The stench of decay invaded his senses. He awoke with the air pressing against his chest, dense, as if trying to crush him. The landscape around him was a nightmare made real: twisted trees with claw-like branches, an opaque and ashen sky that felt too low, and roots sprouting from the ground, undulating like living snakes.

The ground beneath his feet was not solid; it pulsed with grotesque life, covered by a black layer that writhed as if trying to ensnare him.

Nathan rose unsteadily, a piercing dizziness clouding his mind. "God… This is… this is a damn hell."

Skizo's voice emerged from nowhere, carefree and laced with mockery. "Welcome to the Putrid Realm."

Nathan turned his head and found him there, watching him with that unyielding smile.

"Get up," the butler commanded, adjusting the gloves on his pale hands. "Only four hours left to complete the mission."

Nathan looked at him incredulously. Each step he took felt like a monumental challenge. The ground clung to his feet, as if wanting to sink him further into despair.

"What the hell is this place?" he asked, the air weighing on his lungs like an invisible fire.

Skizo laughed, a low and disconcerting sound. "This place? It's a reflection of fear, the stories, and the creatures born from the worst human nightmares."

Nathan swallowed hard. "And who designed this nightmare? A sadist?"

"No, Nathan." Skizo smiled wider. "But you could say it was created by someone with a peculiar sense of humor."

As they moved forward, the air seemed to grow heavier, and the desolation of the landscape seeped into his bones. Suddenly, Skizo stopped.

"Do you see that?" he pointed to a spot among the shadows. There was a tree more twisted than the rest, surrounded by a circle of intertwined roots. "In 1735, in New Jersey, a woman named Deborah Leeds cursed her thirteenth child."

Nathan furrowed his brow. "And what does that have to do with my situation?"

Skizo continued, ignoring the question. "According to legend, the child transformed into a creature with bat wings and vanished into the night. That beast is known as the Jersey Devil."

Nathan's heart began to pound harder. The story resonated in his mind in a strangely bizarre way.

"Why the hell are you telling me this now?" he grunted, feeling sweat beginning to trickle down his forehead.

Skizo raised an eyebrow, amused. "Beware of stories, Nathan. Some… come to life in places like this."

The phrase was enough to freeze him. Nathan swallowed as his gaze scanned the terrain.

"Do those stories come true here?" he thought, a knot forming in his stomach.

As they continued, something else caught his attention. Amidst the shadows and the desolate landscape, one tree stood out. On its only living branch hung a bright red fruit, like a forbidden jewel in a dead world.

"A fruit?" he asked, a shiver running down his spine.

"The reason we're here." Skizo pointed to the fruit with his finger. "With that, we'll complete the mission. Just eat it, and let's go."

Nathan moved toward the tree, but a dry crack made him stop. Then he felt it.

A roar.

The sound sliced through the air like a knife, so visceral that his bones seemed to tremble. Nathan turned his head, and there it was.

The creature emerged from the shadows like an incarnate demon. It was tall, with a deformed body that looked like a mix between an animal and a corpse. It had uneven wings: one broken and drooping, while the other flared with wild fury. Its eyes glowed with a spectral red.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Oh, shit…" Nathan whispered, feeling his body tense completely.

The Jersey Devil lunged at him with a deafening roar.

Nathan instinctively rolled to the side, barely dodging the creature's claws. His chest rose and fell sharply.

"Skizo! Where the hell are you? Help me!"

The mocking laughter of his butler echoed in the air, invisible. "Ah, Nathan… We can't interfere directly. It's the pact."

"What?! Damn it, this is a trap!" he shouted as he ran desperately, dodging another attack.

Nathan hid behind a scorched trunk. "Tell me what to do to get out of this quickly," Nathan whispered, deducing that Skizo was trapped there.

"Pure energy," Skizo's voice rose in his mind, his tone becoming serious for the first time. "It's from the central tree. You should be able to feel it."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that while I'm being chased?!" Nathan yelled, panic igniting in his voice.

There was no answer. Only a deep roar behind him. Before he could react, he felt a claw tear through his chest. Skin and fabric ripped apart, and a searing pain made him stagger.

Nathan fell to the ground with a muffled scream, his trembling hands trying futilely to cover the wound. Blood slipped between his fingers as he gasped for breath.

"No… I can't…" he stammered, feeling his body beginning to surrender. He looked up at the creature towering before him. In a desperate attempt, he pushed against the Jersey Devil with all his might, but the beast barely flinched.

A deafening roar pierced his ears, and suddenly, a claw sliced through the air. The blow struck his face with a pain so sharp it brought him to his knees.

The world around him blurred, but Nathan felt something beyond the pain: a heat. It was as if a fire coursed through his veins, awakening something deep and primal within him.

NecroRuna Clock

Status detected: Adrenaline.

Capabilities enhancement in progress.

- NecroRuna Clock -

New message

•Adrenaline Detected

Status: Adrenaline

•Capabilities enhancement in progress

The mechanical voice resonated in his mind.

Suddenly, his vision cleared. Everything seemed to slow down, and his senses sharpened. He felt the beat of his own heart, each breath as if it were the last.

"What… what is this?"

"Your divine gift, The States." Skizo's voice was more serious this time. "It enhances your speed, strength, and agility. Use it."

With improved reflexes, he dodged the Jersey claws and grabbed a rock, smashing it with all his might. But the impact barely rocked the creature.

"Damn it, it's not enough!" Nathan shouted, his face a mixture of sweat and blood.

A deafening roar from Jersey distracted him just when he needed to stay steady. His body wavered, and his vision blurred for a moment.

"I can't deal with this! It's better to escape!" he murmured, turning on his heels. But he had barely taken a step when something grabbed his leg.

A metallic snap. The trap. A searing pain shot through his leg.

"AAAHH! No, no, damn it!" he screamed, struggling desperately. The metal bit deeper and deeper, and blood began to soak the ground.

Jersey stopped in front of him, its red eyes shining with satisfaction. The creature watched him, motionless, as if enjoying the spectacle. Its tail slowly brushed Nathan's face, mocking his helplessness.

"Damn you useless beast!" Nathan grabbed a nearby stick and, with all his strength, struck it against the beast's torso.

The stick broke in two. Jersey barely moved. Its grotesque lips curled into a smile before lunging at him. A brutal blow knocked him onto his back, and the creature’s claws sank into his chest, ripping a heart-wrenching scream from him.

Nathan struck the creature's body with his free hand, but it was useless. It was like hitting a wall.

"Damn it!" he gasped, feeling his strength abandon him. The cold metal of the trap and the warmth of blood on his skin were all he could perceive.

Jersey, reveling in its victory, brutally bit his head. A spray of blood erupted, covering everything. Then, slowly, the beast opened Nathan's chest as if wanting to examine his insides.

"Why… why don’t you just kill me already?!" Nathan screamed, his voice barely a whisper drowned by pain.

The creature looked at him one last time, as if he were no longer worth the effort, and walked away, leaving him shattered on the ground.

- NecroRuna Clock -

• Pursuit dissolved

With the little strength he had left, Nathan raised a trembling hand. He still held the fruit. Gritting his teeth, he bit into it with all he had.

A searing heat coursed through his body. It was as if something inside him ignited, reconstructing him from the core. His wounds began to close, but the process was an unbearable torment. Every muscle burned, each fiber felt like it was tearing and repairing at the same time.

"With this… one more life…" he murmured, his voice broken. He tried to think, to count, but confusion and pain drowned him. "If I die… will I have three left? Or just one?" He chuckled hollowly as darkness enveloped him. "Skizo never explained it well… This must be like a game, right?"

"Interesting…" Skizo murmured from the shadows, his eyes fixed on Nathan. "That fruit saved you, but it can’t erase the pain."

"Shut up…" Nathan growled, trying to rise.

Skizo let out a sharp smile. "Don't strain yourself too much. Though you feel a surge of energy, inside you’re shattered."

"What…?" Nathan stammered, swaying. His legs gave way, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

The world faded around him. For a moment, he thought he had died, but he was still there… trapped in a dark void. There was no pain, no thoughts, just a cold abyss wrapping around him. Everything seemed suspended in a space where time and reality ceased to exist.

From the shadows, Skizo watched him. His crooked smile barely moved as a faint sound escaped his lips.

"Hehe…"

End of chapter.