688 Netherworld
[WARNING! You're going to enter STORY MODE! In this mode, the actions and choices you make will decide the fate of this realm]
"Story Mode?" Evie murmured, furrowing her brows in confusion as she exchanged puzzled glances with Ren.
They had already been embroiled in what felt like a grand narrative back on the surface, so the concept of something different was intriguing.
Ren scratched his head, deep in thought, pondering the meaning of this sudden shift.
The term was missing something, and he couldn't quite grasp the distinction between the differences between this mode and what he had been doing back on the surface.
"Hey, Ren," Elena piped up, gently tugging at his clothes to draw his attention. Her voice held a note of urgency as she pointed into the distance. "There's someone running in our direction."
In the dimly lit surroundings, Elena's outstretched finger guided Ren's gaze to a shadowy figure dashing toward them.
It became evident that the approaching individual was a child, but there was something unsettling about the encounter — this was no ordinary child. It was a demon child.
The child appeared deceptively innocent, sporting the cherubic face of a typical human youngster. Short, vibrant green hair framed her face, adding a touch of whimsy to her appearance.
However, a peculiar feature set her apart from ordinary children: a small horn protruded from the center of her head, hinting at her demonic lineage.
Despite this unusual trait, her innocent visage clashed intriguingly with her supernatural element.
Upon spotting them, the child's eyes welled up with fat tears, her mouth stretching wide open as she cried out, "P-Please, help me!"
Initially, Ren and the others' expressions remained calm, but as they focused on what was pursuing the child, their eyes narrowed, and their mouths fell open in shock.
The sand seemed to writhe and churn at an alarming speed as if some unseen force lurked just beneath the surface. The grains of sand swirled and shifted, creating a disconcerting pattern in the ground.
Just as the child reached Ren and the others, the very earth seemed to explode upward in a violent eruption.
A colossal, gaping maw emerged from the sand, revealing the monstrous form of a giant purple worm.
Its body was massive, covered in rough, scaled plates that shimmered in the dim light. The worm's enormous jaws, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, snapped menacingly as it lunged out of the sand, propelled by sheer force.
The child's terrified shriek echoed in the air as the worm's immense body towered over them, casting a daunting shadow across the barren landscape.
Its eyes glowed with a malevolent hunger, fixated on the small group before it. The ground trembled beneath its massive form as it writhed and coiled, ready to strike at any moment.
"A fight right off the bat?" Elena said, her lips curling into a grin as she readied her weapons, her excitement palpable.
"Just as I would expect from the Nether Realm," Ren replied with a nonchalant shrug. He remained unperturbed, confident in Elena's abilities to handle the situation.
"Alright, time to get busy. Hey, kid, get behind me. This could get ugly," Elena said, her voice firm as she swung her whip, the sheer force rippling through the air.
But just as Elena was about to strike the worm, the child suddenly pulled her hair and let out a piercing scream.
"Don't! Don't kill it!" the child pleaded, her eyes wide with fear and desperation.
Elena, momentarily thrown off balance by the unexpected pull, grunted in annoyance. "Hoi, what's the meaning of this?"
"You don't kill a Purple Worm! It's illegal!" the child cried, her voice filled with genuine distress.
"Illegal?" Evie's brow furrowed in confusion, her head tilting to the side in bewilderment.
"I'm surprised to hear that from the Netherworld," Ren remarked, his tone laced with amusement. "There's law in this lawless place?"
The child's tear-streaked face contorted in anger, and she kicked Ren in the leg with surprising ferocity. "You surface dwellers. What do you know?"
A vein popped on Ren's forehead, his patience wearing thin. He grabbed the little demon child by the back of her clothing, his irritation evident. "Do you want me to kick you into that worm's mouth?"
The child's fierce demeanor crumbled, and her tears returned in full force. "Waagh!"
"Hoi, Ren, that's too much," Elena scolded, her voice a mix of reproach and concern.
Beside them, Evie nodded in agreement. "Bully . . ." she muttered in a soft teasing voice.
The colossal worm roared, capturing their attention once more. It poised to strike, and Elena was prepared to kill it if necessary.
"Y-you can't! You can't kill it! Or the wrath of Voraxa will rain upon us all!" the child exclaimed, her voice desperate and panicked.
"Then what do you suppose we do, be its food?" Elena grumbled, frustration evident in her tone.
"Just run!" the kid shouted repeatedly, her voice shrill with fear.
"I don't think running will do us any good here," Elena said grimly as the worm towered over them.
Its size was comparable to that of a World Boss, a daunting presence in the sand-filled expanse.
Just as it was about to strike, a brilliant beam of light materialized out of thin air and pierced through the worm's body.
The worm let out a final, deafening roar before collapsing, a gaping hole in its form signaling its demise.
After the smoke and light dissipated, Princess Lorelai's silhouette could be seen standing beside the worm.
"Hoi, Ren, Evie, Elena . . ." Princess Lorelai landed gracefully on her feet, her wings fluttering behind her, her eyes glowing with annoyance. "You guys just left me behind there."
"Ah, sorry. Sorry," Elena chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head in sheepish apology.
Princess Lorelai stomped her way towards Ren and the others, her frustration evident. "How rude of you guys. That's a goddess, you know. A high being in the Heaven Realm. You should show more respect."
While the princess continued scolding, the portal behind them closed abruptly, sealing Ren and the others in the Netherworld.
