196 Gruesome+1

The frenzy unfolded without a single spoken word, an onslaught of spells and attacks bearing down upon me.

A massive boulder hurtled toward me, prompting me to sway gracefully to the side to evade it. Yet, escape was elusive, for the sharp edges of an ice shard grazed my face, leaving an icy sting that brushed perilously close to my ears.

I teetered on the brink of a fall, but with swift conjuration, a fire bolt ignited in my left arm. It streaked diagonally across the chamber as I extended my right arm, using it to steady myself.

The fiery projectile found its mark, piercing the inner thigh of a foe situated at the rear of the fray. Chaos reigned as my assailants attacked indiscriminately, each eye fixed upon me, making it equally straightforward for me to retaliate.

Blaze emerged from the shadows, his movements calculated and precise. He pounced upon the injured man, his claws slashing the man's neck, leaving him to wither and perish before slipping back into the shadows.

"Hey!! This guy has a beast!! Be careful," a voice echoed from the rear. It was Broker, a diminutive dwarf garbed in attire reminiscent of a circus master, his oversized round hat looming behind a wall of his henchmen.

And don't forget... Seven.

I tightened my grip on the sword I had recently acquired, my stance unwavering.

"Haa," I exhaled deeply, sensing a presence behind me. Swiftly, I sidestepped to the right as a dagger sliced through my robe, grazing the lower portion of my side. The searing pain to my right rib cage made me grimace as I turned to confront the assailant.

"Hehe," a one-eyed man sneered, accompanied by an identical twin who mirrored his every move. Twins? One had manipulated my positioning, while the other had seized the opportune moment to strike.

Ignoring Blaze's surprised voice echoing in my mind, I hurled the sword like a spear, employing an underhand grip. It struck the lackey who had torn my robe squarely in the foot. The mana-reinforced sword pierced his foot, anchoring him to the ground in writhing agony.

As I twisted my torso, the dagger continued its merciless journey, slicing through flesh like fabric.

"What-!!!!" The one-eyed assailant was caught off guard by my nimble evasion, clearly expecting me to remain still.

With practiced precision, I condensed a fireball to a controlled level and conjured a ball of lightning in my right palm. Manipulating the currents, I directed it in reverse, causing it to make contact with the right side of the man's face.

Boom*

Boom*

The cacophony of two simultaneous explosions reverberated through the chamber. Both he and I were propelled from the ground, but he was launched much farther. I couldn't help but notice his head erupting in a gruesome display.

"Aghh," I mentally purchased healing potions from my inner store, hastily consuming two bottles.

'Are you alive?' Blaze's inquiry dripped with a cutting tone.

I retrieved the falling intestines and, with a grimace, attempted to reposition them within the body as I downed the potions. The dagger had carved me open more deeply than I cared to admit.

The healing potions surged within me, their magic working swiftly to mend the deep wounds inflicted by the dagger. The raw, throbbing pain began to dull, replaced by a soothing warmth.

As I struggled to reposition the fallen intestines but managed to stuff them inside.

The torn tissues began to knit together, their shredded edges weaving into a semblance of normalcy. It was a grotesque but mesmerizing sight, as the body's innate regenerative abilities and the healing elixir worked in tandem, gradually restoring the damaged organs to their former state.

Breathing heavily, I stared at my crimson-stained hand, the raw agony of battle etched into every fiber of my being. The pain was a palpable presence that clung to me.

"Monster," Blaze's voice carried a dark amusement as he silently dispatched another adversary, his predatory instincts honed to a deadly precision.

'Predator and me? Look at them,' Blaze remarked, his words directing my gaze back to the disheveled group.

"T-that guy is a monster!!!" The cry rang out, echoing with the fervor of an accuser. It was a stout man, wielding a crude hammer, who had raised the alarm.

Glancing behind, I noticed that the individual previously thrown by the lightning remained unconscious—eight.

Then, a timid whimper drew my attention. Beside me, the man with the injured foot quivered. He could have severed his own leg to escape, but he hadn't. Tears streamed down his face as he begged for mercy.

I retrieved the fallen dagger from the ground, its glinting edge poised above the man's forehead.

Roar*

Blaze positioned himself as a barrier between me and the group, a silent sentinel as their gazes remained fixated on him.

'I can't maintain my form anymore, so I'll take down a few more before... hiding,' Blaze conveyed his strategy.

So, he was planning to conceal himself.

'AFTER TAKING SOME OF THEM DOWN!!!!!! I AIN'T COWARD BUT YA CAN'T EXPECT A CAT TO FIGHT!!!' Blaze's defiant voice rang in my mind.

Returning my attention to the trembling man, he continued to stammer apologies, though I couldn't discern exactly what he was apologizing for. I didn't have the inclination to pass judgment, but children shouldn't bear the brunt of such violence.

I gingerly positioned the dagger's tip at an angle on his forehead before meticulously carving a small, precise pocket in his flesh.

As I sliced through, his skull bone came into view. My fingers grasped his head from behind, keeping it steady, while I gently pinched the incised skin.

"Aghhhhhhhhhh Aghhhhhhhhh!!!!!" His guttural cries assaulted my ears, making them throb in response.

Why the pain? Because I had started to peel the skin downward, akin to the way one would strip an orange. The grotesque panorama of his inner anatomy unfolded before my eyes.

I dug my nails into the exposed flesh, extracting a lump of facial muscles and tossing it aside. With a swift motion, I released his head, leaving him in shock.

In his frantic attempts he jumped back to get away from me on instict but forgot about the sword impaling his foot. With an abrupt movement, he severed his foot vertically, releasing himself from the agonizing impalement.

"Heiiiiiii!!"The sight was gruesome, and his scream of pain filled the air as he toppled to the ground, writhing in newfound torment.

I gazed down at the man before me and mercilessly stomped on his head—nine.

'Nah, make it fourteen,' Blaze chimed in, his mental voice reflecting the toll of battle as he stood among the fallen adversaries.

I observed Blaze, his form surrounded by the lifeless bodies of those he had dispatched. His wings had been torn, and a sword protruded from his side.

Roar*

He let out a final roar before,his figure disappeared from view and he's out I guess.

His figure disappeared from view, slipping into the surrounding shadows like vanishing into the depths.

Hope he didn't suffer much.

'Bitch ! I'll die if you don't get it done soon... aghh, this blood loss!!' Blaze's grumbling echoed in my thoughts, reassuring me of his condition.

"Stop!" The abrupt command shattered the warehouse's silence, ushering in a moment of strained anticipation.

All eyes turned to Broker, his age evident in his antiquated dialogue. The room seemed to hold its breath as the petite figure remained utterly motionless.

"Who are you?" He inquired, his gaze traveling the length of my form, a comical attempt to size me up despite his diminutive stature....dude you are 3'5 at most.

A brief survey revealed three individuals to my left and four positioned around Broker, their physical conditions ranging from wounded to still standing but battered.

My mental count tallied twelve.

"What do you want?" Broker's curiosity propelled him forward, his tone imbued with a mix of concern and skepticism. "I don't think this is great...how about you tell me—" He faltered, the pained grimace on his face obscuring the remainder of his sentence.

Realizing the state of disarray that was my clothing, I roughly tore off the remnants of my robe, revealing a body in disarray. Blood clung to my trembling hands, seeping from countless wounds I had incurred.

"See, you're injured too," Broker's words dripped with a sugary tone, his concern seemingly genuine. "You won't be able to hold on."

"I still have plenty of mana," I muttered under my breath.

"Heh?" Broker's response was a perplexed expression.

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                       STORE LVL:1

Blood Points: 4350

Storage Void: Currently Unavailable

1) Mana Potion: 50 Points

2) Healing Potion: 50 Points

...

...

6) Orb of Illusion: 1000 Points (Quantity: 1)

....

11) Plain Robe: 100 Points (Infinite Supply)

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"Purchase a robe and an Orb of Illusion," I decided, aiming to improve my current way of killing.

[A/N: damn... that was a ride but there's more? Cough* What ya gonna to with that orb? Ehh!? When'd you come here!? Yeah you looking at the screen... anyways, I wanna thank you because of you we completed 9k collections and I am happy...maybe too happy,agh yeah I am on cloud nineth!]