Chapter 38 – Break or be Controlled
He stopped holding back.
It wasn’t a dramatic shift, not something explosive or reckless. It was a decision, and once it settled, everything else followed it. The hesitation that had kept his output measured disappeared, replaced by something sharper and far more direct.
Sanguine Surge intensified.
The strain hit immediately, heavier than before, pressing into his muscles as his output climbed beyond what he had been sustaining. At the same time, Blood Draw fed back into him through every wound he had inflicted, reinforcing him just enough to keep everything from slipping apart.
It balanced.
Barely.
But it held.
Jack stepped forward.
This time, he didn’t test anything.
The scythe moved straight for George.
There it is.
George saw the change instantly, the way the boy’s movement lost its restraint and turned into pressure. Not wild. Not uncontrolled.
Just relentless.
The strike came in fast, forcing him to react instead of guide the pace. George stepped back, but not far enough to fully disengage, letting the blade cut across him instead of avoiding it cleanly.
The bleed deepened.
Stacking.
Now it mattered.
George raised his hand again.
[Suppression Field — Intensified]
The air thickened.
Not subtle anymore. It pressed against movement, against thought, forcing resistance into everything the boy did.
“Let’s see how long you can keep that up,” George said.
The pressure increased immediately.
Jack felt it in everything—his movement, his breathing, even the way his thoughts had to push forward with more effort than before. The suppression didn’t stop him, but it forced him to spend more energy just to maintain the same level of control.
Fine.
Then I just push harder.
He moved again.
Sanguine Grasp.
The tendrils snapped forward faster this time, reinforced by the increased output. They struck George mid-step and dragged him harder than before, forcing a real shift in his balance.
That was enough.
Jack stepped in with it.
Too much.
The pull caught him more cleanly this time, his footing slipping just enough to matter. The follow-up came immediately, the blade cutting deeper, the bleed stacking in a way that no longer felt trivial.
George exhaled slowly.
Still manageable.
But no longer comfortable.
“Better,” he said quietly.
Jack didn’t respond.
He pressed forward again.
Each strike fed Blood Draw, each wound reinforcing him just enough to keep pushing through the suppression. The balance between strain and sustain tightened with every exchange, the margin for error shrinking as the fight dragged on.
He could feel it clearly now.
If this kept going—
He would lose that balance.
So don’t let it.
A signal pulsed behind George.
Jack’s awareness caught it instinctively.
Closer.
Familiar.
He pushed Blood Sense further.
And found them.
There it is.
George didn’t need to turn to know what the boy had just sensed.
“Back room,” he said casually.
Jack didn’t look away.
Didn’t need to.
Alive.
Both of them.
The tension that hit his chest lasted less than a second before he forced it down.
Not now.
Finish this.
“They’re fine,” George continued, almost conversational. “Better than most. I take care of useful people.”
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“You should be grateful.”
The next strike came harder.
Faster.
Not reckless.
Just… final.
George blocked, but this time the impact pushed him back, his footing breaking for the first time since the fight began.
There.
Jack stepped forward—
Enough.
George’s expression shifted, the calm control giving way to something more focused.
[Authority Skill Activated: Command Pressure]
The air changed again.
Sharper.
More precise.
This time it didn’t press on the body.
It pressed on the mind.
Stop.
Hesitate.
Yield.
It hit.
For a fraction of a second, everything slowed—not physically, but mentally. His thoughts dragged, his intent dulled as something tried to overwrite it.
[Status Effect: Dominance Attempt]
[Resistance Engaged]
Jack’s eyes narrowed.
Not happening.
He forced through it.
Not cleanly.
But enough.
And moved anyway.
That should have worked.
George saw the resistance break—not completely, but enough to let the boy move again.
Interesting.
And dangerous.
Jack didn’t stop.
He couldn’t afford to.
Everything at once.
Sanguine Surge pushed further.
Blood Draw strained to keep up.
Sanguine Grasp snapped out again.
This time—
All three connected cleanly.
The pull hit harder.
George’s balance broke completely.
That—
was a problem.
The timing was wrong.
The pull was too strong.
And the follow-up—
Too fast.
The scythe cut deep.
The bleed stacked again.
The feedback surged through him—
Too much.
His body strained under it, the balance between sustain and output cracking as both skills pushed past their limits.
Pain flared.
Blood loss hit.
His vision tightened slightly.
But he didn’t stop.
[Skill Threshold Reached]
The system cut through the moment.
[Skill Upgraded]
Sanguine Surge → Common
The strain shifted instantly.
Still there.
But controlled.
More efficient.
Then—
[Skill Upgraded]
Blood Draw → Common
The feedback stabilized.
Stronger.
Cleaner.
The balance snapped back into place.
Jack exhaled sharply.
There it is.
The difference was immediate.
George felt it.
The boy didn’t slow.
Didn’t falter.
The pressure increased instead.
“How—”
He didn’t finish.
Jack stepped in one last time.
No hesitation.
No delay.
Everything aligned.
The scythe moved.
So this is how it ends.
For the first time—
George didn’t have control.
The strike landed clean.
[You have defeated: George (Lv.15)]
[Boss Defeated]
[Major Experience Gained]
The pressure vanished instantly.
The suppression.
The influence.
The control.
Gone.
The system surged.
[Level Up]
[Level: 21]
+3 Free Attribute Points
[Level Up]
[Level: 22]
+3 Free Attribute Points
Jack stood still for a moment, breathing heavy but controlled, the adrenaline fading just enough for everything else to settle in.
Blood loss.
Energy low.
Muscles strained.
But standing.
Still standing.
Behind him, the building felt different.
Lighter.
Like something had been holding it down—
And just got removed.
Jack turned.
Now—
He could go get them.