Weakness Detected – Pillars Unstable]

Kael grinned, shaky. "Perfect." He baited the sentinel, dodging its swings, luring it closer. A blade slashed; he ducked, the strike hitting a pillar. It cracked, teetering.

Essence Pulse was ready. Kael slammed his fist down, primal energy waves bursting outward. The sentinel staggered, pillars trembling. Kael leapt, Eclipse Step flickering him to the ledge. The sentinel roared, charging, and smashed the pillars.

BOOM!

Stone collapsed, burying the sentinel in rubble. Dust choked the canyon, the core’s glow dimming.

[System Note: Core Rune Exposure: 25%. Weakness Vulnerability +15%]

Kael panted, clinging to the ledge for support. His HP ticked down, blood dripping down his wounds. The sentinel stirred, rubble shifting, its hum returning.