A Show of Power

He pushed open the door, expecting a blinding light. Instead, he found the eleventh level shrouded in darkness, more like an abandoned ruin.

But the first thing that assaulted him wasn't the darkness, but the stench.

It was… intense. Shu wrinkled his nose, covering it with his hand.

He didn't know what caused the smell, but he suspected it might be toxic. He created a filter for his breath.

He could have simply held his breath. With his ample [wishes], the energy expenditure would have been minimal.

But he had a habit of taking a deep breath to calm himself, to prepare, to gather his strength… If he forgot in a moment of stress and inhaled a lungful of poison…

Better to have a filter.

With the filter in place, the stench vanished. He expanded his senses, perceiving the entire level.

All sensory input was converted into visual information – a trick he'd found more reliable than relying on unfamiliar senses. He hadn't received any specialized training.

The second anomaly was underfoot. He frowned at the thick, damp fungal mat covering the floor, hesitant to step on it.

Maybe flying would be safer?

He decided to add another layer of protection – a repulsion field, like a limitless barrier.

Having prepared multiple layers of defense and buffs, and after a moment of double-checking, he finally stepped onto the fungal mat.

It was soft, but thankfully, there were no hidden traps.

He advanced towards the center of the level.

As far as he could see, everything was covered in the unsettling, dark red fungus, pulsing with a disturbing rhythm.

It was… repulsive.

He paused before a raised mound of fungus, observing it warily before moving away.

It looked less like a growth attached to something and more like a massive, festering pustule. He didn't want to be around when it burst.

Even with his protective barrier, the thought was… unpleasant.

The space was vast. Further in, he saw twisted "trees" growing from the fungal mat.

They were the only things not covered in fungus.

But Shu wished they were.

They weren't trees. They were columns of muscle, blood vessels, and warped, bone-white bone. Thanks to these fleshy pillars, he finally understood what was pulsing.

"Blood vessels…" he muttered, grateful for his protective layers.

Everything was covered in fungus, and these fleshy pillars didn't seem to have any pre-existing structure. They were more like stalactites and stalagmites, connected by some unknown process.

…Was this the [Champion]'s insides?

He stopped, looking at the nearest pillar.

Only one way to find out.

He focused his gaze, his eyes dangerous, channeling his [hope], preparing to unleash a devastating blow.

He was also ready to flee.

If this was the [Champion]'s body, his attack would cause… significant internal disruption.

And he didn't want to be caught in the resulting… mess.

He judged the power sufficient and punched.

But at the last moment, his expression changed drastically.

Below!

Dozens of dark red tentacles erupted from the fungal mat, wrapping around his limbs before he could react, pulling him violently towards the pillar.

It happened too fast. He could sense the danger, understand what was happening, but his thoughts couldn't keep up with the speed of events, let alone allow him to find a solution.

He'd reacted to the Honkai Emperor's attacks!

But then, a powerful repulsive force exploded from his body, shattering the tentacles.

It was the barrier he'd set up, a purely mechanical defense, reacting automatically. Freed, Shu spun in mid-air, channeling the momentum from the tentacles into a punch, striking the pillar head-on.

The pillar exploded into fragments of flesh and bone, scattering along with a spray of blood, obscuring Shu.

More tentacles emerged, but they lashed out blindly, having lost their target.

Then, a blur emerged from the falling gore, a fierce wind whipping around it.

Nearly a hundred tentacles were severed at their base in a single, precise strike.

The blur, of course, was Shu. This was his counterattack.

But as he swung, his face went white, his body losing balance, sending him tumbling across the floor.

He felt a searing pain throughout his body, as if he'd been slashed by countless blades. He could still feel the phantom wounds.

Empathy again!

"Goddamn it!" He forced himself to his feet, dodging more tentacles. "Why am I sharing this thing's senses?!"

He no longer cared about avoiding the fungus. He rolled, dodging the attacks, sweat pouring down his face. He grasped at nothing, then swung at a tentacle wrapped around his ankle.