Chapter 21 — Deeper than Fear
Oreario. The guild. Morning.
Hulk stood next to Ais, Riveria, and Beta at the mission board.
"This is an S—level assignment..." Riveria said softly. — Deep floors. The 37th.
"The monsters started mutating," Bethe added, "and one of the patrols went missing. Without a trace.
"Are you ready, big guy?" — Ais nodded. - This is not the Colosseum anymore. It's an underground hell.
—Hell is my home,— the Hulk replied shortly.
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Dungeon. 37th floor. "The silent crack."
Darkness. Even the magic lamps were extinguished by the pressure of the thick fog. The walls were covered in black slime, pulsing like living meat.
"This is no ordinary poison...— whispered Riveria. "It's a curse magic. She's... breathing.
Skill: Survival Instinct — activated.
Danger: Class S. Anomaly: unknown type.
Suddenly, a monster came out of the darkness. A giant with a bone mask and black chains fused into his body. His eyes glowed with red mist, and screams came out of his mouth... in the language of the Colosseum.
—This is... a former slave turned into a beast,— the Hulk gasped. "They use the damned to create monsters.
"Then we'll stop it,— Bethe barked and charged.
The Hulk struck first. The ground shook. But the monster was heavy. It absorbed the blows like a sponge, and in response, it struck with chains that pierced through Riveria's magical barriers.
"He's swallowing magic!" "Stop it!" she screamed. "He feeds on pain!"
Skill activated: Abyss of Rage.
Body shape: partial transformation.
Increase in strength and defense by 100% within a radius of 10 meters.
The Hulk broke the chain and punched the beast in the chest. The cracking of bones.
The monster screamed, but did not fall. A second entity emerged from his body, a screaming cloud full of darkness.
Ais darted forward, striking "Ariel".
— The wind will cut! — and the light of her blade cut through the cloud for the first time.
The Hulk leaped higher and brought his fist down from the sky, slamming the creature into the ground.
"LEAVE THESE PEOPLE ALONE!"
With a cry like a thunderclap, the creature disintegrated into ashes.
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They returned from the dungeon a day later. Exhausted, but alive.
"It was something else,— Bethe said. "They're not just mutants. These are... memories of agony.
"The Colosseum has left a mark even here,— Riveria nodded.
The Hulk stood silently. His gaze was directed into the depths.
"Then I'll go even lower."
—Are you looking for... something?" Ais asked.
He answered after a pause.:
"I'm looking for... the limit of rage." And what awaits on the other side of the chains.