Demons in the Dungeon [I]

"Grrr..."

Shikalah gritted his teeth, and within a minute, his arm regenerated.

"Ultimate Warrior, eh?"

He commented, then another crop cutter-like blade appeared on his left arm. He roared,

"Then, I'll kill you first!!"

Then, with a swift speed, he darted at Kashi.

Kashi swung his blade, saying,

"Seven strikes of Death."

And with a single swing, about seven lethal shockwaves flicked at Shikalah, cutting his arms and legs and every snake on his back.

"Wha?!"

Shikalah was left flabbergasted as the sharp pain and the flood of blood roamed his body.

"AAAARRRGGGHHH!!"

He knelt while screaming.

Mike was left stunned after seeing the onslaught done by Kashi.

While Emily and Mary closed their eyes after glimpsing the brutal scene, that meant the destroyed body of Shikalah.

Erica was gazing at Kashi, pondering,

'Who is this guy...?'

While Ary, who was just beside Kashi on the right side, gazed at him, pondering,

'So... that's the power of an Ultimate Warrior...?'

Then, he looked at Shikalah, pondering,

'His attack is so lethal. This demon is almost dead.'

A strong breeze started blowing.

Every injured part of Shikalah recovered and his crimson eyes started glowing, he commented with a creepy laugh.

"It looks like you're worthy of my opponent."

Then, he finally stood up, and while standing alert, he commented,

"Come at me then, Warrior."

Kashi didn't reply but tightened the grip of his blade.

The pressure around the area started to become denser and denser.

"Uh?"

Mike grabbed his throat as he started to feel difficulty breathing.

"Wh-What's going on?"

Emily said as he grabbed her neck as well.

"I..."

Mary grabbed her neck, but she fell to the ground, gasping.

"Mary!"

Erica yelled as she held her and prevented her from falling.

"M-Mary...."

Emily said as she knelt.

"What's wrong?"

Erica asked in a panicked voice as she gazed at Emily.

Emily didn't respond as she lowered her gaze.

Erica gazed toward Kashi and Shikalah and mumbled,

"What are they doing?"

While Ary, who had resistance to high pressure, glanced at Kashi and pondered,

'What's he going to do?'

With a demonic roar, Shikalah darted at Kashi.

Kashi closed his eyes. He still had that serene expression on his face.

He placed his blade in front of his face, straight, and mumbled,

"Strike-7"

Then, he opened his eyes and walked toward Shikalah.

"Go to hell!"

Shikalah yelled, and soon they reached in front of each other.

Shikalah launched a slice attack at Kashi and while dodging that attack, Kashi walked forward and,

Slash!

"Wha?!"

Shikalah reacted.

They both crossed paths.

"Huh?"

Ary reacted as he understood what happened.

Shikalah looked at his neck as he felt a sharp pain there.

Soon enough, his head fell to the ground.

"Huh?"

Even Shikalah himself was confused after realising that his head had been decapitated.

"How...?"

He was questioned and his body fell to the ground as well.

Kashi turned around and while glancing at Shikalah, he commented,

"You're weak."

"Huh?!"

Shikalah got enraged after hearing this, but he was helpless.

His body turned into ashes and his head started vanishing.

In anger, he yelled,

"You damn Warriors. Just wait and watch!! My lord will undoubtedly kill you all in one day. Just you wait-!!!"

Soon enough, his head vanished, leaving behind black smoke.

Ary, who was surprised by Kashi's strength, glanced at Kashi and mumbled,

"Status Gawking Eyes."

He was curious to know how powerful Kashi was.

"Wha?!"

Ary was left utterly surprised as he saw Kashi's stats.

'Twenty Million?! How?!'

Kashi's level was skyrocketing. No wonder he defeated Shikalah like it was nothing. He was an Ultimate Warrior, after all.

Kashi looked at Ary and stepped toward him.

"Hmm?"

Ary reacted after watching him come.

"Are you Ary Inochi?"

He asked in a plain voice.

"Y-Yeah."

Ary reacted, slightly apprehensive for some unknown reason.

Kashi focused on Ary.

It felt like he was examining something.

While Ary, on the other hand, was mystified. He didn't know why Kashi was glaring at him with that much focus.

"Hmm. Good. You're still a beginner, but you've achieved S-ranked. It's really good."

Kashi complimented Ary as he stepped forward and took out a green spherical pill from his left pocket.

He gave it to Ary, saying,

"Eat it. It'll help you to recover more rapidly than your skill."

He somehow comprehended Ary's Flamal recovery.

"Ah, okay."

Ary nodded and took the pill, eating it without a second thought.

Within a second, a red light shone around Ary's body, and soon enough, his wounds recovered.

"Hmm..."

Ary looked around his body.

"I'm all healed..."

Ary mumbled with a little smile forming on his face.

"Ary!"

Erica, along with others, who had defeated the demonic wolves, ran towards Ary.

"Hmm?Eric-Ah!!"

Ary reacted, but abruptly. Erica jumped toward him and embraced him, and because of that, Ary fell to the ground.

"Idiot. Idiot. A big idiot. Why did you become so careless?"

With teary eyes, Erica asked while tightly yet gently embracing Ary.

"Ah...I'm sorry. I thought that maybe I could defeat him."

"Dummy, Dummy, Dummy, Dummy..."

Erica didn't say anything else but continuously said "dummy" to Ary while embracing him.

She was worried about Ary a lot.

She almost thought that she had lost Ary back then. Luckily, Kashi arrived at that time, or else Ary would be a goner.

"Bro, it's not good."

"What's the meaning of being a team if you fight alone?"

"You did wrong."

With low voices, Mike, Emily, and Mary complained while looking at Ary with slightly disappointing looks.

"I'm sorry."

Ary replied in an apologetic tone.

He did all this to protect them. He didn't want them to get hurt. That's why he fought alone and left the weak beasts to his teammates.

Suddenly, Ary's eyes fell toward Kashi, who was looking around with an alert look.

It looked like he still doubted that there were still dangers.

"Um, excuse me, sir."

Ary called out.

"Hmm?"

Kashi reacted as his gaze shifted to Ary.

Still embracing Erica in his arms, Ary got up and, with a smile, he commented,

"Thanks a lot for saving us."

If Kashi wasn't there, then they might have ended up dead.

Kashi didn't say anything but smiled a lot and nodded.

Then, his attention was again shifted toward the surroundings.

"Huh?"

Ary reacted, then both Erica and Ary looked at each other, then Ary asked,

"Is there anything that's been bothering you?"

"Hmm?"

Kashi reacted as he glanced back at Ary after hearing his query.

His face shaped into a serious expression, he revealed,

"Yes, according to Father Albert, some demons have entered the dungeon."

"Wha?!"

Ary, Erica, Mike, Emily, and Mary were left flabbergasted after hearing this.

The training session for the Warriors turned into a battle for them.

The sweat of fear ran down their faces. They didn't see any other Warriors.

The only question that came to their mind was,

What happened to the other Warriors? Why aren't there any other Warriors?

So many negative thoughts started coming to their minds.

Ary placed his right palm over his forehead in anxiety and pondered,

'Why is this happening now?'

"Don't stress too much."

Suddenly, a voice of hope was heard.

It was Kashi, who was comforting them, saying,

"As long as I'm alive, I won't let anyone of you die."

He apologised with a grave voice. His voice had a power that reflected his confidence.

Ary, after hearing this, smiled at Kashi and said,

"Thanks a lot, Senior."

"No need."

Kashi replied and turned around, saying,

"We have to get out of the dungeon first. Let's go."

"Yes."

Everyone replied as they started following him.

While walking, a thought struck Ary's head. He pondered,

'Who was the Lord that Shikalah was uttering about? Is that the Demon King, Arterismet VII?'