"Let's go," Seojun whispered. He took a step forward, his eyes locked on the creature's face, and dashed toward it, keeping his body low.
The centipede lashed out with its front legs, each as thick as a tree trunk, aiming to crush him. Seojun twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the strike. His instincts screamed at him to move faster. He rolled under another swipe and slashed at one of the creature's legs, his sword barely scratching the tough shell.
"Damn, that thing's hard," he muttered, jumping back. The creature's beady eyes glinted, and it lunged forward, its mouth parts snapping dangerously close.
Seojun sidestepped again, sweat starting to form on his brow. He had to be smarter about this. His attacks wouldn't work if he kept hitting the exoskeleton.
"Huno, distract it!" he shouted.
Huno sprang into action, his three heads barking furiously. The creature turned its attention to the Cerberus, giving Seojun a moment to think. His eyes darted across the creature's body, searching for a weakness. The joints! The softer flesh between its segments.
Seojun charged again, this time aiming for the exposed parts of the centipede's body. His sword struck true, piercing into the softer flesh. The creature screeched in pain, twisting its body and sending a powerful tail swipe in his direction. Seojun barely managed to raise his arm in time to block with his sword, but the force of the impact sent him skidding backward, nearly losing his footing.
The Hydra, towering over Seojun, hissed and then lunged forward. It opened its fanged mouth and unleashed a spray of venom directly into the creature's eyes. The centipede roared, momentarily blinded, thrashing its head from side to side in pain.
"Nice one," Seojun said, giving the Hydra a quick nod. He sprinted forward, taking advantage of the opening. This time, he managed to cut deep into the creature's side. Green blood oozed from the wound, sizzling as it hit the ground.
But the creature wasn't done. With a furious screech, it began spinning its body, kicking up a whirlwind of dust and debris. Seojun covered his face, trying to shield his eyes, but the force of the wind pushed him back. He felt the sharp sting of small rocks pelting his skin.
"Huno, stay back!" he called out, seeing the dog get knocked off its feet. Huno managed to dig its claws into the ground, holding steady. Seojun narrowed his eyes, focusing through the chaos. He had to get close again, but the spinning was creating a barrier.
"Think, Seojun," he muttered. His mind raced, trying to figure out how to break through. He glanced around, spotting one of the twisted trees. An idea formed.
"Huno, on me! We're going for the high ground!"Huno barked in response, rushing over to him. Seojun ran toward the tree, using it as a springboard. He leaped off, using the momentum to launch himself high into the air. As he soared above the creature, he raised his sword, aiming for its head.
"Now!" he yelled. The Hydra, using its powerful tail as leverage, launched itself upwards as well. With surprising agility, it slashed with its claws at one of the centipede's legs, creating another opening. Seojun came down with all his might, plunging his sword deep into the centipede's head.
The creature let out a deafening screech, its body convulsing in pain. Seojun held on tight, his muscles straining as the beast tried to shake him off.
"Come on… just a bit more!" he grunted, twisting the blade. Suddenly, the centipede's movements slowed. Its screeches turned into a low, rumbling groan. With a final shudder, it collapsed to the ground, its body twitching before falling still.
Seojun stood over the massive body of the fallen centipede, catching his breath. Dust settled around him, and his muscles felt heavy, but he was grinning. The fight had pushed him to his limits, and he could feel himself growing stronger with each battle.
He glanced at his companions—
"Nice work, both of you," Seojun said, smiling.
[Congratulations Host! You have defeated the Lord of the Deadlands of Witherfall]
The Deadlands recognize your strength.
Your battle instincts have sharpened. You are more aware of the flow of combat.
[Title Acquired: "Conqueror of Centipedes.]
Gold Coins obtained: 100,000.
Loot obtained: Centipede's Mandibles, Enchanted Chitin Fragments, Vial of Venomous Blood.
[New Weapon Acquired: Grim Reaver - A cursed scythe that feeds on the souls of its enemies. This weapon grows stronger with each kill and is bound to its wielder.]
Seojun blinked, reading the notification. His eyes stopped at the mention of a new weapon. "A scythe from a centipede?" he said, amused. He dug through the remains and found a strange, dark metal handle. Pulling it free, he revealed a large, curved scythe. It looked deadly and almost seemed to hum with energy in his hands.
"Grim Reaver, huh?" He swung it slowly, feeling its weight and balance. It felt almost alive, like it was hungry for more fights. "Guess you'll do," he muttered, still smiling.
[System Notification]
[Hydra has leveled up! ]
Abilities improved: Venom Spray, Twin Fang Fury.
New Ability Unlocked: Scaled Shield – Temporarily hardens scales to block attacks.
[Huno has leveled up! ]
Abilities improved: Tri-Jaw Bite, Howling Roar.
New Ability Unlocked: Cerberus Claw – A powerful swipe that causes bleeding and lowers an enemy's defense.
Seojun watched as both Huno and the Hydra seemed to glow briefly, their bodies gaining a new strength. The Hydra's scales shined brighter, and Huno barked happily, his heads nodding in excitement.
"Look at you two," Seojun said, chuckling.
[System Notification]
Skills improved: Advanced Swordsmanship, Battle Awareness.
Title Effect Activated: "Conqueror of Centipedes" - Boosts attack power and defense against stronger enemies. Small chance to scare weaker ones.
A rush of energy flowed through Seojun. His body felt lighter, his senses sharper. Minutes later, after recovering, Seojun and his two guardians continued walking through the desolate land, his new scythe resting on his shoulder.
Seojun, curious, checked his status, but found the level numbers missing. He frowned and asked, "Where are my levels?"
A holographic display from the system appeared, showing an apologetic emoji. [I'm sorry, Host. There is an error with the Abyssal Realm's system. Your level numbers are temporarily unavailable due to ongoing integration issues.]
He frowned at first, then nodded and said, "It's just numbers. The important thing is I can feel myself getting stronger. Hope it gets fixed soon, system"
Huno trotted beside him, and the Hydra, now back in its smaller form, coiled around his wrist like a living bracelet. As he moved, he thought about the recent battle and how well they had fought together.
"It's strange," Seojun muttered, glancing at Huno and the Hydra. "It was like we were moving as one, even though it was our first time fighting together like that."