"This is a real headache," he muttered, adjusting the stiff, rough linen robe Eldrin had given him.
It felt like wearing a burlap sack.
"No more running. No more instant noodles. Welcome to your new life: a simple life powered by these glowing berries. At least I'm not being hunted by Game Borns every five minutes. Progress?"
He sighed, running a hand over his face.
He missed the city, its chaotic energy, even the constant threat.
Here, there was only oppressive peace and the agonizing clarity of his own impending doom.
The temple was ancient. It stood like a stark white fortress high in the mountains. Its stones hummed with pure Lumina energy.
Eldrin moved through it like a ghost, his ancient eyes missing nothing. Kenji's days now consisted of an austere, relentless routine.
Mornings took place in the central meditation hall. It was a large, open space with soft, glowing crystalline patterns on the walls.
Eldrin sat across from him, shining with pure light. It was a silent challenge to the darkness inside Kenji.
"Breathe, Shadow-Vessel," Eldrin's resonant voice would echo, calm but firm.
"Feel the ebb and flow of the world's natural energy. Not the raw power of the Blight. Not the borrowed strength of Shadowbane. Your own essence."
Kenji would try. He'd close his eyes, focusing on the calm, but the whispers would begin.
Empty. Weak. You could end this. Just unleash. Obliterate.
He felt a cold, tempting hum from his Shadow Brand. It pulled him gently towards total power and total destruction.
He'd clench his fists, fighting the urge, the sweat beading on his brow despite the cool air.
He'd picture Hana, her vibrant laughter. He'd see the sun on his old apartment window. He'd cling to those fragments of his humanity.
His system, once a simple gaming interface, was now a dynamic reflection of his internal war. A new gauge appeared at the bottom of his vision: [Corruption Influence: 15%].
It was subtle but always there. It would spike to 30%, 40%, even 50% during his meditations, then slowly recede as he fought it back.
His Dark Knight skills were once clear, but now they held subtle, chilling warnings.
Dark Slash: High potential for corruption. Using it without control may fuel internal Blight.
Death's Embrace: Extreme corruption risk. If not contained, it may speed up the vessel's absorption by the Heart of the Eclipse.
Even his basic Void Bolt had a warning: [(Moderate Corruption Risk: Using it too much may boost Blight's influence)].
It was like Eldrin's presence was making the system itself aware of the danger.
Afternoons focused on physical drills. This time, though, it was about control, not just brute force.
Eldrin would lead him in smooth, dance-like moves. He focused on balance and channeled energy without showing it outwardly.
He stood on one leg for long minutes while the Lumina Cleric watched patiently.
"The vessel must be stable, Kenji," Eldrin instructed, his voice low.
"The body is a temple, not a battleground for the Blight. Every flicker of uncontrolled power, every outburst of rage, feeds the corruption."
One evening, while Kenji was meditating hard, a shocking vision struck him.
He saw Shadowbane, not in his shining armour, but twisted and in pain. Dark tendrils shot from his own chest, reshaping him into something horrifying.
It was raw, terrifying, and deeply personal. He jolted, gasping, the Corruption Influence meter spiking to 60%.
"It tries to break your will, Kenji," Lyra's voice, ever-present in his mind, was strained, almost urgent.
"It shows you the past, makes you fear the future. Push it back! Anchor yourself!"
Kenji fought, tears stinging his eyes, not from pain, but from the horror of the vision. He focused on Eldrin's steady presence, on the unwavering light of the temple.
He pushed back, visualizing a wall of light, repelling the insidious darkness. Slowly, agonizingly, the meter began to fall.
"He experiences the truth of his burden," Eldrin said, his voice softer than usual.
"A necessary step."
Days turned into weeks. Kenji felt himself changing. He was leaner, his body honed, but his spirit was stretched taut.
He rarely spoke, conserving his energy for the constant internal battle. He was becoming a conduit of controlled power, even as the darkness simmered within.
Lyra's intermittent updates were his only connection to the outside world.
"The Enforcers are still searching for you, Kenji. More powerful Game Borns are being deployed. They're calling you 'Project: Shadowfall' now. And the Corruption… it spreads faster than they admit. More nodes are manifesting. The city is… struggling."
The news was a constant reminder of the stakes.
He had to succeed. He had to contain this thing, not just for himself, but for everyone.
"The first ritual, Shadow-Vessel,"
Eldrin announced one morning, his gaze intense.
"It will be a test. A purification. It will bind the corrupted essence within you, forcing it into a more dormant state. It will be… painful. But necessary."
Eldrin led him to a small, hidden chamber beneath the temple, a place of pure, untouched Lumina energy.
Ancient runes softly glowed on the walls. In the centre, a shallow basin of water sat, impossibly clear.
"You will immerse your hand in this water," Eldrin instructed, his voice grave.
"It is infused with Lumina energy. The interaction with the Heart of the Eclipse will be… violent. But it will show us if the preliminary training has borne fruit."
Kenji looked at the basin, then at his hand.
The Shadow Brand felt like a raw nerve. He knew this would hurt. He could almost feel the pain already. But he had no choice.
He carefully dipped his right hand, the one with the Shadow Brand, into the basin.
The water shimmered, then erupted. Not with fire, but with pure, agonizing light. It felt like his hand was being torn apart, simultaneously frozen and burned from the inside out.
He screamed, a raw, primal sound, his body arching. The Corruption Influence meter on his system shot up to a scary red, with [Danger!] blinking wildly.
The Shadow Brand flared, a raging vortex of darkness, fighting the searing light. It was an internal war, made manifest, and Kenji was caught in the middle.
"Resist!" Eldrin commanded, his voice loud now, pushing Lumina energy into the water.
"Focus on your humanity! Let the light bind it, Kenji! Do not let it escape!"
Kenji felt like he was being ripped apart. The pain was beyond anything he'd ever known, worse than any physical injury. It was spiritual, existential agony.
He could feel the Heart of the Eclipse thrashing, screaming in defiance. But he clung to Eldrin's voice, to Lyra's whispers in his mind, to the desperate need to survive.
Slowly, agonizingly, the violent reaction in the water began to subside. The pain, though still immense, dulled to a searing throb.
Kenji pulled his hand out, gasping, shaking uncontrollably. The water still glowed, but faintly.
His Shadow Brand pulsed weakly, its malevolent aura visibly subdued. The Corruption Influence meter had dropped dramatically, now hovering at a mere [5%]. It was still there, but it was contained.
Eldrin gazed at him. His ancient eyes showed a new, deep understanding—maybe even admiration.
"Remarkable, Shadow-Vessel. Truly remarkable. Your will is… resilient."
Kenji looked at his hand, the Shadow Brand no longer burning, but a dull, almost manageable ache.
He felt exhausted, wrung out, but also… strangely lighter. A sense of quiet triumph swelled within him, fragile but real.
He had faced the light, embraced the pain, and wrestled back control.
He looked at his system.
The Corruption Influence meter, though present, was no longer flashing red.
And beneath it, a new line appeared, faint but clear: [Containment Protocol: Stage 1 Complete.]
He glanced at Lyra's faint, unseen presence. He had done it. He had taken the first step.
"This isn't just about controlling the darkness," Kenji whispered, his voice hoarse as he looked at his hand.
"It's about finding a way to live with it. To use it. To turn it against itself. And that journey… It's just beginning. But at least now… at least now I know I can fight it. I can hold it back. And maybe… maybe I can even turn this curse into something else. Something they won't expect."