I tried desperately clawing at the one holding my throat, but that just caused other Bloodroot Stranglers to grab hold of my arms, restraining them flawlessly.
After the crimson moon rose, the Bloodroot Stranglers had gotten unreasonably more powerful. The vines had grown in size, strength and the fur on them have grown spiky, almost like needles piercing my skin, it was painful. So, painful. I wish I could scream, but with one of those Bloodroot Stranglers over my mouth, that was impossible as well.
Instead, all I could was helplessly watch as I was slowly dragged to the depths. I knew panicking was useful, so I calmed myself. I calmed my racing heart and overwhelming emotions— it's not something one could do by force, it's not easy and nearly impossible to forcefully suppress ones emotions.
So, the only way I thought I could calm myself was by deluding myself.
It was an absurd way of doing so, but it actually worked. As I was being dragged deeper into the depths, i started fantasing about all sorts of things. Things that helped me relax and calm my racing heart….
"It's okay, Morgan. Mommy's still proud of you…."
"When did you become this good at soccer? You might even surpass you're father at this rate! Hahaha!"
"Did you really win that award, Big Brother? How amazing…."
"You have to read this new book, Morgan! Trust me, it's the best!"
I thought back to a life I could of had if I hadn't neglected my studies and actually tried hard, the way my parents wanted me to. Would my parents not kicked me out if I had? Would my little sister have admired me? Would my little brother not despised me?
I knew such a life was impossible now. Hell, I don't think they even remember me anymore. But I still think about them from time to time. If I could of done this, if i could of done that, maybe things would of been different. Maybe I wouldn't be in this state, being drowned by an Eldrich horror that lives within the depths of a crimson river.
I wondered what they were doing out there. Has my sister graduated? Did my brother manage to get contracted by the Publishing House he so loved? Where my parents fine after their divorce?
I imagined myself being in there lives. A wonderful fantasy, even if it lasted only a moment. A faint smile formed on my lips, that was covered by the Bloodroot Strangler.
'At the bottom isn't death. My family is waiting to welcome me back down there….'
It seemed me lying to myself worked quite well. I felt myself calming down, or really I was just forcing myself to believe that I was calming down. Right now, I needed to think rationally. I can't keep on recalling the life I could of had or my family, that will just make my heart sink with regret and resentment.
I couldn't escape. That much was sure. I couldn't move a single limb, as the Bloodroot Stranglers have grown much, much stronger than me when the Crimson Moon rose, the strength they had was almost unfair for a mere B-Class mission! It's not like I knew what other classes was like to compare, anyway….
Trying to bite my way to escape was useless, as well. I would just be inviting the spikes to stab my tongue, doing irresistible (unless I meet up with Zeke) damage to my ability to speak. The very thought of having those spikes inside my mouth terrified me, so I quickly let that thought drift back to the back of my head.
What could I even realistically do in this situation? Ah, how convenient it would be if some knight in shining armor saved me, or i unlock a secret divine lineage within me….
My eyes shot open.
'That reminds me!'
The orb! Maybe it can save me in this situation? It hasn't really done anything as of late, but it's very mysterious. So mysterious that The Mulligan even refuses to say it's name, it's description and even the name of it's skills! Maybe because it's so powerful, that even The Mulligan is afraid of it? Maybe that's bit of a reach, but I'm willing to give anything a try in this situation!
I can summon the orb directly in one of my restrained arms. Even if I lose it somehow, i can dismiss it and it would return back to the system. So, im not really worried about anything happening to it.
As I was being dragged even further into the depths, I finally felt my lungs pulsing at the lack of air, my face turning blue. If I take any longer, I will definitely lose consciousness and drown to death!
So, without hesitating any further, I quickly used up some of the innate spirit I had left, summoning the mysterious orb to the palm of my right hand. From the corner of my eye, I saw a shimmering light at the palm of my restrained right hand, then as the light disappered, it was replaced by a little turquoise star, that gave off a dim light.
I felt the Bloodroot Stranglers around me tense up, their 'breathing' growing heavier at the sight of the orb. For some reason, It felt like….that the Bloodroot Stranglers were afraid of something. Terrified of that little turquoise star.
I didn't bother pondering this, though. As I didn't want to miss the opportunity, I quickly allowed my innate spirit to rush into the little turquoise star, expecting one of the skills to activate.
I waited a few seconds.
Then a few more.
But nothing happend.
Shocked at the turn of events, i started pouring more and more innate spirit into the turquoise star, hoping something would happen. That something would come save from this situation. That a powerful skill will activate and obliterate all these Bloodroot Stranglers.
Yet, nothing happend. My pleas went unanswered.
'You'll need this in the future, he says….dammit! Atleast tell me how to fucking use it!!'
The Bloodroot Stranglers seemed to be avoiding the Turquoise star, yet despite this, their hold over me didn't let up. They still continued dragging me even deeper, that I felt a pressure in my lungs— as if my body was about to implode any moment. But before that, I will definitely lose consciousness from the lack of air.
It's over.
I'm gonna die here.
Like hell I will!
While desperately powering the orb with my innate spirit, I began struggling against the Bloodroot Stranglers with all my might. But after noticing that it was impossible to escape their grip and that the Bloodroot Stranglers was still avoiding the little turquoise star, I made a plan. A last ditch effort at breaking free, that had no guarantee of success, even if I manage to break free.
Since the turquoise star isn't gonna help me in anyway, no matter how desperately I pour my innate spirit into it, I'll just have to exploit the apprehension and fear the Bloodroot Stranglers have towards the turquoise star!
With the last bit of strength I could muster, I desperately moved my arm, then throw the little turquoise star towards the Bloodroot Stranglers holding me. The orb slowly came floating towards us, entering within range of the Bloodroot Stranglers.
They could of tried swatting it away, but instead, i felt the sensation of them retreating— but still stubbornly keeping them hold on me. But the grip on me was lessening and lessening as the turquoise star grew closer, I could feel them going back and sinking deeper to avoid it.
I held back a strained smile, as I finally felt the Bloodroot Stranglers grip on me loosen enough, allowing me some freedom. Without any hesitation, I wiggled my way free and started swimming up, trying to desperately reach the surface, as my lungs was burning from pain.
I still kept the turquoise star close by, which made the Bloodroot Stranglers relucant to get me. They could only watch, as I started swimming upwards, a triumphant look in my eyes.
But just as I thought I was safe, a large shadow suddenly loomed over my face, covering the surface in it's entirety.
As I got close, I saw what was creating this shadow and my heart almost stopped, sinking deeper in despair.
It was a grotesque being. That was the best way to describe it. The thing was so wide that it covered most of the surface from my view, shaped similarly to a rock. From the 'rock' extended more than thousands of crimson vines, with spiky fur. At the very top was a single eye, open wide and staring down at me with malice. It floated in a strange manner, despite its heavy weight, defying gravity.
'Looks like I found the leader of the pack…'
[Boss fight Intitated!]
Boss Fight:—
Boss Name: [Vilthar, The Gnarled Devourer]
Boss Class: B-Class.
Boss Tier: High-Tier.
Goal: Kill Vilthar.
Rewards: [250 Abyssal Fragments]
Punishment: None.
'Fuck!'
I didn't have time for a boss fight! If I don't get air now, im dead!
This Vilthar didn't give me time to react, though. As if not caring about how unfair it was, several vines extended out towards me, rushing at absurd speeds through the water, completely unafraid of the Turquoise light.
At that moment, i quickly activated [The Zone] and time itself seemed to slow down for me. A very familier sensation when my mind is being influenced by [The Zone].
Within the split second, when the vines were just inches away from stabbing me, i caught something from the corner of my eye. Something very strange below me.
Bubbles.
The bubbles itself wasn't the strange part. Rather, it was the fact that they were flowing the opposite way. Shouldn't bubbles be ascending upwards? Rather, the naturally created bubbles of the corals surrounding me seemed to descending— which is possible, of course. But not in this environment. There is no downward drag, or external forces to influence it.
Unless…
I grinned, as a sudden outlandish thought appeared inside my head. Which seemed to have started to become common ever since I entered The Mulligan.
'I may have found my ticket out of this situation.'
Enhancing my feet with a pitiful amount of Fury, I clenched my calves. As my consciousness slowly started to fade. If my suspicions are right, this is the only way!
As the vines drew closer, instead of bursting upwards using all my strengh, I bursted downwards! With a powerful kick augmented with [Fury Counter] I created a powerful Shockwave underwater, causing the water around me to ripple, pushing back the vines using the force, while pushing myself forward.
I rode the inertia, swimming downwards as quickly as I could, before I black-out. As I drew closer and closer, I saw the water beneath me trembling with a liqud light. The light pierced through like molten spears, scattering gold across the rippling plane.
The lighter grew brighter and brighter as I could close. Then, i finally reached it. My head poking out from the water, taking a deep inhale of the oxygen filling my lungs. Too much of it causing me to cough lightly, as I floated.
Slowly, I opended my eyes and saw light. Sunlight.
"How bizzare…."
I mumbled. Beneath the river was another world! Above the river was another world as well! Just how strange will this blood river get?
Everything around me was a perfect replica of how it was like compared to where the Key Rush mission first started. However, the main different was that…..the Weeping Blight wasn't here. No, rather, it was here. But this upside-down world only showed the roots of the tree, that seemed to extend beyond the clouds. Everything else was the same. The trees, the crimson river—instead of night, it was sunny here.
I moved, grasping on to the less deep surface of the river, then standing on it, heaving a sigh of relief. Just as I did, the overseer said in my head.
[Boss fight canceled! Player has gone too far!]
I scoffed, not caring one bit about that. Rather, I was glad the boss fight was canceled. There is no way in hell I'm fighting that beast of a creature by itself.
Slowly, I sat down on the ground and took even more much-needed deep breaths after my close encounter with death.
[Welcome to the below level of the Blood River!]
Time until Nightfall: 26:34 minutes.