Chapter 79 Corpses Piling Up

From the depths of the old mine came a sound that echoed through the air like a mournful human wail. But there were no humans in that cursed place, only Zimmers - monstrous creatures that feasted on the flesh of the living. 

 The very sight of the mine entrance was enough to make the blood run cold, with its walls coated in splatters of blood and rotting limbs scattered about like ghoulish decorations. The stench was overpowering, assaulting the senses with its sickly-sweet odor, and they had yet to even descend into the mine's depths.

With a serious tone, Laughing Larry addressed his companions, "I want to highlight the importance of caution, especially since this will involve battling in a confined, abandoned mine where anything can go awry. We may encounter golems along the way, as well as Zimmers and the possibility of running into The Rock Golem cannot be dismissed. As you are aware, Rock Golems are responsible for the very creation of these mines."

David asks, "What? I did not know that, how does that even work?"

Larry provided a detailed explanation, stating, "Golem core forms, then he absorbs rocks, the rocks form a crystal golem, then he looks for the food, crystals, and metal ores. They can sense it, and when they do they start digging and devouring the dirt, sand, rocks, metals, glass, crystals, gems, and such. Until they grow into full-sized Rock Golem and by that time they have formed a massive dungeon or crystal mine. How else do you think dungeons appear?"

David answered, "Frankly I never thought about it, I just assumed..."

Suzuka cut off David mid-sentence, "Nobody cares what you assumed, let's go already. Or better yet, just stay here and wait. I and Larry can handle this place alone. You couldn't even defeat a few goblins the other day, you're just gonna get yourself killed in there." 

Suzuka spoke in earnest, not to ridicule David, but with full knowledge that he is still wounded. She wishes to prevent him from endangering himself by potentially facing deadly threats. She knows from experience that mines can be dangerous. 

"I will be fine," David insisted, "and I'll do my best not to hold you two back."

"Okay, then let's get this mine cleared out," Larry said, taking the lead as they walked in. Suzuka followed in the middle, with David bringing up the rear.

In mere moments of stepping into the place, they were accosted by a swarm of Zimmers, hideously deformed and foul-smelling creatures. The stench of decay was overwhelming, and the sight of their grisly mutilations made their stomachs churn.

The walls were smeared with a revolting muck of blood and bodily fluids, and the floors were slick with a sludge of filth and gore. The dead remains of unidentifiable creatures littered the entire area as if the Zimmers had feasted upon them without mercy. It was clear that this was no ordinary place - it was a horrific chamber of death and decay.

David was frozen with fear, Larry's eyes fixed on the grotesque and repulsive sight before him. The putrid stench filled their nostrils, making them gag and choke. But Suzuka was not one to be deterred by the horrors of the scene.

 Without hesitation, she charged toward the Zimmers, her sword raised high. The steel glinted in the dim light as she delivered a series of swift and deadly blows to their heads, their blood spattering across the walls. David watched in horror as Suzuka dispatched the creatures with ruthless efficiency, Larry charged right after, his face twisted in disgust. 

 Suzuka and Larry find themselves surrounded by a pack of fifteen terrifying Zimmers. The creatures' glowing eyes and jagged teeth glisten in the dim light as they snarl and growl in hunger. She already took down five on her own. Suzuka and Larry are outnumbered but not outmatched, they know they can take them down.

As the Zimmers close in, Suzuka and Larry quickly swung their weapons. The first wave of Zimmers charges forward, but Suzuka's lightning-quick reflexes allow her to dodge and counterattack with deadly precision. Larry is also on display, as he wields his trusty sword to devastating effect, cutting Zimmers heads left and right.

The fight quickly turns into a gruesome melee, with Suzuka and Larry trading blows with the relentless numbers of Zimmers. Blood and gore spray everywhere as weapons clash, bones break, and bodies fall to the ground. The Zimmers are relentless, their ferocity seemingly unquenchable, but Suzuka and Larry continue the onslaught.

 The clangs of their weapons echoed through the tunnels, resonating off the walls and adding to the chaos. The Zimmers were relentless, their glowing eyes and snapping jaws signaling their unrelenting ferocity to take down the two intruders. 

Larry fought with every ounce of strength he had, his muscles straining and his heart racing as he dodged and attacked with precision, while Suzuka was taking them down with little effort.

But their noise and uproar had attracted an even larger horde of Zimmers from the depths of the mine. One after another, they rushed in, joining their numbers in the fierce attack. The sound of their shuffling feet and growling bellows echoed through the tunnels, causing the very earth to shake. The room was soon filled with 30 of the terrifying creatures. Suzuka and Larry found themselves outnumbered again.

They fought on, their weapons striking true and their movements agile, but the sheer number of Zimmers made it nearly impossible to fend them off. The creatures snarled and gnashed their teeth, a maddening chorus of aggression that made it clear they would not stop until Suzuka and Larry was dead.

Suzuka got annoyed by these small fries and used her box power regardless of the danger of mine caving in. She focused her spell and slammed her fist to the ground, the dark shadow-like mist appeared under Zimmer's feet, and with the activation word, "Gravity Crush" she activated her power and crushed the Zimmers into a pile of rotten gore.

Larry said with surprise, "God damn! You can do that? I thought you said you are just a two-star mage. You splashed them like grapes, at least 30 of them. Call me impressed."

Larry came close to Suzuka and whispered, "Don't tell me, that old fool Jenkins adjusted the documents. Haha, I bet he did. But hey, I don't care about the reasons why you lowered your rank." 

 Suzuka whispered back to Larry, playing ignorant, "I-I don't know what you talking about, let's just forget about it and focus on clearing the Zimmers."

David stood frozen in the midst of a gruesome scene, his sword still gripped tightly in his hands. The sight of carnage that lay before him was overwhelming; the blood, guts, and dismembered bodies of the Zimmer creatures that littered the entrance to the mine were a ghoulish sight to behold. David's mind raced with horror and disbelief. How could so much bloodshed have taken place in such a short amount of time?

As he gazed further into the mine's depths, a sense of dread washed over him. He knew that there were likely more of these vicious creatures lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike. It was a chilling thought, knowing that he and his companions could be ambushed at any moment.

David's heart raced as he pondered the grim possibilities. He knew that they had to be cautious if they hoped to survive this mission. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves for what was to come. The battle had only just begun, and the true horror of what lay ahead was yet to be revealed.

Suzuka and Larry led the way, their eyes scanning the dimly lit mine for any sign of danger. David, holding a pear in his trembling hand, followed closely behind, the only source of light in the claustrophobic passageways. The mine was a labyrinth of narrow tunnels that twisted and turned, leading to dead ends and perilous drops. The trio had been wandering for what felt like less than an hour, the eerie silence only broken by the sound of their footsteps and the distant wails of what sounded like tortured souls.

Finally, they came across a wider path that seemed to lead deeper into the mine. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the walls were slick with an ominous, glistening substance. Suzuka drew her sword, ready for whatever lay ahead, while Larry brandished his as well with shaking hands. David tried to remain calm, but the terror was beginning to consume him, and he couldn't help but imagine what horrors awaited them in the darkness.

As they descended deeper into the mine, the cries grew louder and more desperate, until they were nearly deafening. They could hear shuffling footsteps in the distance, but they couldn't see anything in the pitch-black darkness. They are closing in on another wave of Zimmers.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared from around the bend, stumbling towards them with a grotesque gait. Suzuka lunged forward with her sword, but the figure was too quick, dodging her strike with ease. Larry took his shot but he missed and hit a rock, the sound echoing off the walls. More figures began to emerge from the darkness, their skin rotting and peeling from their bones, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly hunger.

 Suzuka and Larry were ready to fight. They are yet again outnumbered. David could only watch in horror as his friends were swarmed by the monsters, their screams of agony, wails, and moans. But he had an important role to play in this fight, he had to act as a light source. If the light goes out they are all doomed. Zimmers don't need light to hunt their prey. 

Suzuka plunged into the dark, musty hoard of the Zimmers. The eerie sound of her blade slicing through flesh echoed as she began picking off the monsters one by one. Their shrill screams resonated through the cavernous space, sending shivers down David's spine.

Despite their relatively weak nature, the Zimmers were formidable foes, swarming her with their sheer numbers. Suzuka had to stay alert, evading their claws and jagged teeth, while simultaneously striking back. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and decay, making it difficult to breathe.

Suzuka's eyes darted around the chamber, scanning for the next Zimmer to kill. Without hesitation, she charged toward them, her blade was covered in disgusting blood. The Zimmers turned to face her, snarling and growling, but she fas fast and rolled their heads.

Larry had been in many battles against the Zimmers, but this time the fight lasted longer than usual. He had been successfully killing his share of the undead, but it seemed like for everyone that fell, two more took its place. The battle had been raging for a good ten minutes, and the corpses of the fallen were starting to pile up in big mounds around him.

As Larry continued to fight, he started to feel a sense of unease wash over him. He couldn't help but notice the abnormal number of Zimmers that he was facing. There had to be at least fifty of them on this floor alone, and that was a lot even for a mine as deep as this one. His mind raced as he tried to come up with an explanation for the sudden surge of the undead.

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "It can't be," he thought to himself. "There is no way... the Undead King is present in this mine?" The realization sent chills down his spine. If the Undead King was truly here, that would explain the unnatural amount of undead that he was facing.