"Ha! Ha! How long is this monster going to chase me? It's been over an hour now!" Rio cursed as his boots pounded against the rocky floor of the tunnel.
Behind him, a guttural roar shook the air.
ROAR!!!
It was sharper, closer. A gust of wind surged past him, carrying a stench of blood and decay. Rio's heart sank. It's near. Any second now, it'll catch up.
"Damn it! Just a few more miles and I'd have reached the Crystal Heart. Since you're so desperate to hunt me… fine. I'll show you the consequences."
He yanked out multiple potions, gulping them down in rapid succession. His body began to glow faintly, mana and vitality surging through his veins. In his right hand, a dagger. In his left, a short sword. His palms trembled—not with fear, but with anticipation.
Another roar tore through the air.
ROAR!!!
The wind pressed against him again, like a predator toying with prey. The tunnel fell eerily silent. Dust swirled, forming a thick smoke. And then… a colossal shadow approached.
The sand smoke dissipated with a single swing of its arm, revealing a nightmare—Argus, the Hundred-Eyed Ancient. Each of its grotesque eyes locked onto Rio, unblinking, unfeeling.
"Well, hello, Argus. Been a while," Rio said dryly, tightening his grip.
The monster's mouth twisted into a mockery of a smile. It raised its long, sinewy arm—but didn't strike.
"THEE… ARE A PLAYER, YES?" Argus's voice was guttural and foreign, like a thousand throats speaking at once. It was mimicking human speech, much like the Shadow Walkers.
"You can talk?" Rio's brow furrowed, but his weapons didn't lower.
"YOU AREN'T THE FIRST TO ENTER THIS REALM. COUNTLESS BEFORE YOU… KILLED. I LEARNED FROM THEM."
"Learned? Maybe. But killed? I'd say you're the one doing the killing."
The creature's grin widened unnaturally.
"HEH. YOU'RE SMART. I WONDER… WILL YOU TASTE DIFFERENT?"
Argus's arm swung down like a guillotine.
Rio leapt aside, narrowly dodging, but the shockwave sent him spinning. Mid-air, Argus's second hand slammed into him with bone-shattering force.
CRASH!
Rio smashed through jagged rocks, his body folding unnaturally. Blood gushed from his mouth. His ribs felt like splintered wood.
"Cough… this fucking monster," Rio spat, dragging himself upright.
Argus landed heavily in front of him, the ground quaking. It raised its arm again.
This time, Rio didn't dodge. He sprinted straight at it. The massive hand struck the ground—Rio used the shockwave to vault upward, darting across its arm to reach its face.
"Take this, you piece of shit! RUNE OF DESTRUCTION: PILLAR OF CHAOS!"
Fiery pillars erupted around Argus, slamming it to the earth with a deafening crash. Rio hovered mid-air, coughing blood.
The monster struggled, a horrifying sound of cracking stone and muscle filling the cavern. One by one, its massive hands shattered the glowing pillars.
CRACK. BOOM. CRASH.
Rio's eyes widened as his spell's glow faded. Pain wracked his body—the rune had drained nearly all his energy.
"THIS IS AS FAR AS YOU GO, PLAYER."
Argus lunged. Its hand crashed down on Rio, but at the last instant he twisted, launching himself at one of its largest eyes.
SLASH!
The blade tore through the bulbous organ. Argus roared in agony, clutching its mutilated face.
"ROAR!!! YOU BASTARD! I WILL KILL YOU!"
Its massive foot struck Rio like a battering ram. He crossed his arms to block, but the impact sent him hurtling. His arms shattered under the force. His vision blurred. Bones snapped.
"RUNE OF REGENERATION: INSTANT HEAL!" Rio gasped. His mangled body mended itself in a flash of light. Flesh, muscle, and bone restored—but only for a moment.
THUD! CRASH! CRASH!
He ricocheted off rocks, finally skidding across the ground. His regeneration faltered. His legs were pulverized.
"It hurts… it fucking HURTS…" Rio growled, tears mixing with blood. "But this pain… I'll repay it a thousand times over."
And yet, through the agony, he grinned.
Perfect. Just a little further…
He had taken the hit on purpose. Rage-blinded, Argus had hurled him exactly where he needed to go.
The Crystal Heart… it must be near.
Rio pressed his ear to the ground, focusing through the pain. Faintly, he heard the sound of water. Crawling like a wounded animal, he dragged himself forward, chugging more potions.
Eventually, he staggered to his feet and limped toward the sound. A shimmering red glow reflected off the cave walls—a crystalline lake.
Rio collapsed at the shore, drinking deeply from his potions. Nearby, a cave entrance beckoned.
He stumbled inside, threw himself down, and blacked out.
---
Outside, Argus approached, its fury palpable. But as it neared the lake, a dark red aura erupted, slamming into the beast like a tidal wave.
Argus recoiled, clutching its ruined eye. Snarling, it retreated into the shadows. The red aura faded, sinking back into the depths of the lake.
---