Alec unhinged his jaws, pageanting sharp canines, as the bright vermillion ball of blood shot out from his throat. His emerald eyes, mapping the perfect trajectory for the bullet.

The bullet tore through the air as it scurried past the stairways, en route it's next victim.

The armoured arthropod raised it's bladed mandibles high, as it was about to lunge at the wounded figure.

Just in the moment, the blood bullet pierced through it's head, and tore the insides of it's upper section.

"CRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

Letting out a loud shriek, it shook it's head violently, feeling the insurmountable amount of pain, it searched for the intruder disturbing their little feast.

The second one was on alert too, shifting its head left and right and deterring in the direction where Alec stood.

Just in the moment, the sound of carapace cracking filled the hollow aisle. The first centipede exploded, gore flew, drenching the wounded man as well as it's multi-limbed partner.

Defeated [Sanguis Scolopendra lv18]!

Additional experience provided for defeating the opponent higher than your level!

"CRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

Letting out an ear piercing screech, the second centipede lunged towards the traducer.

Alec didn't activate mystic this time. If I am scared of these pests, there's no chance for me to stand against the real horrors of this place. I'm trying to be brave here, this is totally not for the experiment. ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Let's see how truly tough you are, centi boy.

Alec watched as the centipede closed the distance, entering the range of blood chains.

[Restraint]

Corners of his mouth curled upwards as one of the chains shot forward, whistling past the air as it swaddled the charging creature, pulled it's high head down and smashed it on the obsidian surface.

Sound of cracking carapace echoed through the hollow aisle, along with the violent screeches of the arthropod.

"CRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

The centipede shifted it's elongated structre and moving along with the lower section of it's body, a barbed tail flew towards Alec.

Gotcha!

Alec quickly dodged to the left before skittering forwards. A second crimson chain lunged towards the massive tail, charging along with the tail before pulling it forward with a jerk.

The momentum of the tail increased the force of sudden pull and tore the body of centipede in half.

Organs squandered, thick sticky blood showered down on the black cat, as the half remaining arthropod let out the loud screeches of agony.

Let's finish this.

[Absorb]

The translucent chains began to glow with a bright crimson hue, covering the dark floor in a shade of red.

The intensity of screeches further increased, its mandibles widened as it felt something seeping through its very existence. It tried to move, rattling violently, as it tried to shift its half remaining segments.

It's resisting?

Yet, the resistance was futile, as Alec fed more mana to the chains. The radiance of chains increased further, now spreading across the entire couloir. Some of the parts of the creature's carapace slowly started disintegrating, yet the centipede was still resisting.

Still not enough?

He fed even more mana to the chains. Oh! come on! Why can't you make it easier for both of us? The intensity of crimson radiance increased as the rate of disintegration advanced further. Then, it finally stopped.

The centipede let out a final ear piercing screech before finally dissolving within the chains. The bright vermillion mist dissipated, as the crimson chains lost their radiance.

Defeated [Sanguis Scolopendra lv17]!

Additional experience provided for defeating the opponent higher level than you!

You have devoured a [Sanguis Scolopendra lv17]!

You have absorbed the essence of a blood monster!

Blood affinity increased!

Hidden effect of [Blood Chains] activated.

Instance [Blood Devourer] has been activated.

Restored HP +343

Restored SP +117

Restored MP +245

Compatible skill essence detected!

Skill essence gained: [Blood sense] 1/20

Alec stood admist the chaos, keeping his guard up as the emerald eyes scanned the surroundings.

Nothing.

Finally heaving a sigh of relief, Alec rushed past the bloody mess, towards the wounded man.

The man just stared at him, empty eyed, blood dripping down his face, the sword was no longer in his hands as they hung lifelessly sideways and the empty brown eyes lost admist the storm of hopelessness.

This dude's a mess.

But what should I do? Should I try and talk to him and make him more comfortable? Wait-

A sudden realisation passed over him.

Can I even talk like a human anymore?

I know that every mammal possess the same vocal cords as humans do. They’re folds of tissue that project inwards from the sides of the larynx (perhaps also known as voice box? NOT THE CURRENT CONCERN!). They vibrate as air passes between them, humans can control these so-called vocal cords with an intricate set of muscles and cartilages to produce voicing sounds. All mammals have virtually the same larynx, varying in size and it is placed in slightly different positions in different-

Wait wait wait hold the fuck up!

I gotta stop this over-analyzation, man, why don't I just try saying something?

Just before he was about to move, the wounded man opened his mouth.

***

Jace's POV

Death can come in various forms. It can come disguised as simple as a common cold, or as a god's wrath. Accident? Is it now?

Jace watched the small cat like creature, perhaps just the size of his palm, effortlessly slaughtering the blood beasts.

He just watched as the giant blood beast exploded in front of him. His entire body was wounded, he neither had the stamina or the mana to even take another step.

He just hopelessly stared, as the small creature tore the second centipede in half. It was playing with the beast.

His eyes widened in horror as the blood beast literally disintegrated within those crimson chains.

He didn't need the danger senses to scream at him to know that whatever was in front of him, was dangerous.

Then, the creature moved towards him. Its emerald eyes scrutinizing him, its gaze covering every inch if his wounded body with ...pity. Just like that drake did, a truely pathetic sight. Which was true.

Jace was ready to die. The moment he stepped into the dungeon, the moment he faced the drake, the moment he was surrounded by the blood beasts, everytime the death nearly embraced him, he was ready for it.

Even now, when the death came disguised as a small, harmless looking predator,

????? Lv??

He was ready for it.

''I don't... need your... pity! Just hurry up... and... get over... with it!''

His voice muffled under his breath, as he tried to make it sound more tough in his final moments. Damn it.

The creature, just stared at him, a gaze questioning 'what the fuck is wrong with this dude?'.

That's what I want to ask you. Just kill me already you-

"So....Um.... Ah, Vocal cords testing... Oh... It worked?"

That's when he heard something, a voice.

A child's voice? Here? Are my senses playing with me now?

He shifted his head left and right, searching for the source of the sudden voice.

"So, um... Hello?....Buenos días?.... Guten morgen? Am down here by the way."

He shifted his gaze towards the little predator. By the doors, what the-

"I don't know what language I am speaking, is it english? Doesn't seem like it, did it just adjust in accordance with the person, if yes then does that means that language comprehension is-

Oops, pardon me, I sometimes just talk to myself.. Err... Think to myself! You see, I haven't talked in a while, for like a week, or is it a week? I honestly have no idea how time works here. Do you have a watch or something? Am just trying to make assumptions using my natural mana regeneration as the base and-

Oh, am sorry, I got distracted again, I don't know how to talk to strangers. I was just passing by and thought I should help a bro. Is my pitch too high? It feels like it. You are not hurt anywhere? Are yo- Oh, am sorry, it's just an old habit, you are totallllllllly hurt, heh, no offense, hehe, hehehehe, this is getting awkward-

HEY! DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!''

Jace just stared wide eyed at the creature, with the same look he first recieved from it 'what the fuck is wrong with this dude?'.