CHAPTER 140: SHADOW SURGE, TWO STARS OF HATRED

SHADOW SURGE!

The moment Sam focused and activated the ability, a thick pool of darkness began to expand around Varkhaz.

The Forsaken Lord glanced around in confusion, his expression twisting.

"You think this will be enou—"

He didn’t finish the sentence.

The black pool around him suddenly rippled, and from within it, dark shapes began to rise.

Dozens of shadowy figures emerged all at once, pulling themselves out of the abyssal pool.

"—WHAT?!"

Each of those figures looked exactly like Sam.

They were his [Shadow Clones], and they came pouring out of the ground in waves, clawing and gripping at Varkhaz.

The skill had manifested far beyond what Sam initially thought possible.

He hadn’t expected something like this from a skill such as [Void Rush], but the result spoke for itself.

When he had kept staring at the clone inside the [Dimension of Time], wondering what would happen if he tried to recreate that power...

Somehow, it had actually worked. And this was the result.

[Shadow Surge: Summons dozens of "Shadow Clones" of the user, each one infused by their aura to restrain and damage the enemy.]

Sam didn’t hesitate.

He used the chaos of the clones to move away, phasing through the ground and appearing at a safe distance.

From there, he gathered power for a brief moment.

Then he shot forward, his primordial sword glowing with fierce intent.

"YOU CANNOT BEAT ME!" Varkhaz roared, slamming one of the clones into the ground.

But it was futile. More and more shadow clones were pouring out from the black pool beneath him.

He couldn’t stop them.

ABYSS WAVE!

Varkhaz rose into the air and brought his fists crashing into the ground.

A dark explosion radiated outward, obliterating every shadow clone in the area in a single devastating blast.

"Hah, looks like you can’t do anything— Oh."

SLASH STORM!

Before he could finish taunting, Sam was already in front of him.

And in the same instant—

Slash! Slash!

Dozens of slashes appeared out of nowhere, cutting from every possible angle at once.

Even though Sam wasn’t within physical striking range, the attacks hit with terrifying accuracy and force.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

Blades of energy shredded through Varkhaz’s body over and over again.

Each strike carried the weight of an attack strong enough to destroy a peak [Forsaken]-rank monster.

His legs were cut deeply. His arms were torn.

One of his fingers went flying through the air.

A deep slash ran across his face, taking out one of his eyes.

DARK DEFENSE!

Varkhaz activated a defensive skill in a panic. But it didn’t matter.

The black shield he summoned shattered immediately under the weight of Sam’s onslaught.

Despite the overwhelming pain and damage, Varkhaz refused to collapse.

With his one remaining eye, he stared at Sam in disbelief as the attacks continued to tear into him.

He couldn’t comprehend how this had happened.

How could someone like Sam, who moments ago had been on the verge of defeat, suddenly stand so far above him?

’It’s that [Determination],’ Varkhaz realized, gritting his teeth as blood poured from his wounds, ’It’s forcing him to grow at a rate no being in any realm could hope to match... But...’

Even as he was being ripped apart, darkness swirled around his body.

He refused to fall. He wouldn’t give in, not until Sam was dead.

And at that moment—

"I WON’T GIVE UP EITHER!" Sam shouted, his voice filled with fire, "I ALSO HAVE MY DETERMINATION!"

BOOM!

An explosion of darkness erupted from Varkhaz’s body.

A vortex of raw abyssal energy formed around him, blowing away the incoming attacks and forcing Sam to retreat.

[He’s using determination too.]

"Seriously?" Sam muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief, "They can do that too? God damn it."

He had considered the possibility after hearing what Jevil said.

That these beings weren’t incapable of [Determination], they were just weaker in it.

Anyone, whether monster, individuals from another race, or others, had [Determination].

But now that he saw it firsthand, the implications hit harder than ever.

Some of these beings were already incredibly strong.

What if they started using [Determination] too? Could they surpass him?

Sam didn’t know how [Determination] actually worked. But he knew one thing, he had to be cautious.

The vortex faded.

Varkhaz emerged from it, transformed.

---

[Varkhaz, Abyss Lord (Abyssal Lord Form)]

[Level: 70]

[Description: Using the full might of the abyss, he unleashes everything for one final stand.]

---

He looked mostly the same, but the changes were undeniable.

Thicker shadows clung to him now. His muscles had expanded.

Dark claws extended from his fingers. Two massive wings of pure shadow unfurled from his back.

"Determination..." Varkhaz whispered to himself.

His voice was no longer taunting, just awestruck.

"I guess that’s how it feels... Incredible."

Sam’s eyes narrowed. So this wasn’t a state they could enter at will.

This surge of determination was rare, even among them.

"...To think your kind constantly feel that power within you," Varkhaz said softly, "No wonder you’re the strongest race... Or rather, you were."

A grin spread across his face as a crimson aura bled from his eyes and mouth.

His body, once shredded, was now completely healed.

And in the darkness behind him, something stirred.

ROOOARR! KRKRKRKR! SKKRKA!

Horrible noises echoed from the abyss beyond the light of Sam’s soul.

More entities were waking up. Sam knew he didn’t have long.

Even the [Forsaken Clone], driven by endless bloodlust, was beginning to falter under the rising pressure.

"I wish I could feel this constantly like you do..." Varkhaz murmured. His tone was strangely sad, "And yet... the higher ones learned how to extract that power for themselves."

Sam’s brow furrowed.

"...Wait, what?"

Varkhaz’s mouth twisted into a knowing grin.

"Killing a Primordial allows you to rip out their soul and absorb the [Determination] inside it."

He began gathering energy again, his form growing larger and more monstrous.

"But you know nothing. You should be grateful I’m telling you all this before I kill you."

"Does that mean that..."

"...Hundreds of beings extracted your kind’s determination and used it for themselves, growing immensely strong in power."

The moment those words left Varkhaz’s mouth, Sam’s entire body froze.

Something stirred deep within him. It wasn’t just anger. It was something ancient.

Something buried in the very soul of who he was: hatred.

BOOM!

A burst of crimson energy exploded outward from Sam as his hatred surged.

Ding!

[You have summoned a "Star of Hatred".]

Sam blinked, momentarily distracted. He looked around him.

Now, two [Stars of Hatred] were orbiting his form.

’I guess the more [Hatred] I feel, the more I can summon... though even getting two takes an insane amount. I wonder what it would take to summon five...’

Still, he forced the thoughts aside and raised his weapon once more.

This being, who was trying to use [Determination], a pale copy of the primordials’ own, would go down, no matter what.

"You know what...?" Varkhaz grinned suddenly, a wild and terrifying expression spreading across his face, "I think I’ll extract your [Determination] and absorb it for myself!"

"..."

"After all, you’re the True Primordial... the last one."

"That means your [Determination] is the strongest of them all!" His eyes widened with sudden realization, "Yes... YES! IT’S PERFECT!"

Sam tilted his head slightly, wary of the madness creeping into Varkhaz’s voice.

"And when I absorb your [Determination], I’ll become the strongest being in the realm!" He was shouting now, "No wonder everyone wants you dead!"

"What are you talking about...?"

"WHEN A BEING ABSORBS THE TRUE PRIMORDIAL’S DETERMINATION, THEY BECOME THE STRONGEST IN EXISTENCE! THAT’S WHY!"

His voice rose to a crescendo.

The words boomed across the abyss, creating a shockwave that ripped through the blackened air.

Varkhaz laughed wildly, as if he had uncovered the very secret of existence itself.

Then he locked eyes with Sam. His aura burned like a sun.

"You’re my ticket to it all," Varkhaz declared, voice steady now, utterly resolved, "Die for my sake."

FWISH! BOOM!

In a blur of motion, the Abyss Lord lunged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant.

And the final clash began.