Daru froze in utter terror, and he got the sudden, almost uncontrollable urge to dash towards the exit.

The damned thing found him!

Yet, he couldn't move despite wanting to.

It was as though his body — his survival instincts were screaming at him desperately not to move, but it was only thanks to the sensation of dread that he wasn't too familiar with that he was able to listen.

He truly found it impossible to move, utterly petrified in a biological sense.

'No…damn it, move…' he thought, glaring furiously at his arms and legs, fully knowing he would die if he didn't defend himself.

But then, a silent, spine-chilling second later, he heard a spiteful hiss, and the ghastly spawn began cursing in a language unknown to him.

The footsteps then began moving towards the lightless path it came from, resuming in their slow and eerie yet rhythmic march.

The shackling terror in his heart eased, bit by bit with every farther-sounding echo, and eventually, Daru was able to move again, circling back to his original spot as he waited for La Filosa to disappear into the dark corridor.

'Hah…can't this thing walk faster?' he thought inwardly with ragged breathing.

He was running out of time!

At this rate, he would have to truly sprint and continue doing so until the ascent.

Stamina shouldn't be a problem.

However, the thought that he would be stuck here gnawed at him with unusual unease.

He would be losing a life, at worst, yet he didn't want to.

At least not in this god-forsaken, monochrome world. This was how he felt for some unexplainable reason.

He waited — impatient, unnerved, panicking, desperately wishing for the accursed spawn to finally disappear into the pallid darkness.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for Daru, the footsteps began echoing from within the corridor, and he began to slowly move towards the exit, which was on the other side of the lobby.

His speed gradually increased as La Filosa sank deeper into the lightless path, until he was full-on making a mad dash for the exit.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong, and he was able to leave the ruins.

He instinctively looked back while sprinting across the ashen ground, and his pupils constricted for a moment.

His heart also skipped yet another beat.

There La Filosa was, watching him from the entrance of the ruins, seemingly unwilling to leave the place.

Or perhaps she couldn't.

In any case, Daru broke into a cold sweat, accepting the fact that he lucked out this time.

He hoped his luck would be enough to get him out of this monochrome world, too.

Forcefully exhaling to expel the negative thoughts and the building dread in his heart, Daru ripped through the misty, gray world, sprinting like a panther towards the staircase — his only source of comfort in this unholy place.

He yearned for the Crystal Hollows.

Of course, Daru knew he would have to come back here, and he wanted to.

He refused to accept his cowardice earlier, planning to vanquish it by facing his fears again, next time with enough prowess to protect himself against even the likes of the ghastly spawn he encountered earlier.

Soon, he arrived at the area close to the staircase.

He still had a little over a minute left.

Based on his estimations, this was still a relatively generous time, given that the number of ascending steps wasn't that high.

And he could take two or three at a time, further reducing the time needed.

Daru exhaled in relief.

The Underworld had been more unnerving than his limited imagination allowed, but at least he gained experience.

He would be more prepared next time.

Daru ran, speeding up even more as he neared the base of the staircase.

He was set to make it, if not for the gray blur he caught in his peripheral vision.

Daru instinctively turned to face the zooming threat, gritting his teeth in a mix of frustration, fury, and uncertainty.

How lucky he truly was…

*CLANG!*

The sounds of metal clashing against metal echoed more than they normally would've, amplified by the distortive effects of the monochrome world.

Daru was sent skidding back, ash flying everywhere as he staggered for two steps before stabilizing his footing.

His forearms felt slightly numb.

Daru was familiar with this feeling, and he already knew that a red damage value had probably appeared above him, despite his being able to muster a relatively effective block.

[-40]

He locked gazes with the Swordspawn in front of him, and his eyes narrowed as the sensation of dread came creeping in again, though the intensity was far from what he felt when his eyes laid upon La Filosa.

The creature in front of him was most similar in appearance to a midget.

However, its face was nightmare fuel, having an abyss instead of an eyeball. The swordspawn had no nose and was dripping black ichor from its mangled mouth.

Its limbs were long and bony, and it was hunching, seemingly weighed down by its massive belly that provided a sharp contrast to its unnerving, skinny appearance.

Daru instinctively glanced at its nameplate.

He at least had to know its level.

==

Lost Damnedling Lv. 48

HP: 12,850 / 14,000

==

To his disbelief, it was only three levels higher than him, yet he still lost the clash.

It was absurdly tough, too.

Daru knew he wouldn't be able to defeat the unsettling spawn before the portal closed.

He would have to retreat strategically to make it.

Daru glanced at the staircase, and the eyeless wretch followed his gaze, suddenly gasping hoarsely — repeatedly, as though laughing.

It then lunged at the base of the stairs and stood protectively, disfigured face contorting in a mocking expression.

Misery loves company, and this was what the Lost Damnedling was doing.

It wanted to force Daru to stay in this god-forsaken place forever.

"Move!" Daru roared, anger and desperation welling in his heart as he performed short and strange zigzagging steps.

He had always been calm, composed, and collected when it came to battles.

This was the first time he found himself losing his cool.

Erupting into a mad dash with a clone arching from the other direction, the mocking face of the Lost Damnedling vanished, and it hissed at him.

But instead of attempting to attack the shorter Swordspawn, he jumped over it.

His intent mirage instantly vanished the moment he let go of his killing intent.

However, it had done its job, confusing the unholy spawn for just long enough that he was able to jump over it.

Daru landed on the second step of the staircase, then made a mad dash for the portal.

The Lost Damnedling finally realized what happened and hissed hysterically, chasing after him with unusual, burning passion fueled by a mix of misery, endless spite, and thrashing envy.

It couldn't allow anyone to live a better life than it.

The Swordspawn was stuck here for eternity, and it couldn't cross that portal no matter how desperately it wanted to.

If it was not allowed to, then no one was.

The two raced up the ascending steps, both desperate in their own ways, and fairly even in speed.

The Lost Damnedling would close the distance slightly, but then Daru would burst and widen it.

Daru was exhausted.

His lungs and legs were starting to burn from the running, but he could keep this up. The portal was right in front of him.

Adrenaline should do the rest.

He was so close, and with a powerful lunge that would've normally sent him rolling on the cold, blue ground of the Crystal Hollows, he went for the portal.

It turned out that he had underestimated the sheer maliciousness of the creatures of the monochrome world.

All shall rot in eternal despair and misery.

Behind him, the Lost Damnedling lunged with burning envy, successfully gripping its vile hands at Daru's reinforced steel boots for a moment before losing its grip.

But this short moment was painfully enough to delay him, and right before his eyes, the portal disappeared, turning into the sad, hopeless gray skies.

Daru then felt the sensation of falling.

Because he was…back to the cursed, ashen domain.

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