The last Asura

"Ahh… my head," moaned Shunya, clutching his skull in pain. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single visible wound on him—a testament to the Asura race's high durability.

He staggered slightly as he got up, massaging his temples to ease the ache.

Once the pain dulled, he scanned his surroundings. The tunnel had widened into a spacious chamber of jagged stone and eerie silence.

"Where am I? Why did the floor collapse?" Shunya muttered as he looked around the rocky room.

> Answer: You are in a hidden room of a dungeon.

"A dungeon? There was a dungeon under that cave?" Shunya was bewildered. As a monster himself, he should've sensed the high density of Magiculas—the mana particles in the air—when he was there.

> Answer: You were transported due to a space fissure that was on the verge of being repaired.

"Space fissure?" he asked, unfamiliar with the term.

> Answer: A very rare phenomenon that occurs when the Magiculas in the atmosphere become so dense that they begin twisting space from the extreme pressure. If there is a nearby dungeon, the fissure can turn into a wormhole.

...

...

Three anime-style dots appeared behind Shunya as he tilted his head sideways. His horn morphed into a cartoonish question mark.

It was obvious—Shunya didn't understand a thing. Before he could ask the system to simplify, the air shifted.

His hair stood on end.

The temperature dropped.

A sinister bloodlust filled the room.

Shunya turned his gaze and locked eyes with a rabbit-like creature staring at him from the shadows.

Its glowing red eyes pierced the darkness. Before Shunya could react—

Shoosh!

Like a bullet, it lunged at him. By instinct, Shunya raised his hand to block.

Clench!

"AAHHHH!"

A blood-curdling scream echoed as the rabbit's sharp fangs pierced his palm. They didn't sink in completely—Asura skin was thick at warrior evolution—but they tore deep enough to make blood gush out.

Grimacing in pain, Shunya swung to slam the creature, but it vanished again at high speed.

He stumbled back, holding his bleeding hand.

> Attention: Status - Bleeding

Vitality: 96%

Fatigue: 4%

Shunya let go of the wound, allowing the blood to flow freely. Once again, his senses screamed.

Behind the original rabbit-like fiend, more glowing eyes appeared—over ten pairs, gleaming in the dark.

His body tensed. His heartbeat quickened. His eyes narrowed.

He couldn't even land a hit on one, and now there were more.

But instead of panic, his mind remained calm.

Wosh!

He tried to dodge by instinct—

Clench!

This time, its fangs sank into his thigh.

He staggered back, trying to widen the distance between himself and the predators.

'System, activate Martial Focus,' he thought, feeling his vitality drop to 82%.

> Answer: Not possible.

...

...

> Vitality: 80%

It felt like the sky collapsed onto him. He had finally evolved once, yet couldn't use any skills.

What kind of logic was that?

> Answer: All of your skills are directly linked to your talents. Their proficiency increases with talent growth.

'Don't you think that's something you should've told me earlier?' Shunya growled inwardly.

'Then what do I do now?' he asked, eyes focused on the fiend preparing to strike again.

> Answer: Improvise.

Shunya dodged again, but—

Clench!

His side was stabbed.

'I'll deal with you later,' he thought bitterly, stumbling backward until he hit the cave wall.

He was now cornered.

The rabbit-fiend grinned mockingly, licking Shunya's blood off its paw.

Shunya's breathing grew heavier. His body trembled. Blood coated his lower half.

His chest tightened. Standing became a struggle.

'System, what are my chances of winning?' he asked.

> Answer: 0.01%

Instead of despair, he smirked.

'The problem is, I can't see that rodent's movement. It's not that strong. Last time, I only dodged because I guessed it would attack from my blind spot.'

'My eyes just can't keep up with it.'

Shunya stared at the creature hopping mockingly.

He ignored the taunts and focused on a memory stored deep within his mindscape.

"You can't see because you rely too much on eyes and senses."

"See what lies beyond. Feel what your senses cannot."

"Everything in this cosmos, organic or inorganic, has an aura."

"Focus on that. Find your focus, child."

Shunya rolled using the wall for support, desperately keeping his distance. This time, he avoided injury.

He saw the fiend licking his blood off the wall.

Still, he didn't lose hope.

'Find my focus… aura…'

'I think I understand now.'

He closed his eyes.

He calmed his breath, quieted his mind.

Clench!

His hand was pierced. He rolled aside and threw the creature off.

Another stab.

> Vitality: 74%

Another.

> Vitality: 63%

Another. His calf.

> Vitality: 63%

Another. His thigh.

It almost felt like they were targeting his groin.

> Vitality: 63%

Another.

> Vitality: 63%

Another.

> Vitality: 55%

Another.

> Vitality: 47%

Now drenched in blood, his face remained calm and composed.

In that darkness—

Woosh…

He saw it.

He opened his gleaming red eyes.

He could finally track the fiend's movement.

It was charging straight at him.

'Cocky little shit thinks it's already won. I'm going to eat every last one of you.'

He backflipped—

BAM!

His foot struck the fiend squarely under the chin, blowing its head open.

The lifeless body flew through the air.

Without looking away from the others, Shunya raised a bloodied hand and caught the corpse mid-air.

Seventeen more were watching.

> Martial Arts: 4%

Martial Focus: 17%

Ignoring the notifications, he brought the corpse to his mouth and bit off a chunk of flesh.

The other fiends snarled.

'System, what are my chances now?' Shunya asked, chewing the raw, bloodied meat with a smirk.

> Answer: 100%!