Chapter 182 When Reality Hits...
Northern, after a couple of minutes, managed to stand himself up and slowly walked away. As he went on, farther away from the hall, he slowly recovered his strength.
After a while, he arrived at the dungeon. Since he paid attention to the direction, he didn't need help going there.
There were some guards, of course, at the entrance. Who immediately stopped him the moment they saw him unchained.
As they crossed their spears across the entrance, one of them inquired with a baritone voice:
"What are you doing? Where do you think you're going, lad?"
Northern looked at him for a second.
'He looks old, no way he can be a student.'
Sometimes, it was easy to forget that not only students existed in the castle.
And so, every guard or drifter he saw may or may not be a student.
'I think the students were particularly selected into parties...'
They were just his thoughts, anyway...
"Don't you recognize me? I'm the prisoner from before, and I've been released. I want to say a few words to my friend there, and I'll leave."
The two of them looked at each other for a few seconds.
"I do recognize you; that white hair is uncommon. You were escorted away just a few moments ago. But how am I to be sure you didn't just escape and have plans of breaking out your friend too?"
Northern showed them his freed hands.
"If I did, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. See, my hands are not chained."
Even after saying that to them, they still wrought heavy concerns on their faces.
Looking at them, Northern spoke again:
"See, if you are so confused, then just follow me..."
They looked at each other, then the older-looking one responded:
"Fine, I'll follow you. But you can't stay long."
With a curt nod to his partner, he took Northern into the dungeon hallway. After a few minutes' walk, they finally got to where Ellis was held.
The poor guy was standing in front of the bars, holding them while waiting for when his partner in crime was going to come back.
Immediately, he saw Northern, he exclaimed in joy:
"You're back!" Then his tone drifted low as his eyes saw Northern's hands, "and you've been released."
"Yes. I've been released. Do you want me to rot with you in there?"
Ellis smiled with his eyes, scratching the back of his head, "Not at all, sir, not at all, I'm really glad you've been released."
Northern stared squarely at him first, then after a few breaths, he stepped closer and said:
"Listen, you'll be called soon for an interrogation. I don't care how you'll do it, but if you tell them any of my secrets, including Dark Terror, I promise to kill you... or make your life a living hell."
Ellis shuddered for a moment, seeing the deathly glow in Northern's eyes. For some reason, it was more vicious than several other times and sent chills across his bloodstream.
"D-don't worry, I'll never betray you," Ellis stammered.
"Good."
Having passed the message, Northern stepped away from the iron bars.
"So... where are you going now...?"
He turned from Ellis and responded as he walked away.
"To vent my frustration on a couple of monsters."
—
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of leaves under Northern's boots as he stalked ahead.
His eyes were glassy, mind adrift in a fog of frustration as his body moved on autopilot.
A twig snapped behind him. Northern spun, stilettos flashing in his hands, as a pack of hunched, snarling beasts burst into the clearing.
They were like massive hyenas, all rippling muscle and malformed jaws packed with rows of jagged fangs—Corpse Eaters.
One of them had black beady eyes, quite distinct from the rest, and locked its eyes on Northern.
Suddenly, it let out a guttural roar, and the others echoed the cry, a cacophony of rage that should have shaken a sane man to his core.
But Northern didn't flinch. He simply stared back, face impassive, as the alpha charged.
With contemptuous ease, Northern sidestepped the beast's attack. His left stiletto lashed out, burying itself in its shoulder.
It howled in pain and skidded past, hindquarters nearly taking Northern's legs out from under him.
He didn't pause. Couldn't pause.
Two more were already on him, whipping their 'heads' like demented cobras as they tried to rip his flesh with those raking fangs.
Northern dropped into a crouch, letting the snapping jaws pass scant inches above him.
One of the stilettos caught the closer monster in the throat as it sailed over his head.
Blood sprayed from the grievous wound, splattering Northern's face and armor.
The beast crumpled, thrashing wildly in its death throes.
The other brute landed hard, jaws clapping shut on empty air. It pivoted with startling quickness, putrid spittle flying from its maw as it flung itself at Northern again.
This time he didn't dodge.
Dropping his weight, he let the creature's own momentum impale it on his upraised dagger.
His arm shuddered from the impact, but he held firm as the points of his stiletto punched through the back of its skull in a gory spray of bone and brain matter.
Northern wrenched his blade free, emotionless eyes scanning for the next threat as the lifeless body sagged at his feet.
The pack backed off for a heartbeat, growling and snapping in consternation as their numbers dwindled.
The reprieve was fleeting. Three more rushed Northern in a ferocious wave of gnashing teeth and whipping claws.
He met them halfway.
Steel flashed, weaving chemtrails of scarlet droplets through the air as Northern danced among the beasts.
He was a dervish of whirling blades, stabbing and slashing with cold precision.
Ichor sprayed with each brutal cut and thrust.
One monster went down with a ragged gash across its hamstrings, tendons parting like frayed rope.
It crashed to the loam, still snarling impotently as its companions trampled over it.
Northern seized the opening, burying both blades in the back of the closest brute.
It bucked and twisted but couldn't dislodge him as those razor-
sharp daggers burrowed inexorably deeper into its vital organs.
A contemptuous wrench severed its spine, and it collapsed like a slab of fallen masonry.
The last monster faltered in the wake of such brazen savagery.
Northern closed the distance in two strides, eyes hollow and pitiless. The daggers could mete out no mercy to the piteous creature.
A minute later, their corpses lay strewn about the clearing amidst the mounting stench of voided bowels and viscera.
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[A/N]
Missed me? Hehe
I wanted to specially Thank Vova and everyone supporting me, thank you for the support and it's been motivating me greatly.
I'm even motivated for a mass release but I'm trying to keep myself in check.
Thanks guys for reap, this is my first time experience such amazing level of support and I'm very grateful for it.