The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster

Chapter 63 Flesh Warden

Buji rose from where he sat and stretched his eyes to look into the dungeon ahead which was lit with darkness. He wondered what it is he was going to meet in there.

His breathing was short grasped. His Slayer felt heavier in his hands, he was really tired from the clash with the Hellhounds.

He calmed himself, trying his best to steady his heartbeat as well as gripping the hilt of his Slayer tighter. It was impossible for him to get out of the dungeon until he completed the quest required.

Even if it was possible, the thought...the thought of heading back to meet worse creatures. He had come too far to restart what he started.

The screen hovered before him at the instant, blinking with its usual blue glow, reminding him of ticking timer:

[Time Remaining: 14:22:47]

Buji sighed at the notification and took a deep breath. At the same time, he trekked forward into the dungeon, with brisk steps to avoid echo in the silence.

In one of the books he read in the library, he had come across a passage where it was written that hunters are very brave. According to the passage, there were dungeons which existed—dark, eerie areas that tested not only strength but also the will of those who dared to enter.

That explains everything. If only the author of that book had been from the Yin family. He didn't know much though, so, he decided to make the book his second distraction.

Exactly how these kind of dungeons were described in that book, he's seeing similarities with them here in this God forsaken dungeon. The whispers he now heard from the walls and a continuous drip of water from a distance all made the pathway more fiery and dangerous.

He came to the spot where he studied everything. The air was colder, and the stone wall became slick with unidentifiable black liquid that clung to his shoes.

The odour that wafted through the air was choking, like rotten flesh mixed with sulphur. The pathway narrowed, forcing Buji to stoop slightly.

Buji trembled. He heard the sound of a low growl that echoes from the distance, somewhere ahead.

His eyes darted toward the direction of the sound. With instinct, his hand tightened around the hilt of the Slayer.

"Calm down. Calm down," he whispered to himself, trying to suppress the gnawing fear that seemed to be creeping into his mind.

"Don't lose your cool, bro," he still muttered to himself.

The growling stopped as quickly as it has begun. He cautiously took a step forward, but his foot sank slightly into the floor. Glancing at the floor, he realized he had stepped his leg into a viscous, reddish substance.

'Blood!' Buji thought in desperation. Raising his head to look into the distance ahead.

Panic set in, threatening to overtake him. The sudden realization struck him.

The dungeon was just no dungeon that contained Hellhounds, it was no place for any kind of hesitation. Anything can happen at anytime.

He wiped his shoe on the dungeon stone by one side and pressed on.

As he approached a bend, the air felt oppressive in a heavy atmosphere. It made it harder for any living being to inhale breath of life.

In his front, the pathway opened into a vast space. Buji paused in his tracks and observed.

The walls of the chamber were lined with skeletal remains. No, not skeletal remains. They were lined with bodies that appeared more like clothes. Loose bodies, as though they were made of embodiments that had all being sapped out.

Buji tried to ignore the sight, but it seemed their hollow eye sockets seemed to follow his every movement.

In his front, at the center of the room stood a grotesque creature. Its body was misshapen and still, writhed as though it's flesh was alive. It was a towering amalgamation of limbs, eyes, and mouths. A structure that represented a creature of abomination straight from a nightmare.

Ding!

[Title... Rookie Slayer Activated!]

Buji pointed his Slayer sword toward the creature as he approached closer. The intent in his eyes clearly stated, 'murder!' He wanted to end everything at that instant.

Just Buji his sword reached for the creature, he shouted. "Burst Strike! Activate!"

Acting with impulse from the two abilities he had activated, plus his intense intent to kill, his movements became blur. His landing showed impact, as he launched a relentless assault against the creature. His sword struck and struck, again and again. Each strike aimed at the creature's numerous eyes.

The Flesh Warden howled in sorrow and agony, its limbs flailing wildly as it tried to fend off the onslaught. But Buji was acting faster than even he, expected.

He saw his chance—the creature's core.

A pulsating orb of dark energy resonated immediately below the creatures second hand.

"Exposed!" Buji said, his eyes widened.

With a final, powerful strike, he drove his Slayer into the core, tilting the sword roughly to be sure it leaves an everlasting effect on the creature.

The effect that will cause its immediate death.

The Flesh Warden let out a final, pitiful scream before collapsing into a heal. Its body disintegrated into ashes, leaving behind a shimmering crystal.

"Phew," Buji sighed. "Seems like all creatures in this dungeon were made from ashes."

The screen materialized in front of him once again:

[You have slain the Flesh Warden!]

[EXP: +400]

[New Item Acquired: Warden's Core]

He slid the sweat on his forehead off, dragging his Slayer on the ground as he made his movements. He was weak.

He went to where the crystal has fallen, and picked it up. He tossed it into the system that was still in his front, and it disappeared with the item.

He glanced at the timer.

[07:37:19 counting down]

"Phew," he sighed again in exhaustion. There was no time and he still didn't know what more he was going to face in this damn dungeon.

He wondered how an S-Rank equivalent of this dungeon will be if he has reached that stage.

In the Hunter's world, he was an S-Rank awakener, but in this world, he's merely a Class 1 awakener. And just... but just if this was how the dungeon from the world he came from were...?

Just the thought seemed disentangling, so he shoved it off. 'I'd better face what's facing me.'

But before he could realize himself, and realize that he had been walking deeper down into this domain, he saw them.

"Are these not... Lycans!!"