Chapter 38: Going Deeper Into The Nightmare Nest

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“Well, it has to do with several factors,” Mongrel said. “We Nightmares are all born from a single mass of consciousness—the Nightmare Dimension itself, which is technically a living being. When Nightmare Creatures are born, they develop intelligence almost instantly if the conditions are met. They gain memories and full sapience within seconds. This is simply how the Nightmare Dimension operates…”

“And how does that relate to the curse?” I asked.

“It’s the same principle,” Mongrel replied. “The curses we inflict on our enemies are what feed us power and knowledge. It all depends on the quantity of nightmares and the level of infection in the surrounding land. That curse is part of the Nightmare Dimension—a living entity. If it germinates in time, your aunt will transform into a Nightmare Beast herself.”

“What?!” I gasped, horror surging through me. “I can’t let that happen…!”

Mongrel grinned, baring his sharp teeth. “Then let’s hurry and kill that bastard underground. I’m tired of talking anyway. I want to see how strong he really is. And once he’s dead, we’ll seize control of the Nightmare Nest!”

Dryad sighed in resignation. “I have never met the one that lives underground, but he is the eldest of the three and by far the strongest. You stand no chance. Give up and leave now, before you walk straight to your deaths, you foolish creatures.”

“Shut up,” I said. “We’re going. Let’s move.”

Without wasting another second, we pressed through the dungeon corridors and took the final unexplored path. As we advanced, the temperature rose steadily, growing hotter and hotter with every step.

“What’s going on down here?” Mongrel growled. “What’s with this horrendous heat?!”

“It must be whatever’s lurking underground…” I muttered. “Stay close to me. Paragon, take the front.”

Paragon moved forward without a word and floated ahead of me as we descended the stairs. At the bottom, we found an inferno of red and black flames, rivers of flowing lava and magma, and towering pillars of fire that erupted without end.

Fire surged everywhere, twisting into wandering specters and bizarre skeletons formed of orange, purple, and red crystals wreathed in flames.

The underground chamber was several times larger than the area above and resembled a complete volcanic landscape—right in the heart of the Ice Dragon Realm.

“W-Why is it so hot down here?!” I gasped. “Is this Nightmare Nest trying to melt the entire Ice Dragon Realm?!”

“It might be,” Mongrel said. “It probably feels threatened by all the cold, which has slowed its growth. So it created a desperate countermeasure—flames.”

“GRAAAHHH!”

The moment we landed, Nightmare Beasts—or whatever these twisted things were—spotted us. Crystal skeletons over three meters tall rushed forward, floating through the air and spewing flames in every direction.

“WRAAAHHH!”

As they swarmed us, I summoned Tiamat’s shield. Her power held firm as the flames exploded against it. I charged forward, smashing their bodies with my whip. The vines coiled tightly around them, dragging the creatures toward me while draining their lifeforce and nightmare essence, which I eagerly absorbed to strengthen myself.

I reshaped my weapon into a sword and swung with full power, unleashing Eternal Sword Arts once more.

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“Eternal Blade Arts – First Form: Horizon Cut!”

A single horizontal slash tore through the air as my weapon absorbed both Harmonious and Chaotic Magic, transforming into a massive Eclipsing Blade.

SLAAASH!

All seven Nightmare Beasts were instantly diced apart, exploding into flames and shards one after another.

I opened my mouth and devoured the released nightmare essence and flames, fueling my own growth and replenishing my energy.

“Let’s continue!”

We pushed forward without hesitation. More Nightmare Beasts emerged, attacking relentlessly. They hissed, hurled fireballs, summoned pillars of flame, and launched giant crystals of miasma and fire at us.

Explosions rained down around us, but we advanced with swift precision. Combining Tiamat’s shield, magic barriers, and my Psychic Powers, I dodged most of the damage, then bound the creatures with my whip and dragged them close for the kill.

That whip proved incredibly useful. It let me pull down even the monsters that floated at a distance, and unlike magic or breath attacks, it cost almost no energy. Better yet, it drained our prey’s power and fed it back to me, letting me fight at full strength without tiring.

Whenever any tried to sneak behind me, I vanished with Stealth and tore them apart with Demon Claw.

“Wow,” I breathed. “I’m way stronger than before. These Rank 7 monsters are falling apart like paper.”

We had already crossed halfway through the underground volcanic region, leaping across large floating stones swarming with enemies, avoiding rivers of lava, and freezing sections of the area with my spells to protect the Ice Dragon Realm from the rising heat.

“Well, you’ve certainly grown stronger,” Mongrel declared. “It’s obvious why you’re not struggling. What, getting bored?”