"Master…are you okay? We felt a sudden burst of mana….WHAT THE HELL?!"

Step!. Step!

"What's wrong Kasumi? Why are you shou–....BLOODY HELL!"

"..."

Lucca, trailing the two women, froze in his tracks at their sudden outburst. Confused and inquisitive, he tilted his head, trying to discern what had caused the two women to react this way. And when his eyes met what they saw, his stomach lurched.

The sight before him was something out of a nightmare—a colossal, crimson-skinned figure, cleaved vertically in half, its entrails spilling onto the ground.

Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca stood frozen in shock, their eyes darting between the gruesome scene and each other.

"Huh?...oh, you're here," a voice suddenly resonated from the other side of the room, jolting the trio from their stupor.

Sitting on a rock, holding a brutal-looking cleaver in hand, Aron was resting. His final attack had drained his entire mana pool.

Fortunately for him and every living soul in the city, the impact of that attack hadn't transferred to the real world. If it had, this entire damn city would've been split in half.

'Using that skill recklessly is dangerous,' he recalled from that dimension.

The skill, Echoes of the Forgotten Wars, had two functions, the simpler one regarding control and mana consumption, was the summoning of weapons. Aron could use it to summon spectral forms of any weapon he possessed in that dimension, back here in the real world.

He could summon more than a hundred and control them at will, making it a perfect defense against hordes of enemies. In fact, this aspect of the skill was a cornerstone of Aron's defense plan against the impending monster waves.

The other aspect of the skill was the one he used against Winston. It allowed him to transport himself and his enemy to that dimension.

However, this part of the skill was perilous for Aron. To keep someone trapped in that dimension, Aron had to continually fuel the dimension with his mana, and the amount of mana required to keep another party locked down had to be equal to or slightly greater than their mana.

Aron was unaware of any of this until Winston consumed those three red pills, boosting his mana substantially, and that's where things became dangerous.

If Aron used the skill to transport someone with a larger mana pool than his own, Aron's mana would be instantaneously consumed trying to lock that person in the dimension, leaving him vulnerable. His only option was to deplete his opponent's mana before utilizing the skill.

Aron planned to utilize that skill more frequently since in that dimension, he had complete control over thousands of different types of weapons, all with their unique powers and enchantments at his command.

Upon seeing his companions approaching, Aron rose to greet them. He was about to inquire about their fight with Winston's guards. But then, a faint yet undeniable presence pricked his senses, emanating from the other entrance.

Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca instantly tensed, weapons drawn and pointed toward the source of the approaching presence. Aron, on the other hand, remained calm, observing the approaching figure with his dragon sight.

'He moves oddly,' he thought, narrowing his eyes to analyze the figure's unnatural movement. The figure was humanoid but strange. Aron swiftly realized that his limbs were uneven, his right leg being shorter than his left, and his right arm slightly longer than his left.

As the figure drew closer, its features became more distinct, revealing a face twisted in a grotesque mockery of humanity. Aron's dragon sight allowed him to discern the unnatural energy that pulsed within the figure, a dark aura.

Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca remained on high alert, their weapons poised and ready to strike at a moment's notice. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with anticipation. They couldn't see the figure but could feel his presence and his dark aura.

But before any of them could react, the figure abruptly halted, concealing himself in the shadow of the entrance. He remained silent and motionless, just standing there waiting.

'What is this...feeling?' Aron's mind raced, trying to decipher what he was experiencing right now. He could feel a sense of familiarity emanating from this strange figure.

"Step forward," he addressed the figure, his voice weighty and commanding.

The figure trembled slightly, hesitating, and after a few seconds, he raised his hand pointing at Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca.

"They want to hurt Grunt," he said in a raspy voice, "and Grunt doesn't want to scare you."

"Hmm?" Aron raised an eyebrow, turning to Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca. When he saw that they had their weapons drawn, he gestured for them to relax and lower their weapons.

"No one is going to hurt you here, so come closer," Aron said, his tone softening.

The figure remained motionless for a moment, his shadowed form seemingly weighing the offer. Finally, a small nod appeared in the darkness. "Grunt can sense you're a good man," he rasped. "Grunt will trust you."

With those words, the figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the flickering light of the chamber.

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Aron, Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca all narrowed their eyes at the sight revealed. The figure was short, barely reaching 1.5 meters, his frame obscured by a filthy, dark hooded robe. Yet, even through the robe, the unnatural outline of his body was evident.

His form was grotesquely deformed. Arms and legs stretched to uneven lengths, a hunched back burdened by a hump, and a face partially hidden beneath the hood, but clearly twisted in a mockery of human features.

Despite his unsettling appearance, the figure shuffled closer to Aron, dragging a large, worn leather sack across the ground. Its contents shifted and clicked softly with each step.

"Who are you? And what brings you here?" Aron asked, bending down slightly to meet the figure's gaze.

The figure spoke in a hoarse voice, his words slow and deliberate. "Grunt's name is Grunt." He dropped the heavy sack with a thud and looked up at Aron. "Grunt sensed a fight here, so Grunt came to see."

"See what?" Aron inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Many people fight here," Grunt replied, gesturing towards his bulging sack. "They leave their stuff for Grunt to take." He quickly shook his head, a defensive tremor in his voice. "B-But, Grunt never stole a thing! Grunt only takes from the ground."

Aron regarded Grunt with a mixture of curiosity and sympathy. Despite his unsettling appearance and mannerisms, there was a certain innocence about him, like a lost child in need of guidance.

"I can see that Grunt is a good boy," Aron said gently.

Grunt nodded rapidly, his voice filled with desperate hope. "Yes...Yes! Grunt is a good boy!" Then, his gaze dropped to the floor, his voice barely a whisper. "Others fear Grunt, they say Grunt is evil, but all that Grunt wants...was to have friends."

Something in Aron's chest ached at the loneliness evident in Grunt's voice. He couldn't explain it, but a strange sense of kinship bloomed within him. Perhaps Grunt wasn't just a scavenger, but a kindred spirit, ostracized for his differences.

"You're not evil, Grunt," Aron said firmly, his voice filled with conviction. "You're just misunderstood. And if you want friends, I can be your friend."

Grunt's eyes widened in astonishment as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "Friend?" he echoed the word carrying a weight of longing and disbelief.

Aron nodded, a warm smile softening his features. "Yes, Grunt. Four new friends. I'm Aron," then he pointed to his companions, "This beautiful young lady here is named Kasumi."

Kasumi offered a light bow, a sly smile flashing on her face, hearing Aron's complimentary words.

"And this is Viper, she's..." Aron glanced at her for a moment before turning back to Grunt "She's just an extra, okay"

"Eh?" Viper was momentarily speechless, and before she got the chance to say anything, Aron continued.

"And that is Lucca, he's an extra too"

"..."

Grunt blinked in surprise. "Grunt has friends?" he asked, not quite believing Aron's words.

Aron nodded reassuringly. "Yes, Grunt. You have friends now."

Grunt was silent for a whole minute, just staring in shock at Aron. Then, a wide grin spread across his face, and he burst into a fit of laughter, jumping around in joy.

"YES! Grunt has friends...Grunt has talking friends now!"

"Talking friends?" Aron inquired, confused by the term.

Grunt nodded, happiness evident in his tone, "Yes…Yes, Grunt has other friends by they are silent friends they don't talk like you"

Aron chuckled softly at Grunt's enthusiasm, and before he could get the chance to say anything, Grunt picked up his sack, gesturing for them to follow.

"Come…Grunt wants you to meet his silent friends, and Grunt wants to show you where Grunt lives…Come…Come"

With a shared glance between them, Aron, Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca exchanged nods of agreement, intrigued by Grunt's invitation. Despite the oddity of the situation, there was an undeniable curiosity tugging at their hearts, urging them to follow Grunt and discover more about his world.

"Lead the way, Grunt," Aron said, his voice gentle yet filled with determination.

Grunt's face lit up with delight at their acceptance, his uneven limbs moving with an unexpected grace as he shuffled forward, beckoning for them to follow.

As they ventured deeper into the dimly lit tunnel, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and decay, Grunt chattered excitedly, his hoarse voice echoing off the walls.

"Grunt's silent friends live here, deep in the tunnels where nobody bothers them," he explained, gesturing towards the maze of passageways that stretched out before them. "They don't like noise or strangers, but Grunt told them you're nice people, so they won't mind."

Aron exchanged a meaningful glance with his companions, silently communicating their readiness to proceed with caution. While Grunt's enthusiasm was infectious, they couldn't ignore the underlying sense of danger that lurked in the shadows.

Their journey continued until they reached a rusty steel door. Without hesitation, Grunt pushed the door open, revealing a chamber bathed in an eerie, soft glow. The walls were lined with strange, pulsating crystals that cast shifting shadows across the room.

In the center stood a massive collection of scavenged items. Broken swords, pieces of wood, glass, crystals, clothes, and many more strange objects lay scattered about.

"Welcome to Grunt's home," Grunt announced proudly, his voice echoing off the tunnels' walls.

As Aron and his companions stepped inside, they tensed up immediately. Standing amidst the collection of junk were three undead skeletons, their empty eye sockets staring vacantly ahead.

"Oh...silent friends," Grunt said, approaching them happily. "Come meet my new talking friends."

The three skeletons turned their bony heads towards the newcomers. For a fleeting moment, crimson flames flickered within their empty sockets when their gazes landed on Aron. Then, in a gesture that surprised everyone, the undead skeletons abruptly dropped to one knee, bowing low to him.

As the undead skeletons dropped to one knee and bowed before Aron, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted. Aron, Kasumi, Viper, and Lucca exchanged surprised glances, their initial wariness giving way to cautious curiosity.

"Um...what just happened?" Lucca whispered, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Hmm...my silent friends are polite today, Grunt is happy," Grunt mumbled as he shuffled to the side, dropping his sack with a thud.

"Is he a necromancer?" Viper whispered, her voice laced with suspicion.

"Maybe?" Kasumi replied, her voice uncertain. "If so that explains the dark aura"

Aron, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the three skeletons. A strange sense of familiarity emanated from them, similar to the feeling he got from Grunt.

'What is the meaning of this?' he thought inwardly.

"Come sit," Grunt beckoned, pulling out a surprisingly decent-looking couch from the clutter.

"Grunt wants to offer his new friends some food or drink, but..." Grunt's voice trailed off as he wiped the dust off the couch.

"What's wrong, Grunt?" Aron asked, approaching him with concern.

"Eh?...nothing," Grunt stammered. "It's just...Grunt hasn't been able to find food for three days." He then raised his head and gazed at the wall to his right. "Maybe Grunt needs to travel to the other side for food?"

Aron followed his gaze and saw a steel plate covering half of the wall. The plate was old and rusty, with an intricate map of the underground sewers etched onto its surface. The rust seemed to have little effect on the map's details.

'Interesting' A spark of interest ignited in Aron's eyes as he saw the detailed map. He quickly reached into his inventory and retrieved a warm, delicious sandwich, offering it to Grunt.

Grunt hesitated for a moment, but when he saw the warm smile on Aron's face, he accepted the sandwich with a grateful bow, a tear glistening in his eye.

Aron then approached the steel map, his eyes glued to every detail. Suddenly, his foot stumbled upon something strange. It was a bizarre-looking horn crafted from bone. The mouthpiece resembled a finger, and the bell end was fashioned from a human jawbone.

Aron swiftly bent down to pick up the object, and the moment his finger touched the horn, a system message materialized before him:

[Object detected: Horn of the Damned]