C134: End of the Abyss P16

C134: End of the Abyss P16

Overall Word count = 1412 on 8/25/2024.

Alt Title teaser : Weak Rex

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Axel and co remain unaware of the thoughts of the dungeon and its plans to kill them. All they know is that the dungeon is shaking again and they all take combat stances. With the exception of Araba who has witnessed the power of its master. As a result, it can't stop nuzzling up against Axel and his golem. As if a dog or cat seeking attention from its owner.

Axel notices that it's lungs are a bit overheated from using its breath a few times too many in helping the group with 'Prime' Udeaus. He remembers that there is an ability from this corruption ability that allows him to sacrifice his minions to heal himself. With his enhanced magic ability, he quickly finds this connection and then reverses it momentarily. Draining his own life essence towards Araba to heal him. Afterall, he only needs a few seconds to recover from the pain and damage inflicted upon him.

The shaking intensifies then water begins to spill out from the walls in great volume. Luckily the 68th floor is quite wide and the water only reaches up to everyones ankles. Since everyone here is a professional adventurer, they have never worn any type of shoes that are less than half knee height. While Cassandra and Daphne didn't have a chance to adhere to this rule. They too were experienced and regularly wore knee high boots themselves. As such, nobody was negatively affected by the water…except lily but that is because she is short. So the water reaches past half her knees but it seems she has learned a few tricks in attempting to walk on water or at least repulse it from herself

From the near wall, akin to a charging bull, the wall shatters as if it was collided with from a running start. Chunks of stone come flying everywhere but due to Axel's current Earth Domain, any large rocks simply move to enhance, enlarge and empower the earth golem(3 Es of success). Axel has already rewrapped Sabrina around his back again as he observes what the newest beast coming at them is.

"Well, good news everyone, if the rexs are being sent at us by the order they actually appear based on floors. Then the second rex we fought at Amphisbaena is supposed to appear after the Balor. " He announces to his group as they all observe the Hydra. Unlike the one that appeared that time, which only had 2 heads which gradually split into 9 before Axel stop cutting off the heads with Radahn. This one starts out with 9 heads and each of them is a different color. There is a red one, blue one, yellow one, black one, green one, gray one, purple one and Azure one.

One thing that Axel notices is that the energy density of the floor has rapidly decreased. As if the current floor is now floor 1 when before it was at least floor 11 by this time. Axel assumes that either his increased devouring has sped everything up when he wasn't paying attention or summoning so many rexs is exhausting the dungeon faster.

"Everyone, be on your guard, each head could use a different elemental power before, so be careful of anything." Axel reminds the group and then informs the new duo of how it works. Welf moves to swap out the ice sword he had given Daphne (one of his spares) in exchange for a wind one. He gives her a warning to pay attention to the gray head. As Welf is THE magic sword creator, he has a relatively high understanding of how colors are related to certain elements.

"How do we want to handle this one?" Axel asks Bell and he ponders for a bit before saying, "we will handle the attacks from the heads while you repeat what you did with it last time by burrowing into it?" He puts forth his plan of action and while Axel could since he has many ways to go about that but he really wants to use his golem while he can still maintain it.

"Why not just take a break. I really want to see my limits and if I don't succeed in killing it then you all will at least know what to be wary of when you come in to help" Axel counterproposes and Bell takes a look at everyone. While they have had time to rest and recover, there is still some hidden exhaustion and stress from fighting Udeaus. He finally relents to simply be backup for fighting the Hydra.

The very moment Bell nodded and was about to speak that he accepted, Axel had already rushed off. The Golem rapidly increases in size before Axel and it drop kick the Hydra. Axel only expected at most one head to be injured due to how durable the Rex's have been today but his expectations were blown out of proportion as all the heads move forward to his golems feet and get turned to literal paste. They stopped his movement but all the heads have turned into mush. Sure they are rapidly regenerating with an additional 4 heads that are the same colors as before starting the cycle over again (aka red, blue, yellow, black).

Axel and co are quite confused by the situation as the rex is barely even attacking, and when it does, it's own attacks cause it injury. Though Axel gets an idea due to how weak it is.

The golem positions its hand in a jabbing motion before stabbing into the Hydra's body. He soon finds the monster core but when he begins ripping it out, he finds that he cant fully tear it out. A small part of the Hydra is constantly attached to the core. Like some sort of sticky slime. But the most shocking part of all, is that the core is massive.

Or rather it's not the monster core itself that is massive but that it has a protective layer around it which seems to be made of earth or mud as it looks like a mud ball but Axel can feel the whole thing is dense mana. He has an urge to devour it but knows that it would take a long while and his golem would be destroyed. So with the exception of the chunk of mana he is absorbing at the moment, he has no plans for it.

Axel is about to have the golem when he suddenly loses connection to it as a foreign mana fills into it from the very core that it was holding. The core seeps into the chest of the golem while the Hydra begins to merge with the golem. Acting like a symbiote suit, it's 13 heads hang around it's back and over it's shoulders, primed towards Axel.

Speaking of Axel, he has fallen over onto his side as blue-ish purple veins are seen on his body and spreading rapidly. Since the distance was not too far, the group quickly rushes in to support Axel as they release multiple attacks against his former golem. Streaks of Flame, Wind blades, and Ice Spikes are all sent flying towards the Hydra-Golem but the initiative is not in their hands but the Rex's as the hydra heads release various elemental attacks to both stop the group and their attacks.

Their situation would seem hopeless if not for the sound of a bell ringing, a firefly like glow around Bell's hand as he yells out "FLAME BOLT", a spear like fire appears and is super sized by [Argonaut] before it tears through any of the remnant attacks from the Hydra.

"Quick, take off your rings and pull Axel back. I think something is going on with the mana" The group rushes forward and lifting Axel by his arms they pull him away, moving towards where the staircase for this floor is.

"Can you take him to the upper floors?" Bell seriously asks Axels new pet dragon. Araba nods it's head as they mount Axel onto it then it begins rushing off. It gradually grows weaker since Axel cant filter his gluttony with his esper ability at the moment. So Araba rushes as fast as it can while the group takes defensive positions against the hydra golem.

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Alt Title: Weak Rex, Strange Core, Boss Rush P4