In the blink of an eye, the bodies that had oncein motionless in pools of blood began to rise. Bones twisted in unimaginable ways, the sound of cracking and popping filling the air with a grotesque symphony. They grew to towering heights, their backs arching as if pulled by an invisible force, and their spines jutted out grotesquely. Eyes turned pitch ck, void of humanity, while long, razor-sharp ws extended from fingertips that twitched with newfound malevolence. Within moments, they had fully transformed into the monstrous Shifters that had consumed them earlier.


    Vic swallowed hard, his breath caught in his throat. Fear etched every line of his face, his eyes wide and locked on the advancing creatures.


    "Oh, shit, Ss! We need to get out of here right now!" Vic''s voice quivered, panic bubbling in every word.


    "There''s no point in running," Ss responded, his tone grim and steady, his gaze fixed unflinchingly on the Shifters. "They''ll catch us if we try."


    "We''ll see about that." Vic spun around, desperation propelling him forward. But before he could take even one step, a Shifter leaped through the air, covering the distance in an instant,nding directly in front of him with a bone-jarring thud.


    Vic stumbled back, heart hammering in his chest. "Okay, maybe you''re right." He swallowed again, his voice barely more than a whisper.


    "Our only option is to fight until help arrives. Someone must''ve called the guild—they''re probably already on their way. We just need to hold out and avoid getting injured until they get here." Ss''s voice was firm, resolute. With a flick of his wrist, his Grade 5 scythe materialized in his hand, its dark de gleaming menacingly.


    The Shifter in front of Vic lunged, its poisonous ws shing through the air with deadly intent. Just as the ws were mere inches from Vic''s chest, Ss tightened his grip on the scythe and swung it with all his strength.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    CLANG!


    Metal shed against bone, the sound ringing through the space as the scythe deflected the attack. The force of the impact pushed the Shifter''s arm backward, and it staggered, only to regain bnce almost instantly. Itunched forward again, ws shing wildly.


    Ss dodged, his movements fluid, the ws missing him by inches. "This thing is fast," he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing. He countered immediately, swinging his scythe toward the Shifter''s outstretched arm.


    When the de struck, his eyes widened. It felt like striking solid metal, the attack leaving only a shallow gash.


    "Another one with tough skin!" Ss cursed internally, anger ring in his eyes.


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    "Oh, shit!" Vic''s voice rose in rm as the rest of the Shifters surged forward, their movements a blur of speed and malice.


    With a stomp of his foot, Vic summoned three jagged earth spikes. He thrust his hand forward, sending them hurtling toward the advancing creatures. The spikes flew through the air, but shattered on impact, turning to dust. The Shifters kepting.


    "Damn it!" Vic gritted his teeth, stomping again to summon another barrage. This time, the Shifters met the spikes head-on, their ws slicing effortlessly through the projectiles.


    The Shifters surged forward, a blur of sinewy muscle and razor-sharp ws. They tore through the spears as if they were fragile twigs, splinters scattering in their wake. Their predatory eyes locked onto Vic, and with a sudden, terrifying lunge, they shed out, ws slicing through the air like deadly des. At thest possible second, Vic leapt backward, his breath catching as the talons missed him by a hair''s breadth, the force of the strike ruffling his clothes.


    "Ss!" Vic''s voice was raw with urgency, his movements a blur as he twisted and dodged, narrowly avoiding another deadly swipe. "These things aren''t just strong—they''re relentless! And we''re outnumbered! There''s no way we can win this on our own!" His eyes darted to Ss, desperation flickering across his face as he narrowly sidestepped another attack.


    Ss''s eyes narrowed, the gears in his mind turning rapidly. He knew they couldn''t sustain this fight much longer. Then, a thought sparked, sharp and clear. Without hesitation, he barked themand.


    "Activate Clone Skill Card!"


    [Skill Card: Clones has been activated.]


    The air shimmered, a ripple of energy cascading outward. In an instant, a dozen identical clones materialized beside him, each a perfect replica, eyes cold and determined. Then, like a synchronized wave, each clone created another. The battlefield filled with their presence, a formidable army of doppelgangers ready to fight.


    Vic''s jaw dropped, his eyes widening with disbelief. "You''ve got to be kidding me! Just how many tricks do you have up your sleeve, you bastard?" he blurted, the shock evident in his voice. His gaze flickered between Ss and the advancing clones, awe and disbelief battling for dominance.


    Ss didn''t waste time with a reply. With a fierce roar, he charged the nearest Shifter, scythe gleaming like a crescent moon. His clones mirrored his movements, spreading out to confront the rest of the feral beasts. The sh was instantaneous and brutal.


    Ss closed the distance with his target, muscles coiling like springs. He swung his scythe in a powerful arc, the de slicing through the air with lethal precision. But the Shifter reacted with astonishing speed, its ws deflecting the strike. Metal nged against bone, a deafening sound that reverberated through the battlefield.


    Undeterred, Ss pressed the attack, sidestepping the creature''s counterstrike. Its ws sliced past his face, so close he could feel the wind of its passage. Gritting his teeth, he swung again, aiming for the creature''s nk.


    CLAK!


    The scythe struck home, but the resistance was immense. It felt like hitting solid rock, and the de left only a shallow scratch. Frustration red in Ss''s eyes. "Damn it! This skin is like armor! My scythe''s grade is no better than theirs—I need more power!" he thought, muscles tensed with urgency.


    The Shifter''s next strike came with terrifying speed. Its ws sliced through the air, a blur of lethal intent. Ss raised his scythe to block, the impact sending a jolt through his body, forcing him back several steps. He barely had time to catch his breath before the creature was on him again, shing out.


    He leapt backward, heart pounding. The tip of one w grazed his chest, a thin line of blood welling up. His mind raced. He knew the Shifters'' bite or scratch could turn a human into one of them.


    "Oh, shit," he muttered, eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination. But before panic could take hold, a notification shed before his eyes.


    [A poisonous infection has been detected.]


    [Poison has been nullified.]


    Relief flooded through him, the scratch sealing itself in an instant. Ss grinned, the tension easing slightly. The Shifter roared, charging again, its eyes burning with fury.


    "If brute force isn''t enough, then I''ll just have to amplify it," Ss decided, tightening his grip on the scythe.


    [50 points have been added to your strength.]


    Raw power surged through him, a torrent of energy that made his muscles feel like they could crush steel. The Shifter lunged, ws poised to strike. Ss didn''t hesitate. He swung his scythe with all his might.


    The creature''s ws met the de, but this time, the impact was shattering. Bone splintered, shards flying. Dark purple blood spurted from the mangled hand, and the Shifter howled in agony.


    Ss didn''t let up. He closed the distance, scythe shing. The de tore into the creature''s arm, a deep, gaping wound opening up. Blood gushed, staining the ground. The Shifter staggered, but before it could recover, Ss leapt into the air, raising his scythe high.


    CHUK!


    The de buried itself in the creature''s skull with a sickening crunch. Blood poured like a dark river, and the Shifter crumpled, lifeless.


    [Congrattions, you have in a Shifter.]


    Ss, panting, yanked the scythe free. He scanned the battlefield. His clones were faltering; only five of the original twenty-four remained. Each blow they took drained his soul points. But now, with his enhanced strength, they began turning the tide,nding hits, and taking down Shifters. Each kill restored his energy bit by bit.


    Vic was still locked in battle, sweat streaming down his face. He fought valiantly, summoning earthen barriers, deflecting blows, striking back. He was outmatched, but he refused to yield.


    Ss activated another Clone Skill Card. A dozen fresh clones appeared. He gave the order, and they charged.


    SLASH!


    SLASH!


    SLASH!


    Heads rolled. Dark blood pooled. The battlefield grew silent.


    [Congrattions, you have in all Shifters.]


    [No rewards granted: Host failed toplete the hidden quest.]


    [Hidden quest: Ensure no one is infected by the Shifters.]


    Ss frowned, puzzled. "Hidden quest? I wasn''t aware of any quest," he thought. His eyes narrowed. "I killed them all… didn''t I?"


    He turned, suspicion ring, eyes locking onto Vic.


    """


    A/N: New Month begins by 5pm..I hope I get a new month magic Castle like the rest of them, haha.


    Also, we will be returning back to two to three Chapters daily in this new month, so don''t forget to vote and support. Thanks for reading.