Dante chose to venture ahead without a specific destination in mind, yet somehow found himself heading in the right direction. Eventually, the tunnel adorned with various plants transitioned into a landscape dominated by vibrant red flora.
Suddenly, a light-headed sensation washed over him, but he acclimated after a few moments. Intrigued, he plucked one of the red plants and, using his medal, proceeded to scan it.
Opium Red: The primary sustenance for Tailed bats and a customary offering to the matriarch of their species. This plant releases a fragrance that induces light-headedness and, in higher concentrations, hallucinations.
As Dante read the description, he grasped the cause of his own dizziness. "Ah, they're freshly plucked," he noted, surveying the area where the vegetation appeared conspicuously sparse.
There must be another horde here, and the matriarch is the boss in this dungeon? Dante speculated, then pondering the possibility of encountering larger tailed bats.
Dante pressed forward, either front or back. However, the path ahead presented the most obvious route if he intended to conquer this dungeon. He navigated the uneven rock and trod upon the opium red. Along the way, he encountered freshly plucked red plants, yet no sign of any tailed bats—only traces of their feces.
As Dante progressed, the amount of opium red increased, adorning the ground, walls, and even the ceiling. He had to steady his mind, feeling the onset of dizziness and hearing faint voices in his head—an obvious side effect of the red plants. Although it lasted only a few seconds before he managed to adapt, it remained an unsettling sensation.
After walking for a while, intermittently stopping to adjust, Dante found himself growing accustomed to the effects of opium red. He concluded that his body, having undergone 27 evolutions, was likely the reason for this phenomenon. This led him to ponder what kind of constitution he might develop if his level continued to rise.
Once his body acclimated to the effects, his pace became steady. Before long, he heard the distinct flapping of wings. Looking up, Dante spotted tailed bats descending, evidently drawn by the opium red.
At last, an opportunity for experience points. Without a moment's hesitation, Dante dashed towards them, covering several meters in the blink of an eye. The sounds of flesh tearing and erupting filled the air. With just five precise strikes, the masked holder dispatched his prey.
Still hungry for more, Dante sought out additional targets. Thankfully, the commotion had drawn the attention of tailed bats further ahead. The hordes he anticipated had finally arrived. Before long, his experience points began to steadily climb.
Given that this appeared to be their feeding ground, the horde here was even larger than the one he had encountered before. Yet, this worked to his advantage—a crimson-clad holder amidst the tailed bats. His form was momentarily drowned, but Dante continued to strike, killing one or two monsters with each powerful punch.
The defense of the tailed bats proved to be weak, allowing Dante to handle them, even when outnumbered, with just a punch. Their sonic attack initially affected his mind, but his body swiftly adapted. He made sure not to make himself an easy target, employing skills like Hasten, especially in his barehanded combat. Additionally, he maintained a vigilant watch over his Energy levels.
The clamor of battle spurred the Skara Guild into swift action.
"There's a swarm of tailed bats screeching!" Trina said, the dying shrieks of the creatures echoing in the distance. Her mind then drifted to the red-clad figure she had nearly clashed with. "Is he taking them on?"
"It's likely the other boss causing havoc! We're all done for!" Panthy warned, his tail bristling with tension.
"For goodness' sake, just be quiet, alright?" Trina scolded.
"Let's pick up the pace. I believe he's in trouble, and we should lend a hand," Samantha urged, quickening her stride. "And be cautious of the effects of the red plants."
"Why assist him? Isn't he a threat?" Curly inquired, glancing at Panthy for his opinion.
The panther nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "Don't look at me, I just sensed it, and the blood on his body carries various scents. Besides, what's the use if we're all..." He trailed off, goosebumps prickling his skin as he saw Trina brandishing her staff.
"We are not like the other group, unreasonable and shameless. He didn't do anything against us. But although we're going to help him, we should still stay alert. We can never truly discern the nature of humans," Samantha reasoned. Her teammates nodded in agreement.
They were familiar with her personality, so they didn't protest. In fact, they were in agreement with her assessment. Still, he does look quite menacing, Trina reflected.
Before long, mingling with the scent of opium red, they detected a familliar odor. The ground ahead was painted with green blood, but what truly captured their attention were the scattered bodies of tailed bats.
After scrutinizing the scene for a while, they pressed forward. They couldn't help but be taken aback by the sheer number of kills the crimson-clad figure, Eka, had amassed. The deeper they ventured, the more lifeless bodies they encountered—some decapitated, others with stomachs pierced, and a few even missing their upper halves.
He is quite strong. Samantha mused about Eka, considering him the most likely instigator of this carnage. She felt a surge of relief for intervening earlier; otherwise, a gruesome confrontation might have ensued. She sensed her teammates shared a similar sentiment.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Observing her teammates experiencing the same, she swiftly raised her hand, conjuring a protective gust of wind around them. Gradually, the effects of the opium red began to wane, carrying the scent of green blood away with it.
"We've caught up," Samantha announced, easing her pace. Just a few meters ahead, Dante was leisurely devouring meat in hand.
Dante had already sensed their approach, turning to find them watching him with curious expressions. He glanced at his food, then, seemingly comprehending, hesitantly raised it. "Would you like some?"
"Ah, n-no thank you," Samantha replied, her teammates echoing similar sentiments with hesitant headshakes.
Alright then," Dante replied, resuming his stride. He swiftly eat off his meal, wary they might change their minds or attempt to snatch his leftovers.
"So, are we still going to help him?" Curly interjected, seemingly out of nowhere.
"No sh*t we're going to help him. Just look at him, gobbling down his food like we're going to steal it," Trina retorted, irritation lacing her tone. Their efforts to hasten seemed in vain.
"He must've taken down at least a dozen," Curly marveled quietly, drawing a glance from the petite girl.
"Hmph, we could do that too," Trina responded, a touch of smugness in her tone.
Samantha let out a sigh and shifted the conversation, directing her question to Panthy, "Are we close?"
Panthy's nose twitched, and he responded, "Very close." His Skill granted him the ability to morph into a hybrid of panther and human, heightening his senses, particularly his keen sense of smell. When fully activated, he could transform into a three-meter-tall panther, endowed with enhanced strength and speed.
They trailed after Dante.
"By the way, we haven't seen any signs of the other group," Trina observed.
"They're probably lost, or..." Panthy's gaze flicked to Dante's back, lingering on the dried blood. Most of it bore Dante's scent, but the rest was undeniably foreign. Strangely familiar.