Hollow Tide

The first creature emerged from the fog like a nightmare uncoiled — all jagged limbs, weeping black ichor, and a face that remembered pain but not identity. Its eyes, if they could be called that, glowed with an eerie green shimmer, like rotting embers.

Leo stood beside Aerin just inside the crumbling threshold of the tower. The wardline flared with green light as the entity approached, then shrieked — not in fear, but hunger.

Aerin drew a knife of carved bone from her belt. "Keep your stance wide. Don't let it grab you."

Leo raised the Verdant Fang. "You say that like it's easy."

Then the fog erupted.

They came in threes. Four-legged horrors and crawling torsos. Faces half-formed, limbs twisted by corruption. One of them hissed in a voice like splintered glass.

The tower's wards lit up like a beacon.

"⟪Wards Engaged: Outer Barrier Holding – Integrity 92%⟫"

Leo didn't have time to think. One of the creatures leapt forward, crossing the barrier — dying mid-lunge, but not before a tendril of darkness flicked past the line and slashed across his arm.

He cried out, staggering back.

"⟪Status Effect Gained: Minor Corruption Burn⟫

Effect: -3 HP per 10 seconds. Duration: 60 seconds.⟫"

"Dammit!" Leo shouted, clutching his arm.

Aerin grabbed his shoulder and shoved a green-leafed charm into his hand. "Break it!"

He snapped the charm. It disintegrated into golden motes that rushed into his wound.

"⟪Item Consumed: Verdant Charm⟫

Effect: Heals minor injuries and purges Tier I corruption.⟫"

His arm stopped bleeding. The burn faded.

Then the real battle began.

The Hollowborn surged at the walls. The wards flared as dozens of strikes hammered it from all sides. Leo moved instinctively, diving left as Aerin launched her bone dagger with perfect precision — straight into the skull of a spined crawler trying to breach the second arch.

"⟪Enemy Defeated: Hollowspawn Scout⟫

EXP Gained: 45⟫"

Leo took a breath and activated his newly upgraded ability.

"⟪Skill Activated: Shadow Step⟫

Rank: C

Effect: Dash through shadows within 5 meters. Leave behind a shadow afterimage that distracts enemies.

Cooldown: 8 seconds⟫"

His body dissolved into misty darkness and reappeared behind a flailing Hollowborn. Without thinking, he thrust the Verdant Fang forward.

The spear pierced blackened flesh — and bloomed.

"⟪Verdant Fang Effect Triggered⟫

Healing Spores Released.

+5 HP Restored⟫"

The creature shrieked as it died, its form unraveling into smoke.

Aerin called from across the tower. "Behind you!"

Leo spun as two more creatures crashed through the first layer of the weakened barrier.

"⟪System Alert: Outer Barrier Integrity 46%⟫

Warning: Reinforce Immediately⟫"

Aerin ran to the central sigil circle and slammed her palm down.

"⟪Nightfall Protocol Engaged⟫

Effect: Emergency Rune Amplification | Duration: 10 minutes⟫"

The tower walls shuddered with sudden power as emerald sigils blazed brighter than ever. The surge pushed back several Hollowborn in a shockwave of raw essence.

Leo fought harder now. His limbs moved on instinct. The system seemed to pulse with him — almost guiding his strikes.

"⟪Skill Triggered: Adaptive Reflex⟫

Rank: F

Effect: Minor evasion boost when surrounded by two or more enemies.

Cooldown: Passive⟫"

He hadn't even known he had that one.

Slash. Thrust. Step. Shadow.

Each movement felt easier. Each breath more focused. Was it adrenaline? Or the Soulbound's connection to this corrupted world finally settling in?

More enemies fell. Dozens.

Time blurred.

Until finally — the system chimed again.

"⟪Quest Complete: Hold the Line⟫

Objective: Survive the Hollow Tide

Status: Success⟫"

"⟪Rewards Granted⟫

– 300 EXP

– 1 Skill Upgrade Token

– +2 Soul Resonance

– Bonus Acquired: Rare Equipment Drop⟫"

A single item materialized before Leo, hovering in midair like a dream solidifying.

He reached for it — and it dropped into his hands.

"⟪Item Acquired: Whisperveil Cloak⟫

Type: Armor (Light)

Rank: Rare

Effect: +15% Evasion | Reduces sound while moving | Shadow Step cooldown reduced by 1 second⟫"

He stared at it, stunned.

Behind him, Aerin slumped against a wall, blood on her sleeve but her face calm. "Not bad for a first night."

Leo's hands still trembled — not from fear, but from the charge of having survived.

"I'm starting to hate nights here," he muttered.

She looked at him, eyes sharper than before. "Good. That means you're still human."

Outside, the last of the corrupted smoke faded into the predawn gloom.

Inside, Leo pulled the cloak around his shoulders.

And the system whispered, soft and sure.

"⟪Soul Resonance Increased⟫

Current Resonance: 21%⟫"

Tomorrow would bring more horrors.

But tonight… he had endured.