"The wide caverns made the atmosphere gloomier, but nothing could deter Dante. His focus had transcended natural limits, and he had been in complete ecstasy for days, executing circular strikes and using Nagasawa as support, clearing everything in their path.
Upon Nagasawa's transformation into a vampire, his body surged with adrenaline, stirring a frenzy between the two. Dante and Naga relentlessly extinguished the lives of hundreds, no, thousands upon thousands of beasts each minute, descending through the floors with unbridled fury and denial for the events of their recent days.
Dante's frustration brewed as Morgana continued to elude him. He was even more incensed by his own perceived inadequacy, hinting at an underlying mystery. How could someone who had trained rigorously for two devastating years be so... feeble?
His lineage powers were evolving; with every strike, his body subtly morphed, his muscles becoming sinewy, jagged, and regenerating amidst the carnage.
Wave after wave of demonic beasts emerged, Rank 5, 6, and 7 creatures falling to his blade.
Durandal had succumbed to demonic influence, gradually transforming into a "Demon Slayer," an advanced class of Legendary Swords that transitioned from Holy Power to Demonic, dedicated to eradicating more and more demons.
A Demon Slayer akin to a Dragon Slayer, a weapon forged for such occasions. Durandal, having depleted its Divine power, now cloaked in Demonic Energy, transformed into a kind of Flesh Devourer. With each strike against weaker demons, it overwhelmed them with Demonic Energy, depleting their regeneration.
Time was of the essence, and Dante continued to forge the sword while dispatching Demonic Beasts, infusing it with his black fire. It became an invincible weapon against these lower-level beings.
Nagasawa, too, rose to the challenge. Characteristics of a Slayer emerged in Nunglace, the Triple Nunchaku Nagasawa wielded. Though not on par with Durandal, it proved invaluable against infernal creatures, capable of freezing demons completely, a feat once deemed impossible.
Dante and Nagasawa formed a perfect alliance, two highly skilled vampires, impervious to damage, confronting every obstacle in a mesmerizing Dance of Blood and Fury.
The corridors resembled scenes from a horror film, with corpses adorning the ceilings and body parts strewn everywhere, as if the cave were composed of blood—a perpetual horror inducing nausea at the sight of surreal, brutal scenes.
"We're nearing the end of the 99th floor," remarked Dante, with Nagasawa concurring, as they beheld the final chamber.
Indeed, they had descended to the 100th Floor in a mere ten days, following Nagasawa's transformation into a vampire.
Almost three months had passed since then. The absence of Morgana, though inconsequential to him, left Dante disappointed, perturbed, and chiefly, apprehensive. Morgana wasn't one to act in such a manner; whatever transpired posed a greater danger than they anticipated.
"How are you holding up?" Dante inquired.
"I'm managing, albeit a bit fatigued. Being a vampire has left my mind restless and chaotic."
"You'll acclimate," Dante reassured. "How long did it take you?"
"Hm? Valentina turned me before I grasped emotions fully, so there wasn't much of an adjustment period," Dante explained with a smile, eliciting a pout from Nagasawa.
"Hehe," Dante chuckled, finding Nagasawa's expression rather endearing.
"Let's proceed; this must be the final floor," declared Dante. "Prepare for whatever lies ahead."
The duo traversed corridors and staircases leading to the last floor. Soon enough, they arrived at their destination.
Before them stood a colossal door adorned with demonic motifs and scenes from ancient tales, including the Heavenly Father banishing Lucifer, the Fall of Azazel, and Lilith's Infernal Reign. Notably, there was a depiction of Adam's banishment from Paradise, an intriguing detail suggesting the Human Progenitor's involvement in demonic lore.
Dante glanced casually at the imagery, his attention captured by the towering tree recounting these stories in intricate detail.
"This must be Yggdrasil," Dante remarked, observing the World Tree. Nagasawa, however, remained puzzled, her knowledge of Yggdrasil limited.
"Let's proceed; we need to finish this," Dante urged, placing his hand on the massive double doors.
Upon beholding what lay beyond, Dante fell silent, his thoughts swirling with myriad questions and intentions, an uneasy feeling settling in.
Foremost among Dante's musings was the nature of Dungeons in this world. Initially perceived as sites where high mana concentrations caused beast mutations, his perspective evolved. Now, he saw them as towers or castles designed to foster religious zeal, fortified with advanced mechanisms even beyond his experience as a protege of a Supreme Mage.
Every aspect of this place felt alien, yet Dante pressed forward, bracing for worsening conditions with each step.
Demons and corrupted beasts continued to assail them, Nagasawa's vampiric aid notwithstanding. Their progress felt surreal, particularly upon reaching Lilith's Chamber, where depictions of the demoness intertwined with tales of human devotees to the infernal.
What lay ahead for Dante remained an enigma. Neither he nor Nagasawa could comprehend the existence of this chamber.
Flesh and remains adorned the chamber, grotesque pillars sustaining its structure. Dante's attempt to provoke a reaction resulted in the flesh pillars animating, giving life to a grotesque, terrifying entity—an eye of pure energy surrounded by tendrils.
Dante regarded the spectacle with disdain. He felt...
"I'm thoroughly unimpressed," he declared aloud, drawing the eye's attention along with Nagasawa's.
[Humans], the Eye intoned, as Dante leveled a Corrupted Durandal at it.
"Shut it, you one-eyed monstrosity," Dante retorted, a scowl etched upon his features. "I've fought for four months to confront an eyesore like you in this wretched place. Hey Lilith! Come out and face me!" He taunted the eye.
[Humans... Flesh and Blood, I must consume], the voice reverberated—a demonic symphony of myriad voices coalescing into a chorus of malevolence.
"Let's end this farce; stand back," Dante instructed Nagasawa, who complied as he readied himself.
With a powerful eruption of black flames, Dante cleansed the chamber, obliterating the flesh and blood remnants that once adorned its walls.
"Much better. I prefer fighting in clean spaces, especially with this lunatic," Dante remarked, projecting forward with surreal speed.
With a swift horizontal slash, Dante began his assault on the grotesque entity, slicing through its defenses with ease. Though he anticipated resistance, he pressed on, dodging and severing tendrils effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Nagasawa observed, analyzing the situation with keen insight. While Dante relied on Valentina's instinctual combat style—'Overcome the World, Overcome Everything'—Nagasawa adopted a more strategic approach, unraveling the creature's origins and weaknesses.
"He's showing off," Nagasawa remarked, evading tendrils that sought to ensnare her.
"Being the support is a drag," she muttered, freezing several tendrils that lashed out at her.
'Gelatinous material, yet resilient as steel. An adaptable life form, absorbing and evolving, creating tendrils for locomotion. Someone summoned it to adapt to this world,' Nagasawa deduced, wrestling with the implications of its existence. 'I must consume... Is this entity the source of mana absorption? No, it's something created from the crystals, more likely.'
While Nagasawa pondered, Dante continued his onslaught against the Strange Being. He remained calm, connected to the ceiling and striking with precision. Yet, despite his efforts, he found no difficulty, only... tedium.
He was thoroughly disappointed. He had expected some form of reward upon reaching the final floor, yet all he found was this entity. If anything of significance lay here, it would reveal itself once he dispatched this demonic aberration.
Soon enough, Dante felt a rush of wind, followed by a resounding Ka-Boom! as something exploded near him. Turning, he saw Nagasawa sprawled on the ground, the impact having knocked her down.
"Damn it," he muttered, shifting his attention back to the giant eye. A fissure appeared on its surface, resembling a cross, before vanishing and reappearing.
Ka-Boom!
Another laser streaked past Dante, detonating against the wall and causing the chamber to tremble. "Of course, you'd have something like this," he commented wryly, but then... a portal began to materialize, and numerous beasts began to pour forth.
"Naga, looks like we've found our Summoner!" He announced, as Nagasawa unfurled her vampire wings and stood by his side.
"How long until we end this?" he inquired, a smile spreading across his face, excitement rekindled within him. "Stay airborne; I'll wipe them all out in three minutes." He knew it, she knew it; they were both eager for the battle.
"Got it," Dante replied, murmuring [Fall of Flames] as he conjured numerous spheres of black fire, raining them down upon the regenerating tendrils, impeding their recovery.
While Dante managed the Strange Being, Nagasawa rose from the ground, a crimson hue coloring her hair from the dirt and blood. Yet, she paid it no heed.
As she advanced, a poisonous mana seeped from the ground, enveloping the chamber in a verdant mist. Nagasawa embraced it, reveling in its potency as it corroded impurities, cleansing her body and preparing her for battle.
With her white hair billowing, her muscular frame supple, Nagasawa assumed a battle stance, wielding the Nunchakus as a staff, connecting the three parts.
"I am a Viper, I am a hunter," she declared, as poison saturated the air. Finally, she unleashed a technique years in the making, her core now robust enough to execute.
[Jade Empress's Dominion], she murmured, as the poison dissolved and dispatched all before her.
"Terrifying," Dante remarked, watching Nagasawa revel in the chaos; "You know, I think I'll start collecting women like her... I have a soft spot for crazies."
"Well, I don't have time for that. While my Lady deals with the vermin, it's time to erase you from existence."
[Vampire... Demon] it uttered, but... a slice from the Corrupted Durandal cleaved through its armored hide, leaving it momentarily stunned.
"Thought I'd let you monologue, did you?" Dante quipped, a smirk gracing his lips as he sliced through the ceiling where the Eye was ensnared. "You're far too lazy; come on, move! I don't like hunting paralyzed prey." With that, Dante surged forward, finally rending through the side of the giant eye's armor, hurling it aside.
"Get up, you repulsive Cyclops; I'm about to teach you the meaning of death."
***
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N/a: Hey, my dear readers, the chapters will be reduced for some time. I'm having health issues and can't focus on writing the chapters. I'll schedule only one chapter per day for now. I hope you understand. As soon as I recover, I'll resume with two chapters per day as usual. Thank you for reading!
PS: Please, I know it's annoying to have to ask this, but I would like you to evaluate the work. We're already in chapter 85, I know you like her, you wouldn't come here! This helps a lot and motivates me to keep bringing Dante's story! Thanks!