CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39 - THE RUNIC BODY

After about two more hours of monster hunting and making their way down the corridors, they finally reached the end of the tunnel and what came into the light was what they expected but hoped not to see.

A vast laboratory sprawled before them, a nightmarish blend of science and horror. Strange contraptions and half-finished experiments cluttered every inch of space, their purposes as ominous as the scene itself. Massive tubes lined the walls, each containing people suspended in eerie stillness, their fates uncertain. In the corners, lifeless bodies lay discarded in grisly heaps, the stench of death thick in the air.

Screams of agony echoed from those bound to chairs and tables, their struggles futile against the cruel restraints. More captives languished in rusted cages, their hollow eyes fixed on nothing, resigned to their impending doom. And everywhere—on the floors, the walls, even staining the very equipment—was blood. A silent testament to the atrocities committed in this place.

"Wha-What happened here? Who could do such a thing?!" Jenea gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "Our God Arion, please watch over their poor souls." She prayed.

Dylan gagged at the sight of the dead bodies, the sight being more than he could handle. "I think I’m gonna be sick!"

Rupert kept a straight face but it was obvious that he was turned off by the sight of the atrocities that happened here. "We need to get these people free. Come on, help me."

Zion had spotted Nicole but didn’t approach. He instead surveyed the area. ’At least Bryan will and Alice will be happy that she’s alive.’

"Looks like we made it. Huh? Hey guys, you’re here as well!" Patricia yelled, waving at Zion’s group.

"So both paths led here? Seems like we didn’t need to slit up."

"Oh God! Blegghhhhh!" Crystal threw up, her stomach not being able to handle the horrors of this place.

"Well, this makes things easier, come on, let’s get these people out of here." Lordrick, Patricia, Rupert, and Dylan went to free the prisoners while Crystal kept throwing up and Jenea waiting on standby.

Zion, however, was thinking about something else entirely. "That doesn’t make any sense. Why would both pathways lead here? Judging by Crystal’s appearance, they too encountered monsters that attempted to block their path, indicating that they were protecting this place. Not only that, but all the traps at the entrance were either activated already or simply didn’t work."

’If I were a mad scientist working in a dungeon, I would have traps at the entrance to block anyone’s attempt at venturing deeper. However, if they managed to get past them, I would have multiple paths to throw off the intruders, throwing monsters their way while making sure the true path was the most secure.

But in this case, the traps were busted, there was only one path to take, and when there was a fork in the road, both paths led to this lab, even with monsters securing it. It’s as if someone wanted us to be here.’ Then it finally clicked with him.

"STOP! DON’T TOUCH THE BARS, IT’S A TRAP!" But it was too late. Once Dylan touched the cage bars to open it for the prisoners, a loud alarm blared in the room, screeching into their ears with its deafening sound.

"Look at what we have here! Some fresh new faces just waiting to be experimented on!" A voice bellowed from an unknown place.

"While my bait did work, I was hoping those idiots who found this place would be the ones to come here. Well, no matter, you six will be fine experiments. I wonder how powerful you’ll become once I turn you into chimeras." The voice chuckled as if forks were scraping against a metal surface.

As the blaring alarms finally ceased, a deep, mechanical groan echoed through the lab. One by one, massive stone doors rumbled open, unleashing a tidal wave of nightmares.

From the darkness, hordes of monsters surged forward—goblins and hobgoblins shrieking with bloodlust, ogres, and trolls stomping with earth-shaking force. Cyclopes and gorgons emerged, their monstrous eyes gleaming with malice, while kobolds skittered through the chaos, their claws ready to tear flesh from bone.

Minotaurs, their hulking forms bristling with raw power, bellowed as they charged, while manticores and chimeras slithered, stalked, and bounded into the fray, their grotesque amalgamations of limbs and wings spelling certain doom.

Hundreds of creatures, driven by a singular purpose—annihilate the six of them.

"OH SHIT! OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT! WE’RE FUCKED!" Dylan screamed in horror, readying his sword on instinct.

Christen pulled out her staff once more, prepared to fight with everything she had. "Just how many monsters are here?!"

"Everyone, get ready! Don’t let them scare you!" Rupert yelled, his hands ablaze

Janea and Patricia also readied themselves but it was obvious that they were slightly spooked, more so Jenea.

Crystal was having a full-blown panic attack, her legs not even strong enough to hold her weight.

"Calm down," Zion said softly resting his hand on her shoulder. "You being scared isn’t going to get you anywhere. Stand up and face the threat in front of you as that’s the only way you’ll be able to move forward."

He stepped forward, positioning himself at the front of the group as the others instinctively fell in behind him. Taking a deep breath, he emptied his mind, his focus sharpening to a razor’s edge. Then, with a slow, deliberate smile, his mana erupted.

A surge of energy exploded from his body, sending violent shockwaves rippling through the air. The ground cracked beneath his feet, debris scattered like leaves in a storm, and even the monstrous horde hesitated for a fleeting moment. Power radiated from him in waves, an overwhelming presence that promised nothing but devastation.

"What the-"

"He’s that strong?!"

"Such power!"

"Heh, seems I was nothing to him when we fought."

"Z-Zion is this strong!?" Crystal wondered, her eyes wide with surprise.

"This seems like a good time for me to test my new power." Zion smiled.

The sheer intensity of his mana was so overwhelming that his shirt was ripped to shreds, exposing his bare chest. Carved into his skin were intricate runic symbols, each one glowing faintly with power. The runes seemed alive, shifting and pulsing as they enhanced his strength, granting him abilities beyond comprehension. At his back, a massive halo of shifting runes hovered, their patterns constantly changing, each new configuration unlocking a different aspect of his power.

He called this technique, the Runic Body.