Dungeon, 24th Floor, Pantry.
Just like the areas Riezel and the others had passed through before, this place too had been consumed by green, flesh-like walls, transforming it into a vast space surrounded by disgusting layers of pulsating flesh.
In what had once been a rocky cavern, countless buds of various sizes hung from the walls and even the ceiling, clustered so densely that the sight itself was unnerving.
*Pa-ta—*
*Pa-ta—*
Amid the sticky, dripping sounds, some of the buds hanging on the flesh-like walls remained still, while others slowly opened—first unfolding into brilliantly colored blossoms, then slipping free, dropping to the ground as if giving birth to a new life.
One by one, grotesque creatures with flower-shaped heads and multicolored petals were born, hitting the ground with wet thuds.
Without a doubt, they were man-eating flower monsters that Revis called Violas.
And this enormous cavern was producing them—like a nursery bed, constantly spawning new monsters that crawled and writhed in every corner of the space.
Yet this repulsive sight failed to capture even a sliver of attention from Riezel or Ais, who had just rushed in, since their focus had already been seized entirely by the massive red quartz pillar before them.
It stood at least thirty meters tall, its entire body crystalline and translucent like glass, glowing faintly red as it pulsed with energy.
In fact, the quartz pillar was the core of the Pantry, serving not only as the backbone sustaining the entire structure but also as the source that secreted nutrient fluid for the Dungeon's monsters to feed on.
However, that magnificent pillar was now tightly wrapped by three enormous monsters that resembled the man-eating flower monster Violas, yet far larger and more vivid than the usual kind.
Each had a dazzling, vividly colored blossom for a head, and their massive bodies rivaled even the largest of monsters in both size and weight.
From their bloated forms extended countless vine-like tendrils that entwined around the red crystal pillar, as though feeding upon it, draining the nutrients that sustained the Pantry itself—the sight evoked the sickening image of parasites sucking the blood of their host.
Meanwhile, the tendrils and roots of these enormous monsters spread across the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling, merging to form the green, flesh-like walls that filled the chamber.
Without question, it was these colossal man-eating flower monsters that had transformed the entire area into this grotesque, living space.
"This is…"
Even Ais, who was known for her emotional detachment, couldn't help but tense her expression at the horrifying scene.
Riezel too furrowed his brows, visibly disturbed by what he saw.
After a brief moment, he turned his gaze toward the two figures standing before the quartz pillar.
"Tch…" Revis spoke darkly, her tone full of irritation. "You've caught up already?"
As she spoke, the man in white beside her paused mid-motion, his hand hovering over a glowing jewel, then turned to face Riezel and Ais.
Revis felt a surge of anger rise within her.
She had already ordered him to retreat with the 'Jewel Fetus,' yet he had stopped at the worst possible moment.
Clearly, the man still wasn't ready to leave—he wanted the Jewel Fetus to absorb more nutrients first.
'Foolish bastard.'
Even though she didn't meet the man's eyes, Revis's glare burned with fiery rage and icy contempt.
"Hahahaha—!"
Oblivious to Revis's fury, the man let out a shrill, deranged laugh beneath his skull-shaped helmet before speaking.
"Welcome to the nursery of Violas, adventurers of the Loki Familia."
He spoke with a calm, confident tone, as if greeting guests rather than enemies.
"…Who are you?"
Ais raised her sword, Desperate, pointing its tip toward both the man and Revis, her eyes sharp with wariness.
"Me?" The man chuckled softly. "I'm the one chosen by 'Her'—the new life destined to bring change to this world."
"New life?"
Ais didn't understand his words, but they reminded her of something Riezel had said earlier.
"You're... not human?"
Her voice was tight, her expression firm.
"Oh?" The man seemed briefly surprised, then laughed arrogantly, as if speaking from atop a throne. "Smart girl. You actually realized we aren't human."
Needless to say, his words confirmed Riezel's earlier claim.
Evidently, neither Revis nor the man in white before them was human.
"What are you, then?"
Ais's gaze was cold, her tone cutting as she regarded them like foreign creatures.
"What are we?" The man sneered, spreading his arms proudly. "Man and monster—a combination that now exists beyond both—two opposing natures fused into one. We are the supreme existence of this world!"
A combination of man and monster?
Ais was dumbfounded, but the man didn't give her time to think, his tone growing fervent—fanatical even—as he continued preaching like a mad zealot.
"We have the intelligence and ability of humans, and the brute strength and durability of monsters. We are the chosen ones—'Her' most devout guardians, pitiful souls saved by 'Her' mercy."
"Of course, you wouldn't understand. You don't know how great we are, nor how exalted 'She' is."
"But that's fine—you'll understand soon enough."
"When we destroy that wretched tower, when we wipe out that detestable city, and when 'She' returns to the surface bathed in sunlight, you'll all witness 'Her' glory and magnificence."
Right after saying this, the man snapped his fingers.
*Snap!*
"Awaken, Viscum. Devour these uninvited pests, turn them into nutrients, and give birth to more of your kind."
At his command, one of the three giant man-eating flowers entwined around the quartz pillar began to move.
*Rumble—*
With a low vibration, the colossal monster lifted its head, turning its vividly colored petals toward Riezel and Ais.
It made no roar—no sound at all.
Silently, it withdrew its countless vine-like tendrils from the quartz pillar, tearing away from the red crystal and the surrounding flesh-like walls—the sound of ripping flesh filling the cavern and a wave of nauseating stench following as the gigantic creature fully detached itself before...
*BOOM!*
Its long, thick, and sinuous body crashed to the ground, landing between the man in white and Revis, shielding them behind it—the impact shook the entire cavern chamber, raining dust and debris from the ceiling.
A monster on par with a Monster Rex had awakened, and with a single motion, it charged forward, sending tremors through the ground.
Its advance mimicked an earthquake—thunderous, unstoppable, like the world itself collapsing—as the massive man-eating flower monster known as Viscum rushed along the floor with overwhelming force, slamming straight into the passage entrance from which Riezel and Ais had come.
*BOOM!*
In the next second, the impact shattered the broad passage like a heavenly pillar crashing down, unleashing a storm-like shockwave that hurled rubble and dust in every direction—the explosion and quake spread outward from the Pantry, shaking the entire 24th Floor.
Members of the Hermes Familia fighting a horde of Violas in the nearby passage were caught completely off guard—thrown to the ground as if struck by a massive earthquake.
"W-What the hell?!"
"What's going on now?!"
"What happened this time?!"
All of them cried out in panic—Lulune and Meryl looked on the verge of tears, clearly exhausted by the string of irregular disasters.
*SCREEEEEECH—!!!*
Even the Violas were swept up in the quake—their massive bodies slammed into walls and ceilings, leaving huge craters as chunks of debris fell, crushing several of them beneath the rubble.
"Damn it!"
Asfi leapt into the air, tapping her boots together before wings sprouted from them, allowing her to hover above the chaos.
"What on earth is happening in the Pantry?"
Her face darkened as she saw cracks spreading through the corridor walls, ceiling, and floor—branching like spiderwebs.
"Not good—it's going to collapse!"
Realizing this, Asfi wasted no time giving orders.
"RUN! EVERYONE, GET OUT!"
With that, she grabbed Lulune and Meryl by the arms and took off ahead.
"C-Captain!"
"RUN!"
"LET'S GO!"
Meanwhile, the other members of the Hermes Familia screamed, then scrambled after her in a panic, running for their lives.
*Rumble—*
The green, flesh-like passage collapsed amid the quake, and soon, the entire passageway was reduced to nothing but ruins.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 500 Power Stones.]
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