Alex landed on the first floor of the dungeon and took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts and focusing on the upcoming battle. He paused for a moment, then slowly made his way deeper into the floor. His steps were cautious and unhurried, his gaze scanning the surroundings to ensure no adventurers had risked staying in such a dangerous place.
As he walked along the wall, Alex ran his hand over it, recalling all the adventures he had experienced with his friends and family. His thoughts were centered on the past when he suddenly felt a strange vibration under his fingers.
Alex stopped and concentrated, trying to understand what this sensation was. He directed a flow of mana into the wall, and his eyes widened in surprise as a sarcastic smile appeared on his face.
"So that's how you accelerated the fusion process, Erebus," Alex muttered, sensing the changes in the dungeon. "A clever move, using the dungeon's own mana as a catalyst."
Alex clenched the wall, and it began to crumble as if it were made of brittle material. Deciding to check how serious the situation was, he directed an even more powerful flow of mana into the dungeon's walls.
However, to his surprise, the flow only reached the 20th floor before it bounced back, as if encountering an invisible barrier. This didn't sit well with Alex—up to the 20th floor, there was no trace of mana in the dungeon walls, which usually permeated the entire space.
"What's going on here?" Alex wondered and decided to continue forward to investigate.
He wasn't worried that Erebus would reach the surface since he had set up a barrier that should keep him contained below the 18th floor. But as Alex delved deeper into the dungeon, the situation worsened: the earthquakes intensified, and the intervals between them shortened.
Alex continued walking, keeping his hand on the wall, sending out new pulses of mana, but found nothing. It seemed as if there had never been any mana in the walls.
"Perhaps he's taken control of the dungeon core, and now it's fueling his new body instead of the dungeon," Alex mused, quickening his pace. "But why can't the pulse go past the 20th floor? That's strange."
When he sent an even more powerful flow of mana downward through the dungeon, something unexpected happened. The flow encountered an invisible barrier that seemed to resist but eventually broke through.
Alex felt his mana enter an empty space, as if into a vacant room, where it simply dissipated.
"This is very strange," Alex thought, growing more alert. "I'd better hurry."
Alex stopped wasting time investigating and hurried to the 18th floor, where the barrier was set. As he approached the 18th floor, the earthquakes grew stronger.
Finally, when Alex arrived, he carefully inspected the barrier but found no flaws. This meant that Erebus hadn't yet reached this level.
"Now I need to focus before the battle and try not to destroy everything around," Alex thought, lighting a cigarette to clear his mind and fully prepare for the upcoming fight.
He stood in silence, listening to the sounds within the dungeon, trying to pinpoint where Erebus was now. Judging by the noises, Erebus was forcing his way through the floors, causing the intense earthquakes. Alex realized that after merging with the dragon, Erebus had become significantly stronger and probably more cumbersome, given the noise his actions were causing.
Alex stood on a ledge, calmly smoking, watching the center of the floor as he awaited Erebus's arrival. The earthquakes grew stronger, and Alex knew the confrontation was inevitable.
"So, you're already here," he thought, jumping down into the center of the 18th floor.
Alex carefully watched his steps, trying to sense Erebus's presence, which felt unnatural. The sensation was sticky and repulsive, like a murky swamp in a foggy forest. When Nyx had said she and Erebus were alike, Alex expected to feel something similar to her energy, but now he sensed something entirely opposite, disgusting and hostile, contradicting life itself. Deciding not to delay his preparations, Alex summoned Beowulf.
"Attack is the best defense," Alex thought, pulling his hand back and clenching his fist, gathering energy for a strike.
He focused and waited for Erebus to approach, preparing to strike and shatter the floor of the level. The wait was short—Alex felt the first impact against the floor, causing cracks to spread throughout the level, but they quickly closed due to the barrier he had set up in advance. Alex removed the barrier beneath him to allow himself to strike, and at that moment, a wide crack formed right under his feet, and he fell through.
The first thing he saw after the fall was a gigantic, grotesque figure so immense it was impossible to view it fully. But Alex did not hesitate—he unleashed a fully charged blow towards the figure.
"Surprise, motherfucker!" Alex shouted, his strike creating a powerful shockwave that made the entire dungeon tremble. The blow sent the enormous figure downward, destroying everything in its path. Alex propelled himself through the air to follow up with another attack.
"Here's another one for you, asshole," Alex said, delivering a powerful kick to the monster's body. The impact caused another shockwave, causing the dungeon walls to start collapsing.
Meanwhile, on the surface, a group of adventurers watched as Babylon shook with every tremor coming from the dungeon below. Members of Alex's group anxiously observed, waiting for the right moment to activate the barrier.
"Freya, do you know what's going on?" a stern but aged voice came from behind the group.
"Uran, what brings you here?" Freya asked, turning around to see the chief god approaching them.
Uran, dressed in his familiar black cloak with a hood and white robe fastened with a simple leather belt, came closer. Freya was surprised by his arrival, knowing he was usually occupied with containing the dungeon to prevent monsters from breaking through to the surface.
"Aren't you supposed to be dealing with containing the dungeon to prevent events like this?" she asked, looking at Uran who had approached closer.
"This morning, I lost connection with the dungeon and can no longer control it," Uran replied, looking at Freya, who simply nodded in response.
Uran looked around and saw members of Freya's, Loki's, and even Hestia's families gathered in front of the Babylon entrance.
"I should be asking you—what are your families doing here at such a time?" Uran said, directing his gaze at Freya.
"I'm waiting," she replied curtly, continuing to watch the changes in the dungeon.
"And what are you waiting for?" Uran inquired, noting the trembling of Babylon.
"When he starts making a move," Freya answered, not taking her eyes off Babylon.
"So, that kid is already in the thick of it, as usual," Uran said, narrowing his eyes.
He remembered the mortal he had met during the war game, who had attacked Apollo without a shadow of fear or doubt, even with other gods and adventurers around. Uran did not know why he had not punished that mortal and decided to talk to him, but something told him that this person meant no harm to anyone in the city.
Uran looked back at Babylon, feeling a wave of anxiety. He thought that the dragon sealed at the bottom of the dungeon might have somehow escaped. He did not like this thought. Uran turned to Freya, deciding to get more details from her.
"Do you know what's happening there?" he asked, standing next to Freya.
"No, but we'll need help from the guild," Freya shook her head in denial.
"What kind of help is needed?" Uran asked, looking at Freya with concern.
"We need everyone to leave the square to avoid getting in the way if monsters appear," Freya replied, watching Uran, who appeared deep in thought.
"Are you going to activate your husband's barrier again?" Uran asked, stroking his chin.
"How do you know he's my husband?" Freya asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Ha-ha, just because I spend most of my time in the prayer room doesn't mean I don't hear the rumors. By the way, congratulations," Uran said with a smile, which made Freya smile as well.
Freya glanced at the ring on her finger, gently caressing it, her eyes glowing with warmth. Uran, watching her, couldn't help but marvel at how much she had changed since this mortal had come into her life.
"But you still haven't answered me," Uran said, pulling Freya from her thoughts.
"Yes, I'm going to activate the barrier when everything starts," she replied calmly, meeting Uran's gaze. "Alex believes monsters might appear when he engages in battle."
"He thinks monsters might escape from the dungeon?" Uran asked thoughtfully, realizing that it was indeed possible.
"Most likely," Freya nodded. "That's why I'm asking for help from the guild to clear everyone out of the square so they don't get in the way if monsters appear."
"Do you think these adventurers might interfere?" Uran asked, looking around at the crowded square.
"I expect monsters similar to those on Daedalus Street to appear. These people would be easy prey for them," Freya answered, not taking her eyes off Babylon.
Uran looked at Freya, amazed by her concern for strangers. The old Freya would never have paid them any attention, and now she was clearly trying to avoid unnecessary casualties.
"You've changed, Freya," Uran commented.
"How?" she asked with interest.
"Become kinder, one might say," he replied.
"I'm doing it only because my dear doesn't want unnecessary casualties," Freya dismissed his comment with a light smile, which only made Uran smirk slightly without commenting further.
Uran turned to his assistant, a man in a black cloak and mask that concealed his face. He instructed him to get the guild to clear the square. The assistant, somewhat surprised by the order, inquired about the reasons. Upon hearing about the potential appearance of monsters similar to those on Daedalus Street, he set off to carry out the order without further questions.
Uran watched the assistant leave, then turned back to Babylon, observing the tower shaking from the impacts. Time seemed to slow down, each second stretching into eternity. The noise in the square gradually subsided until it was completely empty. Only the muffled sounds of tremors from the dungeon remained.
"Freya, the square is empty. When are you going to activate the barrier?" Uran asked, noticing her nervously clutching a small black box.
Freya was about to reply when she was interrupted by a powerful jolt, much stronger than the previous ones. The earthquakes came one after another, as if someone were striking them.
"Now," she replied briefly, activating the barrier that enveloped all the buildings in Orario. Uran looked around in surprise. Until now, he had only heard of the barrier from his assistant's reports.
"Attention everyone, stay alert. Monsters may appear at any moment," Freya addressed her group.
"I hope your husband can handle it, Freya," Uran said with a frown.
"He will," Hestia interjected, having heard Uran's words.
Turning his gaze to Hestia, Uran noticed a similar ring on her finger and was pleasantly surprised to learn that she too had bound her fate to the same mortal. Without saying another word, Uran continued to silently observe Babylon.
Meanwhile, Alex continued to strike the enormous monster, sending it lower and destroying each floor they broke through. Every time the monster's fall slowed, Alex would hit with renewed force, helping it overcome the next obstacle.
"Can't you just fall to the bottom of the dungeon?" Alex thought irritably as he delivered another blow.
Each of his strikes inflicted serious damage on the monster, causing it to roar loudly. But no matter how hard Alex hit, the monster's wounds healed almost instantly.
"This bastard is too resilient," Alex thought, watching as another wound healed from his punch.
This went on for a while until Alex noticed they had reached a vast chamber that was vastly different from the previous dungeon levels. It seemed specially designed for the giant monster that resided here. Alex landed another blow, accelerating the monster's fall.
When the monster finally hit the floor, Alex heard a dull thud signaling they had reached the bottom of the dungeon. With one more powerful strike, Alex leaped to a safe distance and began to carefully observe the monster.
As the creature recovered from the fall, Alex saw a colossal dragon, about forty meters long with a wingspan of seventy meters. It was the largest monster Alex had ever seen in this world.
The dragon rose from its impact point, spread its wings, and roared loudly, presenting itself to Alex in all its terrifying glory. The creature looked like something dark and grotesque, as if it had crawled out of the darkest nightmares of mankind.
Its body had no scales; instead, it was covered in bones that served as a sort of armor. When the dragon lowered its head to look at its attacker, Alex noticed its eyes were unusual. One eye was normal, yellow with a vertical slit like all dragons. The other eye looked sinister, as if thousands of eyes had fused together, eternally interlocking.
The dragon's body seemed to be made of some substance resembling mud and slime but strong enough to withstand blows. Its limbs were deformed, as if additional body parts had been attached to make it even more horrifying.
"What a disgusting dragon," Alex thought, observing the monster that was hard to even call a dragon.
The dragon ceased its roar and focused its gaze on the one responsible for its current predicament. Its eyes narrowed as it recognized Alex.
"YOOOOOOU!" the dragon howled loudly, and its roar created a powerful wind that swept across the chamber.
Alex stood calmly in place, unmoved, coldly observing the dragon that roared in his direction.
"So, Erebus didn't lose all his sanity after turning into this," Alex thought, examining the abomination before him.
The dragon's voice was filled with immense resentment mixed with madness.
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU'RE TO BLAME FOR EVERYTHING!" the dragon roared.
"What am I to blame for?" Alex asked calmly, and the dragon, hearing his words, only grew more enraged.
"IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU, I WOULD HAVE ALREADY CARRIED OUT MY PLANS!" the dragon roared, and madness began to appear in its eyes, becoming harder to contain.
"It's not my fault you're an idiot with a stupid plan you couldn't execute properly," Alex replied loudly enough for the dragon to hear.
"YOU'RE TO BLAME, TO BLAME, TO BLAME!" the dragon shouted, completely losing its sanity and descending into madness.
Alex watched as the dragon repeatedly yelled the same word and roared loudly. He realized that Erebus had fully transformed into a mindless monster, driven only by a desire to destroy and cause chaos. Didn't he know that you shouldn't trust someone who gives you power as if it were candy from a pocket?
"It looks like we won't be having a conversation anymore," Alex thought, staring into the dragon's mad eyes, whose golden sclera was beginning to change, resembling the other eye.
The dragon roared loudly and lowered its head. Black energy began to pool in its mouth, resembling flame but with something far more sinister. Alex squinted, realizing he'd better avoid such a strike.
The dragon expelled a stream of black energy toward Alex. He instantly took a stance to draw his sword and cleaved through the energy stream directed at him. As the energy dissipated, Alex noticed it hit the wall and immediately caught a foul stench of decay mixed with other disgusting odors. He turned and saw the wall starting to melt, turning into something revolting and vile, repelling just by its appearance.
"And how am I supposed to kill you?" Alex muttered quietly, examining the monstrosity in dragon form.
Alex used one of his skills and appeared above the dragon in an instant, delivering a swift horizontal slash, intending to cut the monster in half. The blade of his sword sliced through the dragon's flesh, cutting its body in two. However, its instant regeneration quickly rejoined the two halves.
"That's just unfair, such rapid regeneration," Alex grumbled, teleporting to another spot to continue observing the dragon, which was still roaring and firing energy projectiles in all directions.
Alex wanted to test how much damage this abomination could withstand, so he took a stance and drew his sword in the blink of an eye. The sound of space being cut reverberated through the chamber, and lines began to appear around the dragon and on its body, like cuts on glass.
Soon, there was a characteristic sound of shattering glass, and the dragon broke apart into pieces, falling silent.
But in an instant, it had reformed to its peak condition and, roaring, charged at Alex with even greater speed.
"You're to blame!" the dragon continued to roar, repeating the same accusation.
"You've said that already," Alex replied calmly, teleporting to the ceiling and watching as the dragon crashed into the wall with a thunderous impact.
The collision with the wall caused a massive crack that reached the ceiling, with large stones beginning to fall. Alex, standing upside down on the ceiling, watched the dragon turn toward him and start charging a new attack.
"It seems it hasn't reached full strength yet. It looks like it's going through an adaptation process," Alex thought, observing the dragon preparing an attack in his direction.
In an instant, Alex appeared beneath the dragon and delivered a powerful kick to its jaw, forcing its mouth to close before it could unleash its energy charge. The dragon felt its mouth snap shut but was unable to abort the attack.
The energy exploded inside its body, tearing its innards apart and scattering them across the chamber. These remnants, like living organisms, began to crawl back toward what could still be called a dragon.
Alex closely watched the dragon as it tore itself apart, searching for weak spots. His attention was drawn to a sphere inside the dragon's chest, standing out sharply among the other body parts.
"So this is the dungeon's heart," Alex thought, examining the massive orb filled with a colossal amount of mana.
"Let's see how weakened you get if I rip this out of your body," Alex said, moving toward the recovering dragon.
Sensing danger, the dragon turned its distorted, mutilated mouth toward Alex, but its attacks couldn't stop him. Alex dodged each energy charge, getting closer and closer.
When Alex was almost at the heart of the dungeon, he felt a threat and instantly teleported to a safe distance. Just in time—the dragon's body erupted with purple energy, spreading in all directions like a shockwave. Alex quickly created a barrier in front of him to shield himself, but the energy still obstructed his view.
When the view cleared, a new dragon faced him—larger and stronger than the previous version. Apparently, in this extreme situation, the creature had undergone another evolution. The dragon was now twice as large, and its bony armor had darkened and thickened, fitting even tighter around its body.
The dragon's head now had additional eyes that spun erratically, as if each one were living its own life. The dragon began to resemble the monsters from Lovecraft's stories. Black miasma oozed from its body, mixed with purple streams, creating an even more sinister appearance.
At that moment, Alex felt like lighting a cigarette and hugging one of his goddesses. The monstrosity before him had become stronger, which meant the battle was going to drag on.
"Well, fuck..." Alex thought, lighting a cigarette and looking at the new dragon.
"I could really use a nap right now," he said, releasing a puff of smoke and watching as the dragon slowly absorbed the miasma seeping from its body.
"Looks like it'll take some effort to kill you," Alex said, tossing the cigarette butt aside and preparing for battle.
"Alright then, round two. Let's see how much more you can take or if you manage another evolution before I finish you off," he added, removing his barrier and heading towards the dragon.
Alex lunged forward, aiming to strike first while the dragon was still recovering from its evolution. The monster's numerous eyes were unfocused at that moment, helplessly scanning the space and failing to notice Alex closing in.
To be continued...