Chapter 76 Deadlands



Thud... Thud...

My fingers dug into the dirt for the hundredth time, and I could feel grime gathering under my fingernails.

There was also blood on my hands, but I didn't care. Unless one of my hands was missing, I wasn't going to stop digging.

Crack...

Finally, I felt the soil give away beneath my fingers and a small hole began to form. The opening revealed an entrance to the Mole tunnel system I've used before.

"I'll kill that damn Mole..." 

Shaking my bleeding and dirty hands, I crawled inside the dark and narrow tunnel. 

Instantly, the musty smell of damp soil and underground creatures assaulted my nose. I spread my Mana to feel the surroundings, but all I sensed were a few bugs and the faint vibrations of something moving deeper in the tunnels.

"..."

Without any hesitation, I started walking towards the vibrations, since it was coming from the direction I needed to go to reach the Spire.

Navigating through the tunnel, I was reminded of how I accidentally stumbled upon the lizard mating. These mole-created pathways were very similar to the ones on the first floor of this Dungeon.

Boom...

Suddenly, pebbles tumbled from the ceiling and fell on my head and shoulders. The tunnel began to shake and I cursed, dashing forward.

It seemed like there was a cave-in happening, and I had no desire to be buried alive.

Roar...

I heard a muffled growl coming from above the ground and I realized that the cause of the tremors was most likely a monster.

Some creatures above the ground were either fighting or trying to break into the tunnel system.

The latter was unlikely, as there was no point in doing so, but it was still a possibility?

What if the monster managed to detect my presence?

I darted through the tunnel like a bullet, trying to get as far away from the tremors as possible.

However, as I ran, the tunnel started to curve and twist, making it difficult to maintain my speed without running into the walls. 

Roar...

The monster also seemed to be following me, the tremors hot on my heels. 

As I continued to run, the constant rocks and debris falling from the ceiling began to leave small cuts and bruises on my body.

"..."

Soon enough the blood started to trickle down my face and arms, but I pushed through the pain with ease, knowing that sooner or later the tunnel would end and then...

Unknowingly my face twisted into a creepy grin. 

Roar...

A massive chunk of debris suddenly fell in front of me, blocking the tunnel.

There was a small gap between the rocks and the floor, which was just big enough to crawl through.

Swish...

I slid through the hole just in time before another piece of debris completely sealed it off.

If I were to be just a second late I'd be forced to turn back or even die.

The tunnels that previously seemed like the safest path to my destination, were now proving to be treacherous death traps.

"..."

Like the last time, the tunnel suddenly branched off into different directions, and I had to choose which path to take.

Without any clear indication of which path was safer or more direct, I had to rely on my intuition and I immediately chose the left pathway.

While others might've hesitated, I knew that indecision could be just as lethal as making the wrong decision.

Rumble...

Rumbling sound continued to follow me, but I was now a little bit ahead of the monster, allowing me to move with more ease, since no rocks were falling on top of me anymore.

Although the tunnel behind me was collapsing, I wasn't sure how long it would take for the monster to catch up with me.

Swish...

Taking another quick turn I found myself in an open chamber, which seemed to have no other exits besides the tunnel I had just come from.

"Shit!"

I cursed under my breath as I realized that I had hit a dead end.

Thud... Thud...

The trembling slowly grew louder, and I knew that the monster couldn't be far behind. 

I frantically scanned the room for any possible escape routes, hoping to find a way out before it was too late.

Unfortunately, there was no visible way out, and I could hear the monster's footsteps getting closer.

Quake... Quake...

The creature went on a rampage because the amount of debris falling onto my head increased.

Rocks, boulders, and dirt chaotically fell on me, further limiting my movement. 

They pelted against my body, opening new wounds and pushing me closer and closer toward suffocation and death.

Thud...

One of the rocks hit me on the head, and I struggled to stay conscious as I felt warm blood oozing down my forehead. 

With every passing moment, it became clear that there was no way out of this situation. I had pushed myself too far into the depths of these tunnels.

Crack...

Suddenly, I heard a loud crack, and the ceiling of the chamber began to crumble. It was then that I knew that my only chance of survival was to make a desperate leap and hope for the best.

Whoosh...

Crawling through the small gap, I grabbed onto something that seemed like a root, and I swung myself onto a small ledge just as the chamber completely collapsed behind me.

"..."

My eyes narrowed down as the dust settled. Gasping for breath, I took a moment to assess my surroundings.

I blinked several times, trying to get used to the light that was openly streaming into the cavern and revealing the world above.

Within moments, I took out a potion and put it to my lips, feeling its fishy taste flood my mouth as I downed it in one gulp.

Roar...

Meanwhile, the monster that tried to bury me alive, snarled in frustration as it realized that I had escaped its clutches.

My gaze was instantly locked onto the creature, making it freeze for a second. 

I could see it flinch as if sensing my intentions from the emotions swirling in my eyes.

It was a giant pig-like beast with sharp tusks and a bristling coat. It was about my height and its muscles bulged beneath its skin, showing the strength and power it possessed.

"..."

Smiling, I unsheathed my Katana and slowly took a stance. The Pig followed my movements with caution, but its red eyes didn't leave mine.

It seemed very wary of me as if it sensed the danger that I posed.

"Don't worry, you will die~"

Licking my lips, I lowered myself into a crouch and tensed my muscles, kicking off the ground and launching myself at the creature.

The ground cracked beneath my feet, but I didn't care, only seeing the monster that tried to bury me alive.

Slash...

My blade danced in the air as I landed a clean slash across the Pig's shoulder, spilling blood onto the ground.

Its next destination was the creature's hinge leg, then its eye, after what its ear...

By the time I regained my senses, I was panting heavily, standing in a pool of blood, and the Pig lay motionless at my feet.

The creature's body was sliced and cut countless times, it almost looked to be in pieces.

"It seems I overdid it..."

Sheathing my Katana, I frowned trying to ignore the carcass of the Pig that seemed to have been hunted by a Demon.

The after-match of my battle seemed very similar to Demon's - complete and utter destruction of the opposing force.

Picking up a White Core that had fallen out of the pig's corpse, I wiped off the blood and added it to my Spatial Ring.

Then, I decided to scan my location and, avoiding some organs and severed parts of the pig, lying on the ground, I approached a purple pine tree.

Putting my hands on the trunk, I quickly climbed up the tree, using my legs to propel myself upwards.

As I reached the top, I paused to catch my breath and surveyed the area.

From my vantage point, I could see the vast expanse of the forest spread out before me.

"..."

My eyes were instantly drawn toward a rock spire in the distance. It was only around a few miles to the west, but I could already feel some weird energy emanating from it.

"Shitty dungeon..."

Climbing down the tree, I landed softly on the ground and started to head in the direction of the spire, knowing that there was no other option, but to push forward.

Soon, the trees of the purple forest started to thin out, and I found myself before a deadland, a barren land devoid of any vegetation.

It reminded me quite a lot of the Wild Lands, except that it felt even more desolate and ominous. 

As I made my first step, a cold shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel like something was watching me.

I hope it was just my imagination.