Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 162: Suffer Evil

Narinder closed his eyes for a moment, focusing much of his fervor. The corrupted claw he held seemed to resonate with his own spirit, emitting a faint glow that slowly grew more intense. The energy emanating from it was not simply a display of power; it was a miasma of deep, dark, and desolate emotions. A translucent beam shot out from the tip of the claw, piercing the air like a silent cry of pain and despair.

The ram, sensing the activation of the relic, clung to his shield with both hands. It began to shine brightly, as if light itself materialized at its edges, representing absolute divine purity. The shield's energy spread throughout his figure, enveloping him in an aura that was the purest manifestation of a god's power. Its light was so intense that it made the room seem to light up as if it were noon.

"Wow, this makes me look like a villain about to attack a hero... but this ram, if he puts his mind to it, can swat me like a fly," Narinder thought, a wry smile crossing his face even in the midst of danger.

As the claw's beam impacted the ram's aura, the impossible happened: the ram's divine glow began to fragment. It was as if the very concept of purity was being devoured by the corruption that permeated the relic. Fragments of the aura shattered like glass, falling to the ground in flashes of light. The orbs created by the relic of "order" erupted in a series of dull flashes, fading like ash in the wind.

The ram staggered, the scar on its abdomen beginning to glow a deep red, the same color as the eye on Narinder's crown. He barely had time to react before he fell to his knees, his body convulsing as he coughed up blood and black ichor, thick and viscous, as if something deeply corrupt within him was being forced out.

Narinder, who had prepared himself for the worst, was stunned to see how effective his relic had been. He had expected a reaction, but not one so devastating.

The ram, however, did not give up. He transformed his shield back into his blue crown, looking up at Narinder with a mix of terror and resolve. His eyes locked on the relic Narinder held, desperately seeking to read its nature and understand what he was facing.

The blue crown, in an automatic analysis, projected the information directly into his mind:

Name: Narinder's Claw+++++

Legend: Suffer Evil

Description: [ERROR: Ʃ∃╬╣✖☠☡☼§Σ⛧]

The glitched characters seemed to flash through his mind like a glitch in reality itself, incomprehensible and filled with an implicit threat.

The ram felt that his fear of that relic was entirely justified. It was not only a corrupt tool; it was something that should not exist, an aberration that defied even the laws of the world he knew. With renewed determination, he gritted his teeth, but he could not stop a shiver from running through his body.

Narinder breathed heavily as he looked at his hand, which had been damaged by the use of the relic. Once covered in beautiful black fur, it now looked charred, as if the fire had consumed the very life of that limb. Its skin, marked in a deep, dull red, gave the impression of being made of dry, petrified rock. He moved his fingers with difficulty, but the sensation was nonexistent; he felt neither pain nor sensitivity. It was as if that part of his body no longer belonged to him. The corruption had marked not only his hand, but also extended to part of his wrist, partially hiding the scar that resided there.