image [https://i.imgur.com/xcQhW8Y.jpg]
Time had blurred into irrelevance—not that I was any good at keeping track of it—as I wandered away from those assholes who’d murdered my food! Heading the opposite way, naturally—I’m crazy, not suicidal; past life excluded—their Holy magic could obliterate me in a flash. Witnessing the demise of my goblin munchie was a nasty wake-up call to just how squishy I really am. I hadn’t even been the target, yet the spell’s radiance seared like a demon bathed in holy water during an exorcism.
But let’s get one thing straight—this isn’t over! No one messes with my meals and gets away with it. My revenge is going to be epic! I’m talking about legendary spite. And I really, really hope those fuckers have families. Because when I rip them apart, I want it to hurt beyond imagining. Oh yes! I’ll tear through every little piece of their pathetic lives along with their little dogs, too—Hee-hee-hee-hee! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Shit, Blake, what’s wrong with me?
Where to start… Bipolar? Oh, ADHD! Sycophantic? Nah, I’ve stepped up my game in this new life—totally psychopathic! Did I miss anything?
Histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic, serious impulse control, and maybe even borderline dissociative identities—ha, need I go on?
“I don’t have impulse control issues!” I suddenly blurted out, my voice echoing off the stone walls of the deep roads like a bomb in what had been utter silence.
Yes. Yes, I do.
Ugh, I’m such a bitch.
I glanced around, flinching each time my voice echoed back, praying the patrol that had killed my snack hadn’t heard. My words kept repeating until they dwindled to a whisper, “I don’t have impulse control issues! I don’t have impulse control issues! I don’t have impulse control issues!”
Whoops.
Impulse control, am I right?
Shut up! I don’t have impulse control issues.
Yeaaah, I do.
I hastened my pace—this time, however, I scaled the walls with Spider Walk, angling my ascent until I reached the ceiling looming far above in the darkness, ensuring I was safely out of sight in case they returned to investigate the noise.
Reflecting on what those three pricks mentioned about patrolling for any vampires that might have escaped, my mind raced back to that cave-in around the hole I’d been tossed down—especially the burning. That had been a total nightmare! Seriously, I nearly died. And yet... I honestly couldn’t give a rat’s ass about some vamp drama. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad nervous about something happening to Aurelia. Why, you ask? Maybe it’s because she’s drop-dead gorgeous—can you blame me?
What I’d give to shove my tentacle tongue up her.
As I moved, I kept repeating the names of those three, as I remembered them, like a twisted dark mantra, spewing curses with every breath: “Fuzzy-faced short-bitch, Gandalf the asshat, and that fucking elf, Anal-myth.” Over and over, like the world’s worst hit list—“Fuzzy-faced short-bitch, Gandalf the asshat, and that fucking elf, Anal-myth.”
Yes, I know, I’m a spiteful bitch—say something about it, I dare you!
As I continued my little song, I paused to look upward—or downward, really—as a dim light flickered in the distance. A wicked smile spread across my face, guessing who it might be. Ideas twisted and turned in my mind, cooking up a diabolical plan, while a delicious shiver of anticipation zipped through me.
In a swift and dramatic transformation, six spider-like limbs exploded from my back, unfurling like the wings of a demonic angel. I was primed to swoop down on my unsuspecting victims. The deep roads opened before me as I flipped upright, dangling from my six menacing appendages.
I skittered across the ceiling, soaring above like the vaulted arches of a wicked cathedral, with massive pillars that made perfect perches for my ambush. Every move was driven by thoughts of sweet revenge and their delicious skills—especially that damned Death Bolt that had stripped away all my buffs and immunities.
Oh, how I want that skill!
As I neared the clueless quartet, I gracefully descended down a pillar, nestling myself within the deep shadow it cast, utterly concealed from their sight. From this perfect hideout, I watched them with malice sparkling in my eyes, my spider legs quivering with eagerness, ready to pounce in an instant. Their footsteps echoed through the deep roads, their ignorance of the lurking nightmare almost laughable. While rage still boiled over my earlier inability to strike the elf, wizard, and dwarf, I shelved that anger for now. Those idiots would taste my fury later. Right now, my eyes were locked on my original targets—nothing would deter my thirst for vengeance.
I won’t lie; the sheer terror I was about to unleash on those idiots was giving me a thrill, damn near orgasmic. This round’s gonna be different—I’ll catch them off-guard, wipe them out quick, and snatch their skills. I’d absolutely relish toying with them, chewing on their guts while they squirm, but I’ll save that treat for a more intimate one-on-one showdown, not when I’m outnumbered. Been kicked around a bit too much lately.
Maybe I’ll save slowly eating whoever’s the last one standing—yeah, that sounds like a plan!
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Still, it’s smarter to scare the piss out of them first. Maybe a slap of Terror’s Infusion mixed with a dose of Fear will have them pissing themselves. I’ll chop off their heads fast while I’m at it before they can hit me with anything nasty. But hey, that doesn’t mean I can’t have my fun while I’m at it.
With a sinister smile curling my lips, a skill name bubbled up to the surface, as I whispered, “Fear.”
~
Yua’s whisper was a faint rustle in the suffocating silence. “I swear, I heard something.” Her voice trembled, the fear palpable as it constricted her heart.
Ever since their harrowing encounter with that woman in black—who claimed to be a fellow candidate—her nerves had been frayed to their limits. The mere thought of another confrontation made her skin crawl, a sentiment she knew her companions shared.
The four had reluctantly set aside their differences, forming a pact to escape the dungeon’s clutches together, no matter the cost. Even Jason, as stubborn as a jackass, had acquiesced—likely more out of fear of Jeremy’s lightning bolt than any real sense of teamwork. Bound by a fragile alliance fueled by desperation, they naively believed their trials were behind them. Yet, unbeknownst to them, the true nightmare was just beginning to stir in the darkness, poised to strike.
“Be ready for anything,” Jeremy muttered, his voice laced with a foreboding that belied his composed exterior.
He fought to mask the terror brimming in his eyes, determined not to reveal his vulnerability. Like the others, the aftermath of their last brutal encounter had left him on edge. His fists clenched tightly, prepared to unleash Death Bolt at a moment’s notice—the skill he hoped would sustain them until they could flee this cursed abyss.
Heather’s voice cracked as she spoke, her words halting and fraught with fear. “G-Guys, I... I can s-sense something. D-Do you f-feel it too?”
The hairs on her neck stood on end, signaling the presence of something ominous nearby. A heavy sense of dread washed over her, her stomach twisting with anxiety. The air seemed charged with a malevolent force, ready to descend upon them. The terror was so palpable she could almost taste its bitterness, making her nauseous.
Jason scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “I’m surrounded by a bunch of pussies!” His contempt for his fellow adventurers was evident. “As long as it’s not a boss or another of those shapeshifting bitches, we can handle anything this shithole throws at us——hrrrk!”
Heather’s scream, shrill and piercing, tore through the silence of the dark hallway. From the shadows above, a serpentine tentacle descended swiftly. In a grotesque spectacle, it impaled Jason through the mouth, skewering him completely. The tentacle wrapped around his trembling, pissed-coated legs, lifting him effortlessly before hurling him across the chamber. The sickening crunch of his body hitting the wall echoed, his whimpers of agony punctuating the grim silence. Though barely alive, the severity of his internal injuries was unmistakable, and time was running out, each second edging him closer to a grim fate.
“P-p-please, let me l-l-leave this place! I w-want to go home. I want to go home! I W-WANT TO GO HOME!” Heather’s plea was frantic and stuttering, her voice saturated with the terror enveloping them.
A demonic cackle resonated through the cold stone walls, taunting, challenging their resolve, and beckoning them to succumb to fear. Jeremy, heart pounding with dread, fortified his will against the encroaching horror. His resolve ignited a fierce determination, driving him to confront the unseen terror.
“Reveal yourself, you vile creature!” he bellowed, his voice echoing a tumultuous blend of anxiety and fury.
Behind them, Heather’s muffled scream sliced through the air, sending Jeremy and Yua spinning around in alarm. They watched in horror as Heather’s legs kicked desperately, vanishing into the black void above. The shadows tightened their grip, suffocating, foreboding their doom. Yua’s scream, laden with fear and despair, echoed through the halls as she searched the murky depths for any sign of Heather. The void responded with only silence—until seconds later, Heather’s lifeless body plummeted to the ground, crushing Yua beneath its dead weight. Jeremy stood paralyzed, his gaze fixed on Heather’s headless form. The eerie quiet was shattered by Yua’s inconsolable sobs as she clung to her friend’s lifeless body.
“No! No! No!” Yua’s screams reverberated through the deep roads, each cry resonating with raw despair. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably, the sound of her weeping punctuated by heart-wrenching sobs and choked gasps. Clutching the headless corpse that lay atop her, she wailed, “I loved her,” her voice breaking as her words were drenched in anguish. “I—I wanted to escape this place with her.”
“I call forth the rage of the gods, Death Bolt!” Jeremy’s voice quivered with a potent mix of desperation and hope as he unleashed his spell into the void.
The energy crackled through the air, blasting a nearby pillar into rubble. But the darkness’s derisive laughter only intensified, mocking Jeremy’s efforts and deepening his despair.
“Reveal yourself!” he roared, gathering every shred of his strength, waiting for the spell’s cooldown, ready for the next confrontation.
“Now, why would I ruin the fun? The thrill of the unknown is just too delicious to spoil, don’t you think?” A seductive, hypnotic voice taunted from the depths of the enveloping darkness, dripping with playful scorn.
A wave of horror washed over Jeremy as he recognized the voice. “You! How is this possible? You should have perished beneath that rubble! Even if you somehow survived, you shouldn’t have been able to catch up to us,” he growled.
"Ha-ha-ha!" The voice resounded, full of derision, enveloping them from all sides, withholding any explanation.
Frustration surged through Jeremy. They should have dug through the rubble in the boss’s chamber and ensured her end. But grief over Rob’s loss had clouded his mind, throwing him into disarray. Now, he faced his probable demise in these eerie depths. Yua’s heart-wrenching sobs mingled with the deranged cackles of the woman about to end his life.
Yet, a glimmer of hope flickered in Jeremy’s mind, recalling his previous reincarnation in this twisted world. A twisted smile played at his lips as he reluctantly accepted his fate. His time might be up, but perhaps this was just the beginning of another cycle.
Raising his hand, Jeremy aimed and cast his spell. “I call forth the rage of the gods, Death Bolt!”
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the spell at a pillar, then swiftly redirected the energy, obliterating several pillars in an instant.
“Jeremy, what the hell are you thinking?!” Yua cried out, her voice laced with panic.
“Taking that damn monster down with us!” Jeremy declared, his eyes meeting Yua’s with a bittersweet smile.
The ceiling quivered and the walls emitted deep groans as the entire structure shuddered violently overhead. Colossal stone blocks plummeted, crashing down with a bone-rattling force that vibrated through the cavern. Amidst the chaos, Jeremy braced himself, his eyes scanning for any sign of the monstrous entity. The sickening crunch of stone crushing bone extinguished any remaining hope for Jason’s survival. Billowing dust enveloped the space, obscuring the twinkling crystals that once adorned the walls and floor, now casting an eerie, otherworldly glow amidst the devastation.
Then, she emerged from the shadows and dust, her face twisted in a snarl of unbridled fury. Jeremy was simultaneously terrified and captivated by the sheer beauty of her rage.
“You dumbass!” she screeched, hurling Heather’s severed head at Jeremy. The gruesome projectile struck him in the abdomen, knocking him to his knees in pain and horror.
“You... crazy... bitch!” he managed to cough out, each word punctuated with effort and pain. Then darkness swallowed Jeremy whole.
The cacophony of chaos was abruptly silenced, leaving only the lingering sound of the monster’s final expletive-filled scream, “SHHHIT!” resonating through the air as the stone ceiling crashed down upon them.