Chapter 37: Dungeon Trials [1]
Ellie Greyart's POV:
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With each step, the leaves and branches beneath our feet wisphered to us, 'stay alert.'
"Halt!" Myung Joon's voice boomed, and he swiftly looked behind.
?????? ?????? ??????!—The air was disturbed as feathers sliced through it, creating a harmony when birds decided to escape from their foliage, hastily reacting to Myung's powerful cry.
My gaze followed his, examining the tree branches above us.
We were in a clearing of the forest, and no monsters came to greet us a hello, atleast not yet.
Yet, as if a surprise party, three lava chimps jumped from their leafy concealment, their fiery tails ablaze, casting an orange hue.
Towering at least 6 feet tall, they presented a formidable sight.
Lava chimps, the lowly (F-) ranked monsters, possessed a might capable of slurping bones.
Their ability to gush molten lava from their maws added an extra layer of charm to their awful simian kissers.
Amidst the chaos, someone pushed me aside, striding confidently towards the oncoming abominations.
"Uh, Karthik?" I voiced my confusion, a confusion caused by his audacity that is!
"Don't worry, I'll take care of them," he reassured, seemingly uncaring of what I meant! Fuck him!
But, my mind allowed skepticism to be the guest.
'How can he possibly handle three Lava chimps, alone? It seemed like a reckless move.'
"Listen, let's stick together and fight as a team. You don't have to face them alone," I pleaded, finally concerned for this jerk of a beautiful face.
He grinned back at me with warmth in his eyes, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "If things get out of hand, you can always step in," he suggested, his words both comforting and unsettling.
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A sigh of resignation escaped me, realizing that my intervention will be inevitable.
In a rapid flurry of action, one of the Lava chimps pounced towards Karthik, its intentions clear.
??????????!—With a subtle clicking sound, Karthik unsheathed his Katana from its scabbard in a swift motion only to seath it back just as quickly, a clear invitation to 'what the fuck are you doing?'question.
But it wasn't until I followed his line of sight that the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
The Lava chimp bore a massive scar across its chest, crimson streams of blood cascading down as it crumpled in agony.
My eyes widened in surprise as I tried to understand the puzzle infront of me.
'How did Karthik inflict such a devastating wound without even touching the simian lava bender? And to add to the question, his Katana was far away from the chimp during the entire sequence of attack. It was as if he attacked with an invisible force.'
"Krriieeekkk!!!" The wounded chimp's cry echoed through the forest, signaling an alarm to its companions.
??????????????!— Molten lava was shot from the maws of the other two monsters.
With effortless grace, Karthik easily dodged the scorching onslaught.
In the blink of an eye, he launched himself towards the remaining chimps, his body motionless despite the blistering speed at which he moved.
With a decisive swing, Karthik deftly traced an arc with his Katana, his skill evident as he swiftly slashed through the first Lava chimp.
Another slash followed suit, dispatching the second chimp with equal precision.
With a measured finesse, he then sheathed his Katana, its gleaming blade finding solace within its scabbard as he gracefully landed on a sturdy tree branch.
"Kruuaakk!!" The Lava chimps cried out in agony, their pain echoing through the air as their balance faltered, forcing them to crash to the unforgiving ground.
Once again, Karthik resolutely drew his Katana from its scabbard, the sound of metal whispering through the air.
Taking a firm grip on his Katana with both hands, Karthik focused his steely gaze onto the trio of rampaging monsters. His body blurred out of focus and he materialized before me in an instant.
"Huh!" I involuntarily took a step back, completely caught off guard by his sudden appearance.
"It's done," he calmly declared, his voice underlining his deed.
'Done?' I frowned.
When I turned to survey the aftermath, a surreal sight greeted my eyes: three headless lava chimps lay strewn in disarray.
H-ho..w?!
***
Noah's POV(Point of view):
????????!—The resounding cry of my machete making contact with bones cut through the air as I launched an attack on the skeleton blood hound.
Meanwhile, Anastasia chanted a spell, her words embracing my ears, "Mother Earth! I beseech you to embrace the foe, just as you embrace all life upon this sphere."
Mother earth answered her call as a cage of earth materialized, ensnaring the monster in a cage made of stones, effectively immobilizing it in its place.
????????????!— In the midst of this all James leaped at the monster with a roar,"Rah!"
With an arcing motion of his scythe, he swiftly sliced through the skeletal beast, cutting it down with deadly precision.
The cacophony of battle temporarily subsided as the monster crumbled to the ground, defeated by our coordinated efforts.
"Huff, huff!" breathing heavily, James sank to the ground, his weary expression telling about his exhaustion.
Watching his state, Anastasia turned to me and with concerned voice asked, "This was the third monster we encountered on this path."
Doubt clouded James' face as he questioned our chosen route, "Are you certain we're on the right path?"
With a feigned confidence, I bullshited him, "Absolutely. This path has lesser monsters than the surrounding area. Trust me bro!" I flashed a smile at him while gesturing a thumbsup. "My propensity is related to navigation, remember?"
In my vision, an augmented reality map displayed four approaching dots—a clear indication of more monsters drawing near.
A momentary flicker of apprehension crossed my mind.
My true intention was not to secure the path with the fewer monsters but to evade any encounters with members of the enemy class, who were also navigating the treacherous terrain.
Having gained valuable information through Nano's hack, I was well aware of the location of others.
But, the approaching four monsters threatened to overwhelm our tiny group.
It became apparent that my team would struggle to deal with this final wave of creatures along my chosen path.
So, I made a decision. It's time for battle mode.
"You guys rest here," I spoke, my voice confident. "There's something I need to take care of."
Anastasia's voice filled with curiosity as she questioned, "Where are you going?"
Raising my little finger with a smile, I replied, "Nature's call."
I stealthily slipped away, leaving my teammates to catch their breath.
"Nano, activate battle mode."
[Affirmative]
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