Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System
Chapter 76: Kael vs Primal Sentinel (II)

Chapter 76: Kael vs Primal Sentinel (II)

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. The sentinel stirred, rubble shifting, its hum returning.

[Status: HP 74%.

Stamina: Critical]

Kael’s grin faded. The sentinel burst from the rubble, runes blazing, core exposed but still guarded.

[Trial Zone Instability: Collapse Risk 65%. Collapse in 45 seconds.]

Kael gripped Abyssal Fang, blood pooling at his feet. The sentinel charged, blades whirring.

"Bring it," Kael whispered, his silver eyes burning.

The sentinel’s blade descended, and the ground gave way beneath him.

The ground shattered. Kael plunged, debris tumbling around him, mist flooding the chasm like a living storm. His body slammed against a rocky slope, bones screaming, breath knocked from his lungs. A second later, the sentinel’s weight thundered down nearby—its impact shaking the world.

[Status: HP 60%. Fractures Detected. Internal Bleeding: Moderate.]

He couldn’t move, not yet.

The air was thick—too thick. The primal mist down here was wild, untamed, crackling with raw power. It clung to his skin, searing, flooding his lungs with every shallow breath.

The sentinel’s golden glow pierced through the dust. It rose from the rubble, dented but not broken, runes crackling with strain. Its blades flared. One arm hung loose, broken at the shoulder. But the other?

It was still whole, still deadly.

Kael forced his body to move, dragging himself across the stone with one hand. His dagger clanged uselessly beside him, barely in reach. Blood ran down his face, dripping into the cracks below.

The sentinel stepped forward. Its golden core, which was now fully exposed, pulsed like a heartbeat gone mad.

[Core Rune Exposure: 30%. Weakness Vulnerability +20%]

He’d done it. He’d dragged the damn thing into overexertion. But he couldn’t capitalize now. Not like this. Not weakened and broken.

The sentinel raised its blade.

Kael moved on instinct, rolling, ignoring the way his ribs screamed. The blade came down where he’d been, carving a glowing scar into the earth.

[Status: HP 51%. Critical Threshold Approaching.]

He crawled. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Abyssal Fang. The hilt felt heavier than ever. His limbs trembled, sweat soaking his torn tunic. He had no strength left, no energy to burn.

Another blade strike swept towards him. He parried on reflex—Abyssal Fang clanged against the metal edge, sparks spraying. The force sent him flying again, his back crashing into a jagged wall.

[Status: HP 37%]

[Warning: Vitality Drop Detected.]

Kael coughed blood, his silver eyes dazed. His legs gave out, and he dropped to a knee.

The sentinel’s steps echoed like war drums. It slowly marched forward, unrelenting, blade raised for the kill.

’Too fast. Too strong. Too much for me to handle...’ The thought flickered and died as fast as it came, like a fleeting shooting star.

Kael raised his head... And smiled.

"Now..." he rasped, voice hoarse, "...now I can finally kill you."

The sentinel charged, its blade swept down, flashing gold.

And Kael’s world snapped.

[System Alert: HP < 20%. Passive Trigger Condition Met.

Skill Activated: Eldritch Reversal

Status Buffs: Strength +30%. Dexterity +30%. Mental Cognition +30%.

Duration: 30 seconds.]

Kael moved.

The blade met nothing but stone.

In the space between heartbeats, he disappeared, twisting around the sentinel’s strike like liquid shadow. His broken stance melted into precision, his sluggish limbs ignited with clarity.

He reappeared behind the sentinel, eyes wide, mind alight. Everything seemed to slow down, matching his pace.

Every crack in its armor, every twitch in its shoulders, every arc of rune-light across its back—he saw it all.

Kael stepped forward, spinning. Suddenly, something unexpected happened.

[Hidden Skill Activated: Voidfang Laceration]

Abyssal Fang glowed black, cutting through the mist like a fang of shadow. It tore across the sentinel’s back, slicing clean into exposed rune channels.

The construct staggered. Sparks burst out from its form. Its arms flailed to stabilize, but Kael was already gone.

He stepped into its blind spot again, movements sharp, terrifying in their precision. Every dodge was clean. Every attack deliberate.

[Critical Hit: Core Exposure Exploited. Damage Amplified.]

He struck again—dagger plunging straight toward the golden core.

The sentinel twisted, blocking just in time, but Kael didn’t stop. He twisted with it, pivoting, lashing out with his heel.

CRACK.

The sentinel’s broken arm bent backwards. Kael landed on both feet, crouched low.

[Status: HP 18%. Buff Timer: 22 seconds remaining.]

The system’s voice echoed faintly in his head, but Kael barely registered it.

All that existed was the next move.

He slid under the sentinel’s legs, a blur of motion, then launched upward. Abyssal Fang slashed through more runes, severing its shoulder cable.

The sentinel jerked. Its remaining blade slowed, runic circuits failing.

Its golden core flashed wildly, pulsing in desperation.

Kael leapt again—this time higher—kicking off the wall. He soared, mist trailing behind him, dagger overhead.

The sentinel looked up.

Kael came down, free-falling.

[Skill Activated: Devour Essence – Core Channel Injection]

Abyssal Fang stabbed into the core.

The light flared, and the world exploded.

A shockwave ripped through the chasm, primal energy bursting like a solar flare. Mist scattered. Rocks broke loose. A scream—mechanical, monstrous—rattled the canyon.

"CRKKK—RAAAAGHHHH!"

Kael was thrown back, flipping mid-air, crashing into the slope. He didn’t get up.

Dust rained down, and silence followed suit.

Then—

———

[Core Destruction Confirmed.

Sentinel Vitality: 0%.

Reward: Soulbrand Seed (Unknown Item) — A dormant essence that latches onto one’s core. If nurtured, it can evolve into a unique passive trait or bloodline enhancement.]

———

[System Update: Trial Completion – Phase 3 Passed.]

[EXP Gained: +1100]

[Experience Points: [1760/11800 EXP]

———

Kael’s body twitched. He coughed, groaned, and forced his eyes open.

The sentinel’s body lay still, half-buried in rubble, its core shattered, gold light fading into nothing.

He laughed. A broken, breathless sound.

"Should’ve... done that sooner..."

His dagger slipped from his fingers. The buffs were already fading. Pain returned—sharp and merciless. His limbs screamed, every inch of him bruised, cut, or torn.

But he was alive. He’d won.

[System Alert: Pagoda Phase 3 Complete. Hidden conditions met: Advancing three floors. Initiating Transfer to Floor 7 in 20 seconds.]

Kael’s silver eyes drifted to the fading light around him. His vision blurred.

The last thing he saw... was the sky above the chasm cracking open, light pouring down like a divine gate. Then it swallowed him whole.