Chapter 13: The Dangerous one – Karnixm.

{Trigger Warning: This chapter contains graphic violence, including intense battle scenes, bodily harm, and descriptions of blood and injury. Reader discretion is advised. If you are sensitive to depictions of violence, please proceed with caution.}

Ethan immediately held Alicia and hurried toward the exit.

 "Ava, get to the exit—now!" [he said, his gaze locking onto her with urgency.]

But as his gaze fell on Ava, he saw her trembling on the ground—the same sight he had witnessed at Wings Hotel.

 "All of you, run to the exit! I'll stop it!" [Daniel shouted before charging at Karnixm with all his might.]

 "Sara, take Clara with you and go! Everyone, leave—now!" [Ethan's voice grew louder as he moved toward the exit with Alicia, but his gaze never wavered from Ava.] "I'll come for her later." [He murmured under his breath.]

Daniel slashed at Karnixm, but Karnixm blocked the attack with his tentacles. His power allowed him to harden his once-soft tentacles to a diamond-like toughness.

Undeterred, Daniel continued his relentless assault, but Karnixm dodged and parried with inhuman swiftness. His soulless yellow eyes glowed with menacing intent. Meanwhile, Roman Schitzwit dashed into the living room and escaped through a window.

 "I—I can move now, Ethan." [Alicia said in a trembling voice as they left the house and stood at a safe distance.]

Ethan's gaze fell on his house, the aura sword's light illuminating the entire structure. He spotted Sara and Clara rushing out, their footsteps frantic as they ran.

Sara's eyes locked onto Ethan and Alicia, and without hesitation, she sprinted toward them, Clara following closely behind.

Ethan caught the expression on Sara's face, and his own twisted with sorrow. Tears welled in Clara's eyes as she sobbed uncontrollably—it was clear she had just witnessed the loss of her parents.

They stood in front of Ethan. The night wasn't completely dark; the moon glowed softly, casting its light over them. The streetlights flickered, their unsteady glow barely holding back the encroaching darkness.

Ethan's gaze shifted toward Sara and Clara before moving back to his house, as if he, too, were waiting for someone.

 "W-Where's Ava?" [Ethan asked, his voice filled with fear and anxiety.]

 [Sara glanced at Clara before shifting her gaze back to Ethan.] "I... I don't know. I thought she was with you." [She replied in a trembling voice.]

 "WHAT?!" [Ethan shouted, his voice filled with panic, his face etched with fear.]

He looked at his house, his heart racing. He stepped forward, but his movements were suddenly halted by Alicia,

 "No, I'm not letting you go. D-Daniel will save her." [She said, gripping Ethan's arm tightly.]

…

Meanwhile, Daniel's arm was injured, blood pouring freely from the wound. On the other side, Karnixm stood unharmed, untouched by the battle.

Karnixm had a humanoid form, its body crowned with multiple writhing tentacles that reached out, tipped with sharp, needle-like ends. Its large, circular mouth was lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, and its massive body rippled and churned with unnatural movement.

The most striking feature were its numerous dark yellow eyes, soulless and glowing ominously in the dim light. The air around it felt suffocatingly cold...

What was most grotesque was the mixture of fresh blood and flesh covering its entire body. The tentacles, too, were coated in the blood and remnants of those it had killed in Ethan's house.

 "YOU CAN'T… WIN AGAINST ME…" [Karnixm said, his gaze fixed on Daniel. His voice was so heavy, it sent a wave of fear and goosebumps through anyone who heard it.]

Daniel panted continuously, blood flowing from his injured hand. Claw marks marred his hand, and a line of blood ran down his forehead, reaching his eyelashes.

A single drop fell from his lashes to the ground. As the drop hit, Karnixm charged forward to attack. Daniel blocked the strike with his sword.

Suddenly, he saw a tentacle coming directly toward his right side. He dodged instantly and swung his sword, slicing through Karnixm's chest. But Karnixm quickly regenerated.

Daniel's breath hitched, but he pressed on with his attack. His sword reached its target but failed to do significant damage, as if his weapon were not powerful enough.

Ava watched the battle unfold before her, tears streaming down her face. Her legs already gave way. She looked around the room, but found none of the others—not even Ethan.

Her heart skipped a beat—not with fear, but with the anger of being abandoned. She tried to stand but failed. The sight of Karnixm was too horrifying for her to bear. She gave up, sitting there crying, as if she had accepted her fate.

 "W-Why, Ethan? Why did you leave me alone..." [he murmured under her breath, her thoughts swirling with the agony of abandonment. A stream of tears flowed down her face, as if she had been betrayed by him.]

She had thought Ethan would always stay by her side, protect her. But now, she found herself alone, sitting helplessly—waiting for her fate.

 [A bittersweet smile crossed her lips as she murmured to herself.] "I wish I could see him one last time. Hug him, kiss him, caress him…" [She sobbed, covering her mouth with her hands as tears flowed freely.]

Meanwhile, Daniel struggled to withstand Karnixm's relentless attacks.

…

 "Mom, I... I need to save her." [Ethan said, gently pulling Alicia's grip from his hand.] "Sara, please take care of yourself and Mom." [He smiled as he spoke.]

 "No, I told you not to..." [Before she could finish, Ethan ran toward his house to help Ava.]

 "Nooooo…" [Alicia stood up and ran, but her movements were halted when Sara grabbed her from behind]

 "He'll come back, Mom. He's stronger than you think... and Daniel is with him too." [Sara said through tears, hoping her words would come true.]

…

Daniel was kneeling before Karnixm. His Aura sword, once glowing brightly, now dimmed, as if it had lost its energy. His sword lay at the entrance of the door, the Aura around it completely faded, leaving it looking like an ordinary weapon. He panted heavily; exhaustion evident in every breath.

The blood on the floor told a story of a fierce battle, but Karnixm stood there without a scratch.

 "WHEN I REGENERATE, I ONLY GROW STRONGER AND STRONGER. YOUR ATTACKS… ARE USELESS." [Karnixm sneered at Daniel, his face smeared with red flesh and blood.]

 "LOOK AT ALL THE LIFELESS BODIES AROUND US... MY DELICIOUS FEAST." [He bared his razor-sharp, shark-like teeth, arranged in a circular pattern, clenching tightly.] "BUT THERE WAS SOMEONE NEARBY—I CAN FEEL IT... RAW FEAR, POURING FROM THAT PERSON."

He said, turning his face toward Ava. Ava felt his gaze pierce through her, and she noticed his sharp, shark-like teeth. Her heart clenched in fear. Death itself stared back at her. She cried out, wanting to escape, but she couldn't.

Karnixm slowly began moving toward her. His multiple tentacles writhed in the air, alive with excitement, craving fresh flesh. Ava trembled uncontrollably. She watched as Karnixm's long tongue darted from his circular mouth, lined with sharp, shark-like teeth. He stood in front of her, an inescapable nightmare.

Meanwhile, Daniel tried to rise, but his knees were shattered. "Nooooooo…" Daniel screamed, but Karnixm had already made up his mind.

 "I'LL EAT YOU FIRST, HUMAN. YOU LOOK TASTY..." [He said, darting his tongue out, and then stopped right in front of her.]

Saliva dripped continuously from his tongue, thick and glistening. Ava trembled, pulling her head back and closing her eyes. She was helpless, knowing Karnixm was about to devour her.

She closed her eyes, trying to escape her fate, but suddenly, she heard a painful scream from Karnixm's mouth. She opened her eyes and saw that his tongue had been cut off. Part of it lay in her lap—disgusting. A drop of green liquid oozed from Karnixm's mouth, splattering onto Ava's lap.

Ava quickly crawled backward, flicking the severed tongue off her dress, breathing heavily. Her breath was so heavy, it sounded like a ragged, frantic gasp.

 "D-Don't you dare... t-touch her."

Ava looked toward the voice and saw Ethan. Her heart clenched at the sight of him. He held Daniel's sword, but there was something different about it.

Daniel was shocked as he saw Ethan holding his sword, now radiating a dark aura. The sword's aura wrapped around Ethan, engulfing him completely. The darkness it exuded was magnificent, a terrifying force of power.

Karnixm glared at him, rage and fury burning in his eyes. He tried to regenerate his tongue but failed. For the first time, fear was etched across his face.

Ethan, who had been trembling moments before, now stood tall with newfound confidence. The dark aura radiating from the sword continued to glow ominously. His gaze fell on Ava, noticing the tears streaming down her face.

Without hesitation, Ethan rushed toward Karnixm. Karnixm instantly blocked the attack, hardening his tentacles like diamond to prevent any cuts. But when the dark aura of the sword met the tentacles, it sliced through them effortlessly, the raw power of the sword overwhelming them.

Karnixm gasped and staggered backward from Ethan. It was the first time his hardened tentacles had been sliced by a sword. When Daniel had tried, he had failed, but Ethan succeeded.

Karnixm attempted to regenerate his tentacles, but the effort was in vain. The dark aura radiating from Ethan's sword was so powerful that even Karnixm's regeneration couldn't keep up with it.

Ethan breathed heavily as the dark aura glowed even more brightly, its intensity growing with each breath.

 "ETHAN… KILL HIM NOW, BEFORE THE SWORD CONSUMES ALL YOUR POWER!" [Daniel screamed; his voice raw with urgency.]

Before Karnixm could react, Ethan immediately understood what he had to do and rushed toward him. Karnixm growled, preparing to strike. All of his tentacles shot toward Ethan, but despite never having learned to wield a sword, Ethan swung it with all his might, trying to cut through them.

However, some of the tentacles managed to scrape his cheeks, his hands, and his body as he struggled to keep up with the attack.

Finally, with one powerful thrust, Ethan drove the dark aura sword deep into Karnixm. Green liquid poured from the creature's circular mouth and the wound, as if Ethan had pierced Karnixm's heart directly.

Karnixm fell to the floor with a loud thud. Daniel and Ava both stared at Ethan in shock.

 "W-we won…" [Ava whispered, still trembling.]

 "Ethan… Ethan?" [she called; her voice filled with concern.]