Chapter 221: Dark Ink

Noah’s boots scuffed the uneven floor as he limped through the tunnel, each step echoing faintly through the silence.

His ribs throbbed with every breath he took, and he could feel the condition of his mana reserves.

The fight with Captain Roderick had pushed him to the brink, both physically and mentally, but quitting now wasn’t an option.

He’d come too far.

The air in the tunnel was damp and cold, clinging to his skin like a reminder that the dungeon didn’t care if he lived or died.

He forced himself forward, his breathing shallow but steady.

’Just one more chamber,’ he told himself. One more step closer.

The tunnel eventually widened ahead, a faint light spilling through.

Noah slowed his pace, reaching the mouth of the new cavern.

This one was rather vast and circular, so large that his footsteps echoed back faintly from the distance.

The walls curved upwards until they vanished into an open ceiling, where the eternal blue sky of the monolith world hung above, bright, clear, and sunless.

It was always day here, though the light came from nowhere and everywhere at once.

But what truly captured his attention was the lake.

It sat perfectly still in the middle of the cavern, like a sheet of glass, reflecting the false sky above.

The water shimmered in hues of deep indigo and silver, faintly glowing under the light.

Only two stretches of dry land existed. One beneath his feet and another far across the lake.

The path forward, as always, was on the other side.

Noah frowned at the sight. “A lake in a monolith…”

He stepped closer, his instincts prickling.

That was when the sound began. A low, grinding rumble from behind.

He turned immediately, just in time to see the tunnel he had entered through collapse.

Stone crashed and folded in on itself, sealing the entrance completely.

“Of course,” he muttered, glancing towards the far side.

There was another tunnel there. That was his exit.

He didn’t hesitate.

Null Stride.

The world folded in on itself, and in the blink of an eye, he reappeared on the opposite bank.

But the instant his boots hit stone, the ground trembled violently.

Cracks spidered through the rocky surface, and behind him, the tunnel he had just appeared near began to crumble as well, sealing shut with a thunderous crash.

Dust rolled outward, coating the air.

Noah exhaled slowly. “Trapped.”

The silence returned for a breath, just long enough for the lake to explode.

Water surged upward in a column of froth and foam as something vast rose from the depths.

A deep, gurgling roar echoed through the cavern, shaking the very air. Noah’s eyes widened as the creature revealed itself.

A giant octopus.

Its bulk was monstrous, its slick, pulsing flesh covered in pulsing veins of bioluminescent blue.

Each of its eight arms was thick as a tree trunk, writhing and flexing, sending waves crashing against the rocky banks.

But what caught Noah’s attention most were its eyes. They were massive, intelligent, and filled with hunger.

The creature roared again, and the water churned violently.

“So that’s my next opponent,” Noah muttered, his hands flexing as he gathered mana. “Figures it wouldn’t be easy.”

The first tentacle struck without warning, slicing through the air with frightening speed.

Noah threw himself sideways, Flash Step igniting beneath his feet. The tentacle hit the stone where he had stood, pulverizing it into dust.

A second arm lashed forward, spraying dark liquid from its suckers. The droplets hissed where they landed, eating through rock.

“Corrosive ink,” Noah realized. “Of course.”

He blurred again, dodging another sweeping blow. The tentacle tore through the air behind him, and he countered instantly. His arm flared with light.

Pillar of Judgement!

The beam of divine fire slammed down from the false sky, piercing the surface of the lake and striking the octopus directly.

Steam erupted as the water boiled, the smell of burning flesh rising in the air.

The creature shrieked, its voice a piercing wail that echoed through every corner of the chamber.

But it wasn’t dead.

The octopus convulsed, thrashing wildly. Its suckers sprayed more of that viscous black ink, but this time, the ink didn’t just fall. It moved.

The drops twisted midair, coalescing into winged shapes, raptors, their bodies made entirely of black sludge, their eyes glowing an acidic green.

Noah’s eyes widened in surprise. “What the hell…”

The octopus had an ink affinity.

The raptors screeched and dove for him.

He vanished again, Flash Step taking him upward, over their heads.

The first wave of raptors collided in midair where he had been, their bodies splattering into the ground, burning holes through the rock.

But more came, screaming as they filled the air like a storm of shadows.

Noah twisted in the air, flicking his wrist.

Devour!

A vortex of darkness expanded around him, consuming the oncoming raptors.

Their bodies dissolved into mana, absorbed into him. His limbs tingled as a familiar rush filled his veins. His agility had increased.

“Thanks for the boost,” he muttered.

He reappeared over the lake again, high above the churning water. With both hands raised, he summoned power, the air trembling.

“Let’s see how you like this.”

Void Bolt.

A dense, swirling sphere of void energy formed between his palms, humming violently before shooting downward like a comet.

It struck the lake with an explosion of blinding light, ripping through the surface and sending a tidal wave crashing against the cavern walls.

The shockwave hit Noah midair, tossing him back. He righted himself with Null Stride, reappearing near the far shore.

As the water calmed, his eyes narrowed.

The octopus was still alive.

The beast had shielded itself underwater, its massive body twisting just enough to redirect the attack.

Now, it swam with impossible speed, its tentacles slicing through the water like blades. It resurfaced again, roaring, and fired another barrage of ink that materialized midair into more raptors.

Noah’s patience snapped. “Enough.”

He drew a hand across his chest.

Soul Shadow.

The air around him darkened, shadows peeling away from his body and condensing into a long, elegant blade.

Its edge shimmered with spectral light, veins of blue and red energy pulsing along its surface.

As the new wave of raptors dove for him, Noah moved.

He became a streak of darkness, cutting through them with rage.

Each swing tore through their bodies like smoke. Shadows and acid hissed in the air as they disintegrated, and Noah didn’t stop until the ground was littered with their remains.

The last one screeched, trying to dive for his head. Noah caught it in midair with his tail and crushed it like paper.

Silence fell again, broken only by the gentle lapping of the water.

He turned his eyes towards the lake, the faint blue-red glow of his sword reflected in his gaze.

The octopus still lurked beneath the surface.

He could feel its presence. Its enormous, burning mana signature rippled through the water. It wasn’t done yet.

Noah exhaled, rolling his aching shoulder.

The battle had taken its toll.

His muscles screamed, and his ribs protested with every movement. His mana reserves were barely half of what they had been when he entered the cavern.

But there was no other way forward.

He took a step forward, looking out over the expanse of dark water.

“If I want to kill it,” he murmured to himself, “I’ll have to go in.”

The lake was now deceptively calm, the octopus hiding underneath.

Noah flexed his fingers, the faint aura of darkness curling off his skin.

“Fine,” he said, a small, dangerous grin crossing his face. “Let’s see what kind of monster you really are.”

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