A feast it was. Being twenty-six years old, I went through basic military training in the United Empire. It is mandatory for anyone in decent health and above fifteen years of age. They teach us about survival, monsters, dungeons, gates, such things basically. There also was a history lesson that nobody paid any mind to.

Something along the lines of gates and dungeons appearing thousands of years ago out of nowhere. But they don't have enough evidence to assure it. It's been so long after all. I'd say it's been like this as far as the Universe existed. Otherwise it would be weird. I understand why they put the blame on aliens. But I mean, come on... what type of civilization would be able to alter laws like this then? Type three? Type four? Type fifty? Type a billion? They're so dumb.

I finish munching on the cooked meat from the campfire I made half an hour ago or so. I can't keep all this meat like this, I heard that drying it helps preserve it? But I think I need salt or something... And it's not like there's any bit of sunlight in this place...

I look up, but indeed, it's still cloudy. I can't even tell where the light is coming from.

"Well, in that case, I can only-" Startled, I immediately turn around, watching a fluctuation in space. It's coming from a levitating blue portal. Of course I knew the exit was right there, but I would just get myself killed. On the other hand, I got lost in thoughts and forgot about the two-way system.

"Shit..." I take hold of the chains, grabbing them from the circular ankle cuffs. They were fine to deal with a big beast like the kitty over there, but against smaller opponents, chains around fifteen meters in length weighting dozens if not hundreds of kilograms are not optimal. At least they aren't too heavy for my stats.

I squint as blue light erupts from the distant portal, watching a dozen people struggle at their knees. I rejoice. These fools! I thought they would be smarter than this. Instead of running away, I take this chance and rush toward the masked men in hazmat suits. But I soon notice two in front with not much discomfort showing. Unfortunately, with the gas masks, I really cannot tell if they are dizzy or not.

But it's fine.

I approach, now a dozen meters away. The two in front get on their feet and face me. Without hesitation they pull out guns from their holsters. "Fire!" Gunpowder ignites and an explosive burst of energy rings out.

I cross my arms to my head and have some of the chains hanging in front of me. Luckily they don't impede my legs as I continue onward. I feel a sharp sting on my forearms and stomach, before this sensation also reaches my thighs. But it's fine, even with a G-Ranked endurance, I can handle bullets of this caliber for a short moment. I just have to be careful with my eyes and nose bridge. These places are sensitive to cause trouble. I also didn't realize until it was too late that my privates are also a problem...

I continue and soon close the distance, their mags are empty as they hastily try to reach for daggers on each side. I manage to stop the one on my right with a punch, the ankle cuff serving as a makeshift knuckleduster. It's wobbly but the power and momentum good enough to most likely crack the man's orbital bone. He groans and land on his back. I don't have much time, as I fumble in slight panic, trying to take hold of at least one dagger.

I hear a couple more gunshots as my left obliques sting a little, before it clicks and I take hold of a small dagger. It's barely palm sized, but still sharp. I think... It should be... I shake my head, clearing the confused thoughts, before pouncing to my side. The man shouts as he panics as well, managing to take his dagger out. But it's too late, my dagger is deep into his neck. I feel vibrations as his muscles tense. But I can't stop now, slashing it apart like a butcher. After the third motion, the dagger snaps in half. Seems like this guy is awakened as well. But his rank should be very low. Maybe these two had talents for spatial perseverance or something, but not good stats overall.

Good for me. I can't waste any more time. With one crying while covering his left eye, to another trying his best to stop the immense bleeding from at least two severed arteries, I keep the broken dagger and rush to the rest of the group.

It may be even shorter, broken and everything like that. But it's most definitely still sharp. It makes me cringe just thinking about the sensation of having this jagged blade in my neck.

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It doesn't take long for me to take two steps forward, immediately hammering the weapon into the necks of everyone. Because of the lacking length, only a couple centimeters long now, I can only use this like a razor blade rather than a dagger. So I slice in all directions, shivering at the feeling of flesh, ligaments, tendons and bones being caught on the chipped blade. It's pretty gross, and it shows on my face, but I keep going. I slash and slice. I keep going until my first victim ends up bloodied like no other. But I'm worried.

I disregard the thought and change victims. There are a total of seven people including the three I just defeated. I need to kill four more.

I hack and slash, five of them dizzy still. Two down out of these five, I keep going. My tank top is not only green now, but red as well. It's a complete mess in the fray, myself mounting agitated cripples trying to understand what's going on.

After a few more grappling moves I'm left with the remaining two. But when my dagger goes for them, I feel it crack. "Shit!" I'm audible, but don't care anymore. My hand doesn't stop as I soon have the blade fully shaved off. I frown, look at it and change target, trying to punch the last one. On contact, I hear a noise I don't like, as if hitting a concrete wall as a child. It hurts, but I can handle this with the remaining adrenaline growing in my system. I realize my mistake and slam the dagger's pommel into his skull, but it also cracks and chips away.

Without much of a choice, I get back up, almost tripping over the sea of squirming legs, before running toward the first victim. At his feet, while he's still struggling, I grab the chains back. One ankle cuff per hand. The dagger might have been more efficient against lower ranked people, but when they are above me, D or E ranked chains are much better.

As I make my way back, this time I trip and fall, but soon get back to my knees, crawling amidst the messy limbs kicking everywhere in confusion. I grumble and take a couple hits to the face and some on my right ankle. But I'm fine.

At the end of my crawl, I'm finally back to the two bastards with iron skin. I let go of the ankle cuffs in the end, and think. They will recover soon, so I have to get this done fast. But strangling someone to death with these chains is going to take a while.

This is no movie, to strangle someone to death, it could take at least ten minutes of continuous pressure. And this pressure has to be well placed as well. In ten minutes, they'll recover fully. Even worse, with their stats, they might hold on for twenty, thirty or many more minutes. I'm in a complete mess.

Because, I already know it, I still have to finish off most of them.

Instead of taking a gamble with time, I must secure my safety and neutralize everyone before attempting a strangulation.

God damn it... I sigh, take a deep breath, receive a kick to the back of the head, and once again take the chains by the ankle cuffs. The first thing is to finish the ones behind... or maybe not... The most dangerous are obviously these two bastards, as I can't gauge their stats. But I also don't want to end up being backstabbed or ganged upon by the first guard and probably most of those with slashed throats.

With a second more passing, I clench my teeth and tense my muscles. I hover above these two big doggies on the ground and swing my right arm far back.

I concentrate and shout as I put my entire weight onto this right fist, slamming with the ankle cuff first on the right one's left knee. I can hear an audible cracking sound, making my face twist, before continuing. After three total blows, I do the same with the remaining knee and the two elbows. Thankfully, these two aren't too agitated, somehow calmer, though they still move around quite a bit. But I'm not one to miss so easily.

With more blows, I do the same to the second dog. I'm beat, but have to continue. Now... I look back and aim for the other ones. These two should be unable to move with crippled limbs, no matter how high their ranks are.

Sometimes I regret not taking lessons on... I freeze. But I don't need lessons... I smile. It will be much easier. Why should I bother with such barbaric means for most of them? I rush back to the first guard and take his dagger before easily slashing his throat. It's deep enough and I feel some resistance. Due to this, I'm almost certain of having done the same to him, as I did to his friend. Slit arteries.

I make my way to the already dead friend, taking his two daggers.

Now armed with three, they should last a while.

I look around the group of wheezing and struggling men, not seeing any women strangely, before taking them on one by one. I take hold of a man, no matter if he is dead or not, before putting him on his ass, getting behind his now slouched back. I take one of the daggers and slash at his spine in all directions, trying to really get in deep between the ridges. My goal is to find some kind of nerve and paralyze them. But I'm not sure if they are left unprotected and decide to also get the ankle cuffs and slam the spine as hard as I possibly can in different places. One near the nape, one between the shoulder blades, one in the middle and one near the coccyx. Before doing the same to the others, I remember something and throw one punch at the base of his skull and another at the base of his neck. Probably won't do much more, but it's better than nothing.

However, all of this took around three to four minutes at minimum. Most likely ten minutes elapsing not being out of the equation. I hear more distinct screams and see them wince at the light. "Shit!" I hurry and punch them half haphazardly in panic, throwing wide haymakers on the back of their skulls and directly on their faces, all the while having the makeshift ankle cuff knuckledusters on.

It's bloody, it's painful, it's messy.