189 HE FOUND ME
The demon army was paralyzed with terror.
For all their years of war and bloodshed, they had never encountered a creature so horrifying, so beyond the realm of natural understanding.
Leo crouched behind a crumbled wall, observing the chaos from a safe distance. His mind raced as he considered his next move.
"Fuck now, how do I stop this shit", Leo complained to himself.
------
"What do we do now?" Captain Harith asked, his voice strained with desperation as the battlefield descended further into misery.
"How the hell should I know?" Commander Argun snapped, his claws twitching in frustration. "At this rate, that monster's going to eat every last one of us!"
"Are we really going to die here?" Agathae muttered nervously, his pale face betraying his fear.
"Why are you even speaking, you miserable human?" Harith growled, baring his fangs.
Agathae flinched, shrinking back under the captain's glare.
By now, nearly two-thirds of the demon army had been devoured by the monstrous entity that was Lillrune. The air reeked of destruction, and despair hung over the remaining forces like a shroud.
Just then, a strange message appeared in Agathae's view.
"Request for Trade by Black Cock."
"What in the..." Agathae muttered, confused but sudden invite.
This was the first time he'd received communication from another player. Whoever this "Black Cock" was, it was impeccable timing. Despite his bewilderment, Agathae hesitantly accepted the trade request.
"What do you want?" Agathae typed in the trade column.
"Idiot. Tell the demons to lure that monster into the Great Emperor's Tomb," came the curt reply from Black Cock.
Agathae blinked, unsure of what to make of the message. Still, something about it resonated as his only shot at survival.
"Erm... why don't we lead the monster into the Great Emperor's Tomb?" Agathae suggested hesitantly.
"Shut your mouth, human," Harith snapped.
But before Harith could say more, Argun raised a hand to silence him, his crimson eyes narrowing.
"What did you just say?" Argun asked, turning to Agathae with uncharacteristic curiosity.
"Send the monster into the Great Emperor's Tomb," Agathae repeated, his voice more confident now.
Argun's gaze hardened. "How do you know about that dungeon?"
Agathae opened his mouth to respond but was cut off as Argun barked out orders. "No time for questions! Summon all the remaining shamans. We'll open a portal to the Tomb!"
The camp sprang into action. Shamans gathered in haste, forming a massive spell array. Their chants filled the air as magical symbols glowed in intricate patterns on the ground.
Lillrune, expecting another magical assault, paused and glanced at the sky, anticipating the colossal nine-fingered claw from earlier.
"What!! Nothing?"
When the sky remained calm, he smirked and continued his march, confident in his growing invulnerability.
But as he stepped forward, the ground beneath his massive feet shimmered and gave way. A swirling portal materialized below him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lillrune roared, his monstrous voice shaking the air.
Argun smirked coldly. "Goodbye, beast."
With one last surge of energy, the shamans completed their spell, opening the portal fully. Lillrune bellowed in rage as his massive frame was sucked into the glowing abyss.
The portal flickered and vanished, leaving behind silence and the stunned remnants of the demon army.
Argun turned to Agathae, his expression unreadable. "That was... a wise suggestion," he said, begrudgingly acknowledging the human's contribution. "Perhaps you're not entirely useless after all."
----
"Well, job's done," Leo muttered, brushing dust from his hands as he prepared to leave the ruins.
"No, your job is just beginning," came a familiar voice behind him. Vanessa's tone was laced with both warning and amusement.
"What do you mean? You asked me to contain that gluttonous freak, and now he's locked away in the Great Emperor's dungeon," Leo replied, irritation creeping into his voice.
"Not the mission, Leo," Vanessa countered. "You still haven't obtained his mutated Gluttony. Don't you want to escape scrutiny every time you use your demonic consummation?"
Leo hesitated. Vanessa had a point.
His consummation ability was a powerful tool, but its demonic nature painted a target on his back. He couldn't afford to expose himself as a demon every time he used it.
"Fine. How do I deal with this... fucking mutation?" he asked reluctantly.
Vanessa smirked. "That's up to you. You're the hacker, not me."
"Great," Leo muttered sarcastically, making his way to a strange clearing deep within the ruins.
The place was eerily quiet, with no demons guarding it. Retracing his earlier steps, Leo approached a square where faint magical energy still lingered.
"This should be it," he said, stepping onto a specific tile.
A hidden gate to the Great Emperor's Tomb shimmered into existence. Leo had stumbled upon it by accident earlier, but now it was his only way forward.
Darkness enveloped him as he stepped through the portal. Unlike before, he came prepared.
Summoning his golden dragon guardian, its radiant light illuminated the pitch-black chamber, the dragon's coiled form protecting him like a living shield.
Careful not to disturb the dormant gargoyles scattered throughout the tomb's ceiling and walls, Leo navigated the labyrinth.
This time, his expanded mini-map provided a clear layout of the winding corridors. "Much easier this time," he muttered as he approached the central chamber.
But his confidence faltered the moment he stepped inside.
The chamber was in ruins. The pillars and ornate decorations were shattered, debris scattered everywhere. Lillrune had left nothing untouched.
"No, not another fucking tomb! I won't be trapped again!" Lillrune's anguished screams echoed through the chamber.
Leo froze, staying invisible as the monstrous entity raged. Lillrune's fury was palpable, his enormous body pacing and thrashing as he vented his frustration.
"Lilleo Gullee, I will kill you!" Lillrune roared, his voice filled with unrelenting hatred.
Suddenly, Lillrune stopped. His massive head turned, his gaze narrowing toward Leo's direction.
"What's that dot doing here?" he growled.
Leo's heart sank. "Shit, he could see my fucking dot," he cursed under his breath.
Lillrune's eyes scanned the room as he sniffed the air. "Found you!" he bellowed, charging straight toward Leo.