Confrontation (37)

Due to time constraints, I haven't removed the particularly intense parts of the text. However, I may make further edits.

---

"Oh, hey there, buddy. How's it going?" my dry tongue struggled to move as I forced a smile, my facial muscles stiff and unresponsive.

The creature, in turn, bared its teeth and growled in a menacing tone, "I'll be having a better time than you, that's for sure."

In a moment of surprise, I unintentionally dropped the unnoticed black phial, and as it hit the floor, emitting acrid smoke that went unnoticed by the other creatures. The other creatures instinctively retreated, forming a cautious semicircle about a meter away from me.

Among them, there were beings with fur and exposed bones, giants with disproportionate body parts. It struck a chord of familiarity within me, the sight triggered a vague recollection of the grotesque beings that inhabited the Forbidden Land, shrouded in darkness.

Keeping a watchful eye on these unwelcome guests, I exhaled a plume of smoke, the air growing thick with tension. The creatures regarded me as if I were already a lifeless corpse, their eyes filled with hunger and malice.

Suddenly, one of the creatures crouched down before me, grabbing hold of my head, and forcefully slammed my face onto the cold, unforgiving metal floor. Their guttural laughter filled the air, a grotesque symphony of sadistic delight.

Feeling the metallic tang of blood and the shattering of my own teeth, I halted their regeneration, whimpering piteously, "W-Why... Why are you doing this to me?"

The creature paused for a moment, lifting me up from the floor, its claws piercing into my skull, sending waves of unbearable agony through my being.

- You truly have no idea, do you?

Its malevolent yellow eyes gleamed ominously as it glanced at the gathering of mismatched creatures.

- He's utterly clueless, my friends.

[Health Window:

45%]

[Three-Fingered Poison Download Window:

12%]

Damn. Too slow.

The creatures burst into laughter, taunting me with their cruel words. One of them sneered, "How can he fit any information into that puny brain? It would be better to tear it apart completely!"

The creature holding me shook its head in disapproval, "No, his death should be a prolonged torment, a warning to other newcomers. They need to learn who rules the lower levels."

Silence fell upon the room as all eyes fixated on my bruised and battered face. Summoning all my strength, I forced open my swollen eye and raised my voice, "Is there no possibility of redemption without a torturous death?"

Their response was a cacophony of grotesque laughter that filled the spacious cell, echoing off the walls. "AHAHAHAHA!"

"If it were that simple, do you think we would be here?" one of them scoffed, motioning to a fellow creature. "Peter, pass me that stick."

Desperately, I cast my gaze towards the windows, taking in my deteriorating health status.

[Health: 58%]

[Three-Fingered poison: 16%]

"Give me... just a minute to contemplate my life. Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" I pleaded, hoping for a brief reprieve.

At the sight of a slender rod with a wickedly sharp tip, unsettling thoughts flooded my mind. Escape was futile, and fighting to the bitter end seemed equally hopeless.

[SYSTEM, I WANT TO FIGHT, TO KILL. REVERSE MY DECISION. QUICKLY.] I desperately implored.

However, the system responded with a philosophical and calculated tone, dampening my hopes:

[Canceling your operations with the system is not so simple. It would be best to exercise patience until a more opportune moment arises.]

The corners of my eyes twitched involuntarily as a surge of horror coursed through me. Desperately, I tried to dissuade the creatures with a trembling voice:

"How about this? I can be your pawn, hm? Just... please..."

The creature's grin widened, its features contorting into a demonic visage. Its sharp fangs gleamed ominously in the shadowy ambiance, reminiscent of a scene from a chilling horror movie.

Before I could finish my sentence, another creature emerged from the crowd, its face bearing a bizarre combination of human features and twisted horns. It grabbed hold of a stick, toying with its pointed tip as it smiled with an eerie benevolence.

"We have enough creatures in our army, but rare spectacles like this.. they are highly sought after," The predatory glint in its eyes left me trapped in a state of hopelessness.

Realizing the dire situation I was in, I vigorously shook my head in refusal and protested, "But you won't find anyone else like me anywhere!"

The creatures grabbed hold of my hands and hoisted me several centimeters off the floor, their grip tight and unyielding.

[Health:

60%]

[Three-Fingered Poison:

23%]

All sorts of thoughts swirled in my head as I hung helplessly in the clutches of these monstrous beings. Despite the dire circumstances, I mustered a voice filled with determination:

"Give me a chance."

The creature with horns stroked its sharp chin, tsking its tongue in contemplation.

"The Arena doesn't grant second chances, my friend."

Without warning, the sharp tip of the stick pierced my stomach, and a surge of searing pain coursed through my body. I gasped, tasting the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

"You see," the creature taunted, twirling the stick inside my body, causing further destruction. Organs were pierced, and my intestines spilled out slightly, the hole widening. "It's exceedingly difficult for us to resolve conflicts at the lower levels. But you didn't just kill those guys, you destroyed the work of the Lord. For that..."

The creature withdrew the stick, tearing off chunks of organs along with skin, its grin widening.

- We kill, and we kill with exceptional cruelty.

My health level plummeted as I glanced at the dwindling numbers:

[Health:

51%]

[Three-Fingered Poison:

37%]

The agony was pushing me towards the precipice of the pain shock.

The creatures tore at my limbs, stripping away muscles from the gray bones. With a sickening slurp, I collapsed into a pool of my own blood, convulsing and gasping for air.

But they wouldn't succeed in killing me. I refused to let them.

"Hey, why are you treating our guest like this? Pick him up, or he'll kick the bucket." someone kicked my feet.

My health continued to plummet, but I noticed that my mana and stamina were slowly replenishing.

"It's my turn now, you rookies." a massive lizard with two tails lifted me off the ground, its claws digging into the sides of my head.

Growling in pain, I locked eyes with my tormentor, a flicker of bloodlust gleaming in my gaze.

"Why are you staring at me?" the lizard mocked, striking me in the gut. It then lifted my mangled hands, laughing cruelly. "What, should I pluck out your eyes once again?"

Slapping my cheeks with my severed hands, he flung me upwards, my body crashing against the metal ceiling, shattering my ribs in the process.

They were playing volleyball with me, using my crumpled body as the ball, tossing me around with no mercy.

My skin crackled under the strain of the relentless tortures, each breath becoming an agonizing ordeal. But I refused to break. Instead, a dormant beast within me began to awaken.

[Health:

12%]

[Three-Fingered Poison:

95%]

Once again, I found myself in the clutches of paws with white fur. The wolf's mouth turned a sickly shade of purple as it lowered me to the floor. It took a few steps back, clutching its throat, and gurgled something incomprehensible. Collapsing against the wall, he lay still, his life extinguished.

The system stirred, and for the first time in a while, I heard a familiar voice:

[Mission:

Survival Crossroads is a burden.

Remaining time:

10 hours 47 minutes.

Killed enemies:

1 of 102.]

I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought that the weak would succumb to this poison even before the battle began. Lying face down, I felt my stomach rumble.

"What's the point of fighting amongst yourselves when you have a prisoner? Must I teach you a lesson?" Peter, the lizard, approached the lifeless wolf and muttered under his breath.

---

The three-Fingered poison had no taste, scent, or discernible color, except for a fleeting black haze that dissipated within 2-3 seconds.

The Three-Fingered poison lived up to its name, bringing forth three categories of death:

The weak perished swiftly and mercilessly, their frail bodies unable to withstand the potency of the poison.

The average, like myself, lost all freedom of movement. Within two hours, they succumbed to the overwhelming toxicity coursing through their veins.

The strong, however, suffered a similar fate of being immobilized, but their strength allowed them to withstand the effects of the poison. If the enemy was not dealt a final blow, they would rise again after a mere eight hours of rest.

The poison infiltrated, settled, and slowly drained away all life force. Its minuscule particles sliced into soft flesh, consuming every last ounce of mana and desiccating the body. The strong had the potential to heal, but it required herculean efforts that often left them maimed.

Aerial menace, stealthily infiltrating bodies, leaving no chance for survival.

It is regrettable indeed that many will perish before my recovery. I wouldn't hesitate to torment the feeble ones either.

---

Meanwhile, the creatures encircled the fallen comrade, engaged in a discussion of sorts.

One of them, too, collapsed to the floor, convulsing in the throes of death.

"What's happening here?!" Peter snarled, grabbing the dying creature and shaking him violently. "Wake up!"

I couldn't help but grin. Ah, you fool. He's dying.

[Killed enemies:

2 of 102.]

Pale hands with elongated claws lifted me up, and I found myself locking eyes with the creature's yellow pupils.

"Is this your doing?" he asked, piercing through me, peering into the depths of my soul.

I snorted disdainfully.

"As you can see my hands were first taken away during your hour-long torture," I replied.

He tossed me back onto the scattered purple fragments and strode toward the lizard.

[Health:

23%]

[Three-Fingered Poison:

99%]

I no longer held back, allowing my body to regenerate and heal, repairing the broken parts and regrowing the lost limbs. It was quite the hassle.

- What should we do now? - The lizard stood on the brink, spreading his arms. - If things continue like this...

"They won't let us leave the Survival Crossroads until the two-day deadline has elapsed." the horned one felt the pulse of the deceased and lifted him from the ground. "What happened in the moments before they fell?"

"They were playing with a live ball..." the lizard's voice trailed off abruptly, his pupils constricting as he looked at me.

"Come here quickly, but don't touch him. He's contagious."

Contagious, you say? Look who's talking, with that festering crown on your forehead.

Lying on the cold floor, surrounded by scraps of flesh, I focused on restoring my internal organs and staunching the bleeding.

"What do we do with..." Peter's words were drowned out by the resounding roar of five lifeless bodies collapsing.

[Killed enemies:

7 of 102.]

"Everyone, prepare yourselves. Erect your defenses and spare no restorative elixirs." the horned one raised his velvety voice and enveloped himself in a dark bard barrier.

It was too late.

No sooner had the creatures followed the command than began to fall with cries of agony echoing through the air.

[Killed enemies:

13 of 102.]

Well, I truly had a desire to experience playing live ball.

A thunderous thud reverberated from the opposite wall, indicating that they had indeed concluded that I was infected with some kind of plague.

[Health:

47%]

I grew a short tail.

Meanwhile, the creatures were collapsing—some dead, others weakened in their limbs.

The system continued tallying the count of enemies slain.

At the count of 33, I managed to regenerate my limbs.

Cracking the bones of my newly grown leg, I sat up.

Eight minutes had passed, and even the strong among them had lost sensation in their bodies.

The bodies piled up, making it difficult to distinguish the living from the dead.

Flexing my wrist, I deliberately let out a loud whistle and opened the inventory panel to retrieve the antidote.

The white vial brimmed with dark mana interwoven with delicate strands of a curative antidote.

With a flourish, I twisted off the cap like a true gentleman, and to the silence of the chamber, I sang:

"May fortune grace my abode."

Bowing to my silent audience, I tossed back the bottle and consumed the liquid down to the last drop. It coursed through my body, purging the poison, and I exhaled a plume of dark steam from my mouth.

"You...," the lizard lay trapped beneath the massive carcass of what seemed to be a dog or a lion, his breath escaping through clenched fangs, clearly intent on revenge.

"Yes, it's me, Peter. I don't think formal introductions are necessary." stepping towards him, I tossed aside the lifeless creature that had pinned him down and smiled benevolently.

"How was it over there? Did you find me contagious?" I inquired, digging my claws into his neck and lifting him up, freeing him from the mass of corpses scattered on the floor.

He's strong, capable of surviving without the antidote for at least another five hours.

"Y-You'll regret crossing us! You'll see how you..." The lizard's words were silenced as I stuffed someone's severed leg into his mouth, his muffled protests failing to escape.

"One more word, and it won't end well for you," I hissed, driving my hand deep into his chest until I grasped his heart. A cold laugh escaped my lips as I tightened my grip.

The lizard immediately went silent, his lifeless gaze fixed upon the ceiling. Ah, no need for that here. Your heart is still beating, and the system hasn't designated a new victim.

Withdrawing my hand, I shook off the sticky residue and made my way towards the remaining average foes.

Their deaths were not as agonizing as the torture I endured just minutes ago, but it was worth telling about the suffering of those who tore off my hands.

I tortured them for a solid 50 minutes, subtly tormenting their bodies with Dark Threads.

[Killed enemies:

42 of 102.]

Many of them succumbed to the poison before I could fully revel in their torment.

But I saved the strongest ones for the grand finale.

They watched from a relatively cleaner spot as I savagely tore apart the remaining survivors. Limbs and appendages were ripped off, and bone needles were plunged into their heads, stomachs, and various other places, reaping the revenge I so desired.

Oh, so you thought you could kill me? Torture me and set an example for the beginners?

Who are you? And who am I?

Ripping open one's mouth, I cast it aside and finally found what I had been searching for all along—a stick with a sharp tip.

Ah, my dear.

With a flick of my finger, I sent the dried skin into the sea of blood, then turned my attention to the strongest remaining adversary.

"My magic wand was lost, but I've found it now," I spoke calmly, slowly making my way across the dead carcasses of the creatures. I glanced at the mission window.

The death toll had exceeded 80.

Only the strongest remained.

"I once sought your forgiveness," I murmured, plunging the tip of the stick into someone's thigh and eliciting a pained squeal. "I wanted to join your ranks, but..." I raised the stick, only to bring it down again—this time, aiming for the stomach and making a swift, calculated motion toward the throat.

A fountain of blood sprayed onto my whitish silhouette.

What luck I have today, wielding such a sharp weapon capable of effortlessly rending open the body of a high-ranking creature.

The dying creature wheezed, expelling the last remnants of life, and fixed its glassy gaze on the darkening ceiling.

"It won't happen again."

[Killed enemies:

87 of 102.]

Ah.

That means there are only 15 creatures left that I haven't killed yet.

"I would like to share a story, one that is not entirely unique in such an establishment," I said, supporting the stick as I approached another creature. Upon catching a glimpse of the tip, which was smeared in someone's guts, the creature pressed its long ears to its head.

Grinning, I scraped the stick across the metal floor, the screeching sound sending shivers down my spine.

"Do as you please, but remember that it will come back to haunt you," the gray-furred creature, lying on its side, snarled, baring its fangs.

"I know," I replied, delivering a powerful kick that shattered the speaker's fangs. "I pleaded for your forgiveness countless times, but now our roles have reversed. Kill or be killed—isn't that the law of the Arena? Thank you for teaching me."

Stepping on the creature's upper jaw, I forced open its mouth and violently tore off its chin, leaving the red tongue pitifully flapping against the fur.

For some reason, revenge weighed heavily on my limbs. Summoning Dark Threads, I lifted the still-breathing creature and inquired, "Who is the owner of the initial levels?"

I glanced at the silent monsters surrounding us, pulled on one thread, and the suspended creature wheezed. Through its torn mouth, purple blood gurgled and transformed into bubbling froth.

With a sickening slurp, the first severed hand fell, its claws clanging as they hit the hard surface. I repeated my question, "Who is your Lord?"

Silence.

Only the shudder of the massive body could be heard, as it cracked at the seams. The Dark Threads squeezed all the visible muscles, making their way to the bones, and soon they began to cut with razor-sharp precision. The creature convulsed in agony, its movements futile against the destructive force I exerted, keeping it on the brink of death.

The monster with six wings couldn't bear it any longer. It screeched and attempted to rise, but the poison had already ravaged its body, rendering its efforts futile.

"How pitiful it is to realize that your strength only lies in numbers," I taunted, tracing the entire perimeter of the chamber with my stick. I laughed, pressing my index finger to my forehead. "Don't provoke me further, for things could get even worse."

I picked up the his severed hand and dug it into the creature's stomach, causing hot liquid to drip, yet it remained alive.

How long could they endure?

The creature's eyes burst with an overwhelming amount of pain.

As I admired this macabre spectacle, a memory of a certain critter suddenly resurfaced.

With a smile, I approached the lizard. He too lay on his back, always looking at the ceiling, but the moist pupils and the slight rise and fall of his chest indicated a flicker of life within the mountain of muscles.

Giving a disdainful kick to his loathsome snout, I spoke, "I simply wish to know the puppeteer behind the machinations in this realm of power. I trust you don't mind, do you?" Removing leg from his mouth, I seized Peter's throat with my fingers and dragged him toward the dying creature.

"Take a good look. This is the fate that awaits all those who refuse to obey me. Learn from it, you rookies."

Peter was heavy, and while my stamina regenerated automatically, it was slower than my consumption.

Placing him in front of the slumped carcass, I withdrew my paw from its stomach and brought it crashing down on the lizard's snout.

"Oh, how do you like that?" I exclaimed, striking with renewed force. I summoned needle-like bones, and with each blow, the paw turned into a mangled mess. Even the bones were crushed with a sickening crunch. I took the remaining fragment and jammed it into Peter's eyeball.

He gritted his teeth, silently enduring my brutal assault.

[Survival Crossroads:

88 enemies out of 102 were killed.

Remaining time: 6 hours 12 minutes.]

What?

How much time has passed?

Glancing back, I witnessed the body, strung up by sharp threads, collapsing onto the scattered chunks of flesh with resounding slaps.

"Ha, ha, ha." breathing heavily, I retracted the Dark Threads.

Hoisting the lizard up toward the ceiling, manipulating the parallel lines, I slammed him against the ceiling and then the floor, repeating the action as I cackled.

Truly, it appears much more amusing when you're the one inflicting such torment rather than experiencing it yourself.

After several repetitions, the first cry of pain pierced the air.

Pure bliss.

Curling my fingers, I beckoned the threads closer to me. Grasping onto Peter's forehead, I directed my gaze toward the remaining creatures and spoke with a booming voice:

"It is not I who am killing your brethren, but you, through your silence."

Extending my claws, I ran my finger over the tough skin, leaving bloody streaks on my face. With a wide grin, I approached the creature's eye, already stained red like that of a berserker.

"Who is your master?" I demanded.

In response, a glob of spit landed on my shoulder.

Couldn't quite reach my face, could you?

I struck the creature's nose once again, catching my breath before plunging the threads even deeper.

"AAAAAHHH! IF YOU'RE A CREATURE WITH ANY SHRED OF DIGNITY, CANCEL YOUR SPELLS AND FIGHT ME!"

Unable to bear the excruciating pain any longer, he began to lose control. As I cleared my ear, I blew on the invisible specks of dust on the tip of my claw.

"It's not a spell. This is something far more potent and irreversible, my friend. Ha-ha. True, it's quite unconventional, but it's only going to get worse."

After unleashing the needle-like bones upon the nearest creature, I turned away from Peter, who hung from the threads, losing limbs with each slain opponent.

The chamber once again resounded with agonizing groans that threatened to drown out my inner voice.

[Survival Crossroads:

93 enemies out of 102 were killed.]

With a slurping sound, I aggressively delved into the innards of the emaciated creature, searching for anything and everything within.

I stumbled upon almost childlike hands with slender wrists, heads slightly flattened, and plump legs.

"Are there human children here?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"Y-yes. Oh, they're on... the upper floors. P-please, k-kill me instead." the creature wept purple tears, its wild visage appearing both horrifying and repugnant.

The bastard's hands remained limp at its sides, pumping filthy blood through its veins.

"So, here... that's how it is," I declared, enunciating each word with unwavering emphasis. "And you devour them for breakfast?"

The creature opened its mouth, wheezing in pain, and cowered into a small bundle.

Ripping a stick from the entrails, I sat down beside it and patted its wooden shoulder:

"Tell me about it while I attend to the others. As soon as you cease blabbering, I'll return and..." I squeezed the kidney, yanking it out from the guts and wagging my tail. "I'll continue eviscerating you, slow-ly."

"Y-yes. I-I would prefer a quick death. Kha-ha-hak."

Approaching the beast with the shiny brown fur, horns and snout of a pig, I summoned the Dark Threads and hung yet another carcass before me.

"On the 5th floor, there's s-something that's absent here. Dangerous mountains. Strong zones. And all that one can devour for sustenance. Children, delectable..."

Humming to myself, I smiled. Nodding in approval, I resolved to meticulously remove this flawless fur and stow it away in my inventory.

Starting from the neck, I carefully made a precise horizontal incision, strategically cutting in the right places and pulling the exposed fur towards me.

"But you need power to obtain what you desire."

"And what constitutes power? How is it measured?"

The fur pressed tightly against the muscles, causing the creature to grit its teeth in pain. The remnants of brains and blood splattered across my face with a sickening squelch.

Ugh.

I instinctively moved to wipe my face with my hand, only to realize that my hands were also drenched in blood.

Disgusting.

Taking a thread, I meticulously ran it along the skin, picking up every bit of debris and fluid, leaving behind a pale, flesh-colored surface.

The creature hung there, partially skinned. Warm steam escaped from its mouth, accompanied by pained exhales as its eyes awkwardly moved around the chamber.

I surveyed my surroundings and, indeed, it resembled a scene from hell.

"Strength is measured by overcoming hardships, by prevailing against fighters..."

"So, you came from the 5th level?" I interrupted, my voice filled with curiosity.

"N-no, w-we are not..."

"SHUT UP." the lizard hanging by a single arm snapped at them.

"Who woke you up here? You don't perish yourself and won't let others?" I continued to strip the fur away, the creature breathed heavily through its mouth, and with each centimeter of progress, the flesh beneath strained veins began to visibly pulsate.

Ah, blood again.

When I reached the hip, I glanced at the remaining time:

5 hours 27 minutes.

Damn. In just 3 hours, they will regain their mobility. I need to speed things up.

"Tell me about your boss. What's his name?" I demanded.

Silence followed my question.

Shrugging my shoulders, I continued to peel off the skin. With one final jerk, the creature succumbed to the shock of pain and died.

[Survival at the Crossroads:

Killed 93 enemies out of 102.]

I'm new to this line of work, and I apologize, but you brought this upon yourself. Those who commit heinous acts always meet a grim fate.

I surveyed the others, killing them without discrimination, searching for valuable body parts to extract later.

Like a butcher. It's vile. Yet, for some reason, I feel lighter than ever.

Ripping off another head, I heard the resonant voice of the system:

[Survival Crossroads:

99 enemies out of 102 have been killed.

Remaining time:

3 hours 41 minutes.]

I cracked my shoulder joints, fixing my gaze upon the horned one. Well, hello my friend.