CHAPTER NINE:WARII

Jayden's heart was pounding in his chest as he rushed toward the chaos, every step heavier than the last. The Sanguine Overdrive was barely enough to calm his racing thoughts, his system buzzing with an insidious desire for battle.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE: "You're not ready. You will break."]

He ignored it.

The world around him was chaos, demons screaming as they tore through the campus grounds. Flames crackled, metal twisted, and screams echoed into the sky, a cacophony of destruction. But Jayden, beneath the mask, only had one thing on his mind.

"Clara."

He pushed forward, slamming his body into the nearest demon—a grotesque, towering creature covered in spiked armor. It roared at him, the stench of sulfur choking the air. Its claws were like razors, ready to shred him into nothingness.

Jayden's senses screamed danger, but his system… his system only urged him forward, mocking him with its cruel commands.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Engage combat, or face death."]

Jayden didn't hesitate.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Activating Sanguine Overdrive. Stat Increase: Strength +10, Agility +10, Endurance +10 for 10 seconds."]

He lashed out with his claws, feeling the cool rush of power surge through him. The demon's massive hand swiped at him with impossible speed. Jayden dodged, his reflexes enhanced far beyond human limits, but not by much. The claws grazed his side, tearing through his flesh.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE: "Warning: Critical damage to Endurance."]

Jayden staggered back, pain searing through his body as blood poured from the gash. He could feel his vitality draining, the wound deep, but he didn't flinch.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Blood reserves are at 75%. Stabilizing."]

He grinned beneath his mask. This wasn't enough to stop him.

"Not today."

Jayden pushed forward again, his heart pumping, every beat syncing with the pulsing rhythm of his system. He leaped into the air, his feet leaving the ground with terrifying grace. The demon's eyes followed him, but it was too slow. Jayden was faster. Much faster.

He landed on the demon's shoulder and, without thinking, extended his claws to their full length, digging into the creature's thick hide. His strength wasn't enough to pierce the armor fully, but it was enough to throw him off balance.

The demon let out a bellow of rage, swinging its massive arm to throw Jayden off. But Jayden wasn't done yet. He activated another ability, one that his system had unlocked at Level 10: Shadow Step.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Activating Shadow Step. Dash to target location."]

In a blink, Jayden vanished from the demon's shoulder, appearing behind it, his claws extending again, this time aiming for the creature's heart. But the demon wasn't done. It spun, its armored body twisting with a power that almost cracked the earth beneath it.

A massive tail, spiked and vicious, shot out, slamming into Jayden with enough force to send him flying.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE: "Fatal hit. Endurance reduced by 30%. Warning: immediate action required to avoid death."]

Jayden hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body sliding across the dirt. The pain was unbearable. His system was in overdrive, but even with the enhancement, the damage was immense. His vision blurred, his breathing shallow. He was dangerously close to losing consciousness.

But the voice in his mind didn't give him a choice. The Crimson Edict's call was clear.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE: "You are weak. But you will endure. Stand, or die."]

Jayden's fingers twitched. Blood oozed from his wounds, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet, despite the overwhelming pain. His vision was hazy, but he could see the demon's hulking form looming above him, ready to strike the final blow.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Activating 'Sanguine Overdrive'... blood reserves at 50%. Maximum power required to survive."]

Jayden's claws extended fully. His body shook with pain, but the hunger was stronger now. The thirst for blood. The need to survive. His body responded to his will, his muscles rippling with newfound strength, his vision sharpening as if his senses were awakened to another world.

He rushed forward, not even waiting for the demon's attack. He was a blur of speed, his claws a deadly arc as they slashed into the demon's chest with force.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "Critical hit. Demon's life force at 35%. Preparing for fatal strike."]

The demon screamed, an ear-piercing sound that echoed through the battlefield, but Jayden didn't relent. He followed up with a vicious series of strikes, his claws cutting through the demon's armor, ripping open its chest. Blood sprayed into the air—thick, black blood that reeked of death. But Jayden didn't stop. He pushed his body beyond its limits, beyond the pain, into the frenzy.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "You are in a berserk state. Strength +50. Agility +50. Endurance +50 for 30 seconds. Caution: Loss of control imminent."]

In that moment, Jayden was a force of nature. His claws ripped through the demon's heart, and with one final scream, the creature collapsed into a pile of rotting flesh. Jayden stood over it, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his claws. His mask was cracked, but it didn't matter. He was still alive. He had done it.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "You have defeated a Major Demon. Gaining 300 EXP. Bloodline progression unlocked."]

But his victory was short-lived. From the corner of his eye, he saw more demons, bigger and more powerful, emerging from the shadows. This wasn't the end.

He looked up, and in that moment, he felt it—a strange calmness washing over him. It wasn't fear. It was the surge of power. The taste of blood.

[SYSTEM ALERT: "The next wave approaches. You are not finished yet."]

With a roar, Jayden leaped into the fray again. His system pulsed with energy, fueling him even as his body screamed in pain. He would not stop. Not until Clara was safe.

And then, the air shifted. A massive, hulking demon—its body like molten rock—emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an ancient, terrifying rage.

Jayden's blood boiled.

The real battle had only just begun.

Now, Jayden had truly become something more than human. His system—ruthless, brutal, and unforgiving—had made him into a weapon. He wasn't just fighting for survival. He was fighting for his sister, for Clara. And as the first wave of demons fell to his claws, Jayden knew that nothing would stop him.

Not even death.