In the ritual chamber, anticipation hung heavy in the air as tension attained its peak. The werewolves, their hunger palpable, eagerly observed their prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Just as they readied themselves for the kill, something unexpected happened. The immobile and seemingly defenseless man suddenly unleashed a primal roar.
Simon's eyes snapped open, revealing vibrant golden irises ablaze with intensity. His pupils dilated, mirroring the wildness that had consumed him.
With an indomitable willpower, he suppressed the pain and discomfort that accompanied his profound metamorphosis, directing his focus towards the imminent battle.
He activated his extraordinary ability, crimson energy swirling around his form, emanating an aura of raw power. Muscles bulged and rippled beneath his skin, a testament to his tremendous force.
Without hesitation, he launched himself into action. With an explosion of unrestrained speed, he charged forward, his body a formidable force hurtling towards the nearest enemy.
Caught off guard by the sudden surge of strength, the nearest monster attempted to react but was too slow. The captain’s fist collided with its ribcage, delivering a powerful blow that sent it sprawling across the room.
The remaining creatures, momentarily stunned by the situation, quickly regained their composure and lunged at the prey in a frenzy. Claws slashed through the air, aiming to tear into his flesh.
As the battle intensified, the room became a symphony of snarls, roars, and the sickening thud of bodies colliding. The air pulsated with an electric energy, and the walls quivered under the sheer force of the combatants' clashes.
Fighting multiple werewolves in close combat would usually be a big challenge for any extraordinary person who didn’t complete the first sublimation, primarily due to their extraordinary physique and remarkable regenerative capabilities.
In that situation, the best approach would be to focus on their weak spots, especially the disproportioned head. However, his intention was not to eliminate them.
In addition to pushing his body and abilities to their utmost limit, this battle also served another purpose - to release the unstoppable surge of energy and emotions coursing through his being, threatening to explode.
He could feel this mysterious object embedded in his chest resonating with his every strike like a heartbeat, amplifying his strength and unleashing a primal rage and violence that fueled his every movement.
In the observation chamber, Ethan stared with awe and apprehension at the battle unfolding. Though he had witnessed the captain's strength many times before, the power on display now was on a different level.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from the monitor, transfixed by the deep red gem. "What is that stone?" he muttered. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"The documents we were provided call it the [Rageheart Stone]," Amber answered calmly, having overheard his whisper.
Ethan repeated the name under his breath as curiosity flooded through him. He wanted to know more - where did it come from? What were its properties? But before he could ask, Amber seemed to anticipate his next questions and continued.
"My information is limited. The extraordinary era has just begun, and most people are exploring blindly." She shook her head, glancing at the figure battling furiously on the screen.
"The captain would know more. Although extraordinary knowledge is tightly controlled and restricted by the headquarters, as the person concerned, he should have access to privileged information."
“But just based on the name of this item and the effects we're witnessing, we can already guess what it does,” she added in the end, crossing her arms.
Within the chamber, Simon slammed another werewolf to the floor, its bones crushed under his relentless assault. Blood dripped from his knuckles as it lay in crumpled heaps.
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But his violence hadn't yet been sated. The gem continued enhancing his body but at the same time fueling his rage, driving him into a wild frenzy. He let loose a feral howl and lunged at the other opponents.
His powerful attacks would have left most creatures on his level paralyzed or dead. It was precisely because of this overwhelming might that these beasts, known for their super-healing capacities, proved to be the best adversaries.
They were enraged, retaliating with vicious fury. Two flanked him from both sides, while another one leaped over its fallen packmate, aiming to tackle him from behind.
Even the first monster was not completely out of the fight yet. It struggled to its feet, its injured body trembling with pain and fury, the broken ribcage slowly returning to normal.
Simon fought with a primal instinct, his mind and eyes burning with an insatiable hunger for battle. He willingly exchanged blows, even at the cost of sustaining more wounds himself.
His body was in a state of supercharged regeneration, rapidly recovering from any injury. Each cut and puncture sealed itself in seconds as new muscle rippled underneath his skin.
However, the light on the sublimation material gradually dimmed as the battle dragged on. The vibrant swirls within grew fainter, and the pulsating glow gradually faded.
Its power was constantly depleted, fueling the captain’s transformation, and the continuous strain of the conflict only accelerated this process.
Accompanying this diminishing luminosity, the intricate patterns that had previously covered his skin like elaborate tattoos slowly began to writhe and slither like a snake.
The twisting lines undulated, as if they had a life of their own, gradually peeling away from his muscles. They moved together, forming a mass that migrated towards his back.
Within moments, they converged, intertwining and reshaping themselves. The pattern formed a distinct but faint demonic face. It loomed behind Simon, with eyes burning intensely in a golden hue that mirrored his own.
A collective gasp arose from the observation chamber as the researchers noticed these unusual changes taking place. Their monitors lit up with frantic alerts as the captain’s vitals fluctuated wildly.
Amid this turmoil, a deafening crack tore through the air, reverberating with an ominous resonance. The Rageheart Stone had fractured down the center, a jagged split marring its smooth surface.
Amber leaped to her feet as soon as the sound reached her ears. "It's happening!" she whispered, her typically composed demeanor giving way to a rush of excitement, but with a hint of concern.
A surge of energy, sudden and powerful, erupted from within the gem, unleashing the entirety of its remaining essence. This caused more hairline cracks to rapidly spread outward from the initial fissure.
The released essence spread through Simon's body, intensifying his already formidable power. However, the sheer force of this influx proved to be too much for his mortal form to bear.
His body convulsed uncontrollably, his muscles tensing and contorting with spasms. His head snapped back, and his veins bulged prominently beneath his skin as he was overwhelmed.
This didn’t go unnoticed by the werewolves. Their predatory instincts immediately sensed an opening. The strange convulsions wracking their prey’s body presented a perfect opportunity to seize the upper hand.
Despite the mysterious changes currently occurring to him, he immediately sensed the incoming threat closing in from all sides. But he didn’t avoid them, a calculating gleam appeared in his golden eyes.
The bestial creatures, driven by an insatiable hunger, lunged forward, unleashing a coordinated assault from every direction. To their surprise, the man made no effort to resist or retaliate, allowing the frenzied attacks to land.
"What's going on? Why isn't he moving?" Ethan cried out loud, his tone laced with worry and his brow furrowed with uncertainty. "At this rate, he'll be torn apart!"
Amber's eyes widened and a contemplative expression appeared on her face. “Maybe… He's intentionally letting himself be overwhelmed to accelerate and complete the ritual," she speculated.
As if confirming her guess, alarms abruptly started blaring throughout the observation room as the researchers scrambled to make sense of the chaotic readings.
"Anomaly detected! Ritual chamber's temperature is rapidly increasing," exclaimed someone, his eyes widening as he stared at the monitor.
"Energy readings are spiking, the fusion process is accelerating exponentially!" exclaimed another, frantically typing commands to track the changes.
"Vital signals fluctuating," warned a third, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
White smoke began rising from Simon's unmoving body obscured by the group of werewolves viciously clawing and biting at him. The wispy tendrils curled upward, thickening as more billowed forth.
Within moments, his entire form was enveloped in the strange vapor. For a brief second, Amber seemed to notice the demonic face etched upon the captain’s back come to life.
The werewolves recoiled in confusion, temporarily halting their assault. They backed away warily, snarling in frustration at this unexpected development. But before they could retreat completely.
A wet and viscous spray of blood suddenly erupted from one of them. The monster let out an agonized howl as its back exploded in a shower of gore. A hand forcefully burst forth from the creature’s chest.
The limb was thick and muscular, with protruding bones and veins that clung to its surface like earthworms. But most alarming was the sheer intensity of heat emanating from it.
The flesh appeared volcanic as if it had just emerged from rivers of magma. Its unnatural glow extended up the wrist and forearm as if molten lava coursed just beneath the surface of the skin
The hand twitched and flexed, radiating scorching waves of heat strong enough that it distorted the air around it, creating a palpable sense of danger.