Ascending the tower with my SSS class

The great black mass of many hands lunged forward, dragging itself across the ground. For better or worse, it was much smaller compared to the one they had encountered before, so this time Uriel believed he at least had a chance.

Before it could advance further into the village, a number of warriors began to emerge from the corners and houses, all joining together to defend it.

A cacophony of vibrations spread throughout the surroundings—people and warriors communicating, warning, and calling for help.

Uriel did not hesitate any longer and moved to confront the monstrosity.

The creature moved quickly despite its size. It did not seem to have any weak points. The people of the depths tried to approach it, but they were torn apart by its numerous hands.

The attacks that managed to strike its body seemed to sink into the black slime, accomplishing nothing more than alerting the creature, which would then tear them to pieces.

But that did not matter to Uriel. He had to do something—anything.

He finally reached the monster. He had no idea what capabilities he possessed in this body, but he knew he was very strong. The creature went straight for him, and he could see what appeared to be its head: a parody of a humanoid face, with multiple empty eyes and mouths in places where they should not be.

Uriel’s fist struck the creature’s body head-on and, against all odds, the monster’s body recoiled from the force of the impact. A vibration unlike the others emerged out of nowhere—the blow had been so powerful that it could even be perceived through the horns of the people of the depths.

Despite being a powerful strike, it did little against the monster, which charged again quickly. This time, it did not rush directly at Uriel but instead moved close enough for its many hands to tear him apart like the others.

Uriel tried to strike those numerous hands with his fists, but he discovered that while he could not touch them, the hands could touch him. One of them managed to latch onto his flesh and pulled hard—pieces of skin were torn away.

So that was the reason. Now he understood why the others could not fight back. Ordinary attacks had little effect and could not significantly harm it.

Even so, despite being at a disadvantage, Uriel would not stand aside. So what if he could not damage it? That only meant he had not yet found a way to kill it—but he would, somehow. He believed that.

Vibrations from all directions began reaching Uriel’s horns. He did not recognize any of them, but they all said the same thing: they wanted him to run, to get to safety. The villagers who could not fight had already hidden in tunnels; now he could flee as well.

Flee? Uriel did not like that idea at all. Deep in his heart, he believed that unless he showed these creatures that facing these people meant they, too, could bleed and suffer, they would continue to harm them.

No... Uriel would not run. From the depths of his being, he was determined to kill it here and now. He would not escape—he would kill it. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Once again, Uriel advanced. The monstrosity tried to tear him apart with its hands, but this time he did not confront it directly. Against all expectations, Uriel poured all his strength into his legs and, with a leap, propelled himself up the cavern toward its ceiling.

This cave was an artificial structure made by the people of the depths. Fortunately, they had expanded their dwellings everywhere, even across the cavern ceiling, so there were still large chunks of rock there, even stalactites. Uriel drove his hand deep into the ceiling, suspending himself from it.

This body was incredible: he could break rock with astonishing ease. Seeing its prey now out of reach, the creature began climbing the cavern walls, seeking to destroy Uriel. Its many hands allowed it to scale with unsettling ease for something with such a body.

Uriel finally reached a massive chunk of rock, half the size of the monster, and struck the point where it connected to the ceiling. The tremor of his blows echoed through the entire place without pause, while the monster rapidly approached.

It was already halfway to reaching him, but Uriel had finished his task. The rock began to loosen until it finally broke free. Uriel buried his fist into it and lifted it. It was heavy, but he felt he could manage it—at least for a short time.

The monster was closing in, but Uriel would not let it reach him; instead, he would go to it. He swung the rock back and forth again and again until he felt it was enough.

At that moment, he let go and, using the pendulum force generated by the rock’s motion along with a push from his legs, leapt toward the monster. Uriel did not hold back and, wielding the chunk of rock like a hammer, struck the creature’s body. It was pulverized by the impact—just like the rock—shattering into hundreds of fragments that rained down over the village.

Uriel fell to the cavern floor, the ground slightly destroyed by the impact of his heavy body. Finally, it was over. He had managed to protect these people.

However, something was wrong.

The vibrations reaching him—from the warriors and the people still watching the battle from hiding—were not of celebration. They were of desperation and pleading, urging Uriel to leave immediately.

Uriel looked at the black slime from which the monster had formed... and once again, its figure appeared, unharmed.

Now Uriel understood why the people only fought it briefly before retreating into hiding. Even if they destroyed it, even if they crushed its body... it would return again and again. A low, uneven vibration began to ripple through the creature’s body—not like the others, not like movement or attack, but something distorted, almost deliberate. It pulsed in irregular waves, rising and falling in a rhythm that felt wrong, as if mocking the very air around it. Uriel could feel it through the ground, through his bones. It took him a moment to understand. The creature... was laughing.