"Argh!" Harley cut down a creature with a swing of the sword artifact in hi s
He stood straight, staring at his figure. He had dark blood staining his shirt from a single claw mark on his chest, and he glanced over at Vernox, who ripped out the arm of one of the creatures that were dead.
His attire was alright for a warrior, wearing actual combat boots. His clothes weren't even messed with.
'I can't imagine a joint trial where I'm the weaker one hahaha!' Harley chuckled inwardly and he smirked.
Their small group had already cleared out the initial attacking lizard creatures that came at them, and they were about to move even deeper towards the heart of the nest.
Harley walked towards Vernox, observing the path ahead with a sharp gaze.
"I don't trust them," he mumbled, just low enough for Vernox to hear what he said.
The young man didn't answer, turning to look at Harley with… an approving smirk?
"That's good then. I don't either. Also, we would need to subjugate the story fragments before going to the heart of the nest," Vernox spoke, making his way forward.
The sound of footsteps made Harley turn around, and he saw Lesley coming towards him with a subtle smile on his face.
"Wow! We didn't even need to lift a finger!" Lesley laughed, seeming fascinated by the two strange men.
"Are you hurt?" The mage girl walked forward, waving her staff in front of Harley, and at faster speeds, the thin slashes on his torso began to close. He looked at the staff.
"H—how are you doing that?" he asked with an yearning tone.
In this life… no, even in both lives, Harley had loved the concept of magic. And now he was seeing a real… well, illusionary—an illusionary person using magic, and he couldn't help but be fascinated.
"Anne! Did I order you to do that?" Lesley shouted, glaring at the young lady that helped Harley with a deep, cold stare.
Harley noticed the elf look at Lesley with a neutral expression before looking back at Anne.
The mage girl scurried behind Lesley, and Harley only nodded at them, scratching the back of his head with a playful smile on his face.
Soon they got to another section of the cave. It was like a small landslide leading to a large room where these creatures with red scales gathered.
Harley looked at the flowers growing around them and he sniffed, finding the smell nice.
"Those are soul reaper hibiscus," Lesley laughed, seeing that Harley sniffed it.
[Unsubjugated fragments: 5]
Recording the verse of the wish locket, Harley took in a deep breath as he felt himself revitalized and his essence beginning to circulate much better.
It was alright to say that these red lizards weren't the usual monsters, and Vernox leapt inside, landing on the ground with a soft thud.
This caught the attention of the five lizard men that were there, and Harley let out a sigh, going invisible.
Lesley pulled out a short sword and stood at the edge of the entrance, and soon the entire cave went into chaos.
The lizard man opened his mouth, spitting out flames which almost took out Vernox. With a clean spin he evaded the creature, hitting it at the back of its head with his elbow.
All the lizards were about to go for Vernox when a silver gleam shone in the cave, and the other four turned around to see that Harley had beheaded one of them while they were distracted.
*Rashhhh!*
Two of them attacked him, making him frown and taking his stance. The clash soon began.
The talons of these creatures were as long as one of his entire fingers, and he had been cut deep before, so it hurt like mad.
Harley was facing two of these lizards at the same time, so he had to be careful. But he knew that he might not be able to do it.
A claw strike from the first one. Harley swiped up, striking the claw back with the sword while trying to slice its body, but it dodged and the second one came up to him.
Harley only took a breath and then he focused hard, unfocusing his vision to also focus on multiple opponents all in his line of sight.
One thing that Harley learned upon coming into this trial is that everything is designed to make him fail—in fact, to make anyone fail.
The record proves it: 8 people taking this trial, and eight dead. -1% chance of even passing the trial. But he's used to this…
Narrowly avoiding a claw to his neck, he moved back, seeing the two lizard creatures coming towards him. The light from the ceiling was already getting brighter.
Harley smiled, and all of a sudden he vanished from where he stood. Both of the creatures stopped, looking around. Their teeth and saliva gleamed under the light of the sun.
One of the creatures was stabbed in the chest, and the other one immediately caught up, swiping at Harley who appeared instantly.
"ARGH!" Harley got a claw swipe to his side, and he dragged the sword, raising it against the second one which didn't even give him a chance.
He and the lizard began to exchange blows. The red scales on it were tough; it wasn't as easy as cutting down the other smaller lizards with green scales.
'It's way faster than the other ones we fought!' Harley gritted his teeth, enduring the barrage of the attacks by blocking with the flat side of the sword.
Despite his strength, being able to move a truck with confidence, the strikes that he blocked were affecting him.
*Clank!*
The sword was swiped away and Harley was backed into a corner. He glanced behind the creature to see Vernox still in a battle with a single one too, and the lizard man swiped down with two hands.
*Grak!*
"No…" Harley grunted, breathing heavily.
One of his knees was on the ground and he held the two hands of the creature above his shoulder.
All of a sudden he looked up to see the creature smiling, hissing with its tongue out.
This sent a shock to Harley's brain and he saw Captain Ragnar and all the times people looked down on him.
With a twist, he threw the creature off guard, and then his struggling expression was replaced by a cold stare.
He raised both of his hands, blurring from his position. He rushed the creature like a hurricane, throwing punches that sent shocks through its entire body.
"You can't put me down," Harley mumbled, punching the pointed nose of the lizard.
{You have killed a scheme 7 creature; Red cave lizard. You have acquired a story fragment}