Despite the strength penalty I had decreasing how much power my legs could produce and exhaustion weighing down on me, I was fast. But even with my speed Morrigan was first to strike. Her daggers acted like black holes, pulling all the shadows around her to grow longer and thicker.


    Just as she managed to get the first strike in on its softer underbelly I reached it. But before I could swing my sword ground beneath me shook. No, not just beneath me. Ground all around us shook.


    “Dodge!”


    Morrigan shouted. I activated Ferocity of Wolf King once more.


    (Stacks:2\5)


    World slowed down as rocks varying in size and shape came out of the ground all around us. I backed away, dodging and parrying rocks with my increased speed and reflexes. I could have used Enhanced Senses to make it easier but I couldn’t risk it. If Morrigan was somehow knocked out, this was up to me.


    “Woof.”


    G?kb?rü poked his head from my chest plate. I wasn’t sure how he got there or how I didn’t feel it but I was glad he was okay. He growled towards the wurm.


    “Guess I would be angry too if someone shouted my ears off.”


    Rocks raised by its skill fell back to the ground. I couldn’t see Morrigan but there was no way she got caught by an attack I was able to dodge. Looks like wurm also couldn’t see Morrigan since it turned its head to me.


    “Oh, it looks even bigger in clo- shit!”


    It opened its maw and charged at me. Using Mana Erupt and my sword to propel myself higher I managed to dodge its bite and get on top of it.


    “My fucking back!”


    Mana Erupt was uncontrollable as always. My landing could be improved but any landing you could walk away from is a good landing. I crawled on fours to its eyes. I grabbed its horns with one hand to not fall.


    “Okay, fuckface. Say hi to my sword!”


    Okay, that could also be improved.


    I stabbed my sword through its eye, to the hilt. Even though it was small compared to its eye putting nearly one and a half meters of cold steel must hurt it as it let out a shriek. I didn’t bother trying to pull it out. I summoned one more and stabbed it again. Then once more.


    I couldn’t do it again since it slammed its head to the ground. The impact made me lose my balance and I fell down from its head.


    I raised my head and noticed that the rocks were moving again.


    “G?kb?rü!”


    Cold ice covered my body, forming a secondary armor. Rocks started to rise in the air.


    They were slammed into my body, shattering ice armor and cracking my actual armor. Thankfully, I was able to get out of the way before they fell down. If I got stuck, I would definitely die.


    Morrigan was working harder than me since the underbelly of it was bleeding heavily. The ground all around was covered with blood, turning muddy. I recasted Ferocity of Wolf King again since the duration of the first stack was over.


    (Monstrous Strength is activated. Strength is increased by 30 for 150 seconds.)


    Another good news was the penalty of Monstrous Strength finally ended. I charged again with my newly regained strength. Its right eye was gone and its left eye followed Morrigan. At least tried to follow. Honestly, even I couldn’t fully follow her agile moves. That created an opening for me to exploit. I used Armor Collapsing Claw at its lowest setting due to my low mana and struck right into wounds Morrigan gave it.


    (Frost Booster is activated. Your weapons will be enchanted with ice element for 10 minutes. During that time your weapon’s power will increase by 5 percent. Enemies hit by ice element will slow down and may get frostbite if their resistance is low.)


    (Durability: 5\10)


    (Tyranny of King is activated. Your strength increases by 5 for 1 minute.)


    (Tyranny of King is activated. Your agility increases by 5 for 1 minute.)


    I couldn’t help but admire how my sword looked when Frost Booster and Armor Collapsing Claw activated together. A shimmering, translucent layer of frost that coated the blade. The icy blue hue of the enchantment contrasted with the purple gleam of the skill, creating an ethereal and intimidating presence. Frost crystals formed along the length of the blade instead of snow shapes, but rather than the icy blue color of usual ice, they were dark shade of purple.


    I kept striking, deepening the wounds while being showered by its blood. My sword’s opinion activated several times, increasing my damage further. Maybe a little bit too much since its attention was turned to me. I didn’t notice it but G?kb?rü got my back.


    “Bork!”


    I stuck my sword deep inside it. I ignored ice crystals forming around the wound and bolted out of there. It slammed its head to where I was standing. The impact it created shook the ground like an earthquake. It trashed around while making pained moans.


    Swords stuck to its body must move and cause him a great deal of pain every time he moved. Wounds Morrigan gave to it also were nothing to scoff at.


    Good.


    I reused Ferocity of Wolf King since my second stack also ended. If I wanted to survive this encounter I must have 2 stacks of it active all the time. Otherwise, I wasn’t fast enough to dodge its area-of-effect attacks.


    (Duration: 31 seconds)


    Shit. I can’t have another 4 minutes of strength penalty. Even with the buffs it feels almost as if we are just delivering skin(scale?) deep wounds. While it bled a pool worth of blood considering how big it is it was only a minor problem for it.


    We needed something bigger. Something deeper.


    I have an idea.


    A horrible one.


    A really, really bad one.


    G?kb?rü growled, telling me this was a bad idea.


    “You don’t have to come.”


    He let out an angry growl and hid in my chest plate.


    “Morrigan! Take the aggro! I will try something!”


    I ran towards it. I jumped to its side and climbed as it tried to get to Morrigan. I braced myself by taking a deep breath and jumped inside its mouth. The massive jaws of the wurm snapped shut with a bone-crushing force. Darkness engulfed me as we were enveloped in the beast''s cavernous mouth. The walls of the mouth were lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, glistening with saliva and mucus, ready to tear and rend anything unfortunate enough to be caught within. I guess that’s us right now. I could see perfectly in darkness thanks to my Night Vision though seeing what I was seeing wasn’t good for my mental health.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.I found myself sliding down a slippery slope, the slick surfaces of the wurm''s throat walls guiding my descent. The air became humid and suffocating, tainted with the pungent stench of the wurm''s breath. The walls contract and ripple, muscles flexing and pushing me further into the depths of the creature''s digestive tract. I couldn’t just let it push me to its stomach so I projected a dagger and stabbed its throat. I carefully moved lower and lower. My senses were assaulted with horrible smells and the sound of gurgling fluids.


    The journey was turbulent and disorienting. I projected countless weapons, tore through walls of flesh, and bathed in blood, saliva, and mucus. Despite nearly throwing up several times I ventured further. The walls transitioned into a labyrinth of tangled roots and gnarled veins. The roots stretch ed and intertwine, forming a network of pulsating organic structures that seem to have a life of their own. The veins pulsed with a faint glow, revealing the vital life force flowing through the wurm''s body.


    This wasn’t the first time I did something like this but you couldn’t get used to this kind of stuff no matter how many times you did it.


    Finally, after a journey that felt like days, I reached the heart chamber, a cavernous space deep within the wurm''s core. The heart itself was a massive organ suspended in the center, pumping with a rhythmic throb that reverberates throughout the chamber. It was encased in a web of delicate blood vessels that crisscross in intricate patterns, pulsing with a faint bluish hue.


    The heart radiated an intense heat, casting an ethereal glow that illuminates the chamber. Its surface was covered in pulsating veins and arteries, and sparks of energy occasionally dance across its pulsating membrane. I felt its power, a palpable force that resonated with the raw vitality of the wurm.


    Dragons were often the peak of magical species in fantasy media. Their body itself was magical. As a dragonic species wurm must be similar.


    The combined sounds of its heartbeat, the rushing blood, and the rhythmic contractions of the digestive system created an unsettling symphony that enveloped me in an ominous aura. My head spun and I felt like passing out. Pressure started to form in my skull, pushing my brain. What I ate came to my mouth and I threw up.


    I came to my senses as a cold sensation spread around my chest.


    (Active skill Ice Wolf’s Breath ranked up to D rank. Mana required to use this skill decreases. Control over ice constructs increases.)


    My sword got thicker and longer with ice crystals forming. Despite it, it got lighter and easier to swing. G?kb?rü poked his head, his blue eyes glowing. He must be helping me to carry my sword. I walked forward, cutting and slicing. Even though Monstrous Strength ended, constantly damaging the wurm from inside activated Tyranny of King giving me more and more strength.


    After many swings and blood pooling to my knees, the heart stopped beating. I fell down ass first to blood formed under me. I had no strength left. I couldn’t breathe. Blood rose more and more, threatening to drown me.


    “BARK! BARK!”


    “Go. I can’t.”


    G?kb?rü escaped from my armor and swum in blood. He bit the remains of my cloak, trying to pull me. My chest tightened with each labored inhale, and heavy fatigue settled upon my limbs, weighing them down like anchors. The world around me was blurry, and my vision was hazy and unfocused, making it difficult to discern my surroundings. Getting up seemed impossible let alone navigate out of here.


    The only thing I could focus on was my partner, G?kb?rü, and his futile attempts to drag me to safety. Suddenly he stopped. Did he give up? No. I still could feel his determination. He looked at me, his blue eyes meeting with my purple ones.


    (Your partner wants to use the skill Shadow Melt.)


    What? Why? I looked into his icy blue eyes. Despite their animalistic look, they sparkled with immense determination and intelligence. I gulped, my throat burning due to my stomach acid.


    I allowed him to use it. He again got into my chest plate. I closed my eyes.


    Focus.


    He has an idea.


    Trust him just like he trusts you.


    The answer lies in Shadow Melt.


    Just like I did before I focused. I slowed my breathing. I calmed my heartbeat. I forced my muscles which were constantly twitching due to exhaustion to stay still. Blood slowly rose to my chin but I stayed as still as possible.


    Just like before I sank deeper into the darkness. Blood, just like the darkness completely engulfed me.


    I ignored the thick, sticky liquid to the point that I didn’t feel it any longer. I actually didn’t feel anything. Did I die again? Was I back in the darkness of the afterlife?


    “Woof.”


    G?kb?rü’s voice told me the answer was “No.” I felt something surge inside me.


    Mana.


    It was coming from G?kb?rü.


    But what I had to do?


    I wish I asked Morrigan about the shadow technique she used.


    Wait, Morrigan? The moment I thought to her a shape formed in the darkness. I couldn’t understand how I was able to discern her form since it was made out of darkness and all around me was darkness but somehow, I made out her form. I moved closer to her using all of my will to do so.


    The light hit my eyes as I felt mana drain from my body.


    (Passive skill Shadow Melt ranked up to A rank. With a profound connection to the realm of shadows you can make your presence one with shadows and darkness.)


    (Shadow Melt gains an active effect. You can fuse parts of your body with darkness, making them insubstantial, phasing through solid objects and obstacles using mana. Only light or shadow related skills can damage the fused part.)


    (By focus and willpower you expanded your Spark. You acquired the active Spark skill “Shadow Walk”.)


    (Shadow Walk: You can harness the power of darkness to sink and step into shadows by using mana and focus. You can travel between shadows after fully sinking. Traveling to people’s or places’ shadows you are familiar with uses less mana.)


    The fresh air felt like a blessing on my face.