Forsaken Hunter-Chapter 6: The Awakening of Power

Beno Mark lay sprawled across the cold, blood-soaked ground, a broken shell amidst the dungeon's carnage.

The air hung thick with death—a metallic tang so sharp it coated his tongue, blending with the damp rot that seeped from the cavern's depths.

Silence pressed down like a shroud, suffocating, broken only by the faint drip-drip of blood pooling beneath the slaughter.

His chest heaved, each breath a jagged rasp tearing at his lungs as he forced trembling hands against the slick stone, dragging himself forward through the mire of gore—each inch a battle against his failing body.

His hazel eyes, dulled by pain, landed on Clara—Ripen, the pink-haired hunter who'd burned herself out to save him. She lay still, her torso split by a ragged gash, crimson soaking her black combat suit until it glistened wetly under the dim torchlight.

Her intestines spilled outward, coiled and glistening like a grotesque serpent, the torn edges of her flesh frayed and raw. Her dagger—her last stand—lay broken beside her, its snapped blade smeared with the blood of hounds she'd fought to her final breath.

A few feet away, Hunter 1's corpse sprawled in ruin—his arm torn off at the shoulder, sinew dangling like shredded rope.

His watch clung to his wrist, its cracked screen flickering faintly, casting a ghostly glow over his mangled form—chest caved in, ribs jutting through torn flesh like splintered ivory, a grim monument to his fall.

Then there was Hunter 3, the youngest—his youthful face now a memory.

His ID pass lay fallen, and Beno's blood-streaked fingers shook as he picked it up. The photo smiled back—bright eyes, a grin full of dreams. "I want to be an S-rank hunter one day," he'd said, voice alive with naive fire, now snuffed out. His body was a shredded mess—legs twisted unnaturally, lower jaw gone, leaving a bloody, gaping maw where his hope had died.

Beno's chest tightened, a vise of guilt and rage squeezing until he couldn't breathe.

His teeth gritted, a sharp pain surging through his swollen leg—purple and black beneath torn skin, throbbing with every heartbeat. But it was nothing—nothing—compared to the hollow despair clawing his soul.

He bowed his head, slow and heavy, fingers trembling as he clutched the ID, its edges cutting into his palm, drawing fresh blood that mingled with the filth.

"Forgive me..." The words scraped out, barely a whisper, raw and broken. "I couldn't save you... couldn't even avenge you..."

His throat seized, choking on sobs he couldn't release. Helplessness crashed over him, a tidal wave of shame drowning the flicker of resolve he'd clung to.

He hesitated, breath hitching as he stared at their bodies—Clara's smile, Hunter 1's grit, Hunter 3's dreams—each a wound deeper than the flesh. I should've done something... anything...

But there was no time to linger. His leg pulsed with infection, his body battered beyond limits—he had to escape, or he'd join them in the dirt.

Dragging himself forward, Beno clawed toward the exit, vision blurring as pain and tears streaked his face. His nails scraped stone, splitting and bleeding, leaving red smears as he pressed against the jagged walls, their edges slicing his palms.

He hauled himself up, his swollen leg dragging uselessly—a crimson trail marking his path like a dying man's signature.

"Help... Guard... someone... please..." His voice cracked, a pitiful whimper swallowed by the dungeon's vastness.

Silence.

His breaths grew erratic, shallow gasps burning his lungs. "Luna... anyone..." He sucked in air, desperation surging. "HELP ME!"

His scream echoed, a frantic plea bouncing off the walls in a mocking chorus, amplifying his isolation.

His strength faltered—legs buckled—and he slumped against the stone, a trembling wreck, hands clawing at the wall as if it could save him.

Then—a deep growl rumbled, a predator's heartbeat vibrating through the ground.

Beno's head snapped up, blood running cold. His eyes widened as a hound emerged—yellow eyes glowing like lanterns of malice, cutting through the shadows.

Its sharp teeth bared, glistening with saliva and blood, claws clicking with deliberate menace as it stalked closer.

"You piece of shit..." Beno hissed, defiance sparking through his dread.

With a surge of grit, he grabbed a blood-slick stone, its weight rough in his hand, and hurled it—thud—cracking the hound's skull. Bone splintered, the beast staggering before collapsing, twitching in a pool of its own fluids.

For a heartbeat, he thought it was over.

Then—"WOOOOOOOO!"

The hound's howl split the air, a banshee's wail of rage that pierced his ears and sank his heart.

"No..." His stomach dropped, voice trembling. "No, please! I didn't mean—don't call your damn pack!"

Too late.

Shadows stirred—a swarm of hounds erupted, fur matted with blood, hungry eyes locking onto him. They circled, crows over a corpse, snarls a guttural symphony shaking the air, their fetid breath washing over him in hot waves.

Beno's fists clenched, frustration boiling over, a primal scream tearing free. "I am DONE with this!"

With nothing left, he charged—a broken man fueled by desperation and rage.

His fist slammed into the nearest hound's nose—crunch—cartilage shattering, blood streaming as it yelped and staggered back. Another lunged, jaws snapping—snap—clamping his arm, teeth sinking deep into muscle, scraping bone. Hot blood gushed, soaking his sleeve as he screamed, "Let go, you bastard!"—voice raw, guttural, a beast of its own.

He snatched a stone with his free hand, slick with his own blood, and smashed it into the hound's eye—pop—vitreous bursting, crimson mixing as the beast released him, thrashing in agony. He stumbled back, clutching his torn arm, flesh hanging in strips, breaths a wheezing mess.

But they were everywhere.

The pack pounced—a frenzied storm of claws and fangs. One tore into his calf—rip—tendon shredding, a wet tear as he buckled. Another latched onto his shoulder—crunch—bone splintering, blood splattering as he roared, the sound swallowed by their snarls. Fangs sank deep, flesh parting, muscle shredding—his body a canvas of torment.

Pain was unbearable.

Every nerve screamed, skin flayed open, raw flesh pulsing beneath the assault. Bones battered, splintering, breaths bubbling with blood as his vision blurred—a crimson haze washing over him. The ground gleamed like polished obsidian, soaked in his blood, steaming in the dim light. His limbs shook, each twitch a fresh wave of agony, tearing at his soul.

The hounds circled, yellow eyes gleaming with hunger—a ring of death tightening. Snarls echoed, a cacophony drowning his fading pulse.

"No..." His croak was wet, barely lifting his head, voice a broken whisper.

He dragged himself an inch, nails snapping as he clawed the dirt, desperate for anything to hold. I can't... I can't just die here... Pain stabbed like hot knives, searing every nerve, his body pleading to stop—but his mind refused.

Nothing.

Alone.

"Please..." His voice cracked, trembling as he rasped, "System... awaken me... PLEASE!"

Silence.

No light. No power. Just his labored breathing and the hounds' growls, jaws dripping with his blood.

A bitter laugh broke free—hollow, choking, edged with despair. "In the end..." His vision flickered, edges blackening. "The weak always die... in this world of power."

The ID slipped from his fingers, landing with a soft plop in the blood.

His body slumped, cheek pressed into the gore-soaked stone, sinking into darkness—a cold tide numbing the pain as his consciousness frayed.

His heartbeat slowed—thud... thud...

Over.

The hounds lunged—fangs tore into him: arms shredded, muscle peeling in ribbons; legs punctured, tendons snapping; back raked open, spine exposed as claws carved deep. Blood spilled, a steaming flood, his screams fading to wet gurgles as it filled his throat.

But then—

Memories flickered through the haze.

Renzo—small, smiling, trusting. "Big bro! I wanna be like you!" His voice, bright and innocent, stabbed Beno's heart.

His relatives—scornful glares, hissing, "Useless... a disgrace." Each word a lash, deeper than the hounds' claws.

His cowardice—running, hiding, abandoning Renzo, guilt festering like rot.

"No... stop..." he rasped, lost in the void.

Darkness deepened, pulling him under.

Then—a voice.

Soft, piercing.

"Big bro... if I'm in danger, will you save me?"

Innocence clawed him back.

"Big bro... save me, okay?"

And then—"I love you, Big Bro."

Beno's eyes snapped open.

A violent storm erupted within—a fury buried deep, shaking the dungeon's core.

He roared—defiance incarnate—body convulsing as power surged, a tidal wave tearing through his broken flesh. The air crackled, lightning snapping. Stone trembled, dust raining as cracks spiderwebbed the walls.

A black aura burst from him—thick, suffocating, swirling with violet tendrils like living shadows. Blood beneath boiled, evaporating into a red mist cloaking him in a spectral haze.

The hounds froze, twitching, primal terror seizing them. They whimpered—but too late.

Beno's eyes glowed—violet and abyssal black, twin flames piercing the dark with unrelenting wrath.

Pain vanished.

Fear evaporated.

Only wrath remained.

He clenched his fists, voice thundering, "I AM NOT DYING HERE!"

His rage exploded—body blurring before his mind caught up, fueled by a power he couldn't grasp.

A hound lunged—fangs bared, saliva dripping.

Beno caught its skull mid-air—fingers sinking into flesh with a wet squelch. He roared, squeezing—CRACK—bone shattering, brain oozing as blood splattered, painting his face. The corpse thudded down, lifeless.

The pack faltered, growls fading to whimpers.

He wasn't done.

Another charged—jaws snapping. He snatched its leg, twisting—RIIIP—sinew snapping, blood arcing as it shrieked, collapsing on its gushing stump.

His fist met another's snout—BOOM—skull caving, eyes bursting in a gore spray, body skidding across the stone.

The survivors backed off, tails low, trembling.

They bolted for the altar—refuge in shadows.

Beno smirked—dark, merciless.

His fingers twitched.

The ground stirred—two bloodied daggers rose, hovering, trembling with his will.

A flick of his wrist—SHING! SHING!

Blades tore through the air—heads rolled, limbs flew, hounds collapsing in a carpet of carnage, blood pooling beneath twitching corpses.

Silence fell.

The last hounds bowed, urine pooling in terror.

Beno stepped forward—his violet-black aura warping the air, radiating dominance.

"Fools..." His voice thundered, cold and sharp. "Shut the fuck up."

An invisible force crushed down—POP! POP! POP!—skulls爆ed, brains spraying, bodies slumping in a grotesque fountain.

A snarl rumbled—the Houndler Boss emerged, a three-headed hellhound, massive and bristling with infernal energy. Flames dripped from jagged fangs, molten-red eyes blazing as it stepped into the blood-soaked light.

It lunged—jaws snapping, heat scorching.

Beno pivoted—fluid, unnatural—claws grazing his sleeve. His hand snapped out, gripping its throat, blood welling beneath his fingers.

BOOM!

Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at ƒrēenovelkiss.com Only.

He hurled it into the wall—stone splintered, cracks racing as dust choked the air. The beast howled, ribs cracking, convulsing in agony.

It scrambled up, flames swelling—WHOOSH—a fiery tsunami roared toward him, blackening stone.

Beno didn't flinch.

A swipe of his hand—flames parted, embers dying in smoke.

The dungeon trembled—his crimson aura surged, shadows bending toward him.

Floating midair, he crossed his arms—silence fell, oppressive.

"Kneel..." His voice was ice, absolute. "...or bleed."

The Houndler shuddered, terror seizing it—a predator facing its master.

It turned to flee, whimpering.

Beno smirked—cruel, slow.

"Behold the power of God."

His aura exploded—force crushing the air, ground quaking.

The beast jerked upward, flailing—then—CRACK!

Bones shattered, body folding into a gore sphere, blood spraying the altar as it crashed down, a steaming ruin.

Silence.

"Be strong..." Beno murmured, cold and unshaken. "You were my first prey."

He exhaled—vision blurred, body trembling as power drained.

He collapsed, a faint smile curling his lips, sinking into darkness atop the blood-soaked stone.

Outside, Luna's heart pounded—the dungeon's status flickered: "1/1". The boss was dead.

"Beno!" She crushed a teleportation stone—glow flaring as she vanished.

The sight was horror.

Corpses littered the ground—Clara's guts spilled, Hunter 1's torso shredded, Hunter 3 headless—blood a crimson sea, stench choking the air. Hounds lay mangled—heads爆ed, limbs torn.

Beno lay near the boss's ruin—wounded, smiling, aura fading.

Luna rushed to him, cradling his cold, bloodied face. "Beno... wake up! Please!" Her voice shook, tears falling as she poured a potion past his cracked lips.

He'd survived.

He'd awakened.

[End of Chapter 6]

[System Message]

Ding!

A command has been issued.

[King's Order: Strengthen Forsaken Hunter]

Objective: Add Forsaken Hunter to your collection and offer a Power Stone to fuel its rise.

Failure Penalty: Instant Death.

Reward: 1 Bonus Chapter unlocked.

A cold voice echoed in your mind—

"The hunt never ends... Strengthen it, or be erased."

A chilling aura wrapped around you. There was no escape.

[YES] [NO (Death is certain.)]