Chapter 106 - Today, I'm A Winner

Hearing the boisterous yells of the human who was small in comparison, the scaled monster used its fist like crutches, pulling itself forward as it released deep grunts. The weight it brought with it in its rampaging sprint could be felt, lifting the still air from the ground below as it closed the distance between it and Ren.

Close enough to smell its vile breath that poured out from its silver lips and blackened teeth, Ren coated the edge of his blade in reinforcement, swiftly and smoothly dragging Belus across the space in front of him. The impact of the strike interrupted the incoming attack from the scaled entity as the slash cut through the spiky armor that protected its chest--stopping just short of its flesh that sat below.

--I did it! I cut through it!

It was just as a surprise to him as it was to the savage creature, who rebounded quickly, slamming its massive, rock-like fists against the ground as tremors shook the foundation that they stepped on.

"--Are you throwing a fit?!"

The stone cracked from beneath Ren's feet as the quake traveled throughout the entirety of the cylinder domain.

Not only its fists were used as hammers against the world below, but its weapon of a tail slammed down against the helpless stone, generating a wind from the power emitted.

--I've got to stop it before it brings the walls crashing down on top of me! This thing is a damn baby! I'd like to conserve my mana if possible--this isn't going to come easy.

Sprinting towards the tantruming beast, his footing was thrown completely off by the rumbling stone below--breaking apart and shifting as he took each step. Rolling his ankle by stepping on one of these faulty steps, the tantrum came to a halt at the same moment. The beast puffed out its chest as a glow of red emitted from its torso as if it were an oven. Adding more to Ren's momentary suspicion as he attempted to catch his footing, smoke evacuated from the beast's closed mouth as it reared its spiky head back.

"--Shit."

Realizing he had been baited, he was left with no opportunity to evade the incoming attack. As its jaw opened, a roar of crimson flames unleashed from its mouth. The only choice given to him in the split-second of time he had to react was to put his all into his reinforcement--specifically, amplifying his defensive capabilities rather than raw strength.

Even as it didn't directly reach his skin, the heat itself was still felt in its entirety, if his pores could talk--they would be screaming out in agony against the merciless heat exuding from the creature's natural flames. He could see nothing past the overwhelming, growing flames that attempted to consume him whole.

Attempting to invoke a spell in this situation was a night-impossible task, as the suffocating flames prevented words from leaving his lips. Seconds felt like minutes as Ren continued to pour mana into his reinforcement to combat the raging inferno, wondering just how long this offense will last.

It wasn't just the scorching heat that the flames produced, but a powerful force that attempted to push him back as he dug his boots against the stone for leverage. Finally, after praying that his skin wasn't reduced to a sheet of charcoal--the rampant attack of the raging fire was released, a mist of embers filling the air as Ren emitted a drawn-out breath.

"--Did you get that all out of your system?"

Still holding his arms in a cross-guard, Ren huffed out as a fountain of sweat left his stressed pores. Smoke rose from the sides of the creature's mouth as it puffed out a cloud of the grey mist after finishing its scream of fire.

--Was that magic? It didn't feel like it. I'm guessing it has to do with the creature's actual physical body.

It seemed that unleashing the wave of flames ate away at its stamina as the creature stood there motionless, emitting smoke from its orifices. A step forward in hopes of returning the favor to his enemy with a slash was halted as a sharp pain shot throughout his entire body, traveling over his skeleton.

"--!"

Ren winced, feeling his eyelid flicker as the pain jolted through him.

--The force of that last attack did a number on me, didn't it? That, or forcing such a strong reinforcement out might've done it.

Moving past the momentary pain, he pivoted to the left, meeting the creature's hulking leg with his blade as it carved through its scales without much resistance. Now with the angle to do so, Ren used Belus to rend the tendon behind the beast's knee, causing it to crash down as a chunk of its rough flesh was parted from its body.

The sound that came with the rending of flesh wasn't something he could imagine ever getting used to, coating his blade in the crimson fluid that poured from the beast's new wound.

Watching his blade effortlessly carve through the beast made Ren realize something--a feeling he seldom experienced since coming to this world, a simple thought that came to him naturally.

--I'm the superior one here.

A tingle that drove over the entire left side of his body warned him as he narrowly lowered his body in time to avoid the incoming tail that swiped through the air like a war-hammer. It seemed to possess its own sentience, somehow accurately tracking Ren's position while the creature had its back turned to him, slamming the tail against each spot that the young man moved to.

--One hit with that thing and it'll shatter whatever bones it comes into contact with, that tail has to go.

Leaning back, the spiky whip swept through the air, slamming down against the ground as Ren pivoted to the side and brought his weapon down upon it. As the reinforced blade pierced the armored skin of the beast, the tail was pinned down to the ground--causing a roar of agony to unleash from the harsh creature.

"--Sorry, this is going to hurt."

Placing both hands tightly around the handle of Belus, Ren gritted his teeth before dragging the blade through the beast's compromised hindmost appendage, splitting it into two halves of mutilated flesh. A rain of crimson liquid pelted down against the shattered stone below, coating Ren in the fluid of life as he watched the results of his action.

The creature that held an appearance of primal savagery and brutal power was now wailing out, crawling against the floor as it attempted to flee from its predator.

--If I would've seen this sight at a past time, I likely would've opted to spare it. At the very least, I don't think what comes next would be so easy for me.

Stepping on the creature's scale-covered head to halt its movement, he flipped Belus in his hand, pointing its downwards before he sank it into the beast's skull, pushing past the hardened exterior before it reached a mushy, gelatin substance, cutting away the life from the entity in that same moment of impact.

Sliding the blade out left room for a mixture of skull fragments, skin, and brain matter to slip through the newly open crevice on the creature's head, swiping the blade through the air to rid it of the impurities that stained it. As he suspected, the area that the beast was originally held in did indeed hold a door of its own--standing tall, black, and foreboding.

Along with the newly found pathway, a silver chest sat in the grimy cell of the deceased beast. He knew deep down in his gut, somehow, that this wasn't a trap as he kneeled down and flipped over the switches keeping the chest sealed shut.

Inside of the box was one of the crimson coins that Galaggher had informed him of, as well as an azure necklace, holding an amulet with a crimson stone engraved into it.

"An artifact…?"

Ren slid the necklace over his head, tucking it in under his collar before he approached the black-steel door. He placed his palm against the subtle cold of the door, pressing against it as it seemed to open by itself in response to his force.

Although he couldn't see the full scope of it, when his eyes met with the sight of the next room, he knew without second thought what the true nature of it was.

"--A labyrinth?"