I will be the Strongest

Chapter 33

Its eagle beak cut through the air alongside its wings, and, descending at high speed, its lion's claws shredded anything in its path—trees or rocks.

The hole in the mountain was made, and everyone quickly entered it. It wasn’t even two seconds later. As the last man passed through the path created by Samantha, the beast's claws continued to slice through the mountain for several meters.

Strangely, despite the lack of an apparent entrance or exit, there were many paths to follow inside the mountain. Looking up, Samantha quickly decided:

"Don’t stop! Keep climbing!"

Jumping, they all reached the path leading to the summit, and moments later, the griffin landed where they had been, its eagle eyes scanning every detail for any sign of the intruders. A small drop of blood fallen from the spacious path above was enough to make its eyes seethe and its wings slice through the air.

A buzzing sound approached as if the air was being sliced rapidly, and, stopping the climb for a brief moment, Hye looked down.

"It's coming back, move!"

Two to the right and one to the left, after jumping to the surrounding paths, Hye was left alone. The creature’s wings passed, and a path was created by its claws.

Flying naturally through the various existing paths, the beast returned to the location and, upon stopping at the marks of its claws, a golden glow spread from one side, while red flames ignited from the other.

Kreeee! With one side intact but something sharp embedded in one of its legs, the griffin fell.

With electricity coursing through his fingers, Hye approached the tunnel entrance and looked down.

"Hmm... So lightning can indeed paralyze enemies for a short period..."

[The enemy has been poisoned by the poisonous dagger]

"Huh? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get my dagger, and I'll be back quickly."

Taking a step forward, Hye calmly descended a path that extended for dozens of meters. The claw marks made by the creature trying to stop his fall were scattered all around, and upon reaching the ground, its body was near the exit of the hole they had entered earlier.

Kree...

Hye approached, and despite being struck by the dagger, the beast’s groans showed that the griffin was still alive.

"It seems their resistance is greater than that of the giants..."

Placing his hand on the dagger’s hilt, the creature’s groans of pain were insignificant to him. However, when the blade was pulled out and the beast turned, with blood coming from its beak and streaming from its eyes like tears, Hye heard something he thought had only occurred with the giants, who were humanoid and, like it or not, very similar to humans.

"You... why...?"

But that whisper with a trembling and weak voice echoing in his ears made him reconsider.

"Why are you... kree... invading our home...?"

"It wasn’t my decision. I’m just trying to stay alive... like you."

"Kree... and for that, you... kill everyone...?"

"Probably."

With its vision covered by a red film, the creature pushed its body to the limit, using everything it had left to rise. The blood covering its eyes couldn’t hide the will that existed within them, and, despite showing no change in expression, Hye wanted to see it.

Kreeee!

Raising its paw, the beast prepared for its final attack. However, in one moment, a man, and in another, the blue sky that now, in its eyes, was red.

Kre...

Turning, Hye walked to the path and jumped, quickly arriving at the place where the others were waiting for him.

"The completion notification hasn’t appeared, so there’s probably at least one more creature alive." He looked up, seeing a dark path that seemed endless. "Shall we continue climbing?"

"Yes, but going outside is too dangerous, so let’s keep going through this path."

Approaching the tunnel’s exit, Hye pointed upward and said:

"Cast a flame upward before we go. It would be dangerous to continue through such a dark path."

With the flame cast, they all jumped, propelling themselves off the walls and climbing step by step. Keeping up with Hye and Samantha was definitely becoming more challenging over time, but pushing his body beyond its limits, the cracks of his bones didn’t stop. However, in his view, his weakness didn’t become as apparent, and the distance between them didn’t increase even towards the end of the tunnel.

Samantha was the first to reach the end. As her eyes scanned the surroundings, her silent footsteps made no disturbance when she stepped into the large cavern illuminated by holes in the ceiling and the entrance nearby.

"You were right after all. There really was more than one creature."

Followed by Hye, she quickly hid behind a rock, and, if not for a small stone, the silence would have remained even with the arrival of the third member of the group.

Kreeeee! Its eyes lit up, and its claws shone. Aiming at the man standing in the center of the place, the beast spread its wings as its tail wrapped around the oval object placed in a small hole in the flat stone where it was lying.