Vol. 2 CH. 10 –Monster battle spree

Ernest Vern had finally obtained what he had wished, power.

Power beyond any could ever grasp and power that any man could ever beat. His body had transformed and not only that, his stats have increased 10 times that of a normal human. His body may be grotesque but it was a sacrifice worth taking.

Describing his figure, he was a 10 foot giant. Large arms that could crush boulders, powerful legs that could make the earth rumble and a body so robust that not even swords nor arrows could ever pierced. Ernest Vern had lost his human flesh, only to be replaced by a dark grey color that resembles steel. His teeth turned into large fangs and his eyes grew in numbers; four of them blinked as the dust from the ceiling fell down on his face.

Ernest Vern was human no more but a monster that could even rival that of a new Demon Lord.

A grin, showing his fangs, appeared on his maniacal face. He was happy, for the men he had trusted had followed him even to his own transformation. In front of him was an army of giants, half-spiders, ogres, green skinned orcs that nearly resembles men, half-snake creatures, bi-pedal bat that was around 1.5 meter tall, blobs, and even black skinned goblins.

His army was numerous, hiding under the old fortress that was once used to slay a Demon Lord, it was an army that more destructive than any monster army had ever existed.

"Kukuku... looks like rescue had come for you, elven princess"

Ernest Vern's monstrous voice echoed within the underground cave as he mentioned the lady gasping for air inside a cage right next to his right shoulder.

"D-Damn you... I-I will never...ugh..."

The captive princess cursed Ernest Vern as she resists the powerful effects of the drug she had inhaled for days now.

It was a drug that was from the scales of an old Demon Lord, crushed and mixed with unknown herbs then turned into a drug that could mutate those who inhales it. That was the cause for most of Ernest Vern's men, even the captive elf princess, Lydia Demius Flowerchild; the next elf queen that was supposed to undergo through the Moon Dance Ceremony.

Unlike her beautiful elf self, her flesh as convulsing with pinkish blush and her emerald green hair had lost its color and turned to pure white. Under the shadow of a curtain covering the cage, her face can't be seen but her quivering voice echoes...

"Those silly elf knights are still holding off their mutation. It looks like all elves were made tough. Quite unexpected"

"Damn you monster!! We elves will never let ourselves be taken over by such disgusting side effects!!"

"Humph" Ernest Vern snorted through his nose.

"Your resilience is indeed commendable. If only you were to accept my offer as my queen, then you'll suffer no more" Ernest Vern added, thinking that the elf princess's tough hide was worthy of praise.

"I would rather marry dirt than to be wed to you!! Argh...!! Ugh...No!!" But Lydia still showed a strong refusal on her side but as the pain of the mutation was making her bones break and her flesh tear, Lydia howled in pain.

Ernest Vern laughed haughtily as he heard the feeble scream of a mutating princess...

"HAHAHAHA!! How is it your highness?! The pain that makes your body turns from the inside out!"

"Just....Just DIE!!" Lydia cursed in defiance to Ernest Vern's taunting shouts.

This had gone for days already and Lydia was nearing her limits. Was it even worth it to fight even though she has no chance of living?

No, surrendering to such pain, such adversary was something a proud elf noble could never do. A princess will never bow her head to a monster; she should only hold her chin up and look proud. Such was the elves.

That was why, no matter how much pain she goes through, unless she loses her life to such pain, Lydia will never surrender...

A bipedal bat that seemingly resembles a werewolf in appearance went flying down from the ceiling. The creature then knelt down in front of Ernest Vern as if treating him like a king.

"Boss... intruders have entered the fortress..."

"Hoh? Are people that stupid that they plunge themselves into a den of monsters?" Ernest Vern scoffed at the ridiculous bunch that would try and invade a fortress full of monsters. Only did the elven force have the stupidity to do such a thing.

It was unbelievable that a bunch of weak humans would even step foot in the fortress.

The Were-bat then continued while keeping his head low...

"Boss... they are not just ordinary humans... they are strong"

"What makes you say that?"

"Boss... they have completely massacred the minions in the fortress' floors"

Hearing that for a moment made Ernest Vern quiet. It seems that these visitors were no ordinary adventurers, if they were some normal adventurers than those monsters upstairs wouldn't be annihilated just like that.

"How interesting" Ernest Vern thought. The people that entered his castle may prove to be useful in gauging how strong he had become. If they were strong enough to fight those monsters upstairs then they were enough of a challenge for him.

Ernest Vern smiled with a wide grin...

"How interesting... Kukukuku!! They will be the first challengers to feel my new strength. I'll make sure to show my might to those worms that try to enter my new castle!!"

As Ernest Vern shout in vigor the lot that was gathered before him cheered loudly as they can be.

-

"How unpleasant..."

"It can't be help, just man up will you?"

In front of Kyoushiro was a cavern of half eaten corpses. The foul smell of decay was so bad when they reached the end of the stairs all of them instinctively retreated. The girls were in a bad shape because of it.

Kyoushiro and Elyria stepped in first in order to check the surroundings. Because of how bad the place was due to the mountains of rotting corpses, only the two of them had to actually venture inside.

Lady Snow chose to stay behind because she did not like the stench while Edsel and her daughter Dahlia didn't have any choice but to stay back because it was potentially dangerous to their health. Especially Dahlia, who was just a child...

Kyoushiro complains as he stepped on some corpse that had its back eaten from the inside.

"This is probably the reason why there weren't any monsters left after going down from the higher floors...."

"These are all... each one are of different races and gender. Some even are normal cattle are mixed here" Elyria said while surveying the land of the dead as she carefully used her wind magic to lessen the smell that reaches her nose.

Kyoushiro showed as slight annoyed face at Elyria's attitude. She was only dispersing the smell on her side so Kyoushiro was actually breathing the whole thing. However, to an extent, Kyoushiro was able to neutralize the poison mixed within the thick air of decay.

It couldn't be said the same to the bacteria and germs that could be harmful to his own immune system.

"I've taken care of corpses before but not to this extent" Kyoushiro grumbles while remembering an old job he had taken once he was a child. It was an experience he would not rather remember at a time like this but the sight was enough for those memories to resurface.

"Did your world have monsters like these ones? I thought the world you heroes was a peaceful one?"

"There are worse kinds..." Kyoushiro heaved a heavy sigh as he cast aside the bad memories of his past.

Earth may not have monsters but in society, it was a term you could place on any one that was involved in shady business. Having been in business with those kinds of people as a child, calling them "monsters" wasn't an understatement.

"In any case, let's just-!?"

Just as Kyoushiro was about to continue looking for another door or a hall, a spider web came out spinning towards him. Noticing quickly the incoming attack, Kyoushiro jumped to the side to avoid it but another string of web flew towards him.

Unable to dodge this time, Kyoushiro was caught...

"Kh...!! This thing... is made of steel fibers?!" Kyoushiro appraised the web that caught him. According to his skill, it was a that came from a spider monster.

"You've got good eyes... human" A voice from the shadows, a monster with an upper body of a human male and a lower half of a giant black spider with grey colored carapace over its legs, appeared and pulls Kyoushiro towards it.

Seeing the creature, Kyoushiro made a scowling face...

"Damn... mutation got the worse of you. What? fond of six legs or something?"

Kyoushiro then turned the steel web into steel chains using and skills. Immediately, Kyoushiro was freed and turned the tables by turning the chain into a spear and threw it at the spider monster's chest.

"Gagh!?" The monster got his chest pierced by a spear and cough up blood.

Not letting a chance of the monster to survive, Kyoushiro charged towards the spider monster's chest and kicked the butt of the spear through the spider monster's chest.

Not stopping there, after landing, Kyoushiro turned the entire spear into a thorny piece and let the thorns tore the body of the spider monster from the inside.

After the spider monster had his torso torn from the inside out, it fell onto its knees. Blood spew out like a river. Once the monster had ceased its breath, Kyoushiro turned back to the elf knight that he was talking to a minute ago.

He was worried when she was suddenly silent throughout the whole ordeal, so when he turned around, his eyes widened when he saw Elyria caught by a 50 foot snake man.

"Agh!?"

"Nufufufu!! Oh such a fine woman you are, it's a waste to leave her behind you know?"

The upper half of the snake was a man with long hair. Probably due to the mutation, his skin turned into scales and his eyes were that of a snake. Even so, his voice was, clear as day, a human. He coils around Elyria and felt up her modest chest under her plated armor and her plump smooth thighs under her thin green skirt.

Elyria's body trembles as shivers of disgust caused by the skin of the snake man and his tongue crawling over her fair white skin.

Her face clearly shows rejection and repulsed to the being that was feeling up her body...

"Unhand me!!"

"Like I'll let this sweet opportunity g-"

Just as the snake man was about to slid his fingers in between Elyria's thighs a blade stuck through his throat, piercing through from the back of his neck through his windpipe. The snake man, did not noticed the creeper that had slipped behind his large tail, gagged and gasped for air as the blade went even deeper.

Kyoushiro, who held a dagger in his right hand, whispered to the snake man's ears....

"You talk too much"

Then moved the dagger sideways, cutting the neck of the snake man and severing his head. As the body lost its head, the tail that coiled around Elyria became lose, freeing her from the grasp of the snake man's tail...

Kyoushiro caught Elyria who lost her strength after being deprived of air earlier...

"*cough-cough!!* I... I didn't ask for your help..!" Elyria pushed Kyoushiro away but as she was in his arms that only made her fall on her bottom. A soft crunch resounded as she landed on the corpses beneath their feet.

"I saved you and that's how you say "Thank you"?"

Kyoushiro couldn't help but sigh at the girl's stubborn personality. She hates Demon-Spawns to the core of her very being. Being touched by Kyoushiro must have been unpleasant but that wasn't an attitude worthy of praise to show to someone that saved her life.

Kyoushiro merely grumbled but instantly after, his expression changed...

A large club made of stone was hurling towards them...

"Ah!! I hate this place!!" Kyoushiro cursed as he infused his body with magic power and used a circulation skill that efficiently increased Kyoushiro's physical prowess. A soft blue veil covered Kyoushiro's body- In a hurry; Kyoushiro ignored Elyria's scowls and pulled her away from the trajectory of the flying club.

Almost the moment he leaped away with Elyria on his right shoulder, the heap of corpses there exploded. A 5 meter tall stone club was covered in blood and gore on where the two was previously standing.

"W-What was that...?"

"Looks like company... a lot of them"

Kyoushiro didn't put down the girl on his shoulder but instead, held her tightly in order to avoid her from falling off. Because it wasn't the time to even fool around like a couple of idiots, a rain of giant stone clubs was heading their way.

"I don't think I'd survive this if I hold back even more..." Such thought ran through Kyoushiro's mind as he threw away the idea of reserving strength for later. Quickly, he used skill twice to aid him in dodging the rain of giant stones then added for a good amount of support.

It was indeed dangerous in holding back; Kyoushiro took out a certain item from his magic storage...

"Hold on!!"

"What?! Don't tell me you'll-"

"Shut up or you'll bite your tongue!!"

Kyoushiro roughly replied to Elyria's worried tone and prepared himself for a flight. Elyria shuts up and the moment the first stone club was about to land, Kyoushiro jumped. He jumped back far enough to dodge the first stone that landed.

Then he kicked the corpse heap and propelled himself upwards-towards the ceiling. It was an action where he had to use one of those stone clubs as stepping stones in order to reach his goal. The sharp stones there were enough to serve as an anchor for Kyoushiro since he could reshape them as he wished using his skills.

The two waited for the rain to stopped then-

"Hey... that is some mighty army..."

"Ugh... why is my head spinning....?"

Kyoushiro caught the sight of an unimaginable number of monsters below. Leading them behind was a giant of ten meters with two giant axes on his back. Elyria was caught dizzy due to the acrobatics Kyoushiro had to do in order to avoid the hale of stones and was nauseous.

Kyoushiro was still keeping her on his shoulders but her weight thanks to her armor was making his shoulder tire.

Furthermore, his legs were in a bad shape after jumping on those heavy moving stones from earlier. The force itself was enough to make his knees creak. Kyoushiro could only ignore such pain...

"You've survived that, I didn't think someone was crazy enough to even jump to the ceiling"

The giant spoke loudly. Due to his body and largeness, his voice echoed as he spoke and gives of a vibration as it hits the body. Something like standing close to a large speaker in a big concert.

Kyoushiro made sure to hold the elf knight on his shoulders tight and jumped down. The height was clearly above ten meters yet Kyoushiro landed easily on both feet. The effects of one's attribute values in this world works wonders- Kyoushiro sighed, impressed of how his body became sturdy just after resting for a short while...

"A rain of stones... No, boulders right? I bet I'd die if I hadn't sense your killing intent"

"You're a cocky bastard aren't ya? I didn't even think you'd be brave enough to show those teeth at me"

The giant- Ernest Vern- took one of the large axes on his back and brandished it towards Kyoushiro, who was standing tens of meters away and grinned haughtily. The monsters that stood next to his large feet all roared as if declaring their dominance over the mere human before them.

A man with a single sword and an Elf knight that seems useless against a large number of enemies; for the army of monsters that Ernest Vern leads they were simple prey.

But despite the despairing disadvantage between them and Kyoushiro, the young man whose appearance was that of a grey haired and red eye, smiled bravely.

Was it bravery or was it just a fool's courage? Either way, the human had no way of winning against a large army of monsters. Ernest Vern snickered, showing his large sharp teeth to the ones before him.

"Kill them"

With those short words, the army charged. They bared their fangs to the two measly beings that stood in their way. Their stomachs rumbles, the scent fresh meat and blood that comes from the two made everyone feel ecstasy.

This was the instinct of monsters- a hunger that could never be quenched!!

"Like I'd stand here and die!!"

Suddenly, a dark glow came from Kyoushiro. The light turned to smoke as though an ominous being was summoned forth. Kyoushiro held the right side of his face with his left hand, seemingly letting go of an item he had placed there.

A white ash colored piece, a piece of a skull that had soot and cracks all over. It was a cursed item made from the very bones of the 9th Demon Lord Kakal, the demon lord with a thousand arms....

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

A high pitched scream came from Kyoushiro who was immediately consumed by a dark colored smoke...

The walls and the floor shook. Dust came down from the ceiling and a loud scream came from the broken end of a stairway...

Edsel, Dahlia and Lady Snow all felt the tremor and the heard the scream that came from the lower levels of the old fortress.

Edsel held her daughter close as Dahlia couldn't help but jump due to the scary scream from down below...

"Mama!!" Cries the child...

"Don't worry, that was nothing" Edsel reassured her.

However, different from the two, Lady Snow, the 3rd Demon Lord merely glanced at the direction where the scream came from.

"I see... so that young man did that to the 9th Demon Lord..."

Lady Snow, the ruler of ice demons, felt a surge of negative energy coming from underground. As she was someone that could use such power, Lady Snow recognizes the power itself.

Moreover, it was so similar to the dead demon lord that got arrogant enough to not use his full power against 5 heroes.

"Hehe... how interesting..." Lady Snow smiled ever so slightly yet the sense of pure adulterated ecstasy can be found in her tone. Kyoushiro was an interesting subject that a demon lord like her can't help but be curious of...

The tremors continued and heated air was starting to flow from the underground floor....

-

"AAAAAARRRRGHHHH!!! THAT HURTS DANG IT!!"

A loom of dust clouds surrounded a young man with dark colored hair. His coat glimmers with red lines like lightning runs through them and his eyes, one red and one dark glowed dangerous under the dust clouds...

"Now then...."

Bathe within a cloud of darkness, tendrils grew from his shadow, wriggled as he glared at the giant and scoffed at the corpses of ogres and green skinned orcs sprawled around in front of him.

No one was spared; each and every corpse was cut up in pieces by a sharp blade. Kyoushiro left nothing alive of the attackers that tried to send him to the netherworld...

"I'll have to end this quick"

Kyoushiro said that tauntingly....

"!?"

The mutated army of Ernest Vern had their eyes widened in shock. No one expected the meager flesh and bones like a human could ever withstand the force of ogres and orcs.