Evolutius Catacomb Entrance #55.
Achilles passed through it as his body only felt like light flashed around him, and he then found himself in an entirely different place.
It was…inside what looked like a long and dark tunnel.
It was lit up with dim purple stones embedded in the walls, and the blue portal he had just come from was right behind him.
Ahead of him, he saw the single tunnel he was in branching into 9 paths, and there was only darkness within those paths as he couldn't make out anything.
It could be throngs of Evolutius Beasts, or it could be paths that were recently cleared by Advanced Humans and no beasts were roaming.
Either way, there was nothing to give him any possible sense of protection as he only felt a sense of fear of anything that might pop out.
No matter how tough he tried to make himself, he still could not wipe away this fear.
He only turned 21 this year.
Working in construction jobs to make a living, he was somewhat fit, but nothing compared to Evolutius Beasts.
He would entirely and completely be shredded the moment that one appeared as what he prayed and relied on at this moment…was sheer luck and chances.
Luck to not come across Evolutius Beasts.
Luck to find Evolutius Crystals.
He looked at the dim purple stones that lit up the nearby paths as he knew an Evolutius Crystals would look like a genuine purple crystal that shone with a bright radiance.
Nothing like these stones.
So he had to go deeper.
He looked at the nine paths, and without thinking too much, he walked towards the rightmost path.
He may come across Advanced Humans. He may come across Beasts.
But unless he actually moved forward, he wouldn't obtain anything!
His steps were light as he delved into the darkness.
The purple stones that lit up the path behind him seemed to be getting fewer and fewer.
He pressed on the flashlight icon on his phone as he proceeded across.
Very soon, he came across another fork. This time only four paths were visible as once more, he took the rightmost path.
The fear within him only increased as he found nothing and felt nothing, but he constantly expected a monster to rush out at any moment.
In such a state of stress, he didn't know how long passed as he went further in.
He didn't come across anything- even though it was common knowledge that over time, Evolutius Crystals naturally form within Catacombs!
He hoped to come across newly forming Evolutius Crystals without having to delve too deep.
But with every passing second, this hope seemed further and further away.
Until…
BOOM!
He felt distant vibrations that caused even the hard earth around him to shake.
Vibrations that caused him to pause with a sense of trepidation!
Up ahead, the tunnel he was walking through curved as there, he could see flashing lights as well as hear distinct roars.
Roars of beasts that caused his heart to beat faster.
Danger.
Every part of him screamed danger and told him to turn back, but he stuffed this feeling as far down as he could and proceeded ahead slowly!
He came across the corner of the winding path as he peeked in.
And there…
"Ah…"
Was a scene that caused him to nearly gasp as he held himself back.
A scene of blood as two Evolutius Beasts that were shaped like spiked Lions lay dead- one having their fur frozen and skewered by spears of ice while the other was nearly burnt to cinders!
And three Advanced Humans with a suffocating sense of pressure were facing a third, much more massive Evolutius Beast that was burning with red flames around it at this moment, its body filled with injuries as it opened its mouth to release a ring of flames and then…turned around and ran.
"Shit! Do not let the Pack Leader run away!"
The Advanced Human at the very center of the three- a woman wielding a spiked icy mace, roared out while shooting ahead.
Behind her, two male Advanced Humans who both had their fists burning with flames looked at each other before they also shot ahead!
They left behind two dead Evolutius Beasts and a pathway filled with blood!
"…"
Achilles looked at all of this breathlessly for a second as he also knew another critical factor.
Evolutius Beasts…held Evolutius Crystals inside of their heads.
Different Evolutius Beasts held different variations of Crystals, but even the lowest tier Evolutius Beasts made Advanced Humans very wealthy!
If he could obtain the Evolutius Crystals from even a single Evolutius Beast…
DUM!
He stopped thinking.
He knew he had to move fast.
Mainly because at this moment, he wanted to steal from Advanced Humans.
Something that, if they caught him doing, would kill him without even a shred of hesitation.
But since he decided on it, he moved quickly!
He stifled the fear of the terrifying Beasts twice his size lying lifelessly ahead as he ran towards the one that had its body skewered by ice spikes.
Across its head, there was an ice spike that pierced through as inside of its skull, a sparkling radiance was leaking out!
Achilles felt a mixture of fear and relief from this as he looked around, grabbing a shard of ice that caused his hands to feel a horrid freezing sensation.
He used this shard of ice to stab into and enlarge the wound on the skull of this Beast as slowly, it enlarged!
He saw three dazzling purple Crystals the size of half his fist lying beside brain matter, and he reached out to grab them quickly.
When he pulled his hands out, he found himself holding three dazzling purple spiked crystals.
Evolutius Crystals!
DUM!
He felt the beat of his heart clearly once more as he controlled himself.
He knew there was little time left as he didn't know when those Advanced Humans would return, so he wouldn't even bother trying to dig out the Evolutius Crystals on the burnt Beast opposite him.
Greed killed.
And he had already gotten far too lucky already as he wouldn't test the limits of his luck!
So he would-
GRR!
…!
A low, heavy growl echoed out and froze him in place.
It…was too close.
He barely had the strength to turn around as he saw it.
It was the dead Evolutius Beast that looked charred beyond recognition.
And…it seemed that it could not at all be presumed dead.
It rose from where it stood weakly, but the ferociousness within it still burned brightly, its right paw with charred claws already raised up as it swung down!
Achilles felt a rush of terror and adrenaline as he could only raise his hands to defend by instinct!