Chapter 38: The Horrors Beyond the Door

The weight of their survival lingered like a heavy fog over Niko and the others. They had barely escaped the calamity of the pigs, but now a new, suffocating anxiety settled over them as they entered an unfamiliar room deep within the mountain. It was dimly lit by the yellow hue of two lanterns, casting long, eerie shadows on the walls. Though there was relief in having survived, the reality of being in a place they knew nothing about brought back the tension.

The room itself was strange, littered with old, empty chairs and cables hanging from the ceiling like veins. The light from the lanterns couldn’t reach the far corners of the room, leaving patches of darkness that seemed to breathe and shift on their own. On the opposite side of the entrance stood a wooden door, old but sturdy, with spherical patterns that the light only partially revealed.

Niko’s mind raced as he tried to take in his surroundings and the people with him. His [Celestial Probe] gave him a clear understanding of their strengths, and what he found was shocking. Dharma, the quiet monk who had been summoned alongside Niko, was already level nine with the same skill called [Demonic Whirlwind Palm]. The man was a monster, leagues ahead of Niko and his group. Priya and Singh were also strong, both at level eight, wielding powerful combat abilities. In contrast, Niko’s group was still scraping by at lower levels. It was humbling and unsettling.

Just as they began to explore the space, a sudden scream shattered the silence.

“Ahh!”

Andrea leaped back, fists raised, eyes wide with terror. Her reaction sent a shockwave of tension through the group. Ivanic, ever calm, stepped forward, slowly bringing his lantern toward the source of her fear.

As the light spread, illuminating more of the room, their hearts collectively sank.

There, in a chair at the far end of the room, slumped the corpse of a man. His lifeless body was hunched over, his eyes and mouth gaping wide in a grotesque expression of surprise—or was it horror? His head hung to one side, and his body told a tale of unspeakable brutality. The eyes were missing, leaving two gaping black holes that stared into nothingness. His tongue had been ripped out, leaving his mouth frozen in a hideous, eternal scream, and worst of all, his privates had been mutilated, leaving another black void where they should have been.

Small, circular bite marks littered his pale, naked body, each surrounded by dried blood. Whatever had attacked him hadn’t been in a hurry. The wounds were deliberate, methodical. Whoever—or whatever—did this had taken its time.

A collective gasp filled the room. Even though they had seen death before, this was different. This was cruel, calculated, and twisted in a way that felt far too personal.

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Niko felt his stomach turn, and for the first time in a while, true fear gripped him. The sight was more than grotesque—it was a warning. His hands trembled slightly as he tried to use [Celestial Probe] on the corpse, but the information it gave back was vague and unhelpful. The skill couldn’t answer the questions racing through his mind. What happened to this man? How long had he been dead? And most importantly—what did this to him?

The sound of water dripping slowly from somewhere deeper in the room only added to the suffocating silence. Each drop felt like an echo of doom. Everyone was on edge, scanning the room, wondering if they were next. Niko’s heart pounded in his chest, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadows seemed to shift unnaturally, and every small noise sent a spike of panic through his system.

“He didn’t die long ago,” Ivanic said, his voice barely above a whisper, breaking the silence. He crouched down to inspect the body more closely, his face grim. “Whatever did this… it wasn’t one thing. It was many. And they were ruthless.”

The word “many” sent a chill down everyone’s spine. A single enemy was bad enough, but a horde?

Zheng shuddered, his voice barely holding steady. “Many…? That’s even worse.”

Niko's anxiety spiked, and he found himself scanning the room again, every nerve on high alert. His mind raced with possibilities. What kind of creatures would do this? Why hadn’t they noticed the body before? Were they next?

Just as Singh tried to break the tension with a weak attempt to lighten the mood, he suddenly froze, his eyes locked on the old wooden door across the room.

“Did anyone else see that?” Singh asked, pointing at the door, his voice laced with fear.

Fumito frowned, confused. “See what?”

“The door… it moved,” Singh said, his voice tight with dread.

The words hung in the air, sending a fresh wave of fear through the group. Niko’s heart rate spiked again as he turned to face the door. For a moment, nothing happened. Then it started—a faint tremor, barely noticeable at first, but soon the door began to shake violently. The hinges groaned under the pressure, and the wooden panels quivered as something on the other side banged relentlessly against it.

Bang.

Bang.

The sound grew louder and more insistent with each passing second. Everyone instinctively stepped back, weapons drawn, eyes wide with terror. Sweat poured down their faces as the realization set in—whatever was behind that door was trying to get in.

“What… what’s out there?” Andrea whispered, her voice barely audible.

The door shook harder, the force behind the blows increasing. Niko could feel the fear radiating from the others, a fear he shared. His mind raced, trying to figure out what to do. The corpse in the chair was a grim reminder of what could happen if they weren’t careful.

Bang.

The door rattled on its hinges, and the air grew thick with tension. Niko’s knuckles whitened as he gripped his weapon tightly, bracing for whatever was about to break through.

They couldn’t catch a break. Something was out there, and it was about to come in.