Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 42: Crimson Rebirth [3] [Something Within]

[25%... 30%...]

Whum!

A heavy, suffocating pressure exploded inside the cave, like gravity itself had thickened, like the air had turned to stone.

The Dreadmaw Direfang halted mid-step, its claws grinding against the rock.

It snarled, low and uncertain, its golden eyes flickering as its instincts screamed at it.

Even Iris froze, lips parted, breath trapped in her lungs.

She didn’t speak.

Didn’t dare.

Then—

Crackle!

A faint whip of static cracked through the air.

Right near Alaric’s body.

His hair lifted once, weightless, caught in the wind that wasn’t there.

Then it began to darken, strand by strand, like shadow was soaking through the roots.

From ash-brown to obsidian black with blood-red undertone.

His bones mended with audible clicks and snaps, his limbs stiffening, repairing.

[40%... 45%...]

Then, slowly, he rose.

Not with desperation.

Not struggling.

But with silence.

Like the air parted for him.

He tilted his head back and opened his eyes to the ceiling above.

[46%... 47%...]

Then—

He exhaled once, a long breath, puffing smoke out of his mouth.

Then, he lowered his gaze.

And the instant those Glowing Crimson Eyes locked onto the Dreadmaw Direfang, the beast stiffened.

Its glowing golden irises dimmed.

A tremor rolled down its spine.

And then it felt something it hadn’t expected to feel from a creature it considered beneath it.

Fear.

It recoiled slightly, paws dragging across the stone.

Chest heaving, breath hitching.

Then came the low, cool, voice.

"What are you staring at, mutt?"

Lightning crackled once more, faintly.

His glowing crimson eyes glinted, cold, detached, unreadable.

Not angry.

Not smug.

Just... indifferent.

Like the creature before him wasn’t worth rage.

The Dreadmaw’s ears lowered, its massive form pulling back just slightly, instincts screaming louder now—

Run. Run. Run.

But it didn’t.

Because something more dreadful than instinct held it still.

Then, out of desperation, or maybe fear masking as fury.

The Dreadmaw Direfang lunged.

A blur of muscle and fangs, blinked at Alaric.

Fwoosh!

But Alaric simply turned, slow, precise, effortless, stepping aside as if dodging a falling leaf.

Smack!

The creature’s massive body missed him by inches and slammed against the cave wall, stone cracking from the force.

Alaric didn’t even blink.

He just raised his hand, fingers spread lazily.

Crackle! Crackle!

Red lightning coiled up his arm like a serpent awoken, hissing with malice.

It rippled through the cave walls, webbing into cracks, vibrating through the air like a scream too high to hear.

The Dreadmaw landed hard, shook its massive head, and turned.

Its golden eyes met the storm dancing in Alaric’s hand, and all thought fled.

Its pupils shrunk.

Its tail tucked.

Its limbs scrambled.

It turned to run.

But then—

Alaric clenched his fist.

"Raize!"

The beast didn’t make it two steps.

BOOM!

Its massive body convulsed, then exploded in a thunderclap of red lightning and flesh.

A shockwave tore through the cave, dust and blood spraying like a burst dam.

Chunks of charred fur and bone pelted the stone walls.

Then silence.

Nothing moved.

The smell of ozone and ash filled the air.

Iris sat there, frozen, her mouth slightly parted in stunned horror.

Alaric stood still, arm lowered now, eyes dimming back to that deep, burning crimson.

The system flickered quietly.

[49%!]

He exhaled calmly.

"What is this place... just where the hell am I?"

Alaric muttered in a low and rough voice, like someone waking from a dream.

He looked down at his trembling hands, lightning still crackling faintly in his fingertips.

Then he turned his head toward Iris, her eyes were wide, lips parted, knees drawn to her chest.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then.

[System Deactivation Abrupted!]

[Reboot Initializing...]

[1%... 10%... 30%...]

Alaric’s eyes narrowed.

What the hell?

[60%... 80%...]

Then.

Thump!

His knees buckled.

He dropped like a stone, slamming onto the cold cave floor.

[100% - System Reboot Complete!]

[System Stabilizing...][1%... 23%... 55%...]

"Argh... Fuck!"

He gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the ground, veins bulging at his neck.

The cave shook from the force of his scream.

Iris flinched hard, hands clutched near her chest.

"Alaric..." she whispered, her voice cracking.

His breathing was ragged now.

Sweat poured down his face. Blood ran from one nostril.

It felt like a giant hammer crushing not only his skull but his soul too. His entire being.

"Argh!"

Each pulse of agony deeper than the last.

Alaric clutched his head.

His fingers dug into his scalp.

He didn’t care about the pain.

He didn’t even care about dying.

What he hated... was not knowing.

Was being controlled.

Was feeling like he wasn’t even real in his own body.

And through all of it, Iris just watched. Silent. Shaking.

[System stabilizing... 65%... 80%...]

[Warning!]

[System stabilization halted by unknown error!]

Alaric groaned, clutching his head tighter.

Crimson lightning burst out around him, wild and unstable.

Crackle!

Crackling, arcing, slicing the air like a living storm.

His back arched, veins pulsing like molten wires under his skin.

[Retrying...]

[System stabilizing... 10%... 29%... 65%... 80%...]

[Failed.]

[...]

[System @#@%&*%#^%$]

[...]

The air around him thickened.

And then—

[Resistance is futile, Brandon— #$%#$#]

The lightning froze mid-air.

And Alaric collapsed, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Thud!

His body hit the stone floor hard, his limbs limp, eyes shut.

The lightning sparked one final time... and vanished.

Silence.

Then—

"A–Alaric...?"

Iris’s whispered, in a low. fragile tone.

She didn’t know what had just happened.

But she saw him fall.

And that was enough.

Her hands trembled as she crawled across the floor, inch by inch, her knees scraped and sore.

She hesitated as she reached him, her fingers hovering over his arm, scared to touch. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

Scared he’d break apart again.

Scared... he wouldn’t wake up at all.

"Alaric..." she whispered again, breath catching in her throat.

Then, softly, gently, she pressed her hand to his back.

It was warm.

But unmoving.

Then...

BOOM!

The cave trembled as the sealed entrance exploded, stone and dust erupting into the air.

A slender figure stepped out from the smoke, cloaked in dark robes, that fluttered like torn shadows around her ankles.

Only a glimpse of her pale hand was visible beneath the flowing black sleeves.

She moved forward slowly.

Then her eyes, glowing faintly beneath the hood, landed on the boy sprawled on the stone floor.

And beside him, Iris.

And then.

Whoosh!

The cloaked figure vanished.

Before Iris could even register—

A cold edge touched the side of her neck.

Thud!

She dropped, unconscious.

The cloaked woman stood behind her now, lowering her hand.

Her attention turned to Alaric.

Kneeling down, she placed two fingers near his throat, feeling for a pulse.

"He’s Alive," she murmured softly.

Just as the figure was inspecting him, system panels began buzzing over unconscious Alaric—

[Ding!]

[System stabilized.]

[Congratulations. Host has successfully awakened.]

[Path of the #$%@$ @$@%$.]

[Ding!]

[System will now undergo maintenance for 10 days.]

[All functions will be offline until then.]

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