The Slave's Den (2)

Shay leaned forward and grasped his knees, letting thoughts slip from his lips: "Is the system linked with fate, or did it bless me with stats for a future brawl against demons?"

This part threw him off, thrusting his consciousness through several emotions toward shackles of confusion.

However, he shook off the difficulties facing the closest entrance, and was concerned about the Slave's Den.

[393:31:49]

While standing before the clock, he tilted his head twice, bone cracks resonating up to his ears. He also stretched his arms, wrists and crunched all his knuckles.

This challenge would prove difficult, yet his willpower tightened an elastic green ember around his heart, reinforcing his resolve and desires for strength.

"It's time to give this dungeon a try." He said, sighing his last worries away as he took several steps forward.

The passage's walls were smooth, creating a pleasant path to nothingness. He relied on his perception, which stroke his brain with shocking signals when facing danger.

However, going down to an insignificant descent, his encounters rounded to zero after 15 minutes of walking.

Rrrrattle.

A sound reverberated throughout the tunnel, originating from a left side turn, entered his ears. He used the Shadow Stone and Infernal Beast's Skin skills to blend in the surface, crouching in the corner with caution.

He blinked rapidly to prepare for a swift scanning motion, peeking his head right after.

The observation revealed a pocket connecting another 3 passages, whilst swarmed with Rattle Snake beasts.

Its tail end, causing the attention grabbing sound, was equipped with packed sand balls, mirroring shards sticking out. A glassy coat served as a transfer point between its sandy feature to igneous rock with fiery scars, sliding around like a glow stick.

'Since it's The Devil's Slave's Den, they serve some purpose, right?'

Conclusions projected before him, seeing either continuity, treasure or a trap behind one of the passages.

It had been some time ago that he wielded a sword. As his progression became swift, weapons of lower quality would shatter each strike and tougher ones were too pricy for a school guy like him, for now at least.

He kept his hopes high and calculated the monsters, counting above fifty. The space allowed them to split into five groups, some taking slumbers, while the others wandered.

Shay made a few steps closer, sizing them more thoroughly. Within their thickest part, he could fit inside the abdomen while standing.

It would have terrified him without psyche enhancement, which would force him to turn around and flee.

'I really grew,' he thought, envisioning his former fragile self as he brushed past the exact imagination.

"Let's see your power!" He shouted, charging his leg for a powerful stomp.

Bang!

The snakes turned and locked their gazes onto his, compared to them, tiny figure. They perceived vibrations from his Menacing Roar and the terraforming ground all together, activating the skill's crippling effect.

While shivering, some waved toward him, circling their shards filled sand bags.

"Pffft, too slow."

The spinning motion opened a door into one's death as Shay bolted with a fist by his side, ready to crush the black and white granite face.

His force destroyed the monster's crystal eyes, followed by the sharp sounds of breaking glass as the corpse lay down.

In a breath's moment, the whole body crumbled to pieces, uncovering precious minerals inside.

Those closest to him halted their movement as magma drools spilled through their obsidian teeth.

Shriek!

An ear piercing sound echoed throughout the cave while a mix of vibrant colors emerged from their mouths, intensifying the lava discharge.

Without further hesitations, Shay bore his fingers under the earth, forming a broad and deep fissure as he hooked to one of its side.

He used all his might, pulling up a defensive stone barrier to block the incoming attacks.

The snakes sprayed an orange thick liquid which distorted the air, spraying at the lifted surface before them.

Splash!

Sizzles and droplets of the cooling substance spread around, some landing next to his feet.

He leaned forward, braced one of his legs for thrust, and waited. Patience, the key for success against impatient monsters.

The snakes crawled closer, collisions of rocky materials reverberated and revealed their position in motion toward him.

After a while, the force exploded from his prepared limb, throwing a rotational kick at his cover. He disintegrated it into pebble bullets, shooting debris like stars at the creeping creatures.

As their bodies disallowed quick flexible dodges, the projectiles pierced their hard flesh, killing them instantly.

[393:04:49]

He gazed at the clock, counting his time he spent traversing through tunnels of darkness, observing and fighting five of the monsters.

'Fuck, it will take around 2 hours to kill the rest like this.'

His facial muscles stiffened while tightening his fist, leisure blood streamed as his nails pressured his palm. Since his attire dried before arrival, he couldn't heal his self harmed injury.

He thought about changing his strategies to a more aggressive approach. However, before coming up with a fighting tactic, the distant snakes took a semicircle formation.

Their adaptability facing crisis against powerful foe was remarkable, cooperating together to eliminate the threat.

Shay observed their scheme, standing by the corpses with the utmost patience.

Some of the creatures lied down and connected, drawing a line around him. The others arranged in alternating positions, one always supporting its cranium on the outliner, whilst the other straightened and locked its gaze toward him.

'This should be my opportunity.'

Before finishing their preparation, he turned his head to their weakest part of the defense, the side.

Initially, he considered swinging the still snakes, then reconsidered his dreamy image. His superstrength allowed lifting around one and a half ton, but considering their length and height, it would prove impossible.

The thinking window closed as the lying individuals radiated with warmth, their scars glowing, and released magma like volcanic gargoyles.

The encirclement served as a trap pool, attempting to force him to retreat.

Yet Shay's mouth shifted, throwing a smirk at such a pathetic attempt. He stared at the advancing heat wave, switching his view to the side.

He disguised his intention until the last second, blasting a crater below him as he dashed past the liquid at a lightning speed.

Since his leg power developed, his combined fighting method tilted toward kicking style, throwing such a blow against the straightened enemy and its round boulder skull.

Before aiming its razor-sharp teeth at him, its head disconnected and shattered, flying against the next fellow.

This attack worked like a domino effect, passing the spread remains' momentum to the others.

With one strike, he eliminated half of the posing foes. As the magical souls diminished from their bodies, they blanketed the fellows below them.

This temporarily halved his concern to the other fraction of defense, which repositioned before him. They failed in single brawls and a large-scale entrapment.

Thus, they proceeded to their last resort before the others recovered, dividing into three groups of five.

Shay took a fighting stance, tilting his back foot and lifting his arms.

"Show me what you got!"

He intimidated them with his mouth gestures, forcing one group to push towards him.

Tsk.

He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, cursing within his soul: 'Fuck, why can't they all cluster together?'

His plan to use Bullet Punch, sending it against the ground to create powerful vibrations, had the potential to crumble their bodies.

However, the idea shambled before initialization, leading to bold and risky action.

He stood motionless, sweat condensing on his back. His focus entered zen mode, sharpening his resolve and mind.

Two tails swung from both flanks coordinately, with the other one dropping like a bomb above him. Those remaining covered their companions with bites, engulfing Shay entirely.

Boom!

Dust and sand clouded their vicinity, glass fragments sparkling the chaotic cloud.

When the sight cleared, he held the obsidian blades with his bare hands. He avoided the other strikes, which collided and led to the latter event.

Shay gritted his teeth, groans leaving his wide opened mouth while sliding back.

Suddenly, he loosened his grip, falling on the stone ground and reclining. The duo holding him bolted forward, not expecting his falter.

While lying, he backed his legs like springs, launching them at the grazing, intertwining granite bodies.

Their remains scattered, hitting the roof, their pals, and even splashed through the lava pool.

Rumble.

He wiped the initial group, facing the collapsing ceiling while surrounded by the rock corpses.

'I might have overestimated myself,' he thought, gazing at the falling pieces. "Haha."

His past projected before him. The struggles, weaknesses, lost connections, he even reminded himself of the agony during his first 'outing.'

Each time his memories flashed, the stones came closer.

'Why now, of all times?' Overwhelmed by piling up emotions, tears escaped the corner of his eyes, washing off his stains.

Before the collision, bits of a familiar voice, from the recollection, struck his soul deeply.

"See—"

"… But why should you worry so much, when—"

"I am not a saint. I just did what normal person should doo, haha."

'I'm such a dumbass, for real.'

He pushed his hands against the ground, pivoting until standing straight.

"Thunder Dash!"