With each step Akira took, the air in the dungeon grew heavy. The damp, rotting walls of the cave began to pulse softly. The smell of blood and death mixed with the sharp scent of sulfur, warning of what lay ahead.
The bodies of four trolls lay behind him, their huge forms twisted and broken. Blood pooled beneath them, steaming in the cold air.
Akira looked at his hands and saw some of their dark blood staining his skin, but he didn't feel any fatigue in his body.
Then, a rapid beeping of the status window popped up before his eyes, bringing him back to reality.
[Level Up!]
[All Attributes have increased by 1]
[The user body has been restored to peak condition.]
Akira stood motionless for a moment, his chest rising and falling as his body surged with newfound energy.
Cuts and bruises vanished, and his strength returned to its peak condition, leaving him renewed.
"Evolved beasts."
He thought, glancing back at the fallen trolls.
"Their strength surpassed mine in sheer power."
"But that's all they had."
"Too slow...too predictable."
He turned his eyes to his right hand wirst the energy coursing through it.
"And I didn't even need to use it,"
He mused.
"Cursed Infernal Weep…"
As he moved forward, the atmosphere shifted. A wave of immense mana washed over him, dense and suffocating. It made the air feel thick, like walking through a storm at its peak.
"This immense mana…"
Akira whispered, his piercing eyes squinting.
"It has to be him."
His grasp tightened around his weapon as his heart thumped, not with fear but anticipation.
Outside the dungeon, Sylara came with a burst of energy.
She approached the T.E.R.R.A. agents stationed at the gate of the dungeon. Their faces were pale, a mix of confusion and unease.
"Someone's already gone in,"
One of the agents stammered, his voice trembling slightly.
Sylara's brows knitted into a scowl.
"Who?"
"We...we didn't see who it was."
"He moved so fast… it was like a lighting passed by,"
The agent admitted, looking down in shame.
Sylara clicked her tongue, a sound filled with irritation.
"That boy only brings trouble,"
She muttered under her breath.
She whirled around, her voice firm and commanding as she addressed the agents.
"When my guild members arrive, tell them to follow me directly into the dungeon. Do not delay."
The first agent nodded quickly.
"Understood."
Without a word, Sylara stepped forward, her footsteps filled with power. Her energy exploded as she stepped into the dark entrance of the dungeon, illuminating her path ahead. Her eyes, shining with strong determination.
Deep inside the dungeon, Akira was coming close to the end of the cave.
The room ahead glowed an ominous red, an obvious indication that the dungeon boss awaited him.
The closer he came, the stronger his feelings grew—anger, sadness, and a strong determination.
His hands moved with energy as white lightning flashed around him, getting brighter and stronger with each step.
His eyes, which were once cold and planned, now shone a bright white, showing the storm inside him.
At the end of the dark hallway, just before the big doors that led to the boss's room,Akira stood.
Akira stepped into the lair, and his footsteps echoed through the cavernous room.
The air was almost unbearably thick with the scent of blood and damp stone.
His sharp eyes fell upon a creature sitting on top of a broken stone throne.
It was a troll, unlike any he had ever seen—towering 20 feet or more, its body grotesquely muscular and seemingly carved out of stone. Its grey skin shone like smooth stone under the faint red light of the room. Two bright red eyes with black centers looked straight at Akira, giving off a strong feeling of power. In his huge hand, he held an axe so big that just thinking about using it felt silly.
"Shit"
Akira muttered, his jaw tightening. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, not out of fear but from the sheer magnitude of the creature before him.
"He's huge."
The troll's throne creaked ominously as it shifted its weight.
A low rumble emanated from its chest as it lifted one massive hand and pointed directly at Akira.
The troll intentions where to tell Akira to come closer.
Akira didn't move. His instincts screamed at him to tread carefully, his body tense as if anticipating an attack at any moment.
"What the fuck is the deal with this beast?"
Akira thought, his fists tightening.
"This dungeon's evolved, but this is insane."
"He's on a completely different level."
The troll's eyes narrowed at Akira's defiance, and then it did something that froze the young hunter in place.
It spoke.
"Didn't you understand me, human?"
Akira's breath hitched as shivers raced down his spine. His thoughts spiraled.
"It talks?"
His mind raced, drawing comparisons to the past.
"A monster… that speaks."
"It's just like that vampire we encountered in the double dungeon."
But amidst the shock, realization struck.
"If it can speak… then it has the ability to tell me about that bastard."
Akira's voice was firm, masking the storm brewing within him.
"I understood you," - He said.
"But first, I have a question."
The troll tilted its head slightly, an eerie smirk tugging at its lips.
Akira's voice hardened.
"Did a person with red eyes come here?"
The troll's expression barely changed, his massive shoulders shrugging with disinterest.
"Yes."
"What about him?"
Akira's heart pounded.
"So he was here."
His fists trembled, not from fear but from the unrelenting anger building within.
"Can you tell me what he wanted and where he went??"
Akira demanded, his voice sharp.
The troll leaned back slightly, resting his massive axe beside him.
"I don't want to."
That one statement made Akira lose control he restrained himself to get information before acting this time even if it was from a monster but the boy contained rage had reached it limits.
His knuckles turned white as he squeezed his fists tight. His voice got louder, sharp and strong.
"Tell me!"
Akira shouted, and his voice bounced off the walls.
The troll didn't move, its huge body staying still.
"Tell me right now!"
Akira yelled, his voice breaking with anger as his feelings almost overflowed.
The troll's smile vanished and his eyes turned into narrow and threatening slits. He slowly rose to his full height, casting a long shadow over Akira—a giant mountain of flesh and blood, shaking the very earth with his weight, and his voice boomed like thunder.
"You dare to raise your voice at me?"
The troll's voice grew darker, almost mocking.
"Do you know who I am, petty human?"
"I am the TROLL KING!"
He lifted his massive axe effortlessly, the blade gleaming with a sinister red glow.
"If you want answers, earn them."
Akira's breath grew coarse as his emotions began to overwhelm him.
"Status scan him"
[System Scanning]
[Data undetected]
[Unable to provide information about the creature before the user]
"FUCK THIS" - AKIRA SHOUTED
The air around him was electric, and his field of vision narrowed while his limbs were etched with white lightning.
The presence of the Troll King weighed heavily upon the air, but the anger in Akira surged even heavier.
It clawed at his chest, seeking to break free entirely so much that he didn't even give a shit about why the system didn't provide info as it used to.
He gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl with fury.
His eyes glowing brighter with white-hot fury.
In an instant, Akira activated Soul Infusion.
His entire body surged with raw energy, lightning crackling around him in violent arcs. The overwhelming force propelled him forward, his speed so blinding that the Troll King barely had time to register his movement.
With a loud cracking sound, Akira appeared behind the giant monster; his eyes were blazing with anger. He gathered all his power and struck one powerful kick at the back of the Troll King's head.
"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM"
The impact was huge.
The Troll King's big body moved forward as he lost his balance.
His knees gave way because of the great force, and the strong ruler of the dungeon fell to one knee, the ground under him breaking like glass.
"HUHHHHH!"
The Troll King growled, his deep voice sounding with both anger and surprise.
Akira stood behind him, his chest heaving with labored breaths. His body crackled with energy as he stared at the kneeling giant.