Ss then turned around to face the group. Angelica waspletely lost in grief, weeping beside Ivy''s lifeless body, her tears pooling on the cavern floor, while Vic knelt down beside her, visibly exhausted and still struggling to recover his stamina.


    "You two should stay here," Ssmanded, his tone dark and resolute. "I''ll go and take care of the Realm''s god myself. Once that''s done, we''ll be free to leave this ce." His voice carried an ominous weight that seemed to echo through the cave, cutting through the air like a de.


    Vic''s eyes widened in shock as he absorbed Ss''s words. "Are you insane? You want to take on the Realm''s god all by yourself? That''s suicide, man!" he eximed, his tone a mixture of disbelief and genuine fear.


    "The only one thinking of suicide should be the mutant god when itys eyes on me—not the other way around," Ss retorted, his voice cold as ice. He directed a steady, unyielding gaze at Vic.


    "Stay here with Angelica. She needs someone to keep her safe and grounded right now. Besides," he added, casting a quick nce around, "this ce is like a maze, abyrinth of tunnels. I won''t miss any mutant on my way to the god''s chamber.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If I encounter any creature along the path, I''ll make sure it won''t survive long enough to find its way back here." With that final reassurance, Ss turned away and began to walk deeper into the cavern.


    "Ss!" Angelica''s voice, weak and trembling, called out to him. He stopped in his tracks, ncing back over his shoulder. Her tear-streaked face was a blend of sorrow and dread. "Please… be careful. I don''t want to lose anyone else here today," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, raw andced with pain.


    For a brief moment, Ss held her gaze, giving her a single, solemn nod before he turned and resumed his determined stride. The darkness seemed to close around him as he pressed forward through the dimly lit cavern, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. Suddenly, he was met by a swarm of bats—creatures identical to those Angelica had just defeated moments earlier.


    But unlike her, Ss cut through them with ruthless efficiency, dispatching the winged creatures without even breaking his pace.


    He continued his way through the cavernousbyrinth, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows around him as he advanced. After several tense minutes, he finally came to a halt in front of a massive, foreboding red door. Its surface was worn and covered in strange runic symbols, radiating an ominous energy. Ss stepped forward, resting his left hand against its cold, ancient wood.


    "I can feel the overwhelming powering from within. This has to be the god''s chamber," he muttered to himself, pushing on the door to test if it would open. The door creaked, groaning as it swung open without resistance, inviting him to step inside.


    The moment he crossed the threshold, torches lining the chamber walls red to life, casting eerie green mes that bathed the vast space in an unnatural glow. The room stretched out before him, a vast open arena broken only by a few stone pirs and the ghastly light from the torches, which painted sinister shadows on the walls.


    SWWOOSSHH!


    Before he could fully take in his surroundings, a powerful force blurred through the air, barreling toward him at blinding speed. Ss barely had a moment to register the attack before he was flung into the air, the impact sending him hurtling backward.


    BAM!


    He crashed against the stone wall, his body mming with a heavy thud, yet somehow, he managed tond on his feet, his stance only momentarily faltering. He looked up, his gaze quickly scanning the room, only to see the mutant charging toward him once again with terrifying speed. This time, however, Ss was prepared.


    As the mutant closed in, he ducked low, rolling to the side at thest second to evade it. He rose swiftly, adjusting his stance as he faced the creature, which now stood a few meters away, studying him with predatory focus.


    ''Interesting,'' Ss thought, analyzing the creature. ''A hedgehog-type mutant. That would exin its speed and the ball-like form it takes when attacking.'' He lowered his gaze to examine his own injuries—deep gashes from the creature''s quills—only to watch them rapidly close, his body healing almost as quickly as the wounds had appeared.


    The mutant resembled an enormous, grotesque hedgehog, its body covered in thousands of razor-sharp quills that glistened in the eerie green light. The creature''s natural instinct was to curl up into a ball, using its armor for both offense and defense.


    [Name: Hedgetant (Realm''s god)]


    [Grade: 5]


    Ss watched the notification sh above the mutant, disying the relevant information. He smirked, a spark of determination flickering in his eyes.


    ''A hedgehog-type mutant. It relies heavily on speed and its almost imprable defenses. Fast and nearly indestructible, but itcks the brute strength to dominate in closebat. I, on the other hand, possess everything I need to end this,'' he mused, tightening his grip on his scythe as he assumed a battle-ready stance.


    The mutant let out a guttural growl before curling up and rolling toward him at a frightening speed, its deadly quills bristling. Ss held his ground, watching as it closed the distance. At thest possible moment, he sprang into the air, letting the mutant shoot harmlessly beneath him.


    Hended nimbly, swinging his scythe down in a powerful arc toward the creature''s exposed back. But before his de could connect, the mutant rolled to the side with uncanny agility, leaving his scythe to slice through empty air.


    "Hmph," Ss grunted, frustration shing across his face as the Realm''s god repositioned itself and charged at him once more, transforming into a spinning, ded ball. Ss waited until thest moment, sidestepping deftly to avoid it. With swift precision, he swung his scythe at the mutant''s side.


    CLANG!


    A resounding ng echoed through the chamber as his scythe struck the mutant''s quills. "It''s pointless!" he muttered in frustration, realizing his attacks weren''t prating. The mutant''s quills were as tough as iron, shielding it from every angle and leaving no opening for a clean strike.


    "Argh!" Ss grunted in pain as the creature shot toward him again, its quills gouging into his flesh as it made contact. Blood sprayed from the wounds, and the force of the impact lifted him off his feet, sending him hurtling backward.


    He collided with a stone pir, crumpling to the ground for a brief moment before rising to his knees, his wounds rapidly mending themselves, as if mocking the mutant''s efforts.


    He steadied himself, looking up just as the creature prepared for another strike. The mutant, relentless in its assault, came barreling toward him once more, its ded body whirling in a lethal spin. Ss gripped his scythe with both hands, his gaze never wavering, his focus locked on the creature.


    When the mutant was within striking distance, Ss swung his scythe with every ounce of force he could muster. The de connected, producing another deafening ng as the creature was pushed back several meters. Yet, despite the force of the blow, it remained unscathed.


    ''There''s no way I can hurt this creature while it''s in that form. I need a new strategy. And I''m running out of time,'' Ss thought, frustration mingling with the urgency of his situation.


    [One minute left until Apex rampage mode ends]