CH 26: Nightmare Valley – The Gargoyle’s Wrath

Cipher twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp claws of a Lesser Mold Fiend as it lunged at him. His movements were precise, each step calculated as he flipped, rolled, and darted between the Nightmares' attacks. Their claws slashed at the air, missing him by mere inches, but inches were all he needed. The rush of near misses sent a surge of adrenaline through his veins.

I'm almost there. I can make it.

The thought barely formed in his mind before something massive slammed into the ground directly in front of him.

The impact sent a violent shockwave through the pit, knocking several Lesser Mold Fiends back. Mud and grime erupted into the air, splattering across Cipher's face and coating his armor in thick, foul-smelling filth. A deep, guttural laugh rumbled through the darkness, turning into an animalistic scream that sent a shiver down his spine.

Cipher's Appraisal Skill activated instinctively, revealing a name that made his blood run cold:

(B-Class Earth Gargoyle).

His stomach clenched.

Fighting the Lesser Mold Fiends had been difficult enough, but a B-Class Nightmare was on an entirely different level. Even worse, he could barely see the damn thing. The thick spores in the air combined with the natural darkness of the pit obscured its form. The only thing he knew for sure was its sheer size—four times his height, if the information was accurate.

That meant it might have wings.

That one uncertainty made Cipher's entire situation exponentially worse. If the Gargoyle could fly, it would be able to control the battlefield, striking from angles he couldn't predict. Worse yet, he was still surrounded by a horde of C-Class Nightmares.

This is bad.

Cipher gritted his teeth. He could try to run, but with the Gargoyle now blocking the only viable exit, that option was gone. He was going to have to fight.

Fuck this.

His frustration boiled over into sheer determination. If this thing thought it could stand in his way, it had another thing coming.

Cipher tightened his grip on the Twin Stars and charged forward, sprinting directly toward the massive silhouette. The Gargoyle's deep, gurgling laughter echoed through the pit again, as if mocking his approach. Whether it was laughing at him or something else, Cipher didn't care. He would wipe that twisted smile off its stone-like face.

As he neared, Cipher's instincts screamed at him to move.

He barely had time to register the movement before a massive clawed hand came crashing down toward him. Reacting on pure reflex, Cipher brought up his Twin Stars, their silver handles twisting in his grip as he slashed upwards.

CLANG!

The force of the impact sent sparks flying as his blades met the Gargoyle's arm. The creature recoiled slightly, its hand pulling back with several deep gashes. But before Cipher could press his attack, something slammed into his side with the force of a battering ram.

He barely had time to comprehend what had hit him before he was launched across the battlefield like a ragdoll.

The world blurred.

His back smashed into the jagged stone wall of the pit, the impact so intense that it left a deep indentation in the rock. The force drove the air from his lungs, pain flaring through his ribs as he slumped against the wall.

His vision flickered.

A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth. Blood.

Cipher groaned, his mind spinning as he struggled to regain his bearings. His entire body ached, every nerve screaming in protest. He had barely lifted his arms to block the Gargoyle's hands, and it had still managed to hit him with its tail.

The sheer power of this Nightmare was overwhelming.

A slow, seething rage bubbled up inside him.

He had felt frustration before. Anger. Even despair.

But this… this was different.

For the first time, Cipher felt pure, unrelenting hatred.

He wanted to see this creature suffer. He wanted to cut it apart piece by piece, make it feel the agony it had just put him through. He wanted it to bleed.

Cipher's fingers clenched around his Twin Stars as his breathing grew heavy. His muscles tensed, a deep, burning fury consuming him. He had fought to survive before, but this wasn't just about survival anymore.

This was personal.

The Gargoyle's glowing yellow eyes locked onto him, its hulking form barely visible through the thick, moldy fog. It let out another deep, gurgling laugh, as if amused by his suffering.

Cipher pushed himself off the wall, forcing his body to move despite the pain. His legs felt sluggish, his ribs screamed with every breath, but he refused to back down.

You think this is funny?

Cipher's grip tightened.

I'll show you what's fucking funny.

The Gargoyle stomped forward, its heavy stone feet cracking the ground beneath it. It moved with terrifying confidence, each step slow and deliberate. It wasn't rushing him. It didn't need to.

It thought he was already beaten.

Cipher took a deep breath, calming his mind despite the fury raging inside him. The pain in his body faded into the background as he focused.

The Nightmares were closing in again. The Lesser Mold Fiends were beginning to recover, their grotesque bodies shifting as they crawled closer.

Cipher's lips curled into a smirk.

He wasn't trapped in here with them.

They were trapped in here with him.

In one fluid motion, Cipher kicked off the wall, launching himself forward with explosive speed. He dashed low, avoiding another swipe from the Gargoyle's massive claw before flipping over one of the approaching Lesser Mold Fiends.

He twisted midair, his Twin Stars flashing as he decapitated the Nightmare in a single stroke.

Blackened ichor sprayed across the ground.

Another fiend lunged. Cipher ducked beneath its strike, driving both blades upward into its chest. The creature let out a shriek before disintegrating into ash.

Two more attacked from opposite sides.

Cipher kicked off the ground, twisting his body between them. His blades carved through their rotting flesh in a whirlwind of silver, cutting them down before they could react.

The Gargoyle snarled.

Cipher turned his gaze back to the massive Nightmare, his expression dark.

"You're next," he muttered under his breath.

The Gargoyle's laughter stopped.

With a deep, guttural growl, it raised its arms high above its head. The ground trembled as magic surged through its body, the very earth beneath Cipher's feet beginning to shift.

It was about to unleash something powerful.

Cipher had no intention of letting that happen.

He sprinted forward.

The battle wasn't over.

It was just getting started.