The Transmigrated Author

[Paris, The Museum Louvre - Second Floor | Bottom Level]

"You... I remember you..."

Jasper growled, his eyes narrowed into slits, saliva dripping from his fanged mouth.

"You made my mission fail... couldn't kill you back then."

A guttural chuckle escaped his throat, growing into a maniacal laugh that echoed through the hall.

"Don't worry, I'll finish the job this time."

Rel's grip tightened on his hybrid sword, a confident smirk forming beneath his mask.

"Really?" he retorted, his voice cool and collected. "Take your time."

With a swift motion, he unsheathed his blade, the black steel humming with a dark energy.

Both of his hands, now enveloped in a swirling aura of darkness, tightened around the hilt.

[The Following Skill: Enhancement Aura Has Been Activated!]

[Special Passive: Monster Hunter [Grade 4] Has Been Activated!]

[Passive Ability: Hidden Strength [Grade 4] Has Been Activated!]

"Today..." Rel began, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

[Special Ability: Clockwork of Time [Grade 3] has been activated!]

The world around him slowed to a crawl, Jasper's monstrous form frozen mid-lunge.

Rel took deliberate steps forward, the air around him crackling with power.

Drawing upon every ounce of strength, he unleashed a devastating uppercut to Jasper's chin.

[Clockwork Of Time Has Been De-Activated!]

Time snapped back to its normal pace, and Jasper's body was launched into the air, propelled by the sheer force of Rel's blow.

"You will fall,"

Rel declared, watching as Jasper's massive form crashed towards the floor, disappearing from sight.

Jasper crashed into a storage room, landing hard amidst a pile of empty crates and boxes.

The impact momentarily stunned him, but the pain in his chin was already fading, replaced by a dull throb.

He glanced at his right arm, the mutated blade still pulsating with a dark, angry energy.

A jagged scar now marred the flesh, a reminder of the searing pain Rel's attack had inflicted.

A snarl twisted his features as he surged to his feet, his eyes burning with renewed fury.

He was stronger now, faster, more powerful than ever before.

He wouldn't let that masked figure interfere with his plans again.

Meanwhile, Rel, fueled by the strength granted by his activated passives, leapt upwards to the hole created.

He was like a predator on the hunt, his senses honed in on the scent of demonic energy that clung to Jasper's trail.

In a matter of seconds, he found himself face-to-face with his prey once more.

Jasper, a twisted grin on his face, burst through a wall, his eyes gleaming with a manic light.

"Using humans as shields, are we?" Rel taunted, his voice echoing in the empty gallery.

"A useless tactic for a bitch."

Jasper merely chuckled, his voice a guttural rasp.

"They're just tools, pawns in a grander scheme. Their lives are insignificant compared to the power we seek."

With a burst of speed, Jasper rushed towards the left side of the museum, his mutated blade outstretched.

He slammed into a shimmering magical barrier that blocked the entrance to the central exit, and his momentum momentarily halted.

Beside him, a mangled figure of a man with a horn on his head and tentacles of an octopus, writhed and contorted, his voice a distorted echo.

"Mr. Jasper," he hissed, "they won't let me through."

"Don't just stand there, do something, you idiot!"

Jasper roared, frustration and rage lacing his voice.

Rel, watching from the shadows, smiled grimly.

"Camila," he murmured, a sense of pride swelling within him. "She's doing her job."

With a swift motion, he unsheathed his sword, the blade erupting with a dark aura.

[Standard Ability: Trickster At Arms [Grade 5] Has Been Activated!]

His body moved with grace and agility, his sword a blur as he charged towards Jasper and the demonic octopus.

"Divine Severance," he uttered, channelling his aura into the blade.

SLAAASHH!

With a single, powerful swing, he unleashed a crescent-shaped wave of dark energy, crackling with black lightning.

The octopus-like creature, agile and quick, narrowly dodged the attack, but Jasper, caught off guard, was sent hurtling through yet another wall.

Rel didn't hesitate. He knew Jasper was the greater threat.

He would stop him, no matter the cost.

Rel sprinted through the museum's labyrinthine corridors, his eyes fixed on the spot where Jasper had disappeared.

But his path was abruptly blocked by the monstrous octopus, its bulbous eyes gleaming with malice.

"I'll stop you from ruining Mr. Jasper's chance!"

The creature hissed, its tentacles writhing menacingly.

SHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Its chest puffed up, and with a sickening gulp, it unleashed a torrent of dark purple fire from its gaping maw, engulfing Rel in a searing inferno.

The octopus, confident in its attack, momentarily paused, expecting to see its foe reduced to ash.

But as the flames subsided, Rel emerged from the flames, his black cloak flaring out, his mask untouched.

Without a word, he lunged towards the creature.

He clenched his fist tightly as it glowed with a dark aura.

BANG!

His fist connected with the octopus's face in a thunderous impact.

Black lightning erupted from the point of contact, illuminating the corridor in a blinding flash.

[Critical hit!]

The octopus was sent flying backward, its tentacles flailing helplessly as it slammed into a wall.

Rel, his momentum barely slowed, continued his relentless pursuit of Jasper, leaving the stunned creature in his wake.

Rel, driven by a relentless determination, followed Jasper's destructive path through the museum.

Each shattered wall, each overturned display, fueled his anger and steeled his resolve.

He had to stop this madness before it consumed the entire Louvre and endangered countless lives.

After traversing several rooms, Rel walked into the fifth room, it was a gallery filled with ancient weaponry.

There, among the scattered artifacts, stood Jan, a young girl cradled protectively in his arms, and Valencia, their eyes wide with surprise as they surveyed the damage caused by Jasper.

They hadn't witnessed Jasper's transformation or his brutal attack on the guard, but the destruction around them was enough to raise alarm bells.

Rel knew they wouldn't stand idly by, but they needed a push, a catalyst to ignite and propel them into action.

With a swift, decisive movement, Rel smashed his fist through a nearby display case, shattering the glass and sending shards scattering across the floor.

He reached in and retrieved a longsword, its ornate hilt a testament to its historical significance.

"I can't fight two people at once,"

Rel declared, his voice masked by the black cloth covering his face.

"There's a mage outside guarding all the civilians from a human-like monster... near the central exit. Please, help her."

With a powerful toss, he sent the longsword spinning through the air, landing with a clatter at Jan's feet.

Then, without another word, Rel turned and vanished through the hole in the wall, his footsteps echoing in the sudden silence.

_________

Authors Notes:

- The negative mana stone can change and influence the moods of a person with the energy.