The sunset painted the sky with golden and crimson hues as the slanting rays of the sun caressed the walls of the Overblown Castle. A solemn and tense atmosphere hovered in the main courtyard, where the Wyolanders had silently gathered, forming a corridor leading to a dimensional portal.
Parabellum advanced with a martial stride, an aura of authority surrounding him like an invisible cloak. His face showed a joy akin to a kid receiving a new toy, a sight that made Marshmallow's stomach turn.
Damn bastard... If it were up to me, I'd take you out in no time.
With precise and measured gestures, he manipulated the Prismatronic Core, activating the device. A moment later, to the general astonishment, an iridescent fissure opened in the air, revealing a dimensional portal vibrating with iridescent energy, its shifting surfaces refracting light like a giant prism.
"The portal is now open," Parabellum's voice broke the silence solemnly, "you can only cross it accompanied by the Goat Horse, as it is your steed. No one else can come with you."
Marshmallow nodded with determination. By his side, the Goat Horse stood in its humanoid form but would soon be ready to transform into a steed ready to follow its rider to infinity and beyond.
Along the corridor formed by the gathered Wyolanders, Marshmallow's gaze settled on the other four A Ranks. Raven and Voltran, his mentors, greeted him with a smug smile, their eyes shining with pride for the incredible strength he had achieved. Aurelia, on the other hand, remained impassive, arms crossed and expression indecipherable.
And then there was Lynx, with her wild red hair like the tongues of an untamable flame. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to vanish around them, leaving them alone in a bubble of intense silence.
From the crowd, Dam and Samantheye made their way to reach Marshmallow. Dam, with his three distinct tails protruding sharply in the crowd, gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder and a ripple of an encouraging smile. "Make the Wyolanders proud!" he exclaimed with a voice mixed with farewell and encouragement. "Tear that damn dungeon apart!"
Next to him, Samantheye watched Marshmallow with her crimson eyes and an enigmatic smile curving her lips. "Make sure to come back to us safe and sound." Her usual cool demeanor was still there, as usual.
"Don't worry. Nothing frightens me anymore. I'll be back without a doubt!" He responded firmly to the two, with the look of someone who has their life in their grasp. Then, his gaze shifted back to Lynx. For a long moment, they remained so, wrapped in that bubble of silence charged with unspoken emotions, before Marshmallow took a deep breath and turned towards the dimensional rift.
"Hang in there, Legend," the girl whispered with fiery hair, her voice weak but like a thread of warmth amid the growing cold of the evening air.
In the general turmoil, Marshmallow couldn't hear what the girl had said, but he managed to read her lips. The first step to becoming a legend is feeling like you deserve it, and Marshmallow knew that all too well. Now he was ready for the ultimate test: The Depths of Vesuvietna.
He focused completely, his goal clear in his mind. His expression had turned into a mask of icy determination as he strode towards the iridescent portal. The Goat Horse, the companion that had been with him since the days of Ashenwood, followed him.
Together, they crossed the threshold of the portal, vanishing into the vortex of light and energy. The shifting fissures closed behind them, leaving the Wyolanders gathered to stare at the point where they had disappeared, a mix of admiration, concern, and hope in their hearts.
***
Marshmallow and the Goat Horse emerged from the dimensional rift, and their world suddenly changed. They found themselves immersed in Vesuvietna, a veritable fiery realm located in the southeast, ruled by a character known as King Balor the Immortal. He was said to be the most powerful boss of the entire Survivor Game.
Expanses of boiling lava pits stretched as far as the eye could see, while smoking hills of solidified magma rose like enormous vents. The air was saturated with toxic vapors and sulfur, making the environment unlivable for anyone not native to this hellish place. But to Marshmallow, none of this seemed to cause any trouble. His training in the Crypt of Valor had prepared him for this and much more.
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The Goat Horse, however, appeared less comfortable. "I'm already starting to melt here," he muttered, casting a worried glance at Marshmallow.
Marshmallow dismissed him casually. "Knock it off," he retorted with a dismissive tone. "With your tank-like features, a bit of heat shouldn't bother you. Weren't you designed to accompany whoever found and saved you anywhere, right?"
That settled the matter. Marshmallow and the Goat Horse continued on foot, navigating through the boiling magma. The heat was stifling, and the air was unbreathable for anyone not accustomed to this infernal environment. After what seemed like an eternity, they found themselves before gigantic obsidian doors, the entrance to the Depths of Vesuvietna.
"So, we've arrived," Marshmallow said, looking at the imposing doors with an impassive expression.
The Goat Horse snorted loudly. "How can you stay so calm? This place is worse than hell!"
Marshmallow gave him a sideways glance. "I'll tell you again. Will you stop complaining? Otherwise, I'll leave you here to roast. I thought you were used to the heat, being a goat demon."
"Sure, but there's a limit to everything!" the Goat Horse protested. "This temperature is simply ridiculous!"
Before Marshmallow could reply, the obsidian doors creaked open with a thunderous noise, like a chasm into hell itself. Incandescent jets of lava spurted from the corridor walls, while from the depths rose screams of agony and suffering, foretelling unspeakable horrors.
The Goat Horse swallowed hard. "Did you hear that? I-I don't like this at all..."
Marshmallow merely nodded, his gaze fixed on the opening before them. "Let's go," he said simply, heading towards the entrance without hesitation. The Goat Horse, reluctantly, swallowed and felt compelled to follow. After all, that was his role.
As soon as Marshmallow and the Goat Horse crossed the threshold, a horde of wormsaurs with bodies covered in volcanic scales burst forth from streams of incandescent magma. The immense creatures, with their gaping jaws, spat tongues of fire and poisonous gases in their direction in a frenzied assault.
Unblinkingly, Marshmallow summoned his mighty Titan Hammer from his amulet, the immense blunt weapon that only his Herculean strength allowed him to wield. With fluid and expert movements, he deflected the fiery blasts, spinning the Titan Hammer as if it were an extension of his own body. Then, with a lightning-fast spin, he counterattacked forward, slashing the air with his massive weapon.
The floor trembled as the Titan Hammer struck with all its destructive force. A powerful cleave bifurcated the first wormsaurs as if they were mere twigs, their flesh torn and the volcanic debris of their bones flying in every direction.
The wormsaurs fell like ripe pears to the destructive blows of the Titan Hammer, but Marshmallow did not lose focus and reset himself on guard, ready to face the next wave of enemies. His expression was unflappable as if the intensity of the battle was merely a stroll for him. There was no trace of effort or fatigue on his icy face.
The Goat Horse stayed a few steps back, watching with wide eyes as Marshmallow unleashed his devastating power. "H-How did he get all this monstrous strength?" he stammered, his eyes fixed on the imposing figure of his companion. "He's practically another person now... he's easily reached the level of an A Rank, if not beyond!"
As more ranks of wormsaurs emerged from the magma pools, Marshmallow prepared to face them. A veil of crimson energy began to wrap around him as if he were channeling his own combative aura into a lethal weapon.
Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the air, making even the Goat Horse stagger backward in shock. From the depths of a fissure in the ground, an immense shape began to emerge, resembling a huge worm with a gaping mouth.
"What the hell is that?!" the Goat Horse cried out, his eyes wide with terror.
Indeed, it was a truly nauseating creature. Slime dripped from it everywhere, and the stench of acid and filth it emitted merged with the sulfurous odors of the cave, creating an olfactory cacophony. Marshmallow, however, remained unflappable. The Titan Hammer was still raised in a combat stance. The huge creature continued to rise, revealing teeth sharp as swords and a forked tongue that hissed in the scorching air.
Without a moment's hesitation, Marshmallow raised his left arm. Particles of light began to coalesce in front of him, forming a sphere of blinding, incandescent energy. With a fluid motion, he hurled the sphere forward, unleashing a beam of pure destructive force that streaked through the air like an incandescent bullet. The impact was instant and devastating.
The beam of light struck the giant monster straight in its enormous mouth, penetrating its jaws and continuing its trajectory in an explosion of heat and blinding light. In the blink of an eye, the entire creature was obliterated, its massive bulk torn apart and vaporized in a nanosecond.
When the light dissipated, nothing remained but a smoking crater, while Marshmallow lowered the Titan Hammer with an unchanged expression. The Goat Horse was left gaping, his eyes wide with shock at the display of absolute power.
"I-Incredible..." he murmured weakly. At that moment, he realized that Marshmallow had truly reached heights of strength bordering on the supernatural. No challenge seemed too daunting for him anymore.