The 4th floor is infested with Scaled Devourers, massive, armored lizards that hunt in packs. These creatures possess a terrifying combination of speed and regenerative abilities, making them difficult to handle. They are particularly resistant to magic, so physical combat will be the best option.
The objective is to eliminate 50 Scaled Devourers. These creatures can be found in the wide-open caves and dark, narrow corridors of the floor.
Their aggressive nature will make each encounter challenging, especially as they often work together to overwhelm their prey.
'Perfect timing. I just learned some new skills. Let's see how well this goes'
I scanned my surroundings. The walls were jagged, veins of crimson light running through the stone like blood vessels. The oppressive atmosphere was thick with the scent of sulfur and decay.
I felt the pulse of Flamebrand deep in my chest—my mana, infused with fire, thrumming with power. The Emberfang Style was all about flowing movement, turning my body into a weapon that combined brutal force and blistering flame.
The techniques weren't complicated in theory, but in practice, they required finesse and a precise amount of energy.
The Feral Grappling style was raw power, a perfect counterbalance. Its Bonebind technique was built for taking control, breaking down an opponent, and turning any opening into a brutal advantage.
I had the perfect mix now: one style for offense, the other for control.
I crouched low, and my senses are heightening. I can feel the Scaled Devourers were close.
A Scaled Devourer emerged from the shadows, a hulking lizard with thick, armor-like skin and a mouth full of sharp teeth.
It hissed at me, its claws scraping against the stone floor as it charged. Without wasting a moment, I stepped to the side, dodging its strike as its claws raked through the air where I had been standing.
I grinned, my body was already moving into position. I raised my fist, channeling the power of the Flamebrand – Emberfang Style into it.
As my hand swung down onto the Devourer's flank, fire erupted from my fist, searing through the creature's armor.
The Devourer shrieked, staggered by the force and the fire.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 1/50 ]
I was already moving before its corpse hit the ground. I leaped into the next Devourer's path, my feet dancing across the jagged stones.
With a swift swing, my fist collided with its head. The flames wrapped around my knuckles and exploded, turning its armored shell to ash.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 2/50 ]
I could feel the heat of my strikes now—every punch, every kick, amplified by the Emberfang Style. The remaining creatures were starting to swarm me, but I wasn't worried. My Feral Grappling – Bonebind Technique was ready.
I sidestepped a Devourer's charge, grabbed its arm, and twisted. Its joint snapped, and I threw it to the ground, stomping on its head with a brutal slam.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 3/50 ]
A third came at me from the side, its tail lashing out like a whip. I caught the tail with one hand, yanking it forward.
My other hand shot out, grabbing its throat and crushing it with a bone-shattering squeeze. It collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 4/50 ]
The next one tried to bite me, but I dodged under its snapping jaws and elbowed it hard in the ribs. The force of the impact sent it reeling back.
I followed up with a spinning kick, hitting it right in the chest and sending it crashing into the wall.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 5/50 ]
As I fought through the Scaled Devourers, the numbers began to dwindle. 49... then 50. Each creature fell under the combined assault of fire and brutal grappling techniques, until only one remained.
´These lizards are pain in the ass, really´
I paused for a moment to catch my breath, scanning the dark, jagged stone around me. The last Devourer was circling, slower now, almost methodical. And I sensed something was off.
I raised an eyebrow, watching its movements closely. As I watched the creature, I started to sense a change. The air thickened, like something invisible was pressing in from all sides. Then the Devourer's scales shimmered with a strange glow.
The creature raised its head, and before I could react, it opened its maw wide, releasing a crackling bolt of energy toward me. The force of the blast sent shockwaves through the air, and for a moment, my vision blurred.
I barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side just in time. The bolt missed me, but the ground where it hit cracked and sparked with arcane energy. My heart hammered in my chest as I realized what had just happened.
"A damned magic," I muttered under my breath.
Before I regressed, these creatures were nothing but savage brutes, relying solely on their physical power to fight. But now... this one was using magic.
I clenched my fists. This was the second time I'd seen this anomaly. And I realized there was something happening, something beyond my understanding.
The Devourer charged at me again, but this time, I was ready. I dodged another magical blast, using my Blank Protocol's Erasure Pulse to momentarily nullify the magic in the area.
The world fell silent, and for a moment, I was free of its influence. But even as I closed the distance to strike, I couldn't help but feel that sense of unease deep within me.
This wasn't right.
I couldn't fathom it. Why were the creatures starting to use magic? Had something changed in this timeline, or was there something deeper at play? A part of me wanted to dive into the answer, but I couldn't afford to waste time now.
I closed in, focusing. My fist ignited with the Flamebrand – Emberfang Style, and with a swift strike, I sent the final Scaled Devourer crashing to the ground in a heap of smoldering scales.
[ Scaled Devourer Defeated: 50/50 ]
I stood there, panting heavily, the burning remnants of the last Devourer smoldering in front of me. And I looked around the desolate floor, and my thoughts were racing.
´Something was wrong. This wasn't the same Labyrinth I remembered. There was something much deeper happening.´