CHAPTER 28: VOID STALKER

But he had never done it before. Healing himself, yes—that much he could manage. But embedding that energy into steel? He had no idea if it would work.

His crimson eyes narrowed as he stared at the shifting silhouette of the Void Stalker.

"Will this dagger be meaningless...?" he muttered. "It will... unless I can force my healing into it."

The creature hissed, the shadows around it twisting like a storm, as if mocking his hesitation.

Raito tightened his grip. For the first time, it wasn’t just his strength being tested—it was his resolve.

The Void Stalker stood motionless, its form vibrating, fading in and out of existence. Its entire body was cloaked in pure void, shifting like smoke that could never be caught.

Then, without warning, it moved.

The creature vanished from its spot and reappeared directly in front of Raito.

"Tch—!" Raito jumped back instantly, daggers raised, slipping into a fighting stance. His heartbeat thundered, but his crimson eyes stayed sharp.

"This might be useless... but I’ll still try," he muttered under his breath. "Pierce through—my dagger!"

He lunged forward with a powerful slash, his blade aiming straight for the monster’s chest. The strike cut through—yet it was like choking empty air. The Void Stalker flickered, unharmed, its body untouchable.

Raito leapt back again, keeping distance between them.

But then... the shadows rippled. Two more forms emerged, stepping forward from the void itself. Now there were three.

His jaw tightened. "Three of them? Damn it... Do these things even have life forms? I hope they’re not like the undead... or else fighting them won’t feed Greed. I don’t have time to waste."

His mind raced. He remembered the books. Mirrors. Those could trap a Void Stalker’s shifting body, preventing it from slipping into another dimension. Or a blade blessed by a priest could wound it. But he had neither.

"How the hell am I supposed to win this...?" His grip on his daggers tightened. "No—I’ll try everything I know. I’ve studied enough. I’ll put all of it into this fight."

The three stalkers stood still, watching him. Their presence alone made the dungeon tremble.

"Fine..." Raito growled, lowering his stance. "Let’s see what happens when I go all in."

He dashed forward, his speed a blur, slashing through all three with one wide strike. His blade passed harmlessly through their flickering forms.

One of the Void Stalkers suddenly raised its arm. The limb shifted grotesquely, reshaping into a massive axe of shadow. With a sharp whoosh, it swung down toward Raito.

He bent low, dodging just in time. But from the side—another strike. A second stalker’s arm transformed into a spear-like blade and pierced his left arm before he could react.

"Gh—!" Raito staggered back, clutching the wound as the creatures hissed.

A system notification flickered before his eyes:

[Injury detected. Heal for 15% LP?]

"Only 15%?" Raito breathed, grimacing. "Good. It’s not too serious."

He accepted the healing. Light mended the gash instantly, though he could feel his Life Points ticking lower.

"I can’t keep burning through LP recklessly. I’ll dodge as much as I can. Save it for when it really matters."

His crimson gaze sharpened as he steadied his breath. His daggers gleamed faintly in the dungeon’s dim light.

"Now..." he said, his voice low but resolute. "The real fight starts."

Raito dashed forward, closing the gap. One Void Stalker’s arm morphed into a spear and thrust toward him—he twisted his body at the last moment, narrowly dodging. His dagger sliced back in retaliation... but it passed through the shadowy body like smoke.

"Tch—damn it. Just like I thought... physical strikes won’t land unless I find the right moment."

The second Void Stalker swung a massive fist at him. Raito braced.

"Minotaur Shreds—equip!" he commanded, his voice ringing with authority.

A system chime answered him, and in a flash, the phantom strength of the Minotaur flooded his body. His muscles tensed, his frame glowed faintly, and purple energy wrapped around his limbs.

The Stalker’s punch slammed into him. The impact was heavy—enough to shove him back a few steps—but the pain was dulled, almost manageable. His eyes widened.

"Good... it worked. That Minotaur’s strength is protecting me. Even if I can’t land clean hits yet, at least I won’t get torn apart."

His crimson gaze narrowed, thoughts racing.

"They are physical... at least partially. Their blows hurt, which means their bodies take form when attacking. If that’s the case..." His lips curled into a sharp grin. "I’ll take a hit. A clean one. And the moment their body solidifies—I’ll strike back."

Purple fire sparked in his eyes, flaring brighter with his resolve. His aura flared violently, coating his entire body in violet energy.

Raito sprinted forward, daggers flashing—then, at the last second, he dismissed one, sliding it back into his inventory. He clenched his fist and drove a punch straight into the stomach of the Void Stalker.

His knuckles passed through empty darkness. No resistance. No impact.

"Tch... useless again."

Before he could retreat, the creature’s arm twisted grotesquely, reshaping into a massive hammer of shadow. With a sound like splitting stone, it swung down.

BOOM!

The strike crashed against the side of his face and neck, the force whipping his body sideways. Pain exploded across his jaw. His vision blurred.

Raito staggered back, blood on his lips—yet his eyes sharpened. "That’s it... just what I wanted."

He raised his remaining dagger high and slashed into the path of the hammer, aiming for the exact point where it touched him. For a moment, steel met shadow. His blade cut cleanly through the attack—yet when it reached the creature’s body, it slipped through harmlessly, as though cutting smoke.

Raito clicked his tongue. "Even when I hit the solid part... it still won’t stay."

The Void Stalker’s form rippled violently, its shadowy mass trembling as it emitted a low, vibrating hum. Boom... boom... boom... Each pulse rattled the stone walls like a drumbeat of dread.

Raito’s head throbbed. He staggered, clutching his temple as whispers clawed at the edge of his mind.