Chapter 3: Falling to Nothingness

Knights of Order with their squads invade the demon king's dungeon. In all possible entrances, the knights entered creating devastating damage to the dungeon.

The knight commander of the second squad and the third squad. Used their magic and killed every demon minion guarding the demon king's castle with their might.

“Absolute Snow Avalanche!”

“Flaming roar!”

Chaos and cries were heard from the demons who were directly hit by the magic attack.

The sixth squad specialized in attack magic. Started their chant from a decent distance from the dungeon. From the right side of the dungeon. The fire explosion magic resulted in destroying the walls and the demons inside.

“That’s dangerous… How about the knights inside the dungeon?”

Zeff said to Commander Bladedarts.

“It’s fine. The right side was given to the Sixth and seventh squads. Looks like they planned to destroy and annihilated the place first before the seventh squad entered the dungeon.”

“That’s a great plan because the demons will never gonna have time to hide or sneak if their hiding place was already destroyed.”

As the commander told Zeff. The seventh squad which was built by many sword knights entered the dungeon.

Yunis whose standing beside me looks closely at the battlefield.”

“We’re in advantage… There’s no way we can lose if these continue.”

Even she said that she have sweat on her face and her hands were trembling.

Seems like she is just making a tough front again.

It's still the demon king's nest. We can’t let our guard down. Even though we’re doing great in attacking. We can’t let our arrogance get us from behind.

“Fourth squad… Eight squads… twelve squads… Advance!”

The Knight Grandmaster order.

On his call, we all kick the ground and charge inside the demon king's dungeon. The moment we entered the dungeon. The aura feels sinister. Enough to make some of the knights frosts still in fear.

Such a strong Aura coming deep from these dungeons. That aura is something only a demon king would have.

“Don’t have cold feet! Many people already sacrificed their lives for us to reach this moment. It's time for the human to end the threat that leaves us anxious all this time… This is the time to destroy the demon king.”

Commander Bladedarts said and held his blade up high.

The commander is correct. We can’t have cold feet at these moments.

Now before sunrise. We’re going to be the heroes of this kingdom.

“?!”

Without making any noise. Behind me, an incredible presence was felt. Its breaths chill. I’m not seeing it, but my knees are trembling. My hands were shaking.

“Humans… Will never gonna defeat my lord….”

“A Minotaur!”

One of the knights called. From his voice will all step forward and turned our bodies to the Minotaur. It has a giant body and head of an ox-like the book said.

It’s 10 feet tall and has a muscular body. On his hands was a battle ax.

It's a legendary creature from the hero's stories.

He swings his axe in a random direction. Killing the knights near him. Below the Minotaur's feet was a dead knight drenched with his blood...

Minotaur continues to thrash.

“Retto! Look the walls are different from the moment we entered the dungeon.”

Yunis pointed out.

I turned my head to examine and notice the difference.

The place was different. The place seems like a huge dome with wide space.

Was that transportation magic or we’re sucked inside a barrier?

“Roar!”

He released an ear-piercing sound. The knight comes to cover their ears. While we are distracted. Minotaur charges in with a tackle in our direction. One knight was penetrated with his horn.

We’re able to dodge the attack and made distance ourselves from it.

“Humans are fragile… No match from my lord.”

“We don’t care about your lord! All we care about is destroying the demons and killing all the demons in this world.”

The knight on his horn speaks. After that, using his sword he stabs the Minotaur's left eye. His eyes pop out and blood was spared on the ground.

Angered by the knight's action. Minotaur tackled and crushed the knight's body on the ground.

After seeing the death of the knight. I can’t be a coward in this situation.

As a knight…

As a hero…

My body moves on its own. Without following the commander's order. I swing my sword to the Minotaur's arms in full strength.

“Retto!”

“I can’t let people die in front of me! I will fight for the promises I made. I won’t let the death of others be in vain.”

Yunis followed Retto and drew her sword. She cast sword skill that thrust the Minotaur from distance away.

“Defeat the Minotaur!”

Commander and the knight all charge with their swords. We all attack the Minotaur in different directions. Casting sword skills and magic. The legendary beast after continuous damage was pushed into a corner.

His body was full of slashes and wounds from the magic attack.

“Humans! Humans! Humans! Weak humans won’t win against me!”

Minotaurus tosses his axe away from his hands.

Commander Bladedart took advantage and charge with the order knight with him. Taking advantage of the fact that the Minotaur doesn’t have a weapon in his hands.

Why does the Minotaur toss his weapon away from him?

It's weird…

I read these before in the Book of Heroes. The monster when pushed to their limits became powerful before they died. The dark lord gives them strength as their last resort.

I turned my anxious look to Commander and tries to stop him.

“Stop!”

I shouted and reached my hand on their back.

But It’s useless.

Minotaurus’ eyes turned scarlet red and he once again makes a roar. Enough to stun everyone in a few seconds. In that few seconds. His body movement grows faster.

Using his claws he cuts down Commander and the knights with him. Most of the fourth knight squad were killed at that moment.

“Commander!”

“Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

The dome was shaking as the beats howls. The table was flipped and he continuously attack the order knights. The twelve and Eight knight squad commander. Gripped their sword tightly and fight for their life.

Nothing has changed… We don’t have time to grieve in these places. This place is a battlefield.

All I have to do is grip y sword tightly and attack the opponent in front of me.

Minotaurus. Get his axed again and charge toward Yunis. We swing his giant ax toward us. The shadow loomed over Yunis's body.

Before it falls on her.

I intercepted the ax and break its blade. The ax already has dents on it. Attacking the Axe on its weak point will lead it to break.

It's a technique I learn from my commander.

“I won’t let you lay your hands on my woman.”

Yunis charge magical energy on her blade. Chanting spells to strengthen her next attack. She leaped and cut down the left arm of the Minotaur.

I swing my sword and cut deep into his body. Followed by Yunis and the other knight. We all took our turns and cut the Minotaurs' bodies.

“Burn in hell!”

I said and cut s down his head.

His head was cut down and rolled on the ground.

Its enormous body fell to the ground. That ended our battle with the Minotaurus. But the battle wasn’t over. The demon king is still alive deep inside the dungeon.

Out of hundreds of knights including the commander. Only twenty were left.

“Maylene…”

Yunis looks at the dead body on the ground. She shed tears and wipe them immediately. Turning around I saw Zeff having an angered expression on his face. Clenching his fist. His grief was written all over his face.

Rokun was one of the knights left with us.

“Retto… We can’t lose here… We’re going to kill the demon king and end this Bullshit hundred-year demon war.”

He muttered seriously. As he took the sword from our commander.

I held Yunis's hands.

“Don’t worry…Let's do our best. We won’t let the death of our friends be in vain.”

Yunis nodded and hugs me tightly.

“Yeah, After this… Let's have a peaceful life together.”

“I promise.”

“A heartwarming scene… I’m truly envious. First, I will commend all of you for defeating one of my legendary beasts Minotaur. Out of hundreds of them. The knights defeated one.”

I was astonished to hear the mysterious voice.

Hundreds? That means there are many strong beasts like Minotaur in this dungeon."

“Who are you?! Show your self coward!”

Zeff shouted.

A mysterious man appeared in front of us. Wearing a black robe we turned his glance on us.

“I’m the master of this dungeon. The current demon king.”

“A human?”

“No way that’s a human… Humans won’t have that dense magical energy.”

Rokun said and pointed his swords at the demon king. With a speed of sound, he attacks the demon king.

“White world divine slash!”

Instead of Rokun cutting down the demon king. Rokun was then one dice into many pieces.

“Like I said I’m the demon king… The master of this dungeon. I’m the one the knight oath to kill and defeat. It's normal for me to fight back and protect my life.”

“Protect my ass!”

“You kill my family!”

“My town is ruined because of you!”

“Many people and friends were gone because of your doing!”

The knights all tell their resentment to the demon king. They all attack him and are miserably killed by the demon king in mere seconds.

Yunis pull herself together and step in front of me.

“Retto Run away as fast as you can! I’ll deal with him…”

“What are you saying Yunis? As a man, I’m the one who's going to sacrifice.”

“Retto don’t have magic. You won’t have a chance to defeat this monster in front of us. At least, I want you to live. I want Retto to live. I want the one I love to live.”

“Yunis…”

I step forward and made a sword stance.

I don’t know what's going on with Yunis's head. If this is the end. At least I die together with her. I want to fight with her, or else I will regret it.

I run toward the demon king. I tossed sand to distract him and run in his direction.

“You don’t have magic… Theirs no way you can kill me.”

I swing m sword and he stopped it with his hands.

“Human strength won’t affect me…” He looks closely at my expression. I grinned as I look straight into his eyes. “Why you're smiling?”

From above a knife fell and grazed his face.

“What is this weapon?”

“It's a holy weapon… Designed to kill the demon king.”

“My wound won’t close…”

“Even, without magic… I will win against you. I will become the hero.”

Raging with anger. The demon king gritted his teeth.

“Retto look out!”

The demon king punches me. His punch was strong enough to break my arms in an instant. My body flew and catch by Yunis.

My arms can’t move anymore.

“Retto hold on… We’re going to get away from here…”

“Sorry, but that won’t do… I will deliver despair to the man who's brave enough to put a mark on my face.”

He took Yunis's hands and pulled her away from me.

“Yunis! What are you going to do with her?!”

“You’ll see soon enough…”

A monster appeared and grabbed my body. Their claws were stuck in different parts of my body. My head was lifted and directly face the demon king and Yunis.

The demon king look at Yunis and kissed her lips. Yunis was enchanted and wasn’t on herself.

“Yunis! Yunis! Yunis!”

I called her but she is not responding.

He chanted hypnotic magic on her.

My lungs were penetrated by sharp claws. The bleeding in my lungs makes it harder to breathe. Every breath I make feels like burning from the inside. My organs are all damaged.

“Look closely… Weaklings like you… Won’t have a chance in defeating a demon king like myself.”

The demon king stripped Yunis of armor and clothes. Yunis was naked and has nothing to know what was going on.

“I will kill you! Don’t lay your hands on Yunis! I will kill you!”

Despair filled in my heart as I look at the humiliation The demon king doing to Yunis. He grabs Yunis's breast and rubs. He even licks Yunis's tongue and hugs her tightly sniffing her scent.

In front of me, the demon king raped Yunis. The immoral sound filled the surrounding.

I was angry… To him and myself.

I was angry because I’m too weak to protect the girl I loved the most.

“I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you! I will kill you!”

I shouted to the demon king desperately raging.

A tear comes flowing from my eyes. Despair overcame my heart and soul.

Before I knew it, my body was cut into many pieces. I died and was thrown away in the darkness.

…

I opened my eyes and saw myself in a very dark place. I chased my breath and stood up.

The only thing that serves as a source of light is a lamp full of fireflies.

“Yunis! Yunis… I have to save Yunis from that bastard…”

I turned my head desperately wanting to save Yunis, but I don’t have any idea where I am.

Turning my head. I saw a man with a book in his hand.

“Hey! Can you lead me away from here? I have to save my girlfriend.”

I asked him.

He makes sigh and looks at me.

“If I knew the answer I won’t spend seven years inside this place..."

“Dungeon… Is there the demon king dungeon? My girlfriend needs to be saved immediately.”

“It's useless… "

What do you mean by useless?

I walked toward the man with the book and pulled his collar. I pushed him into the wall.

“What are you saying?! I’m begging you to help me!”

“Is this the new way of begging?”

He pushed me away and continue…

“There is a huge possibility that you won't see you're girlfriend ever again. In this huge dungeon, nothing awaits you. You're inside the dungeon of nothingness... The Dungeon of Zero.”

“Dungeon of Zero?”

I was confused for a second.

Glenn then pointed out his finger upward. Turning my head up.

I saw a giant mysterious creature walking. Their nightmare appearance can’t be called a monster or demon.

These enormous creatures walking above us were of different species on their own.

What was that?

What’s happening?

What is this place?

This place is called the Dungeon of Zero.