Chapter 14: Dash to save

A girl's scream echoed, and despite the distance, Vincent's keen ears caught wind of the plea for help. The explosion seemed to have attracted attention, and someone was in need.

"Nice!" Vincent grinned, his lips curling upward.

'I'm already sick of meeting only monsters. About damn time I meet someone I can talk to.' The seriousness in his eyes contrasted with the remnants of earlier amusement.

He needed to find as much information as fast as possible to ready himself for whatever came afterward. What better way than gaining another source of information?

Even if he didn't want to, he couldn't let this chance to gain an ally go to waste.

With newfound determination, Vincent readied himself to dash towards the sound, but before he could take another step, his stomach rumbled again in dissatisfaction, reminding him of his hunger.

"Ugh…" he grunted, a sigh escaping his lips. The incongruity of his bodily needs amidst the urgency of the situation irked him greatly, but there was nothing he could do. He pressed forward, clenching his stomach, finding it difficult to exert his full strength.

'Why did I feel like I'm hungrier now?' he wondered, but he also understood he needed to avoid diving into problems unprepared.

Frustration mingled in his mind.

'I really don't want to do this… Arg! Screw this!'

They said when someone is irritated, they can do things that they were reluctant to do easily enough.

Such a statement was true for Vincent now. He swiftly retrieved a pair of short swords from his ring and with astounding speed began mincing a bunch of Vagyr meat into ground meat.

His irritation found an outlet in the swift, precise movements of his hands. As Vincent sliced through the Vagyr meat with short swords, the corridor became an impromptu kitchen.

The dim light cast erratic shadows for a few seconds, rhythmic clatter of metal against meat echoed the urgency in his heart. Vincent might remember some videos from inappropriate website hearing such sound if he's not in a hurry.

"Umu,"

Once satisfied with the consistency, Vincent tucked the grounded Vagyr meat into a small pouch, ready to be consumed anytime.

He shoved in three full handfuls of meats into his mouth, directly swallowing them, temporarily silencing the grumbling protests of his stomach.

For anyone curious about the taste, please don't do this at home or anywhere. There's a reason Vincent just shoved everything into his mouth. The strong smell and unfamiliar taste made him almost throw up, but he successfully forced it down his stomach, even with teary eyes.

Wiping his hands on his worn pants, Vincent made a wry smile. At this time, his attire would smell heavenly for some monster lover psycho.

'I really don't want to meet them in any situation. Those guys straight up crazy.' Vincent thought, remembering some villains in this game.

"[Enhance], let's go!" Replenished with a full stomach, Vincent dashed towards the source of the scream. Based on his estimation, it's already almost a minute and half after he first heard the voice. He needs to hurry.

Vincent always had his priority straight. Even though it didn't look like it, he's been paying attention to the sound of the voice to try to guess the direction it came from this entire time too.

Guided by the distant cries for help, he presses forward with vigor.

The sound of his boots cast a melody along the dungeon corridor.

The echoes in the labyrinthine chambers played tricks on the sound, making it challenging to pinpoint the exact location of the voice. Nevertheless, he didn't hesitate, trusting his sense and instinct.

The voice already stop but fortunately he didn't see any intersection forward.

'But, I have a feeling I'll meet some monsters too along the way' with such thought, Vincent tightened his grasp on the short swords.

And true to expectation, several unpleasant shouts that were already accustomed to his ear greet him again the closer he got.

"Geh! Gehgeh!"

"Geh!"

'Looks like they went for both explosion sound and that girl's voice,' Vincent concluded as he observed.

Along the dungeon corridor, he could see several normal goblins, but they were not in just a group. Some were moving in his direction while the further group were moving to opposite direction.

'Should I use the stealth skill? Vagyr might be around,' he considered. Feline and dog type monster are usually more perceptive after all. The question only stays for a while before decision came.

In the form of a surprise attack again.

"Rarrr!"

Vagyr came lunging at him, jaw wide open, targeting his head, but unlike before, no one caught off guard.

A maniacal smile spread across Vincent's face, his eyes gleaming with excitement, lips curling into a predatory grin.

He could feel it again, the thrill of the fight, the rush of adrenaline–it was something he relished.

"Nah, no need!" Vincent's voice echoed through the corridor as he met the Vagyr head-on, short swords slashing through the air with deadly precision.

His right hand sliced diagonally through the beast's mouth from below, deftly avoiding its razor-sharp jaw.

Vincent then squatted down, thrusting the short sword in his left hand directly into its throat, twisting for a lethal cut.

Slash!

The lunging Vagyr helplessly cut to bloody mess. Its own momentum worsens the wound further.

"Arg!!" Cries of Vagyr rang in the air but nothing like the roar before, only a painful, unclear voice came out. Blood flew like a river from the opening on its neck.

It struggled to comprehend what had happened, but it knew who caused all this. Confuse transform to rage but before it could redirect that rage, it feels something coming from its rear at a high speed.

"Rark"

The Vagyr quickly turned around and made a retaliatory swipe.

"Geh!" another painful cry sounded.

Its claw brutally cut the body flying into two, blood spraying everywhere, making it smile widely. It thought it had won, but how wrong was that?

Puk!

The happy Vagyr died smiling as Vincent's spear stab through its eye socket to its brain. A satisfying spray of blood followed, and the lifeless creature slumped to the dungeon floor.

"Poor bastard." Emerging with those words, Vincent, now covered in goblin's blood, retrieved his spear.

Though the word sound pitiful, the maniac smile on his face grew more pronounced with each passing moment.

'Around 5 seconds, not that long, but I'm sure I could do better.' This second encounter with Vagyr solidified his belief.

Firstly, Vagyr was just a big dog. They often attack with claws, bite and body ramp.

Also, their first attack always came with lunging from stealth state and maybe because of its animalistic nature, the moment it attacks about to connect, a few milliseconds before, the stealth was cancelled.

As long as he didn't let his guard down as before, he's sure no attack will connect again.

As Vincent also had their skill now, he understood that this skill need concentration and constant supply of arcane to stay active. Maybe that's why.

Vincent turned around, his eyes pinpointing his enemies, finding the fastest way with most kill.

He could sense it — their fear

His eyes squinted with a sinister glint looking at such sight. It makes him feel something coming from deep inside him. Something dark and definitely not wholesome. His sadistic nature felt ticklish right now.

'Ah~ this is bad. I might awaken to something bad.'

"Well, who cares? Let's continue with some more bloodbath"

Each of his steps accompanied by more scream from monsters.

The fight was intense.

For the monsters that is. Until now, the only monster that came out were goblin and Vagyr roughly the same strength as what Vincent had faced.

And given how Vincent was stronger now and continued learning how to fight effectively, there's no reason for Vincent to lose.

The creature lunged with ferocious intent, but all seem useless as Vincent skillfully dodged all their attacks, countering with well-aimed strikes, killing them instantly.

Some smarter goblin archer and lancer just shoot while being as far as possible.

Some just straight up ran away. Smartest one yet.

Vincent wouldn't go on his way just to catch them, after all.

A surge of experience flooded through Vincent as the defeated creatures dropped dead on the floor.

He felt the familiar sensation of leveling up, his body adapting to newfound strength, and arcane recovered.

'Finally, level 5!' Vincent thought, halting his steps a bit. This is the moment he's been waiting for.

Usually he can just postpone it, but since now is urgent time, Vincent wants everything to go smoothly if he can. That's why he had been preparing everything he can and been counting his level 'till now.

Squatting down with his short swords at his sides, Vincent pulled out two golden colored stones he gained before from Bon's shop, and with practiced move, began inscribing a rune in each stone.

Rune with the meaning of 'liberate' quickly drawn with his arcane. The stones shone brightly before it began to crack.

The cracks spread all over it until the outer layer completely dissolve into dust, disappearing into surrounding.

'Good, it works.'

Vincent smile and grabbed tightly what remain in his hands

Two small perfectly white spheres with ember color pupils on it. Yes, the stones's real identity is a pair of eyes.

A very special eyes.

'Ember Eyes, got. But let access situation first.' With this, he only need to activate them and boom! New eyes got.

Well, after some painful experience.

With all preparation settled, Vincent's ears caught the distant sounds of battle and commotion. Maybe some monster reached here first since the place he's in now lack of monster presences.

He put aside Ember Eyes inside his spatial ring before continuing on, following the commotion until he can hear the commotion clearly.

The sound came from an opening on the left a bit further from him. The opening was not that big, enough for one person to squeeze in, but it was hidden with a large rock.

'They must have tried to hide from their pursuer, but it didn't work.'

The voice became clearer the closer he got. Vincent also found the voice was somewhat familiar.

Unease raised inside him, but he force himself to stay calm. Just as he's got 5 meter away from the opening, Vincent slowed down his steps and activate stealth before entering.

The opening led to a quite large room, and inside Vincent stumbled upon a scene that make him gulped in nervous.

'Oioioi…so it really you?'

"You scum! How could you do this!? "

An incensed voice of a young lady harshly reprimanding someone resounded.

Endless stream of abuse came from her mouth—she was calling another group worthless human being, scum of society, evil bastard and the like but the opponent just snickering to themselves, clearly confident of their victory.

Vincent observed closely and heft a sigh of relief when he saw no one injured heavily inside.

'Luckily, I'm not too late. I don't expect that many monsters on the way here. It's good I got to level up on time, though.'

The girl surrounded by a group of people wearing identical black robe

Black robe guys had encircled three people. A blondie handsome man and another black hair girl stood with weapons in their hands in front of a third girl, trying to shield her.

And that third girl, the girl that just released a freestyle rap of abuse…she was the game's main heroines Vincent saw at the restaurant before!

Vincent can see her clearly now her hoodie didn't disrupt him. She had long pink hair and blue eyes. Her brow was furrowed, and her cute ears quivered in anger.

There was no mistaking her, even without her scar.

'Ah! She looks adorable even when angry.' Unconsciously, Vincent's expression softens, making a goofy smile looking at the girl. Fortunately no one could see him now.

That girl was Alisa Kozlova, one of main heroine who was featured on the game packaging and always ranked near the top of every character survey!

And because he wants to quickly got to know her, his brain already working for a plan.

He doesn't need detail to understand that his waifu need some saving.