Chapter 44: The Underground Tunnel (1/2)

The underground stairway was part of a tunnel that wasn’t especially wide, it was the kind where it was fine for one person, but a bit of a squeeze if there were two.

Due to luminescent stones embedded in the walls, this underground tunnel didn’t require any lights.

As I lifted the hatch to the underground area, the sickening stench of blood and gore wafted up from the hole leading underground. My eyebrows jumped at this scent. Wasn’t this an unused chapel? Why was there the scent of blood in the air…unless something died here recently.

Don’t tell me! A thought suddenly occurred to me…

The urge to investigate hit me like a truck as I looked at the ominous stairs leading downwards. I anxiously got One-eye and Nine-finger to bring along 30 guardsmen to take the lead, while me and Big 1 stood in the center with another 10 guardsmen at the back. As for No.3 and Big 4, I forced them to stay above ground due to their injuries. No.5 on the other hand wasn’t that strong anyway, so I got him to stay behind too.

“Hurry up.”

As I walked down the stairs, what immediately caught my eye was the traces of blood staining the walls all over. From time to time I would even step on little fragments of bones. Something had died here…and from the blood, it looked like it was being chased by something.

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A few steps down, I found a claw print that wasn’t too deeply imprinted, but was still very conspicuous. I instructed Big 1 to place his own arm next to it as a comparison. The result was a pretty close match. This meant that the claw mark belonged to a large imp.

The underground tunnel went really deep and it wasn’t a straight tunnel either, as it took several bends along the way. As we proceeded down this snake-like tunnel, the scent of blood got even stronger.

Strange, if this was a normal stairway to a cellar, shouldn’t it have ended long ago? By now, we’ve at least travelled over 100 meters and the end still isn’t in sight.

Just as I was considering this, a pained cry traveled down the tunnel from the guardsmen in front, throwing the devils into slight disarray.

“Guardsmen, get down here quick. There’s an enemy!”

One-eye’s shout sounded unusually alarmed, making the whole situation that much more disquieting. The guardsmen immediately rushed down upon receiving the order. A few seconds later, One-eye’s voice rang out once more: “Master, you mustn’t come down, get out of here quick!”

“Ahh…” That was Nine-finger screaming, and judging from the sound of it, he was in a great deal of pain. Exactly what’s going on down there!

There’s a bend up ahead, once I cross that bend, everything will be clear to me. Just from their cries alone, they must’ve encountered some trouble, and it was the kind which could be settled right away.

“Master, please retreat.” Big 1 suddenly stepped in front of me, blocking the path forward. As he did so, he turned to the guardsmen with him: “Get down there and see what’s happening, if there’s trouble make sure to help them. No matter what, you must buy enough time for the Master to escape.”

“Yes.” The guardsmen were all loyal subordinates who immediately rushed down upon receiving this potentially life-threatening order.

“If there’s trouble, then there’s even more reason to let me have a look.” I was extremely pleased with their caution, but still, I must have a look for myself. What if it’s really true…she’s a benefactor of mine…even if it’s a one in a million chance, I must investigate it myself. I need to know if she’s still alive.

“Master, your safety is the most important matter now.”

Big 1 adamantly blocked my way, his intention clear. I knew that they were doing this for my safety so I didn’t insist too much and instead prepared to turn around.

Just as I turned around, a furious roar echoed from further down the tunnel: “So you’re here as well! That’s great. Hahahahah…in the end, you can’t escape from my clutches…”

“It’s that chipped-horn!” That’s the voice, the voice that haunts my memories whenever I think about that female devil. The first time we met, he was already on the verge of becoming a Demon Child, and led a group of 10 head imps. That encounter ended with him escaping. A number of his imps escaped as well.

Even he knows that [The most dangerous place is usually the safest]. He must’ve only ran for a short distance before hiding himself, all the while observing us. Once we fully evacuated the village, he must’ve came back and hidden himself underground…

“Damned b*****d!” I cursed at his cunningness. To think he managed to fool us this way.

“Master, leave quick…”

As I hesitated, another cry echoed from further down. My eyelids twitched as if to warn me of the danger ahead. Without even guessing, I knew that the situation ahead was dire.

*bam bam bam* The heavy footsteps of a devil slowly closed in on me. With each step, the sound of someone being tossed and the cries of my subordinates filled the air. Big 1 immediately blocked the passageway, but before he could tell me to leave, a figure entered my sight.

He greeted us was a swift punch of his fist. It was a fist wrapped in a layer of flames that upon colliding with Big 1, who stood in his way, immediately burned his skin in an explosion of heat and brute force. Big 1 was no match for this fiery first, as it crashed it into him, it broke his right arm and threw him to the side onto the floor.

My heart jumped into my throat as I witnessed this sudden attack. As I instinctively backed away in fear, my vision rapidly took a nosedive as my entire body fell backwards. Due to it being a stairway, I had tripped on a stair as I retreated, causing me to fall on my butt.

“We meet again.” The owner of this domineering and arrogant voice was a red skinned, over two meter tall devil. As he looked down upon me, his signature chipped horn came into view. This figure…that’s right, it’s that b*****d!

As those words left his mouth, he advanced a step and threw another fist in my direction. This sudden attack caught me off guard and I simply wasn’t able to react in time. However, just in the nick of time, the Grimoire of the Dead suddenly flew out and blocked the incoming fist.

The fiery fist had no visible effect on the grimoire itself, but the grimoire didn’t have much force behind it either, and flew right back at me after one hit.

Thankfully, there wasn’t much force behind the grimoire as it collided with me. I only hurt my back slightly as I crashed into the stairs. I immediately checked the spot where the flames came into contact with the book. It wasn’t hot…in fact, I couldn’t feel any heat at all.