Hero of Darkness

Chapter 61: Finding the Culprit

Kahn got up on his feet, trying to get away from these things that were pretending to be his family. For reasons unknown, he could not think straight and with a rational mindset. His state was completely different from his usual calm and confident demeanor.

In his previous life as Elric, his family had a huge impact on his personality. Not because they were always there for him and uplifted him when he was down in spirit; but because they were simply there but never actually with him.

The constant feeling of not being enough and not being special originated because of them in the first place. Normally, people would do their best to raise their children to be a better person and someone who should strive for better things and higher goals in their lives.

Ericʼs parents indeed acted like good parents.. Just not for him but his elder brother David and sister Synthia. Jonas, his father was always there to support his brother who was in schoolʼs baseball team while Sarah, his mother always took the side of her daughter and wanted to see her achieve something in the world of fashion and entertainment.

Elric, on the other hand received the least of their attention as he never showed any kind of promise in any sector even if was related to education. He was simply average at everything throughout his childhood days and weak when it came to physical sports and exercises. So they never thought highly of him.

Unlike how many parents treat their children, his brother was the pearl of their eyes while his sister was their princess. He on the other hand was more like the unplanned child they never really wanted. He was nothing but a liability to them ever since he could remember.

And now.. That same family was insulting him and throwing slanders at him.

Suddenly, the systemʼs sound rang in his mind.

[System detects that the host is being influenced by an external presence and the body is affected by some form of hallucinogen. The host is advised to severe the source of these chemicals to recover from this state.] system informed Kahn about the actual reason why he was feeling this way.

”Hallucinogen? When did I come in contact with it?” he asked himself and tried to recount the incidents since he entered inside this floor.

He hadnʼt made any contact with anyone or anything for that matter. So there truly wasnʼt any other way he could be spiked with hallucinogens.

He didnʼt even eat or drink anything when he met Arkham & Solomon this morning.

So how was it possible that he was dosed with the hallucinogen. Kahn thought in his mind, trying to focus on his own consciousness rather than giving into the voices he was hearing.

”The fog!” shouted Kahn as he finally came to a realization. It was the air he breathed since he came here was the main culprit. Now he understood why his body was unaffected throughout the day and started feeling slower when he reached the innermost parts of this floor where the fog was far denser.

[Omega! Blackwall! Armin!] he called out the 3 subordinates and was quickly surrounded by them.

Armin, the Priest started casting debuff cleansing and healing spells at him. Just in a couple of minutes, Kahn finally regained his sanity and noticed his senses coming back to functioning properly again.

”I see.. So thatʼs why not many lived after coming to this floor.” spoke Kahn as he finally got the gist of why barely anybody made out alive from here. Because they were either affected in their minds or scared to death before they were hunted down by whatever creatures that lied on this floor.

He quickly called Ceril out and both started throwing wind magic spells around their surroundings and cleared out the dense fog that was surrounding them all this time.

Swoosh!

Kahn sensed something on his left and Blackwall took a guard in the front, Kahn took the left while Omega took the right.

Ceril and Armin took the center and quickly set up a team formation. Because in such moments, any enemy could flank them from an opening. Kahn didnʼt summon the others because he wanted to see the face of the enemy first.

Creak! Flutter!

He heard the sound of something passing from the surrounding trees and the sound of small leaves and branches breaking. Whatever it was.. It was big.

If not for his heightened senses after becoming a Grandmaster.. Kahnʼs mind probably wouldʼve given in a long time before the system even warned him. He was lucky that he didnʼt come to this floor before he broke through the Grandmaster rank.

He then switched to his Hunterʼs Intent again and found a trace of body heat among the woods. His team slowly following the tracks without causing too much noise. Even the giant bodies of Omega and Blackwall trod softly in this area.

After passing through the trees and following the tracks.. Kahnʼs senses finally picked up a huge and long figure at the end of the tree lines. He quickly pulled everyone back in his shadow and activated Shadow Walk.

After walking through the shadow of these thick and broad tree lines, he saw a monstrous figure.. For the first time, Kahn was horrified for a bit after watching any creature in front of him.

He gazed at this figure from the shadows and felt lucky that he didnʼt see it when he was affected by the hallucinogens. Because the ghastly, creepy and outright terrifying figure wouldʼve given a heart attack to anyone with a weak mind.

The upper body of this giant and long monster had 8 hands with claws so big that they could cut a manʼs head in a single sweep. Its nose was that of those Kahn saw on the Snakekin Assasin, the body complete pale white.

But that wasnʼt the creepiest part.. What gave Kahn an eerie feeling is the lower half of this creatureʼs body.. It was completely that of a giant scaly snake.

At this moment, Kahn spoke to himself..

[Aight! Imma head out!]