Far from Arov's location.
This area was filled with hard volcanic rocks.
The dense Abyss energy here could suffocate anyone, draining their life force almost immediately.
Clearly, whatever creatures lived in this place must be terrifying.
At this moment, Arov had just landed on Floor 31.
A creature with no eyes, no lips, and only its bare, exposed teeth stood amidst the desolate landscape.
Its entire body was painted in pure black, covered in scales that made it look like it was permanently clad in armor.
The creature "opened" its eyes—even though it didn't have any—relying instead on its heightened senses.
"This stench… this disgusting demonic energy… Are those demons stirring up trouble again?" the creature muttered to itself.
The barren surroundings seemed even heavier with the presence of this being.
It grabbed a massive sword stuck deep into the ground beside it.
Preparing to move, it spread its bat-like wings wide.
Boom!
An explosion erupted where the creature had just been, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
---
At the lake.
A small spatial rift appeared above the water.
The poor fox dropped straight into the lake, though fortunately, Arov had opened the rift near the shore.
Monsters lurking beneath the surface had already been eyeing the fox, ready to pounce.
Boom!
Water splashed into the air, reaching significant heights.
Arov landed directly on top of a massive crocodile, kicking it with enough force to render it unrecognizable.
He quickly moved toward the unconscious fox.
But before that, he realized he was still on the lake and didn't want to get wet.
Standing atop the crocodile's carcass, Arov leapt and used a rope to pull the fox toward the shore.
[Son of Fortune: I actually feel a bit sorry for this animal. (｡>_<｡)]
Arov didn't say a word.
He broke off tree branches, cutting them into smaller pieces.
Gathering the twigs, he built a small triangular structure.
Soon, flames flickered within it.
Did you think I was going to burn it? Of course, I'm not that cruel.
Arov pulled a towel from his backpack and began drying the fox.
A sudden, ominous feeling coursed through Arov's body.
Startled, he glanced around in panic.
He sprinted into the dense forest as fast as he could.
Arov chose not to use the concealment of Amir's Cloak; he had a different plan.
From the moment he stepped onto Floor 31, he hadn't relied on Amir's Cloak for stealth.
His heightened senses seemed to be warning him about something.
From above, an Abyssal creature with bat-like wings and no eyes scanned the thick forest below.
"That foul stench is nearby," it growled, clenching and unclenching its fist to reveal a ball of pitch-black flame.
The flame descended, fanned by unseen winds, rapidly growing into a massive explosion that burned the forest and countless monsters within it.
Arov was caught in the blast's radius.
Desperately, he dashed toward a massive elephant-sized monster with a lion's face and walrus-like tusks.
He sliced open its stomach and climbed inside.
The creature had a unique biological structure—its bloated stomach held large water reserves.
This unfortunate beast had just replenished its supply from the nearby lake and was heading back to its habitat when the black flames struck, incinerating it.
Luckily, Arov had been far enough from the explosion's epicenter to avoid its full force.
The poor monster, however, wasn't so fortunate—its charred body was left smoldering.
The Abyssal creature hovered in the sky, its sharp senses searching for the demon it was pursuing.
It extended its hand, directing its sword toward Arov, who was hiding inside the beast's belly.
Abyssal energy concentrated around the blade.
"Ignite."
A torrent of black flames erupted like a tornado, surging toward Arov's location.
Within a 100-meter radius, everything melted under the intense heat of the black flames, leaving only a fiery wasteland in its wake.
But there was no sign of a corpse.
Only a faint spatial rift remained behind.
Moments later, a spatial rift appeared behind the Abyssal creature.
While Arov's stealth attack wasn't entirely undetectable, it wasn't absolute.
The creature's sharp instincts sensed the danger approaching from behind.
Unfortunately, it was a moment too late.
One of its wings was severed by Arov's blade.
Forced to land, the creature descended from the sky.
There, it saw a young man with long blue hair holding a sword.
Now, Arov was ready to face his first opponent.
His heart raced—not out of fear, but from the thrill surging through his body.
"Huff…"
Arov inhaled and exhaled rhythmically, trying to develop a breathing technique to absorb the mana and Abyss energy around him. Though the results were meager, he had made some progress.
"Demon… no, human? You're the first human who's ever managed to wound me," the creature scoffed, unsure if it was a compliment or sarcasm.
"It's an honor to be the first human to hurt you…" Arov said, pausing before continuing. "…and to sever your head."
A trace of madness flickered in Arov's golden eyes.
The creature said nothing, adjusting its stance. Raising its massive sword high, its posture exuded a heavy, almost oppressive aura.
Arov smirked bitterly, adopting an awkward stance while suppressing his embarrassment.
His opponent was willing to fight fair and square, yet Arov was already plotting underhanded strategies in his mind.
Both Arov and the creature stood motionless for a while.
Finally, the creature made the first move.
---
901 word.