There were rails at the entrance of the mine shaft, but with how narrow they looked it didn't seem as if they were put there for the miner's transportation, but rather to move the Ionite from deep within the mountain to the entrance. Asd ignored the rails but couldn't help but pay attention to the oppressive feeling deep within his chest, he felt empty, there was a severe absence of mana within this mine and the knowledge of that seemed to make the very air itself extremely thick and hard to breathe in.
Asd found himself feeling somewhat claustrophobic, but that was easy enough for him to deal with as he quickly adapted and got used to the environment, though if he had to be honest a certain amount trepidation was still felt as he walked down the darkness of the mine. Confined spaces like this was not a thing for Weres, maybe Ratmen or Molemen would enjoy this, but those were more monsters than Weres, falling under the same categories as goblins with how animalistic they behaved. It was a lonely trek, and Asd could not risk summoning Gaia for fear of what might happen should a living being made completely of mana shows up in a location that completely nullifies it, the very though left him with shudders.
*skitter skitter skitter*
Asd paused, he could hear movements; they were coming from within the walls of the mine shaft. He picked up his pace, he has only been walking for about thirty minutes, choosing to keep such a pace in order to acclimate to the mine and the environment. He didn't think just running into the darkness was a smart idea when he had absolutely no idea what was waiting for him in there. But with the current development, Asd felt it better to put more speed in his steps, a confrontation with Zaragites would make things a little complicated for him. He picked up speed, but he had barely taken four steps forward when the wall at his left exploded in shower of rubble as a creature the side of a dog blasted out with an inhumane shriek.
Asd moved forwards and turned, pulling out the sword that was given to him and ignoring the pistol that was decidedly useless within the confines of the Black Mountain's mine. He was staring at the face of a dog with pincers coming out the side of its mouth. It had three pairs of legs and four eyes. There was absolutely no fur on its body as all he could see was the carapace synonymous to beetles and other insects. Asd watched warily as its back split into segments and rapidly beating wings were exposed, the creatures red eyes seemed to glint in anticipation of the prey that was now standing in front of it. It was coming, and Asd lowered his center of gravity with the sword held in both hands for a lunging motion.
He could run away seeing as it was just a single Zaragite that he was facing, but these bloody bugs were known as Relentless hunters. And if he left this singe one alive, they would all be swarming him soon enough, and no amount of light in the world will keep them from tearing him apart. The beast lunged, its jaws spread wide as the pincers on both side of its mouth stretched to clamp and shear through any unfortunate part of Asd's body it was able to find purchase in. it was fast, very fast. But Asd was a Werelion and one that over the past few weeks has had his body tempered and improved with magic, not to mention having his ass kicked by a vampire…. This was child's play for him.
One movement with no wasted energy' the tip of the blade found purchase in the head of the Zaragite and was already out before the creature even reached the ground. Asd flicked the vestige of black blood of his blade as he sheathed it and turned around to break into a full blown sprint, all the while considering g the message his mana interface showed him.
[Swordsmanship Mastery Lvl 1>2]
[Combat Mastery Lvl 1>2]
It was weird, those masteries have not increased a bit since he got them, regardless of all the spars he went through with Professor Chelsea. Perhaps a mindset of challenge or conflict is needed for those skill to truly show their growth, and not in some training session where he knows he would not be losing his life no matter how hurt he might become. He moved any other thought to the back of his head as he ran harder, the tunnels going deeper and deeper into the mountains. Eventually after another thirty minutes of running he came to a fork in the path or so to speak.
This area of the tunnel was larger and had three paths forward, two of which would not be leading him to where he's supposed to be. And one of those leads to abject agony and death, the other a dead end and the final one would take him to his prey. He pulled out the map that elder had given and considered it for a moment as the light from his current glow stick began to dim. Asd cursed, these sticks only lasted for about 15 minutes and in the hour he has been traveling he has used 4. But he should be close, the estimate he had been given had been if he was walking at a leisurely pace; then it would have taken him at least 4 to 6 hours to get to the place where Roland and Lucian were hold up.
But he had run most of the way here, and not the kind of pace a man would be able to keep, but one only a were or a vampire could match. But none the less he still had a job to do as he pulled out another glow stick and canteen of water to quench his thirst. He needed to go through the tunnel at the right to get to Lucian, it would probably take him another 30 minutes of running at a moderate pace but he should be able to make it. The problem was that he was warned Zaragites had a tendency of bursting through the walls, using path ways they had burrowed themselves into the tunnels. So he had to be fast and he had to be quiet, there was no problem with that, he could be said to be an overgrown cat; he'll get through it.
He picked up the pace, running but keeping his speed at the mid-range and slowing down regularly so he wouldn't be too tired once he gets there. It really wouldn't be nice if he gets there spent and has to be in a conflict. The skittering in the walls grew louder the deeper he went through this particular tunnel, all up to a point he started worrying if he was in the right place or not, because it wouldn't be good, not even a little bit if it turns out this was the shaft that led to the nest…. he would be absolutely screwed.
And then that's when he heard it; voices. And as he drew closer he recognized for yell and screams and the sound of an ongoing battle. He rushed forwards reaching the end of the tunnel as it opened up into an expansive cavern filled with bioluminescent trees, vines that hand on its walls, butterflies and other bugs that lit the place with its ambient glow. Water flowing from the walls like small waterfall into a pool or a pond 20 meters in diameter and so clear that from where he was standing Asd could see his reflection on it. And then he noticed the human tied to a tree and gagged, the body of dead Weres and the living currently fighting for their lives against a swarm of Zaragites led by one almost as big as a cow. But above all else Asd could feel it in the air…. he could feel the Mana!