The laugh itself was sinister.
It was disgusting as if malice lacing to it with rotten intentions.
"Keh-keh-keh-kehhhh!"
It echoed through the walls of the cave and continued so on.
We turned back. We stared at where the laughter sounded from. As we did, I sensed a vile presence coming toward us. Shika probably had sensed the same, otherwise, she wouldn't have looked so worried.
'Was it a bad idea to take shelter in this cave?' I thought as I frowned, 'I knew the demon could be lurking here but I overlooked the possibility. So, this could be his layer after all?'
I looked at Shika.
She was cautious. Perhaps, she was on the same conclusion as I. Her fingernails enlarged and took forms of claws made of frost—and a faint snowy mist emitted from those claws.
She nodded, looking at me.
I nodded back and prepared with the Valaic Blue.
[Danger!!! Strong bloodlust detected!]
As soon as the system notification appeared, our surroundings were shrouded by a foul scent as if a dead body had been decaying over decades at a slow rate, and the scent of rotten meats and organs flowed out from it. It was malodor and burned my olfactory sense.
Just standing there felt suffocating, and I couldn't help but wonder—if the presence was this awful, what would the demon be like?
I got my answer soon after.
It hadn't been even five seconds since we witnessed the vile presence and something—as dark as the moon in a lunar eclipse—appeared just behind Shika.
"Shika watch out!" I stammered, trying to attack the shadowy figure burning with a deep crimson gaze.
Damn! I'm late.
When I struck my lance behind Shika there was nothing. It had disappeared into thin air as if it didn't exist to begin with.
"You alright, Shika?"
There linger but a bone-freezing calmness.
She was silent. She didn't speak a word. It was strange for her not to give a response.
"Shika? You there?"
She was, actually. However, her mind wasn't there. She was still. Her body stood still. She breathed as usual but didn't respond as if she was lifeless. Her eyes which always shone like sapphire were now dull—and had lost the life in them as well as her all impression of being living.
"Shika… Shika! Say something, will you!" I almost yelled, shaking her body and trying to get back to her consciousness. "Wake up, Shika! WAKE UP!!!"
Dammit!
I bit my lips as I failed to do so. Noticing close, there was a small wound of a bite on her neck.
"Did the demon bite her?" I stammered, "When? He didn't even have a second before I unleashed my lance at him. Then how did he manage to affect Shika within the short interval?"
I pondered.
"Keh-keh-keh-kehhh!!"
The laughter echoed again. The presence lingered again.
[DANGER!!! Strong bloodlust detected!]
I know dammit!
I was getting ready, just in case the next attack came out of nowhere. When I turned my head rightwards, the same deep crimson gaze stared at me, standing just before my face.
Those crimson gazes pierced through my mind and soul. I was frozen for a split second and couldn't even move as much as my fingers. Nearly staring at that gaze caused my senses to become dull.
Yet, somehow I was resilient enough to intercept whatever he was attempting to do.
It irritated him. I could tell.
The next thing I knew was a twisted sensation near my abdomen. It was heavy and impactful. My eyes were fixed at his but I could tell he had struck me. It was painful.
The strength he used caused my balance to be falter, and I skidded backward with twice my usual momentum.
I was on the brink of the cave and was about to fall but somehow managed to pull myself together.
[Damage sustained!]
[Health: 1820/1860]
"What?" I frowned, "The impact was grave enough to reduce at least 500 of my HP. But it drained only 10? That's strange."
The precipitous sensation was still there, channeling through my body and mind as it continued paining like a rumbling thunder.
Yet, it still drained only 10 of my HP? That's odd.
Inside the cave, Shika still stood lifelessly. Behind me was the cliff and the blizzard was merciless out there.
As I took a step towards Shika, I felt another burning sensation near my chest. It was as impactful as before and had been done steeply.
I couldn't comprehend how the demon managed to land two hits consecutively without getting detected by my senses. He was unmistakably fast—perhaps five times my current agility.
This time I wasn't able to hold myself and fell from the cave.
Of course, I would. With those surprise attacks, anybody would have been in my situation.
"Well, that's an S-Ranked Demon for you," I murmured as I fell downwards. "He's way out of my league. With my current rank, I can never take him down. I'm far inferior to him."
That was right. The demon whose body I couldn't even see properly was an S-ranked one. The ruler had said so and had warned me right the moment I left his chamber. With Zariel's, Shika's, and my strength—putting together…
"No, we can't possibly take him down." I continued, "I'm not a hero. I'm not a protagonist straight out of a fantasy novel or anime. I'm but an obsessive gamer trapped inside an MMORPG—neither overpowered nor with ultimate hidden talents. All I have are the average classes to help me survive and a few companions."
Sigh!
"But that doesn't mean I'll go down without a fight." The spark ignited within me, "I knew the consequences and I deliberately took up this quest. I have to live up to the Rojo Clan's judgment and I must."
I clutched the lance that was falling with me.
I mightn't have the strength to defeat him effortlessly. However, I wouldn't yield to him.
I struck the icy wall with my lance and stuck it with an immense force. As a result, I sliced open the wall until the friction caused it to halt the lance.
I hung once again on the mountain wall, taking the merciless blizzard head-on.
[WARNIG!!! The blessing of the Superior Seraphyll of Ice has worn off]
[You are no longer resistant to ice and cold]
Dammit! Just my damn luck!