Ascension: Online

[NEW SPECIES ENTRY]

[Name: Quickfanged Minigator]

[Weakness: Hidden arts and Multikill arts]

[Resistance: Single-target attacks]

[Description: Tiny alligators which live in packs and can move around at insane speeds. They possess high agility and teamwork, though their individual strength and durability is low. Large-scale AOE attacks such as Pyromancy arts work best against these beasts.]

*****

"Run!" I yelled to Koroth and Ming Yi, who didn't need to be told twice.

They quickly ran forward, the only way possible, as the walls and ceiling above us continued opening up to reveal more and more creatures. One spawned directly to my left and tried to leap at me, but I quickly swiped my hand through the air while using a hidden art, launching a quick and deadly Umbrostrike directly towards the beast.

The attack struck true, sending it toppling backwards out of mid-air. With this, I know new these beasts aren't all that strong individually… their strength came from the sheer numbers they had. Even now, I didn't dare look backwards to see just how many were chasing after us, because the amount of growling I was hearing was more than enough to tell.

"Which way!" Koroth yelled as we neared a dead end, with only left or right as options to go. Even his usually calm facade was slowly starting to panic and break apart under the impending doom waiting for us.

"Right!" I quickly shouted in reply, annoyed that he couldn't even choose a direction by himself. I picked randomly… hopefully, my not-so-high LUC stat would come in clutch here!

But right as I was thinking that, we rounded the corner to see a mob of angry beasts identical to the ones behind us, roaring in fury.

"O-Okay, your other right!"

The three of us immediately turned tail and ran in the opposite direction. Koroth was holding in fine so far, but his stamina was not the best… at this rate…

We continued running and running as the beasts continued to pile up in numbers. However, the good news was, they had stopped spawning. The only problem? These little pests knew teamwork and coordinate themselves to try and surround us, as if they were intelligent.

After several minutes of frantic running away, Koroth was beginning to pant heavily. His steps visibly slowed down as he tried to keep up with the two of us, but he was already going beyond his physical capabilities.

"Can you keep going, Koroth?" I asked, grabbing his shoulder and pushing him forward a bit.

"Ngh… not much… longer…" he groaned, desperately trying to keep his feet moving. No doubt, his heart felt like it was on fire right now, but he still pushed on.

Narrowing my eyes, I suddenly skidded to a stop and spun around to face the incoming wave of beasts, much to the surprise of both Koroth and Ming Yi.

"What are you…"

Ignoring their confusion, I closed my eyes and took out Dokujin from my boots in one swift motion. And in my head, I chanted a single art name.

'Many Must Fall.'

In an instant, I teleported in front of the first crocodile and dashed straight through it with Dokujin, tearing its body apart before quickly moving to my next target. I was like a shadow in the night; unable to be seen or felt. As if Death itself had came to bestow judgment upon these beasts, I tore them apart one after another silently and stealthily.

Before anyone could even react — my two allies or the beasts themselves — the whole horde lay dead.

I had been contemplating using this art already, but for one, I needed to ascertain whether or not these beasts were low-level enough that I could actually get this skill to work. With that Umbrostrike I used earlier, I confirmed that. The second reason was I didn't want to reveal to these two I had this skill, but drastic situations call for drastic measures.

Even if I just let Koroth die here, thus losing me a powerful chess piece, there was still no guarantee I would make it out of this alive without using that art and shoring it to Ming Yi anyway. Might as well just use it now and figure out a good excuse to explain it with inn case they ask.

In a mere matter of seconds, the whole pack of beasts lay slaughtered on the ground, filling the floor with a large, expanding pool of blood. I stood atop the mountain of corpses I made in the blink of an eye, stacked together. In my hands held Dokujin, still dripping with the beasts' blood.

"What just… happened…" Ming Yi couldn't help but murmur in wonder. "Is that… really the same newcomer I met just a few months ago…?"

Letting out a deep breath, I jumped back down from the mountain of corpses and dropped Dokujin back into my boot. Wiping off some blood from my armor to no avail, I walked right past the two of them's shocked faces.

"Come on… we're not done yet. The other beasts are still chasing after us — trying to cut us off in front. So, we should head back the way we came from and find an alternate route."

"They'll be here soon enough with all this… blood stench…" Ming Yi muttered, blocking his nose. "Koroth, do you need to rest?"

Koroth shook his head. "I think… I'm alright with just walking. That should help me slowly recover."

As the three of us walked, I decided to start up some conversation to gather information.

"Koroth, did the pill they gave you not work?"

"H-Huh? Uh… it did, but my body still needs some time to adjust to it…"

I didn't miss the slight stutter in his voice when he said that. It wasn't because he was lying — no, it was because he still hadn't come to terms with what he just saw me do: murder an entire horde of beasts in the blink of an eye. The amount of strength, conviction, and unshakable will needed for that are insurmountable.

The emotions these two felt when they looked at me… it was fear.

In the end, we had Koroth brute force his way through the walls of this cave. The entrance was enchanted, but the rest of it wasn't, apparently. With a single good punch with all of his strength, the walls were torn through, revealing the sunlight outside. With a light leap, I managed to get out of the cave using my high AGI stat, then quickly helped the other two out as well before the loud noise of the wall being punched through attracted the other beasts down there to us. I could just use Many Must Fall again, but one cast nearly depleted all of my Essence.

Once we were all safe and sound, I pulled out my map again to see if there was any rivers nearby. After confirming there was, I decided to go clean myself off. The other two followed.

"About what happened just now…" Ming Yi walked up to me and said hesitantly.

"… Don't worry, I know you two were tricked as well," I muttered, clenching my fists. "They put the two of you with me on purpose and gave the three of us incorrect maps to lead us into death traps… to think they wouldn't even mind killing someone innocent off together with me."

"But… why does the sect want to kill you?" Koroth asked, confused.

"Because someone's butthurt I stole his crush's heart when I didn't," I spat with venom. "Sorry… for dragging you two into my mess."

Ming Yi placed a hand on my shoulder and shook his head. "It's not your fault. Back there, you saved us, so if anything, we owe you our lives. And I must say… this sect… I'm starting to feel a little hatred towards it as well."

"It's not the sect…" I sighed. "It's the people in it. More specifically… Elder Zhang. From what I can see… he's the mastermind behind all of this, manipulating the patriarch into listening to what he has to say and giving these orders."

"That guy… he also suggested outright killing me rather than giving me the pill…" Koroth gritted his teeth in anger. "So that's why he teleported me with you… in the hopes that we would die together. And Ming Yi… I suppose that's just because he's in the same team as me…"

"… Despicable," Ming Yi muttered. "Igarashi Kaze, and Koroth… what do you think of us collaborating to fight back against that bastard together?"

I chuckled. "About time. Also, just Kaze is fine."

Placing out my hand, I waited for the two of them to do the same in turn.

Koroth nodded firmly and placed his hand on top of mine. "I won't forgive… anyone who threatens me."

Ming Yi, at last, tugged his mask down, allowing us to get a glimpse of his true face. Indeed, he was the young blacksmith who had forged my first weapon upon coming into this world.

Placing his hand on top of both of ours, he smirked.

"I don't know what that bastard was thinking when he decided to target us, but… he's going to pay. Very dearly."

At this, I smiled.

"Yes… yes, he will."

And on that day, marked the beginning of a new brotherhood, bound by blood and promise.