Author here!
Quick note: In the next few chapters, I will be trying a new style of writing. Rex's thoughts will be in italics while the others will remain the same. Do let me know how this new style feels to read.
Happy reading!
~
I need to calm down, I can't go berserk here.
Rex closes his eyes in an attempt to fend off the negative connotations of his own thoughts that made his sanity plummet. He focused on regulating his breath and summoned memories of the precious few moments of his life, as few as they might be.
But those few happy times proved to be doing the opposite of what he wanted.
It made him remember his parents even more.
While his eyes were clenched shut, Rex battled desperately to bolster his dwindling sanity stat. He doesn't know how much time has passed as he immersed himself entirely in this intense mental struggle.
Like being in a state of ethereal, he was detached from his surroundings.
Nothing seemed to stimulate his senses, he was unresponsive, and his entire world became hollow. It was only him and his own mind. However, amidst this desolation, his tightly shut eyes suddenly perceived a sudden contrasting color, illuminating his darkened vision.
Hmm...? Is that Evelyn's energy? Should I open my eyes?
Catching the sudden spark of the purple energy, his mind was stirred in contemplation.
This purple energy dances and swirls, beckoning him about something.
But I still need to calm myself or it'll be bad...
Rex was still pondering before he decided that he should open his eyes. It seems Evelyn has sensed his decreasing sanity stat and decided to help him, and she must be worried if he stayed like this.
Attempting to open his eyes, his eyebrows then dipped into a frown.
I can't open my eyes! Why can't I open my eyes?!
In the realization that he was stuck and wasn't able to open his eyes, he panicked a little.
Soon enough he regained his composure knowing that panicking would only make matters worse, he was already trained in facing insurmountable atrocities so he could quickly collect himself in a situation such as this.
Pausing for a moment, he then tries to call out the System for help.
Nothing...
Despite his attempts to contact the System multiple times in a row, he received no feedback.
But at that moment, he could hear a muffled voice reaching his ears.
"Rex, wake up! Snap out of it! It's me-
"Flunra, it's not-! I told you my Luna energy is-!"
"Try it again, it's impossible for- to be-!"
A sequence of faint, muted voices appeared to emanate from a distant empty plain.
Evelyn...?
Upon catching every nuance of these muted voices, which were the sole auditory string binding him to reality, Rex couldn't mistake that one of the voices belonged to Evelyn. Her voice, tinged with distress and desperation, bore the weight of exhaustion and pain.
In return, he quickly feels a surge of impulse that suspects his state is not right.
Not being able to open his eyes is a weird occurrence.
I have to get out of here! She's in trouble! I don't what it is, but she's in trouble!
Summoning every ounce of his heated willpower, he mustered the last vestiges of his strength to shatter this odd darkness suffocating him. It was an arduous battle, a relentless struggle against the constricting force that imprisoned his mind.
A feeling akin to pushing out a needle that was stuck in his brain.
Just as the strain was starting to become too much, he started to gain back his vision.
Ah... What's happening to me?
Why is it all red?
Rex was greeted by the fractured sky, with an incandescent crimson moon at its heart, a sight that startled him. Yet, his surprise deepened as he realized that this surreal hue of red had not only affected the sky, it also had imbued everything he saw, encompassing with its tinge.
It was like seeing through a red glass, everything was tainted with a dye of red.
Evelyn? Why is she in her Luna Form?
Standing in front of him was Evelyn who was seizing his face, screaming something at him.
But all of the sounds were extremely muffled, inaudible to his ears.
Am I fighting right now?
Slowly connecting back to reality, he began to discern that the others were directing their spells squarely at him. His gaze then descended, landing upon Evelyn, who provided a heartbreaking sight. She bled profusely, her pristine white dress in tatters.
A single drop of crimson tracked down from her forehead, meandering over her left eye.
It accentuates her woeful condition and palpable desperation.
D- Did I cause this...?
Just as he thought that the sensation of his inner self surged back to life, and an overwhelming rage coursed through him, compelling him to rend everything asunder. His core burned with the relentless intent to annihilate anything that met his eyes.
Rex clenched his teeth as he suspected that his fear might have come true.
No, this can't be happening! This must be a dream...
It has to be a dream! Please, let it be just a dream!
While he was trying to deny the reality, his body suddenly erupted with more power.
No! Stop it!
Despite the clutches of the others who were desperately trying to hold him back, he managed to gradually lean forward, overpowering the others with his raw strength and bare his sharp fangs menacingly.
NO! DON'T DO IT!
Similarly, Rex was fighting his own body internally but it was futile.
Bite!
Splash!
Rex was slapped right on the face in the realization that this was not a dream when he bit Evelyn's shoulder and engraved his fangs deep inside her. In that moment of trying to calm down, he didn't realize that he already went berserk.
It was surreal, he didn't feel it happened which is worse than actually feeling it.
Moaning in pain, Evelyn stubbornly held on, infusing more Luna energy into him hopelessly.
<Warning! The user is hurting the Luna of the Silverstar Pack!>
<Be advised that having the Luna killed would incur heavy penalties!>
Upon the sight of the System's notifications, he couldn't deny that this was in fact reality.
Rex blinked his eyes a couple of times before he started to fight back the impulse of killing intent that his body was engrained with. However, he soon found out that he was incapable of doing remotely anything.
No matter how much he tried to resist, the impulse was too strong to overpower.
Moving any part of his body is impossible.
System, help me! I need help! Stop me, put me to sleep, anything!
<Negative, the user would need to be in a normal state for the System to work optimally. In a berserk state, the user wouldn't be able to use anything. Please regain control before demanding anything through the System>
It was no use, the System couldn't help, and it stated that quite clearly.
Due to the uncertainty of the situation, Rex could feel his heartbeat started speeding up. His mouth was filled with the taste of Evelyn's blood, and the sight of her in immense pain struck pain into his very core.
Rex has never wanted to hurt her, he was supposed to keep her safe.
I promised to create a Safe Utopia for her and the others... But here I am, hurting her like this.
While he was thinking that, his vision became worse.
Perhaps fueled by the intensifying bloodlust, the crimson hue in his vision deepened, until it felt as though his very eyes were veiled in blood. In addition, he could also sense the gradual activation of his King Mark, its power awakening.
But the only thing he was glad of was that he was thankfully weakened.
If not for that, he would've had an even worse nightmare that would haunt him to the grave.
However, that will be meaningless if his King Mark is activated.
This is my body! I am not going to let this anger control me... I'm going to stop this!
Reaching the absolute limit, the tip of the tusk of his patience, Rex's eyes blazed with ferocious intensity, his willpower surging to its zenith. He refused to let anything transpire in this manner, especially when he retained his presence of mind.
No matter what, he would make sure that this night wouldn't turn into a tragedy.
Swoosh!
Dindora and Ugrok suddenly grunted when the two could feel Rex's right hand becoming stronger. Both of them try to stop it with all their might, but the hand slowly overpowers them and reaches to the neck.
Upon seeing this, Flunra was troubled as the right hand reached for his arms.
It was clear that Rex was trying to break free.
However, his body jolted when the right hand suddenly held his arm firmly. Putting more strength into his choke, he prepared to fight back Rex's attempt but was surprised when nothing of that sort happened.
'What's going on? Is he not trying to break free?' Flunra thought with a frown.
Yet, amidst Rex's berserk state, Flunra discerned an absence of malice emanating from his right hand. And true enough, within the very next second, a bone-chilling, frigid energy surged forth like a torrent.
Flunra could feel his arm being pierced and his insides were infiltrated by this dark energy.
It was painful, but it doesn't feel like a pain that was aimed to kill.
Despite holding on against this torrent of energy, Flunra could feel that something had changed inside of him, and he also felt the surface of his arm that was grabbed start to be engraved with something familiar.
Upon Rex's hand pulling away, his eyes widened realizing what it was.
Herald Mark!
Although he has never gained one himself, he's familiar with the shape, and this one is similar to the one that Adhara has but this one is fueled with dark energy. It was the Herald Mark of the Banished Dark Moon!
'Rex's consciousness is back, but it seems he still couldn't gain control'
Instinctively, Flunra quickly activated the Herald Mark which boosted his power immensely.
Flunra quickly wrapped his limbs tighter and pulled Rex back away from biting Evelyn, and he was able to do so easily thanks to the Herald Mark that he gained. Due to that, restraining him becomes easier.
But his eyes then laid on Evelyn who was supporting herself on Rex's chest.
Obviously, the bite that Rex did to her earlier hurt her badly as his energy is too powerful.
"Evelyn, are you okay...?! Urggh- Stay with me! We still need you!"
"I- I'm okay... I'm o- okay..."
Despite her trying to convince Flunra that she was fine, it sounded more like she was convincing herself that she was fine. Evelyn was definitely weakened greatly, and she could barely control her Luna energy.
Without her then holding Rex in place would be a futile attempt.
A Werewolf's anger can only be quenched by blood, time doesn't do anything to their anger.
Evelyn was still infusing Rex with her Luna energy despite having her eyes halfway open. She was breathing heavily, and the wounds she suffered were still zapping her strength due to the bleeding.
Flunra knows that this won't last long, and he needs to take a drastic measure.
Having no other choice, he started stabbing and biting Rex repeatedly, trying to weaken his robust body more and more in preparation for the worst, 'If the worst comes, I would bring him out of the city'
Meanwhile, Rex applauds Flunra's decisive attempt to stop this situation.
But, even in the throes of his fury, Rex clung to his reluctance to harm Flunra. It would be better for him to snap out of this rage quickly. At that very moment, his crimson-hued vision quivered amidst a jarring ring in his head, causing a fleeting double vision.
It didn't last long and abruptly returned back to normal.
However, his eyes gradually flared open when he saw a figure of blood behind Evelyn.
Rex thought that it was nothing but a sudden spasm in the midst of this hectic moment, but he thought wrong, this figure made entirely of blood appeared in his vision. A figure shrouded in mystery that brought along a haunting presence.
Someone who seemed familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time, memories of her are misty.
Drawing him closer to her embrace while keeping him away at the same time.
Close in reach of the hand but distant at the same time.
Wherever she may be, she knows him.
Who is she...?
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience