"The one who deserves to die… is not her. It's you."

Aiden's voice was low, sharp. His eyes burned as his words sliced into the silence. "So die."

The severed limb buried in Quint's throat twitched... then tore itself out in a violent jerk. Blood sprayed. Quint's body slumped.

And Aiden collapsed right after.

His body hit the ground heavy, his gaze dim. Clara was still breathing, but barely. They had scraped through hell by the skin of their teeth. Alive, but only just.

The only reason they survived at all was because of the new extension of Aiden's Morph skill... the gift he'd earned back when Han nearly killed him during his rampage. Back then, Aiden had been forced to adapt, and from that hell he'd pulled out something new: Body Extension.

It let him alter himself even further. With it, he'd grown extra limbs, like when he fought the Six-Tail Scorpion. But that wasn't the end of it.

Earlier, when Quint had taken control of his body, Aiden had thought of something insane. Reckless. Something no sane man would ever attempt.

What if I could control my severed limbs with my mind?

Quint had full control over Aiden's body, but not his mind. A cut-off limb was no longer "his body" which meant it was outside of Quint's reach.

It was the perfect loophole.

Aiden gambled everything on it. He didn't hesitate, because hesitation meant Clara's death by his own hands.

At first, it had felt impossible. The strain nearly fried his brain, every nerve screaming, the effort tearing him apart inside. But slowly, painfully.... he forced his will into the severed limb. And when Quint's guard dropped, when the bastard thought victory was his… Aiden struck.

He killed Quint with his own cut-off arm.

Aiden dropped to his knees, chest heaving, breath ragged. Relief crashed over him like a wave. Exhaustion clawed at his bones. But under it all, there was joy.

They'd done it. Against all odds, they'd taken down one of the main enemies. Together.

Then—

Ding.

> [Dawn Overflow Mode has ended. Host should prepare for penalty.]

Aiden froze. His face darkened, silence crushing him. His heart hammered, a storm inside his chest. He had a bad feeling. A terrible one.

The next message came like a blade.

> [Penalty applied. Dark Essence Mode has been destroyed.]

For a moment, Aiden just knelt there. Blank. Empty. Staring.

"What…?" His voice was a whisper. "What the hell are you saying…?"

His breath hitched. His chest burned as if stabbed through.

The Dark Essence Mode.... destroyed.

To others, it might've been just another transformation. But to Aiden… it was more. It was the beginning of everything. His first true step toward becoming stronger. Toward becoming a hero.

He'd gained it months ago, after extracting the DNA of the Arch Goblin. The mode wasn't just power , it was a memory. Proof of how far he'd come. Proof he'd survived. Proof he'd clawed his way up when he had nothing.

And now it was gone.

Forever.

Aiden shut his eyes, pain rippling through him, his fists clenching so hard his nails dug into his palms. He tried to steady his breath, but the loss tore at him raw.

The penalty for Dawn Overflow wasn't just harsh, it was cruel.

But if he hadn't used it, Clara, himself… and the others.... they'd all be dead already.

Still, knowing that didn't make it hurt any less.

Aiden sat in the silence, the weight of the loss crushing his chest. His journey, his fight, his dream.... it felt like a part of it had just been ripped away.

The penalty for using Dark Essence Mode was brutal, too brutal. But without Dawn Overflow, Aiden, Clara, and the others would've been corpses by now. He tried to swallow the bitterness. He told himself not to be too sad.

He forced himself to look at the positives.

Dragging his weary body, Aiden walked over to the massive scorpion's corpse. His hand pressed against its thick carapace.

Ding.

> [Would Host like to extract beast DNA?]

His eyes closed. "Accept."

The familiar, twisted sensation surged through his veins, heat crawling across his skin. When he opened his eyes again, the system windows flooded his vision.

> [+20 Strength]

[+10 Speed]

[+35 Endurance]

[Item Acquired: Hairy Shroud (Armor)]

Aiden's face didn't change. He wasn't after armor or stats. He was waiting for one thing, one prayer hidden deep in his chest.

And then it came.

> [New Transformation Mode Unlocked.]

[Mode Name: Tailed Beast Mode.]

A spark lit in his eyes. His lips curved into a tired but triumphant smile. "Finally."

Flexing his hand, he felt the weight of his new strength pulsing inside him. With all those boosts, he was stronger than ever.

But before he could even breathe in that victory....

Hack!

A violent cough ripped through the silence.

Aiden's head snapped around. Clara.

She collapsed, her body folding into the dirt. Her breaths were shallow, eyes blurry, life flickering like a dying flame.

"Clara!" Aiden's chest clenched, guilt stabbing him deeper than any blade. He'd nearly forgotten, forgotten she wasn't like him. She wasn't Awakened. No superhuman stamina. No monstrous resilience. Just human. Just fragile.

He scooped her limp body into his arms, whispering through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry, Clara. I'm so damn sorry."

Without another word, he bolted out of the cave.

The sight that met him was nothing but ruin. Piles of beast corpses stacked like grotesque mountains. Blood soaked the ground. The fallen heroes lay among them, their bodies cold, their sacrifice etched in silence.

For a second, Aiden thought it was over. The battlefield outside looked dead. But the pressure radiating from far beyond told him otherwise. The real war was still raging.

He didn't have time to stop. Clara's pulse was slipping.

He pushed forward, cutting across the wasteland until the familiar glow of the support unit came into view. Relief hit him like water in the desert until he saw their state.

Shin and Brom were collapsed, barely breathing. Shae and Silver Wing had dragged them here, but neither of them looked much better.

Elexa was sprawled unconscious, with Balor and Little One standing guard, their bodies battered and barely holding together.

The healers were there too, eyes sunken, hands trembling, completely drained. Forcing them any further would burn them out for good.

But everyone needed help. Clara. Shin. Brom. Elexa. All of them.

Aiden's fists clenched helplessly. He didn't know what to do.

Then a voice cut through the air.

"Lay them here."

He turned. Mia. Her voice was steady, but her body wasn't, she looked like she could collapse any second. Sweat rolled down her pale face, yet she stood firm.

"I'll heal them all," she said, pointing to a large foam mat.

Aiden's eyes widened. "Mia.... you can't. You'll kill yourself..."

"I said lay them here." Her tone cracked like steel, silencing him.

She looked at him, lips curving into the faintest smile. "You too, Aiden. Join them. I'll heal you all at once. I'll use everything I have left."

Aiden's throat tightened. He wanted to argue, to stop her. But she shook her head, stubborn, unyielding.

"Don't worry about me," she whispered, her smile burning despite the weakness in her eyes. "I can handle it."

Inside Mia's mind though, she already knew that this would be the hardest thing she had ever done. Maybe after this, she wouldn't even be able to move. But that didn't matter. The war wasn't won yet, and the ones who could finish it were all here, bruised and broken. She had to give them everything.

She closed her eyes. Drew in what little strength she had left. The energy around her stirred, gathering like a storm, pouring into her palm until her hand blazed with light. Her eyes snapped open. She raised her hand high, then unleashed it.

The burst engulfed everyone.

Aiden felt it first.... the rush of vitality slamming back into his body. Wounds stitched shut, lungs steadied, muscles firmed. One by one, the broken stood taller, breath steadier, strength returning like fire in their veins. Minutes passed, and the group stood renewed.

"Phew… that was a close one," Aiden muttered, dragging himself upright. The others followed, even Clara.... though she stayed a bit weak, her steps unsteady. She wasn't like the rest. She was only human.

Mia smiled. Bright. Defiant. Then her knees buckled.

"Hey!" Aiden rushed forward, but she was caught before she hit the ground.

"Is she okay?" His voice was sharp, heavy with fear.

The man checking her pulse glanced up, then gave a tired smile. "Yeah. She's fine."

Relief crashed through Aiden's chest. Without the support team, this mission would've already been a failure.

Little One's guild elites moved quick, restoring what energy they could. Silver Wing, Shae, Balor, and the rest didn't waste time, they headed straight back into the fray to face the remaining dark emissaries.

Aiden clenched his teeth. His body might be healed, but his energy was still drained. For now, he was useless.

His mind flicked to Han. To Ronan. Nowhere in sight. If they weren't here, it meant they were out there, locked in battle against the emissaries.

And then, another face struck his thoughts. Magus.

His hand curled into a fist, trembling. Whoever was standing against that nightmare needed help the most. Of that, he was certain. That emissary wasn't just strong.... it was something beyond.

And Aiden… Aiden could do nothing but wait.

To be continued....

AUTHOR'S NOTE

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