{Passageway 2}

"What just happened?" A lanky figure cloaked in a jet-black cloak stood there flabbergasted.

After following the source of the harsh shrieks, the man came across the source to find something that truly struck fear in him.

Potentially "His" spirit, the lanky man grumbled, "Regardless, if he's enough of an idiot to use that damn beast, why?!"

The man's head was muddled as he pondered inside the dark cave in confusion, "But more so, what was that shriek?"

The mini-boss looked out towards the exit through which the rampaging creatures left, "And why do I feel like that boy is involved?.." he squinted his eyes toward the ground as he stroked his chin.

Alas, contemplating alone wouldn't give him the answers he needed, and the boss strictly said even if just the boy's corpse to bring him back alive, 'Truly a pervert', as he wrinkled his nose in disgust at the atrocious actions that to this moment still stained his memory.

The man left through the tiny hole in which he came; trails of orange goop splashed across the ground as he came out and then continued up the slanted slope.

Finally, after coming out of the dark cave, the man's deep green eyes widened in shock.

The expansive cavern that looked to be filling hundreds and hundreds of hulking rats before was now bare and empty, with specks of orange tainting a large portion of the floor.

He gulped, 'What did that shriek mean for all of them to leave like this?', the lanky figure continued looking around, 'And what or who could it have done to piss 'em off?'

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{Meanwhile... Passageway 5}

"For a rat prince, you sure do taste the same as the rest of em."

CHOMP!

Blood gushed into the air, staining the boy's grey hair as he walked across the dim, red passageway.

A sly smile spread across Oz's face, "Though... you sure are juicy!"

A spicy cinnamon flavor swirled around his tonsils igniting his taste buds and causing him to cough lightly.

"Damn, guess you got more of a kick to ya!"

He chucked lightly as it died off to a more solemn atmosphere.

SSSSS

Oz glanced down at the sizzling sound and smell of burning flesh to reveal the bite mark on his hand, "Damn!" he frowned.

He looked around the bloodstained passageway that retraced his own bloody footsteps, along with some additional steps not belonging to him.

Yet, that aside he couldn't help but think back to how he got here.

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{Flashback to Moments Ago}

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[Fuse FuriRat Prince Bloodline?]

[Element: Fire (Variant)]

[Rank: 1]

[Grade: Low (High)]

"Woah."

Oz had no other words.

Had he finally hit the jackpot?

"Hehehe", an ugly, perverted grin spread across his face.

'Will I finally be able to kick that pervert's ass?" Oz swung his leg in a kicking motion as he punched the air and made explosion sounds with his mouth.

He smugly crossed his arms, "And this means I can finally cook meat too!"

The boy air-pumped triumphantly.

'I think it may be time for me t-'

SSSSSS

The sound of burning flesh stirred his attention as his eyes shot down to look at his hand where the bite mark was slowly starting to fester with an orange glow.

Bit by bit corroding Oz's flesh as he stared in horror.

"Fuk, fuk, fuk, fuk!"

He ran around like a chicken with its head cut off, yet he may soon have his entire body singed off.

Finally, as Oz frantically scrambled around the room in search of a solution to prevent him from becoming a human torch, he spotted a small puddle near the center of the room where he had previously caused the tsunami.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Yes!" the boy's eyes brightened as he zoomed over and dunked his hand into the puddle that could barely fit his entire backhand.

SSSSSSS

Eventually, the burning sound died down, and Oz exhaled in relief.

Finally, he turned back to the rat-prince corpse that had been flattened to the width of a pancake.

He plucked up his snack and stared at it longingly a hungry gaze in his eyes, the option to obtain the bloodline still available for selection.

[Fuse FuriRat Prince Bloodline?]

[Element: Fire (Variant)]

[Rank: 1]

[Grade: Low (High)]

A smile spread across his face, "What better than the prince? I think I wi-"

SSSSSS

"Wuh?" Oz turned his head yet again to see the burning mark reappearing and eating at his flesh once more.

"How the hell?.."

Oz didn't scream nor panic this time, as he was just genuinely confused.

SSSSSS

The little mark continued eating away at the boy, causing the aroma of burning flesh to rise into his nostrils.

He shot a glance at the flattened rat in his hand and angrily slammed it into the ground, "Damnit!"

The boy raced back to the tiny pond that had all but dissolved with barely enough evaporating up before the sizzling sound seized.

"I gotta find somewhere to take care of this, and there's no telling when reinforcements are gonna arrive."

He snatched up the abused corpse like a ragdoll and ran out towards the exit, heading back towards the cave expanse.

BLOOOKSH

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Oz was once more spat back onto the main passageway.

The boy took the time to find his barrings, he looked down at the deceased rat in hand before carefully analyzing the passageways in front of him.

'I gotta deal with this burn otherwise I'm toast... not to mention I don't know what's lingering in those other tunnels or if that lackey's teammates are there.'

He pondered and looked over at each gate, 'Best bet is going back through the 6th to find a solution there and get my shite together then the leveling up continues!'

With that he jumped into the right most passageway, the black goop swallowing him up hastily.

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Finally, after coming out through the passageway to the area in which he cramped by comparison, his eyes widened in response to what awaited him.

"Hehehehehehe", a humanoid man covered in spots of red fur sat there quivering incessantly as crude giggles surfaced from his disfigured lips, "W-w-w-weelcoooome"

An unpleasant tune rang out of his mouth, his words coming out like a broken cassette tape, a glitched being, one that shouldn't exist.

The man's green eyes stained with specks of red glanced up towards Oz, "L-l-l-loooooks liiiike I-I-I", the man began quivering again holding his stomach before bursting out in laughter.

"BWAAHAHAHAHAHAA!"

Oz just stood there in awe, crept and frightened by such a strange-looking being, his fight or flight mechanisms conflicting.

Friend? Foe? Human?

Words began to surface out of the creature's mouth once again, "F-f-f-foooound…", a malicious smile spread across his face as sudden realization struck Oz who began to slowly back up, "YOU!"

The man leaped across the cavern straight toward Oz, a claw enshrouded in flames to seal the boy's fate.

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{Moments Before... at the Dung Den}

Roaring winds rushed throughout the forest and past the wooden fence nearly sweeping the men outside off their feet.

The men working the yards of the Dung Den shielded their faces from the flying debris, "Lookin' like a windier day than usual, huh bois?"

One of the inmates called out as the others nodded in agreement and continued their work, scooping fecal matter up from the floor, none the wiser to the entity that had just slipped past them.

In the far interiors of the Den, at a shack much larger than the surrounding ones the gust of wind swirled towards the door causing the voice to call out, "Grr, well you're here now. Come in!"

WOOOSH!

The wind slipped under the door forming into a muscular human body donning a color white shirt and sharp green eyes.

There on his bed with an unconscious nude body strung across his lap lay a plump red-headed man whose bright red eyes beamed at the man across from him.

"Didn't think someone as high up as you would ever set foot here", he mocked before squinting his eyes, "Waddya want ya bastard?"

The muscular guest held a stern look at the man before glancing around, "Surprised to see you living so well in a hellhole like this."

The pervert grinned and shrugged his shoulders, "I manage, waddya want?" as the muscular man's gaze shifted to the pile of bodies in the corner.

The man began walking over to inspect closer, but a wave of heat pushed against him.

"Hey, ain't it already rude to come uninvited? Now ya tryna walk through my house?"

A pulsing wave of heat swept forth, the aroma of burning wood wafting through.

"I'll ask, one… more…. time."

The two held a death stare towards one another.

One of rage, the other of stern nonchalance.

"Why… are ya here?"

The muscular man across from him closed his eyes and sighed before opening them and looking into the pervert's eyes once more.

"I'm here for the boy."

The pervert raised his eyebrows feigning surprise, "A boy? Here in this Monster Lair? We both know that's ab-"

The muscular man slammed his fist into the house wall sending a breeze of frigid air upwards through the room, "You lying bastard! We both know who I'm talking about!"

The pervert's eyebrows furrowed in rage, "Ya got some gall to try somethin' in my place!"

Balls of flames started to arise from his hands, and the mysterious lamp above started shaking.

Once the man saw the lamp begin to shake, he stopped his winds, lowering his head.

"I-I apologize for letting my anger get the best of me."

The pervert snorted in response, "Serves ya right, ya always were a bitch with a temper, probably hadda whore've mother teachin' ya manners. Gagagaga!"

The muscular man's veins bulged across his head upon hearing familial disrespect from such a disgusting being, yet he took another glance at the now-still lamp above.

Still shining with its mysterious light, 'Damn…'

The pervert wiped the saliva from his laughter off his face and barked out, "I got nothin' for ya, ain't seen no kid around here, now beat it!"

As he firmly gripped the bare ass of the body in his bed.

The muscular man wrinkled his nose in disgust and hatred at the man and started to dissolve into wind as he spoke one last warning, "You best hope we don't meet out of this sanctum you're trapped in."

The pervert only grinned back, "Believe me, I look forward to it", as the man dissolved from where he stood breezing back past the inmates sending another chill down their spine, and heading back to his bird colleague.

Back in the room, the pervert growled, "Bones, ya better hurry up and find that newbay…"

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As the inmates continued scooping they whispered to one another, "Ay, fellas, ya wonder why we felt a breeze, a heat, a strong wind, then a really strong heat, and then a breeze again?"

The group of men all looked at one another inquisitively before one smiled and whispered, "Maybe the Big Boss has diarrhea."

BWAHAHA

Laughter erupted from the group of men before they shushed each other and continued their menial work.

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