Chapter 34: Hatred
As per the dungeon guild's intelligence, floors with the dark forest were the toughest. It wasn't just a test from the forest, but also the monsters hiding within its lair.
Those monsters came in many forms made out of wood.
Minato narrowed his eyes, "What is this hatred?"
However, the dark forest wasn't scary on its own.
It was the hatred coming from every element it contained. Be its trunk or leaves, everything oozed out a little of that hatred.
Naturally, the hatred also drove monsters here!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Before Minato, a group of small moving trees appeared. They came in slow strides and vigilantly looked at him.
They had engraved eyes and mouths within their trunk, which all shone with red light.
Their forms morphed into beasts on four legs!
Yuna smiled at them, then turned her eyes to her beloved, "It's the dungeon's influence. It makes everyone go against each other and seek blood. It sows a seed of hatred within everyone, then absorbs people's emotions to further spread its own influence."
"This hatred belongs to someone else..." Minato whispered.
His beloved didn't understand him at all.
It was his first contact with the dungeon, and the dungeon guild also didn't explain that influence well.
His words also didn't really make sense.
Bei blamed Minato's wounds, which made Yuna agree with her.
Minato sighed, "It's just a feeling."
He didn't know what kind of feeling it was, but Minato believed the dungeon was much different than what everyone made it be.
He also knew about his current state and how it threatened his life, "Let's get rid of them."
The wooden beasts barked in response and darted at Minato!
He waited for their approach, then let out a kick! It was a casual kick, yet powerful strength hid behind it!
It left a dent within the beast's head, making it mute for a second.
Were it not for his wounds and lack of life force, Minato would've killed the monster on the spot!
He bit his lips, "This hatred irritates me..."
"Minmin..." Yuna noticed that her husband acted differently.
That one kick exposed Minato to a more abundant amount of hatred as the whole beast operated on it. However, it shouldn't work on a man with the Overlord Rune. To confirm her thoughts, Yuna peeked into Minato's state.
She also requested Bei to do the same.
'He has no seed of hatred within himself... Minato is not the same as others, but his words also bothered me,' Bei replied seriously.
At that time, another beast pounced at Minato.
He extended his hand forward, then nimbly caught the beast within his hands. He promptly grabbed its jaw, then opened it widely.
A disgusting stench gushed out, urging Minato to deal with it!
His hands carried on with what he did beforehand, and he continued to spread open the monster's jaw. It had already dislocated, and the continuous screeches echoed within the dark forest.
At last, Minato broke the monster's head.
His eyes shifted to two parts within his palms, "Transfer."
"Minmin?!" Yuna trembled in his clothes as Minato used the transfer ability on himself.
A hatred looming around the broken wood rushed into Minato's body... His skill promptly awakened the rest of the hatred that had been hiding inside! A dark red miasma poured outside the broken parts, and Minato took it into his body!
His beloved's worries eluded him as he closed his eyes.
That hatred slipped into Minato's world, where the Overlord Pillar stood erect.
Once it coalesced into a dark orb, Minato's pillar shivered with similar emotion. It let out a blinding silver light that purified the ball, turning it into raw power.
At that time, Minato heard an unknown voice, "Everything... Love!"
Minato's heart trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes.
He saw beasts barking at him, waiting for Minato's mishap! Alas, Minato hadn't lost himself within the dark miasma, and his eyes shone brightly.
He killed the remaining beasts and repeated the same process.
"I can practice my Transfer ability on them," Minato replied to his beloved's worries.
Yuna didn't appreciate that kind of recklessness, particularly in the first dungeon, and with such wounds!
However, nothing had changed yet, and Minato's proficiency with his magic circle rose significantly.
Minato repeated that process in the dark forest as well.
Although even one wrong move could end the life of the dungeon raiders, Minato didn't fear anything around him. He touched the dark tree wantonly, then transferred its hatred to his world...
After an hour, Minato found himself surrounded by green scenery. It was like a stain in the dark forest, but he found himself at ease and more satisfied than it looked.
He smiled, "I think I will be able to mesh two magic circles now... Especially [Kill] and [Transfer]."
As if to test his words, the dark forest shook.
The trees joined together to form a tall wall. Alas, the wall, it was not! A vast humanoid body was the prelude to the transformation the Ungrail Dungeon had never seen in years of its existence.
Branches snapped and went up to form a mask that was the face. That mask reeked off with a ghastly aura, and it would leave nightmares for weak-minded people for years...
That mask left no scratch on Minato's mind.
The monster howled, conjuring the earthquake that shook the whole floor. Its body surged, and countless roots went up! The dungeon boss pulled numerous dungeon raiders up to the sky alongside its rise.
They flew in all directions, shocked beyond possible and scared for their life like never before.
A few of them dropped near Minato.
"Husbando Overlord! I see a few dungeon raiders!" Aya confirmed their flight and fall.
Minato chuckled, "I see. Thank you."
-
The dungeon raider's flight ended with a loud bang!
His bones cracked after hitting the ground, and he promptly vomited blood! As if it wasn't enough, his blood also gushed out through the nose, eyes, and ears.
That man trembled no one after barely raising his body.
He extended his shivering hand for a potion! He put his whole life on the line to grasp that potion and heal himself!
He didn't care what would happen afterward! Praying was always an option!
Alas, when he took out the glass from his bag, an old hand grasped his potion!
The dungeon raider's eyes widened in disbelief, then he lifted his eyes to look at the thief!
That thief was no one else other than Minato, "Don't tell me you have never stolen anything?"
"I... I have never-" the wounded man stuttered.
Minato faintly smiled, which looked like an old man chiding his grandson, "That's a lie... There's no saint in the dungeon... Why would you pose as one?"
He gulped down the whole potion, and it slowly began healing his wounds!
Minato then pointed his index finger at the dungeon raider, "Kill and Transfer..." As if he was a master of calligraphy, Minato drew two characters smoothly and fast.
Those characters overlapped, becoming a new one!
In an instant, the dungeon raider's body stopped trembling.
He could no longer move, and his eyes stared absent-mindedly at Minato while his body went through a heaven-defying change.
From a man with many years ahead, he turned into an old man! His hair became white and began falling off his skull while his skin dried and crumbled!
He suddenly lost his whole strength and dropped onto the ground.
His lips trembled and moved a little as if trying to voice out his grief and ask Minato something, to no avail.
Minato felt a life force filling his body!
Although it wasn't much, a small portion of his hair became black! He also felt better, so it was just a matter of time before he returned to his peak!
Bei shivered with ecstasy, "Kill those all twats! I want to see you rejuvenated so much!"
Minato chuckled, "It's my duty to answer your feelings, My beloved Bei." He kissed her wolf head as if she was a kitty, then stood up.
Minato clenched his hand, "We have to keep this monster busy while I hunt others. That is why it's time to use the Snake Concubine's present!"
Hearing him, Aya's eyes shimmered with excitement! She raised her hand and asked, "Can I control them?! Can I control them?!"
"All three of you will control them," Minato patted her hair, then summoned his army!