Chereads / Shadow Monarch X Dxd / Chapter 11 - The Demon's Castle

Chapter 11 - The Demon's Castle

Ha Na was doing pushups with a metal band which added extra weight bearable by A-rank hunter.

"98....99....100"

After 100 push-ups she sat in a rest position. Barely any sweat could be seen even after such an intense workout. She stood up and drank an energy drink. She started training in hand-to-hand combat trying to land precise blows to the punching bag. Each punch landing on the bag created shockwaves strong enough to damage the wall behind it.

During her training, the gates of the dome opened. A tall man around 5'10 feet with long shaggy brownish black hair and gentle blue eyes walked towards Ha Na. His physique was lean and muscular, honed through countless rigorous training.

"Ha Na, Jin-Ah wants to go for a run in the park. Are you coming?"

Ha Na said," That depends on whether you are coming or lazing around."

"Looks like you are energetic enough to tease me, sister. I and Jin Ah are downstairs, come in 5 minutes or we will leave." Jinwoo left after informing his sister. While Ha Na was pissed after hearing, they will leave her and go alone.

In the park, three people can be seen stretching. Jin Ah is a young girl with light purple eyes and brownish-black hair that she typically wears in a ponytail wearing sportswear.

Jin Woo is wearing casual wear, jeans and a T-shirt. The last one was Ha Na, she was wearing athleticwear highlighting her curves. Her toned muscles could be spotted from afar and her toned legs and tight ass could make any man heat up.

Jin Woo looked at the people whose eyes were on Ha Na's figure and released killing intent scaring all of them. Ha Na teased Jinwoo getting angry and scaring all of them. After stretching for a couple of minutes they decided to start with a jog for Jin Ah to get familiar.

Jinwoo said," Wow you can jog even after eating a huge amount of fried chicken, are you secretly exercising."

Jin Ah said," Nope, this natural talent. You do not need to feel jealous."

Ha Na said, "Ok genius, we will meet you at the starting point." Both Ha Na and Jinwoo increased their speed leaving Jin Ah shouting their names. They could feel the wind slicing their bodies, the resistance pushing through the air causing them to increase their speed. They both smiled at each other while running. It felt like both of them were free from worries.

After completing so many rounds in such a small amount of time. They both decided to wait for Jin Ah who was dead tired from chasing them. With her breath staggered," You went past me so many times but did not stop. You both are idiots."

Jinwoo and Ha Na apologized to her. To mend their mistake they decided to eat ice cream on their way back home. In the afternoon Jin Ah and Ha Na decided to go shopping with Ha Na's friend Yoo Soohyun. Sung Jinwoo was dragged by both of them without his choice. Ha Na tried different clothes for her career as a model while Jin Ah and Yoo Soohyun helped her.

"Sigh....I have bought so many clothes. I have never bought more than 7 outfits in a year."

Yoo Soohyun said," Don't worry, you will get used to it in a few months. So how were the auditions."

Jin Ah said," Big sis passed easily and has been selected for a project."

Yoo Soohyun said," Congratulations! In three months you will be famous like me."

Ha Na said," How is that possible?"

Yoo Soohyun said," I have been modeling for six months, and look how famous I am. Well, being a hunter has its perks and at this time being popular is rather easy after the appearance of monsters and hunters. Don't worry I will help you with fashion and account on intgram."

[intgram=instagram]

Sung Jinwoo said," Thank you, Yoo Soohyun. I am glad Ha Na has a friend like you."

Ha Na punched his shoulder," Don't embarrass me, Jinwoo."

Yoo Soohyun laughed at her," Aren't you lucky to have such a responsible and caring brother."

Jinwoo chimes," You should learn something from your friend."

Yoo Soohyun said," Indeed, now you know that there is no need to praise them or their ego will rise to the ceiling."

Jinwoo tried to argue her comment while Ha Na and Jin Ah laughed at the duo's conversation. Half an hour later they reached their house and farewelled Yoo Soohyun. While both of the sisters slept. Jinwoo slipped through the window and walked into a quiet alley. He took out a key.

Item:  The Demon's Castle

Rank: S

Description: The castle is filled with a hundred floors. The boss of the monsters can destroy a city with a flick of their hands. They are creatures who are inhabitants of hell where strength is the only key to life.

Reward: Elixir of Life

He entered the gate thinking, "I tried to ignore the problem of mom's health but the system can guess what I want. What an ungrateful son I am. I need to clear this dungeon this is my responsibility."

The Demon King's Castle was a grotesque, imposing structure that seemed to defy the laws of nature and architecture. It was a monstrous amalgamation of black stone and twisted metal, its silhouette jagged and menacing against the horizon. Its towers reached for the sky, its peaks lost in the clouds, and its walls were scarred with the remnants of countless battles.The castle was surrounded by a vast, desolate plain, cracked and barren. The only signs of life were the occasional swarms of demonic insects that skittered across the ground. A thick, oppressive fog clung to the castle, obscuring its true size and shape.As Sung Jin-Woo approached, the castle seemed to grow larger, its dark presence looming over him. The air was heavy with an aura of evil, a palpable sense of dread that seeped into his bones. The castle was not merely a structure; it was a living, breathing entity, a manifestation of pure, unadulterated darkness.The entrance was a colossal, gaping maw, its jagged teeth seeming to grin in anticipation. Walking past it was a huge black dog with three heads, glowing red eyes, and pronounced fangs. The left and middle heads had fiery orange hair and brown horns, while the right head wore a gray mask over its face and had a mane of brown fur.Name: Cerebus (Hell's Gatekeeper)Rank: ADescription: This magic beast is capable of great strength, durability, and speed. It is immune to poison to an extent.Jinwoo said, "Nice to see that a dog is guarding the entrance."The beast was angered by the words and let out a guttural growl, its three heads snapping in the air. The creature lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut inches from Sung Jin-Woo. The hunter dodged with inhuman speed, his blade a blur as he countered with a swift strike. The sword bit into the flesh of the left head, but the creature's resilience was astonishing.Cerebus was a relentless adversary, its multiple heads providing an overwhelming advantage. Its attacks were swift and brutal, each strike a testament to its raw power. Sung Jin-Woo, however, was no ordinary man. With each parry, dodge, and counterattack, he displayed a mastery of swordsmanship that belied his human form.Jinwoo stabbed the sword in the monster's eye intercepting the attack the monster dodged swiftly and a clang sound echoed from the ground. The monster swiped its claws to tear Jinwoo's body into shreds. Left with no choice Jinwoo abandoned his sword and rolled aside with a thump the paws of the monster landed on the ground leaving a massive imprint of its paws on the ground.The fight raged on filled with shockwaves from the fists and paws colliding against each other. The beast growled frustrated about not landing a hit on the human. It leaps and in a matter of seconds is in front of Jinwoo with its maw open to devour him. Jinwoo propels himself over the head of the beast. He brought out his sword from the inventory and stabbed into the beast's eyes.The beast roared in pain. It became extremely furious causing his attack and speed to increase. Jinwoo got a bunch of scratches from the swipes of the paw of the beast. It was getting difficult to dodge for Jinwoo when the beast became angry. He noticed that the weak point of the monster was its eyes. The monster was not able to see from its left head making it easier to fight from its blind spot.Using this to his advantage, Sung Jinwoo used Shadow Dash. Within an instance, he hid himself from the view of the monster and cut its legs. He kept on using Shadow Dash to immobile the monster. He ran over the monster's body its fur strong like steel showcasing its durability. He applied mana on his legs and propelled himself more than ten meters. He infused mana in his sword and aimed it at the monster's head.SPLASHThe sword with great force impaled in the monster's head causing it to fall with a thud.[You have killed Cerebus ][You have learned a skill "Sword Throw"]Skil: Sword ThrowDescription: The user launches their sword as a projectile, dealing significant damage on impact. The sword can be recalled with a high degree of precision."Yes, now I have one more skill, and if with this skill can collect many swords I can keep throwing them on enemies. This skill will help me in long-range and surprise attacks."He decided to go up further. He continues to kill his enemies and increase his control over his skills. He could skillfully throw around five swords which helps him to close on to his enemies. Till now he can recall only one sword at a time. It is hard to recall more than one.In a damp space filled with moss and cracks in the wall. Everywhere insects could be seen crawling on strings while the only sight of light is reflecting the shadows of the monster. Further ahead we can see a man standing with his sword drenched in green blood. Beside him was a monstrous arachnid, its size dwarfing even the largest human. Its exoskeleton was a dark, chitinous armor, mottled with patches of a sickly green. Eight spindly legs, each ending in a hook-like claw, extended from its massive body, their joints glistening with a viscous fluid.It was a grotesque scene the body was sliced in half with organs and legs broken apart. The spider's abdomen was split by a clean cut. The hall showed the signs of a struggle between the human and the spider. The clash of their battle has caused the surrounding walls to be torn apart with light highlighting the body of the dead monster." This is the tenth floor. I should return or both of them would tear me apart. I have already reached my limit and I have learned a new skill and improved my fighting style. This should be enough for now."