Chains (1)

…

Ayla spent the rest of her free time testing her physical abilities. The room was unsuitable, so she left to hunt for monsters. The moonlight illuminated her silhouette as she moved from rooftop to rooftop toward the city's outskirts.

During her test, she discovered that the Dragon Heart had enhanced her abilities in various areas. Her muscles condensed, giving her more strength. Her bones, flesh, skin, and reserves of demonic energy all underwent enhancements. If she fought the Black Dragon, she could withstand its breath.

Her essence underwent a greater change compared to the others. In her essence, dark purple splotches blended with pink spots in the dark gray, the original hue. The purple attribute was poison. She felt its poisonous, ravenous bite, trying to disrupt the harmony of the other two elements and spread its dominance. Darkness and desire held on. They incorporated poison into their harmony and controlled it.

When she checked her system, she noticed that she hadn't acquired the Black Dragon skills or any poison-related abilities. She wasn't bothered by it, as she found something else she now had in common with him: Polymorph. The inherent skill was not a complete polymorph; it only allowed her to partially transform her limbs for power and form small scales for defense—scales that she could move throughout her body at will.

Hours passed as she continued her hunt, adapting to the poison and Polymorph. The hunt for monsters like the Black Dragon was not something she pursued because it would consume most, if not all, of her time to find and reach them. Instead, she hunted the monsters in the middle, neither too weak nor too strong, which were abundant.

The sun rose, casting its light on the dew-filled grasslands where she hunted. The morning sun marked the end of Ayla's hunt.

It's better, but...

She pulled her hand—a claw—from the neck of a coyote. It had gray lizard scales instead of fur. Her hand and clothes were drenched in its green blood.

The range is small. I should leave this as a last resort. My daggers have greater reach. She withdrew her purple-tinted claws, returning them to their natural nail form. The black scales on her forearms blended in and disappeared.

She stored the corpse in her inventory and followed the blood trail she had made, retracing her steps to find the stream she had seen before. Her intention was to wash the blood off her hands. When she reached the stream, she crouched and plunged her hands into the water. The water was cold from the previous night's winds and the morning chill, but it didn't bother her. Feeling exhausted, she washed her face.

Studying her reflection in the water, she looked messy. She felt like it as well. She wore a black armored dress, with the fabric wet from the blood splatter, which clung to her skin. Her hair was tangled into knots with dried, greenish blood.

She ran her hand through her hair, coating her hand with a layer of demonic energy. She pushed the dried, clotted blood out of her hair and straightened it. She did the same to her clothes. Since her rebirth, she had been more prone to taking care of her hair and maintaining a good appearance. In her past life, she didn't do it as often because she had short hair and wouldn't be disgusted when filthy. Maybe she picked up this habit from Kalia. Kalia did this when she was alone.

I should leave. They didn't specify when, but the sooner the better. She adjusted her dress and stood, activating Dragon Vision. Her eyes narrowed into slits as her vision expanded. Her eyes scanned the area and landed on a distant city, where she noticed a castle. She rushed toward it, creating blurs in the air with her speed.

****

In the Damned Lair, Kai sliced the last winter tiger's neck. He remained vigilant and didn't relax. The system hadn't notified him that the floor was finished.

[You have reached the 90th floor.] The system's voice echoed in his mind, automatic and monotonous.

He relaxed his shoulders and returned his sword to its sheath. Breathing hard, he glanced back and observed the others panting, scratched and bruised all over.

"Let's stop here. We'll eat and rest until noon before continuing." Kai sat on a rock. He took out six containers of pre-made porridge and a pan.

"Porridge, again? Can't we find something better? You have magic. Anything but this—even a monster would be fine." Rhett said, his voice lacking the earlier enthusiasm.

Kai expected this. For a number of days, they had been consuming porridge and water. On the first day, they refrained from taking many breaks. If they did take breaks, they were brief. The majority of their time was dedicated to exterminating monsters and traversing the dungeon. The second, third, and fourth days were the same.

By the fifth day, their motivation to persist had waned. The sensation of consuming tasteless porridge and water, coupled with the incessant assaults from the monsters, intensified their inclination to turn back. Small at first, this desire grew, but they suppressed it.

"You're letting your desires control you. The monsters in this dungeon are venomous. We lack the resources to handle the poison. If we did, we'd have to deal with the meat expiring, and we have no way of preventing it."

"Use your holy sword. Your holy sword can purify more than just demonic energy. I've seen you doing it. Stab it, and it will be cured. We can eat meat!" He stood and approached the closest white tiger. "I'll get one for—" A white fireball interrupted his step.

He dodged to the side, but the fireball changed course and hit him in the face. The fireball pushed him back without being too forceful or gentle. He stumbled near the rock where he was sitting and tensed his back. He didn't fall, and he eyed Janiya, who stared at him with her hand outstretched.

"Why are you attacking me? I—"

Another, more intense fireball came, and he didn't dodge. It struck him in the face, grazing his forehead and nose while singeing the edges of his bangs. He collapsed, landing on the rock.

His mouth twitched. "Why?"

"Can't you see? Kai would've done what you said if he could." Janiya said. "Think, we would have to hunt for every meal and then deal with inedible meat. Before attempting something, be considerate. You idiot."

"But—"

"I'll hit you if you say more, and I won't hold back."

Kai noticed the seriousness in her eyes. As a couple, they appeared to be the least compatible. Janiya had a rough and merciless side, willing to beat Rhett or anyone else if necessary. On the other hand, Rhett also had a gentler and more direct side. When asked how they fell in love, Janiya would blush and ignore the question. If Rhett ever tried to respond, she would attack him.

"I thought the hero's party would be…" Adele laughed. "More serious."

"It's better this way." Kai smiled. "The food is done. I'll serve it."

****

The castle was bustling with activity inside. Servants and knights in formal attire rushed through the corridors. Ayla concealed her presence to avoid disturbing anyone and used the shadows to enter the throne room, which was sparsely populated. Armant, Kei, and the hidden shadows were present.

"You're here?" Armant said. "I'll leave the rest to you since you're here."

To who? Ayla's eyes widened in surprise. She sensed a new presence. Before making her presence known, she had scanned the area for any hidden individuals. Besides Armant, Kei, and the shadows, there was no one else. She ensured it. She scanned the shadows and found no abnormalities. She used Dragon Vision and obtained the same results.

Ayla turned around. In front of a white gate stood a man with green hair wearing white priestly robes, his hands clasped. The man's relaxed posture and friendly smile briefly put her at ease until she noticed something unusual. He wore gold chains on his arms.

"Miss Ebony, we will enter when you're ready. Lady Mya is on a tight schedule, and it would be best not to waste her time."

Ayla approached the gate. The priest entered, and she followed. After entering, the gate shrank and fizzled out.