Minutes later, he was sitting on the ground, drenched in blood, breathing heavily. His sword and the torch lay beside him. He held his head and suddenly vomited onto the ground. The spinning had finally caught up with him. Around him, the lifeless bodies of Wailbats making a pool of blood.
I was lucky I faced these Wailbats. They're only dangerous when they scream. Killing them is easy because of their lack of instincts and intelligence. Then, his gaze fell to the glowing screen on his watch.
[Level Up]
[Level: 04]
[Mana Points: 20]
"Only two levels after killing all of them." he muttered, then laid back on the ground, looking up into the darkness above.
"Well, at least I became stronger. I think I should go back and send someone else to kill the other monster inside this gate."
He stood up, picked up the sword and torch, and looked around. Using the torchlight to guide him, he walked for a few minutes until he spotted the gate in the distance. it was far, but still visible. Suddenly Beep.
[Reward: Moonpierce]
[New Skill: Moonpierce]
[Description: Moonpierce is an ability that allows the user to see in darkness.]
[How to use it: Control your mana flow around your eyes.]
Huh? What kind of skill is this? And that simple? I've never heard of anyone being able to see in darkness just by flowing mana around their eyes.
He stared at the watch for a moment.
"Let's give it a try."
He closed his eyes, took smooth, steady breaths, and began focusing on the mana around his eyes. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
He looked around, then switched off the torch. He looked around again.
I can see clearly. It's fading a little. Probably because my mana control around my eyes is still weak. But this is the best skill. If improve my control, it'll be perfect.
He looked at the gate ahead, then glanced back toward the exit.
He could see everything clearly now the path that led deeper into the gate, the dark stone walls, even the small cracks along the ground. After a few minutes of thinking, he turned and walked away from the exit he walked the darkness of the gate.
I'll finish this on my own. If I can't. then what's the point of being Awakened.
After walking for some minutes, he reached a place with a bit of light not completely dark like the first area.
"I'm on the second level now. Every gate has three levels: the first is near the entrance, where the weakest monsters live. The second is where the stronger ones appear. And the third. that's where the gate boss waits."
"So, where's the monsters..?"
Right in front of him stood figures people without heads, holding black spears. The spears were stained with dry blood. But these weren't really people. They looked more like dummies made of tangled tree roots.
What the hell are these things now.
In an instant, one of the root puppets appeared in front of him, thrusting its spear toward his head. He reacted fast, slicing off the puppet's arm with a clean swing of his sword. Without wasting a moment, he slashed again, cutting the puppet clean in half.
"This one was easy. but how the fuck am I supposed to kill all of them?" he muttered, eyes scanning the group, there were at least forty of them, maybe more.
He crouched slightly, tightening the muscles in his legs. Then he charged forward.
As he approached the next puppet and raised his sword, but that puppet moved faster than he expected and drove its spear straight into his stomach.
He gasped at the sudden pain, tightening his grip on the sword. With a grunt, he brought the blade down and sliced the puppet in two.
Without hesitation, he reached into his pocket, pulled out another potion stick, and thrust it into the wound in his stomach. Within seconds, the healing liquid did its work. his wound began to close, the pain fading fast.
"I only have two healing potions left. I can't afford to get injured again."
Jinhwan muttered under his breath, wiping blood from his mouth. His grip tightened on the sword as the root puppets started moving again. jerky, twitching steps like broken marionettes. Their spears gleamed with dried blood, and they made no sound. Just silent, headless dolls marching toward him.
Then the first one charged.
He met it with a clean slash to the chest, roots snapping as it fell apart. But two more replaced it immediately, spears thrusting from both sides. He ducked low, the spears slicing the air above his head, then spun his blade cutting one in half, then twisting his body to pierce the chest of the other.
He didn't stop. He couldn't.
They just kept coming.
One grabbed his shoulder from behind. He elbowed it hard, turned, and slammed his sword upward through its torso. Another puppet tried to stab him in the back but he spun, slicing its arm off, then stepped in and cut through its core.
The puppets fought without fear, without hesitation. One stabbed him in the thigh. He screamed, pulling the blade out of his leg mid-swing and taking down another two with one wild arc.
His body was slowing down, but he refused to stop. He grit his teeth and pressed on. He leapt backward, avoiding a downward strike, then dashed forward, dragging his blade across three of them in one go. Sparks flew. Blood sprayed. His arm was trembling from the weight of the fight.
A puppet lunged low its spear caught him across the ribs. He stumbled back, panting. Another came from the side. He dropped to his knees just in time and thrust his sword upward into its chest, using its own weight to finish it off.
He barely had time to think. It was swing, dodge, stab, spin. Over and over. His breaths were sharp and shallow. His shirt clung to his body, soaked in blood his and theirs.
Minutes turned to an hour. The final puppet lunged.
Jinhwan didn't wait. He roared, dodged the thrust, then sliced upward with all his remaining strength splitting the puppet from hip to shoulder.
He stood among broken pieces of wood, torn roots, and black spears scattered across the ground. His arms hung low, his sword almost slipping from his blood-soaked fingers.
Breathing hard, he reached into his pocket, pulled out another potion stick, and thrust it into his arm.
The liquid surged into him, and slowly, painfully, his wounds began to close. He slumped to the ground, staring at the corpses.
"Only one potion left now." he muttered. He lay on the ground motionless his body needs a rest after that intense fight he didn't move for few minutes
[Episode 6 End]