--A while before--
'How long has it been since I entered again? I don't remember anymore... I... I've been fighting here for such a long time, that I ran out of potions... My right arm's already about to break its bones, my left arm is nearing that state as well... I might as well use my damn legs if the left one wasn't sprained... Damn it all, why'd I even choose to do this? I'm no hero... I'm just...'
As Kuro was lost in his thoughts, he continued killing as much blants as he can. Indiscriminately killing as he stands his ground which was the only way to go to the gate that connects to the outside. Sweat trickled down like a waterfall, his broken body parts were flailing all around as he slashes through the bodies of the blants. The blood that spills to his mouth were the only source of water for Kuro, yet even that burns him due to his constitution as a half-fire spirit.
'Regeneration effectivity has been reduced to 10%. It is advised for you to retreat.'
'Damn it... I'm tired... I want to sleep... This is too painful...'
One, two, three. Kuro kept hacking away at the monsters. With his sword, broken to bits a while ago, Kuro kept depending on his dragon claws. But even his transformation had limits. The only thing transformed were the nails of his left hand. Kuro was fighting a losing battle as time went on. Without any mana left to use for attacks, he could only use the remaining mana he has for body enhancement.
As he kept hacking away, he suddenly notices that there are no more blants remaining. The halls were empty except for the countless corpses that lay on the ground. Kuro's panting was the only thing heard from within the halls.
"It's..."
Kuro collapses on his knees hard as tears fall down from his cheeks. It was only at this time, that he felt that his death wasn't going to be a quick and painless one such as when he fought the Dragonkin that killed his village. He knew that his death was going to be a really brutal one. Kuro's imagination ran wild, letting him feel what it feels like to be eaten alive by multiple monsters. He gurgles out and pukes as he thinks of such a thing. Tears kept trickling down as the pain of his nearly broken body parts had slowly appeared.
Here, he truly felt death loom around him...
'Master, I fear that it's not over yet.'
"--Eh? Wait wait wait, this isn't over yet? Oi oi, I only took on this kind of duty because I thought it wouldn't be too much, but now that I've underestimated them... I won't live if I keep on fighting, you know?"
'... Master, in every stampede, there should be a boss monster. Didn't you say that earlier?'
Kuro's eyes widened at the sudden realization.
'... How could I forget?'
Kuro's shivering slowly decayed as he calms himself.
'... That's right... I'll die faster if I keep complaining... But I can't stay here for long. I need to stand quickly.'
Kuro's heart beats faster and faster as he tries to stand himself up without the help of his broken right hand. The weight of his fatigued body was unbearable, his legs trembling as he could still feel the fear of losing his life.
'How long has it been since I entered again?'
'It's been 15 minutes, Master.'
'15? Why is reinforcement taking so long? The fuck happened?... Are they even gonna come back here?'
Kuro's doubts slowly seeps into his head. However, even before those doubts could fully manifest, the ground rapidly shakes. Kuro looks at the source of the quakes, and sees a huge Blant charging at him.
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'Foresee survival' has activated!
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Warning request has been issued!
Current objective: Repel the King Blant, Kill it or Escape from the dungeon.
Chance of survival: 0.2%
It is highly recommended to escape in order to raise the chance of survival to 100%
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"Oh for FUCKS SAKE LET ME REST FOR A BIT WOULD YA?!"
'Cancel all regeneration, focus it all on mana regen, now!'
'Yes Master.'
Due to the cave's multiple hallways after the entrance, Kuro decides to pick the most narrow one of it all in hopes of the Blant to ignore him on his escape. Suddenly however, as Kuro stands up with all he can, he looks at the monster, which suddenly... Stops.
"Eh?"
As Kuro became shocked with what he saw, the Blant instantly appeared in front of him in a speed that even he couldn't catch.
"Shi--"
The Blant punches him on his torso, making him fly away. With the amount of mana he had regained, though it was still small, it was enough for him to create a small explosion behind him, slowing him down and mitigating a small bit of his impact.
'... It... Hurts... I... Need... To live... I... Want...'
Kuro tries to stand once more as he hears the monster break down the cave in its sprint. Kuro could feel his right side become lighter as he stood up. Looking at his right arm, it was already separated from his body.
"Damn... I really need a hand right now. This damn thing's costing me an arm and a fucking leg."
Kuro takes his right arm and had run with all he has. The unnatural exhaustion he's accumulated had shown its true weight and weighed down on Kuro.
Slipping up on his steps as the quakes began to grow stronger and stronger, Kuro struggles to keep his distance. Even then, Kuro knows about its intentions. It doesn't intend to kill him. It intends to toy with his fear. Kuro knew its speed was more than his, yet the monster doesn't proceed to kill him.
The terror that seeps into his mind, the scene of his own body getting minced in its mouth, the overwhelming dread and loss of hope... These scenes came into his mind. At this point, no matter what plan he thought off... There was nothing.
Kuro's running slowly decayed and had halted.
"Why... Am I even running? Why...-?!"
Suddenly, Kuro's head jolts with pain, a memory flashes before his eyes.
Kuro saw himself standing on the tall, quiet bridge. Looking down, he could see the water which was approximately 200 meters below him. Kuro removed his clothes and placed all of his belongings to where he stood. Kuro's tears slowly trickled down as more memories came flowing down. There was no one left for him to come back to. His wife cheated on him, his son had suicided due to their divorce, his parents had died on a train crash... He was truly a wasted man. Closing his eyes, he opens his mouth one last time.
"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! THIS WORLD! THIS DAMNED CURSED WORLD! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! MY LOVE! MY SON! MY HOME! EVERYTHING! DAMN THIS WORLD!"
Finally, he jumps...
"Promise me... Promise me that you'll come back safe."
Kuro snaps back into reality. Looking behind him, the monster's still going to him, cackling proudly as if it had already won.
"Hah... I'm an idiot... Guide, do it."
'What?'
"Focus all energy on transformation. I'm going back to her, no matter what."
Kuro's heart started beating rapidly.
'Master, you've failed countless times, correct?'
"Yeah, me and Rai tried everything alright, but... I'll do it. No matter what, even at the expense of my left arm."
The air around Kuro crackled with mana. Kuro's miniscule bit of mana had... Not changed at all.
His eyes blur as he feels the fist of the huge Blant break his spine and flies to the wall, breaking more of his bones.
'... So this IS the end...'
The Blant cackles loudly at the pathetic Kuro, bleeding on the ground before taking him. Kuro could barely see the mouth of the Blant due to his blurring vision. Gritting his teeth, he makes his last stand.
"Like I'm not going to die with you!"
Kuro throws away his right arm that he's been holding on to into its mouth and uses all of his remaining mana. He knows full well that if he were to fail, death would be onto him, however because of his pride, he won't allow such a pathetic death.
"Supernova Sacrificial blast: Right arm!"
Supernova Sacrificial blast doesn't use too much mana, rather, it uses mana as an ignition mechanism in order to detonate the mana core from within. The blast is small, mainly because of his nearly depleted mana core in his right arm, but it's enough to destroy its throat.
As the loud bang was heard, the Blant screeches in pain and lets go of Kuro. As Kuro fell, he felt something below him, neutralizing the painful impact that he should have taken.
Kuro looks at the struggling Blant as he slowly drifts to sleep.
"Aina... I'm sorry..."
However...
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'Foresee survival' has activated!
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Warning request has been re-issued!
Current objective: Escape the Mysterious monster or stall him long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
Chance of survival: 0.001%
It is highly recommended to run now in order to raise the chance of survival to 1%
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"... Eh?"
"Well isn't this surprising."
"-?!"
Kuro looks to the source of the voice, only to see a being holding the Blant's mouth wide open.
"You really burned this one up. 'Heal'. Our master won't allow you to die yet."
"... You've... Got to be... Fucking me..."
The being looks at Kuro, lying on the ground.
"You, take him out, now."
"... Who?"
"Take him out if you want to live, else..."
The being points his finger to Kuro's leg, and a compressed mana forms around his finger. Suddenly, a straight, destructive beam was shot out from it and shot out Kuro's leg, flying away from his body.
"GRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
"5..."
"I don't fucking-"
Another beam shoots at Kuro's other leg.
"4!"
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE OUT?! WHAT THE FUCK-"
Another beam shoots at Kuro's remaining arm.
"GAH! FUCK'S SAKE!!!"
"3! DON'T PLAY DUMB ON US NOW AND TAKE HIM OUT!"
"WHAT THE FUCK?! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
"SHIN! GET SHIN OUT, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A PAINLESS DEATH!"
"Shin? The fuck, YOU TELLING ME HE'S INSIDE ME?! THAT'S FUCKING WEIRD I'M STRAIGHT!"
Another shot pierces Kuro's appendix.
"GAA- FUCKING ASS!"
"YOU'RE REALLY GONNA PLAY DUMB ON ME?!"
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND BESIDES, HOW THE FUCK AM I GONNA TAKE HIM OUT IF I DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT! HECK, HOW THE FUCK IS HE IN ME ANYWAYS, I'M A VIRGIN!"
This time, he signals the Blant King to hold Kuro in its hand.
"1."
"Oh what a fucking dumbass this piece of-"
"Die."
Finally, the final shot goes through Kuro's head. Kuro's head was knocked back, prompting his corpse to look up.
"Heal. The mistress would want his corpse. And you, you would be rewarded. Let's go, before he arrives."
As Kuro's corpse was healing as he was being carried by the Blant King. As the being looked into Kuro's lifeless eyes, it reflected something. A burning fire was seen from within.
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You have used your second life!
1/3 lives are left at your disposal.
If you die after the last life, you die permanently.
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Activating...
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The host has now been temporarily granted permission to access the full 'Ancestral Transformation'
In order to ensure maximum survivability.
Warning!: Using this skill in your current condition will increase its payback cost by x10. However, because of your condition, it will be multiplied into x100.
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Current objective: Escape the Mysterious monster or stall him long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
Chance of survival: 0.001% --> 90%
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As the being had finally fully recovered Kuro's corpse, he suddenly saw his chest beat.
"What the?"
He took a closer look, before suddenly, Kuro's dragon-formed arm attacks his chin, promptly flying his head off of his body.
The Blant King, in response to what had transpired on its hand, immediately clenched its fist With Kuro in it.
"Supernova Sacrificial blast: Left arm."
The Blant King's whole arm was immediately blown up. The Blant King yells loudly as it holds on to its burning wound.
"So... Who wanted to kill who now?"
The Blant King, in fear, looks at the source of the voice. Kuro, who was floating in front of the Blant King, tilts his head.
"Let's fight, fairly."
