『 I saw a human-like shadow, but I have no idea what it is. 』
『 It was near the vast seas, watching me silently and intently through the thick blanket of mist. 』
『 I thought it was a lost seeker, but when our eyes met… all my thoughts ceased. The scarlet eyes were darker than blood. It was hard to describe why or how I abruptly felt a frightening sensation across my heart. There was something strange stirring in my guts that told me to run. 』
『 But I blinked and it simply vanished. There were no signs, and — 』
A static disruption made the audio break.
Crackle.
『 It shouldn't be here, I have no idea how it came so far. 』
『 But now…I am closer to finding the truth. 』
+
Azuma did not dare breathe too loudly, every inch of his skin was frozen with fear and he barely understood the absurdity happening around him.
He had seen it twice now.
A human-like face… which was far from human. But it was shrouded in too much darkness to be clearly seen. He had seen it twice and heard of something similar in Shiro's records.
「 Azuma, this is not the right place to stop. You should leave this region as soon as possible. 」
He pressed his lips into a thin line, and he muttered more to himself than Zero, "I have seen it last time…"
The thing faded into the shadows as easily as if they belonged to it.
「 Azuma— 」
"Calm down," he sighed deeply and returned his gaze towards the Heart of Domain.
It was a large mass of intertwined slimy veins wrapped around a large tumour and pulsed with an eerie rhythm. The Heart was said to contain the richest treasures of the Abyss and Azuma had always wondered what exactly those treasures are.
There was a dull crimson glow that seeped through the mass of tissues.
「 You have been hiding behind this boulder for five minutes, Azuma. 」
"Shh—" he cautiously peered outside, "look."
The ground quivered, and a dull crimson glow spread as the monster approached. With it's each step, the glow spread further, and the air shifted ominously. It was getting too hot.
〙The Boss Has Arrived: Crimson Basilisk! 〘
〙The Domain Quest is activated! 〘
〙User Defaults Detected! Applying time limit to the quest… 〘
〙Domain Quest Updated! 〘
〙Defeat The Boss in 5:00 minutes. 〘
Azuma was stunned to see those notifications that were rapidly popping in front of him.
Defeat a boss in five minutes?? There was no way he could complete a quest like that, and why was there even a death penalty?!
He somewhat remembered the few pictures of void serpents that were captured.
Those fatal serpents were known for the ivory horn over their heads and a body which was covered with invincible hard scales.
His fingers became numb.
「 You are un-equipped for this region, Azuma. Your death is inevitable if you fail to defeat the boss in time. 」
"Stop getting inside my head," he grumbled and tried to think of a way out.
His gaze travelled back towards the heart, some dark thin slimy stretched out from it and was scattered over the wall like a web. They reached far into the shadows, and it was hard to see their end.
〙4:22 〘
The head of the serpent let out a painfully sharp hiss that sent a shiver rushing down Azuma's spine.
It has sensed something.
Azuma ducked behind the boulder, immediately fumbling around his utility belt to find something usable. He found a pair of small knives. But the venom of serpents can easily melt the steel.
〙3:46 〘
If he risks the grappling gun, he might remain stranded in the chasm forever.
〙3:42 〘
「 Azuma, you do not have enough time. 」
〙3:40 〘
The ground bellowed beneath his feet, the serpent was getting frightening close.
〙3:34 〘
"Well," Azuma took in a shaky breath, "Fuck."
He left his hiding place and ran just as the serpent attacked the boulder. Azuma threw back a brief glance, the big stone was brutally shattered.
The whole cavern trembled from the impact.
Azuma hastily followed the pattern of the heart veins, they seemed to be sturdy enough. And he knew they can not be easily broken.
He stopped in front of the heart.
And the basilisk paused as well.
〙2:19 〘
"So, you won't attack this?" Azuma asked, a hopeful smile lifting his lips.
The Crimson Basilisk snarled and hissed, daring Azuma to make one wrong move and lose his life. But it didn't approach him either, or the heart to be specific.
It remained away as if a forbidden line was drawn.
Azuma took one step back, towards the sickening mass of the tumour.
〙1:33 〘
The serpent dangerously lowered his head, eyes narrowing but did not move forward.
"How can I claim the treasure," Azuma asked himself, "It can't be removed so easily."
「 The veins of the Domain Heart can be uprooted. 」
〙1:11 〘
"Cool."
Azuma leaned and wrapped his fingers around the thick vein which was sunken beneath the ground. His fingers burned as the vein popped out.
A cold dread settled in his heart.
Then, it happened.
He was sent crashing through the cavern, there was a loud ringing inside his head and his whole body was flaring up with intense pain.
For a moment, he forgot about everything.
Azuma was still holding onto the vein of the heart, and his breaths were rigged.
The basilisk didn't dare get too close, but he had thrashed its rock hard tail at Azuma.
〙Passive Skill 'Death's Halo' Activated! 〘
〙Your pain has been neutralised. 〘
He had barely any time to register those words when another blow came toward him.
〙0:49 〘
But this time, he was faster. The pain was like a faint throb and he avoided the strike. His breaths were heavy and his eyes were no longer concerned about the beast.
Azuma took out the grappling gun and shot at the ceiling.
『 Skillset activated! Achilles' Heels! 』
There was a deafening sound as the basilisk hit something. Azuma heard the colliding rocks and he felt the air hiss sharply.
The serpent chased him no matter how far or fast Azuma tried to escape. The height of the ceiling did not faze the monster, it kept following Azuma and smashing its useless blows that only managed to grab him a few times.
『 Skillset activated! Quickflicker! 』
There was a sudden lightness to Azuma's feet, and he was able to run much faster than before.
〙Passive Skill 'Death's Halo' is activated. 〘
〙All your actions have been enhanced. 〘
"What—" Azuma was surprised and confused.
But he couldn't stop.
〙0:25 〘
He dodged the attacks, and as he did that, he hadn't left the heartstring either. The skills he activated would be fading at any moment now and as the time fell short, so did his breaths.
「 Running is futile, Azuma. You need to kill the basilisk to stay alive. 」
〙0:11 〘
『 You have used up your skill! Quickflicker Deactivated. 』
『 You have used up your skill! Achilles' Heel Deactivated. 』
The set could only be activated again after their monthly cooldown now.
"Y-yeah," Azuma staggered on the ground, he was heavily panting as he smiled, "I wasn't trying to escape."
〙0:04 〘
There was a beastly roar that shook the whole cavern, the basilisk was glaring at Azuma. But it can not move, it was stuck inside the web of heartstrings which Azuma managed to weave across the cavern.
"Wait…" he took a step back, "and watch."
〙0:02 〘
The basilisk struggled impatiently, snapping half of the web as it howled and hissed.
〙0:01 〘
It freed itself too soon.
〙0:00 〘