The bats attacked with unrelenting ferocity, their razor-sharp teeth tearing into flesh with sickening ease.
One man was already on the ground, convulsing in a pool of his own blood.
His chest was a mangled ruin, deep gashes exposing muscle and bone.
Another clutched his face, howling as a bat clawed at his eye. With a final shriek, the creature ripped the orb free, leaving a gory socket that oozed thick, dark blood down his cheek.
The third man swung wildly with a broken sword, his arm riddled with bites and his movements sluggish. A bat latched onto his ear, tearing it clean off in a spray of crimson. He staggered, disoriented, as blood streamed down his neck.
The last of the group, barely standing, tried to shield himself with his arms, but the bats swarmed him relentlessly.
One sank its teeth into his exposed hand, gnawing through tendons and rendering his fingers limp and useless.
Renjiro's jaw clenched, his face twisting in a mix of fury and anguish.
He forced himself to focus, his voice sharp despite the horror in his eyes.
"Irene, give Fugo a weapon... Now."
Irene was shaken but quick to act, she unsheathed a spare blade, and tossed it to Fugo.
"Don't stray too far from me okay... Sorry," she said, knowing it was a selfish request. Her glowing sword hummed to life, casting a faint light over the carnage as she threw it to Fugo.
"Take it easy...You are the last person here who would get hurt."
Fugo caught the blade with his hands, trembling.
The sight before him was beyond anything he had ever imagined—bodies torn, blood pooling, the air filled with the dying gasps of the adventurers.
Renjiro went into an attack stance, while Fugo simply stood there. He was on the verge of being overtaken by fear.
Fugo swallowed hard, forcing down his fear.
Kael stepped forward, his eyes darting between the bats and their dying victims.
"Renjiro, we need to act fast. They're not going to last much longer."
Renjiro nodded while biting his lips so hard, blood fell from it.
"We put these monsters down—no hesitation. Focus on the bats. But don't kill them out of rage...."
"I repeat, kill them with a calm mind. Do not get angry! Relax!" Renjiro's tone grew louder with every word.
"The only angry one here is you," Kael told him.
"Calm down! Don't swing wildly! You got that Fugo!?" Renjiro's voice continued to rise up.
"What's with you? Settle down before you hurt yourself," Fugo warned his leader.
As the team moved into position, the bats turned their attention to the newcomers, their screeches rising in pitch.
Blood dripped from their jaws.
Fugo swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the hilt of the sword. The agonized screams of the adventurers filled the cavern, and the feeling of desperation pushed him forward.
"I'm coming!" he shouted as he broke into a sprint.
But it was not just a sprint—it was more like a blur.
Renjiro and Kael stood there, bewildered, catching their breaths as their eyes struggled to follow Fugo's movements. His form flickered like a shadow dancing in firelight, each step impossibly fast.
"Wait... has he always been that fast?" Kael muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief.
His sharp eyes moved to Irene for answers.
Irene's lips curled into a satisfied grin. "That sword? I call it Tempest Fang."
Fugo became a whirlwind of deadly precision, his sudden acceleration defying all expectations.
The bats looked like an overwhelming swarm, but now they fell in rapid succession.
Each swing of the blade was a clean arc of silver, and with every strike, bodies split cleanly apart, leaving their blood evaporating in the air.
The creatures didn't even have time to react before they were sliced from the sky, their screeches abruptly silenced.
Kael's mouth parted slightly, awe and confusion warring in his expression. "A blade that grants speed?"
Irene chuckled, "Not just speed. Tempest Fang doesn't grant anything—it forces the wielder's latent potential to surface, amplifying their natural capabilities in real time. But there's a catch: it drains mana considerably, with every second it's used. Push too hard, and the cost is— most likely."
"He'll collapse from exhaustion," Renjiro finished grimly, his jaw tightening.
"You handed him a sword like that? That drawback is too huge."
Irene shrugged nonchalantly, though a glimmer of guilt flickered behind her smirk. "I wanted to see it in action. Besides, Fugo's the only one I trust to wield it without losing control. He's more capable than you think."
Renjiro shot her a glare but said nothing. His attention shifted back to Fugo, whose relentless assault was nearing its end.
The last bat plummeted to the ground with a wet thud, its wings twitching before going still. It disperses into smoke soon after.
Fugo staggered to a halt, the echoes of his footsteps fading into the tense silence.
His chest heaved, and his breaths were ragged as sweat poured down his face. He leaned heavily on the blade, its edge glinting ominously under the dim light.
"Fugo..." Renjiro began, stepping forward cautiously. "Are you—"
"I'm fine," Fugo panted, his voice strained but steady. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the hilt. "Just... give me a second."
Kael let out a low whistle, his gaze still fixed on the carnage. The cavern floor was littered with the dismembered remains of the bats, blood pooling in uneven streams.
One of the adventurers, still alive but horrifically maimed, stared at Fugo with wide, trembling eyes.
"Did... did you see him?" the man whispered, his voice a ragged croak.
"He... he moved like a demon..."
Fugo's head snapped toward him, "A demon?" He forced a tired smile. "You're welcome."
Fugo's brows furrowed as he closed his eyes, focusing completely.
Irene was right—Tempest Fang hadn't disappeared, but its presence had shifted. It wasn't in his hand anymore, but he could still feel its lingering pulse, a sensation like an echo in his mind.
It was like the aftertaste of a perfect meal—intangible but unmistakable. The satisfaction, the fullness, the connection to something greater than himself, all simmering beneath the surface.
As the sword's power flowed through him, it was as if his very body responded, an unspoken bond between the weapon and its wielder. The feeling wasn't just physical—it was visceral, a part of him now.
"Next time," Renjiro muttered under his breath, "We're talking before you pull something like that."
Irene simply grinned, though her eyes softened as they lingered on Fugo. "You did good, Fugo. But don't push it. I have more I want to test on you."
"Irene, you are amazing, truly."
"Mhmm, keep the compliments coming." Irene nodded in approval.
Kael went and checked on the victims on the floor. "They're critically injured...they can't leave on their own."
Suddenly, all eyes locked on Renjiro.
What would be their next move?
Bring the injured out of the Tower now or complete their quest first. Fugo had no doubt in his mind what Renjiro's decision would be.
He only knew him for barely over a week, but that was enough time to discern a certain trait.
Renjiro was a good man, one who would not leave the bleeding unattended.
"So, what now leader?" Kael questioned.