I decided that I would use the three days remaining until the full moon to fulfill contracts with the Occult Research Club, increase their trust in me, and continue onward in Tartarus, and that's what I did.
However, on the second day, I had already reached the thirteenth chamber of Tartarus. Two more, and I would reach the boss of this first area—which should be Megaera.
The only problem was that facing Brimstones, Wretched Pests, and Wretched Louts at the same time wasn't as easy as Zagreus made it look in the game. There were too many attacks to dodge at once.
Before I could think too much, the Brimstones started to appear. Those floating crystals fired energy beams at a terrifying speed, forcing me to dodge constantly.
I jumped to the side, rolling on the ground as the beam passed just inches away.
Already in the air, I conjured the Stygian Flame, firing a white-hot blast at the nearest crystal.
The impact caused the creature to explode into shards that flew in all directions.
At that moment, I heard the unmistakable sound of pots rattling. Three Wretched Pests rushed toward me from the left.
My left hand rose instinctively, and I threw three fireballs that destroyed them instantly.
"These things won't stop!" I shouted.
I charged at another Brimstone, delivering quick cuts with the Stygius Sword. The blade seemed thirsty for blood, and each blow sent pink shards flying in various directions.
I didn't have much time to breathe. A group of Wretched Louts charged at me simultaneously. There were at least five of them.
"Great. Just what I needed," I muttered sarcastically.
This time, I chose to keep my distance, firing continuous arrows from the Stygian Flame to weaken them.
The incendiary explosions lit up the chamber, and the smell of burning flesh began to permeate the air.
Two fell under the relentless attack, but the other three were more stubborn. One closed in dangerously and nearly landed a hit.
I dashed backward, narrowly avoiding the attack, and used the moment to counter with an upward strike from the Stygius. The blade pierced the creature's chest, and dark blood splattered, painting the ebony floor.
The other two came together, but a blast from the Stygian Flame made them stagger. I took advantage of the opening to deliver a horizontal slash that brought both of them down.
"Just a little more. I can get through this..."
My confidence was short-lived. An intense pink glow filled the chamber, and more Brimstones began to appear—at least six this time. Their attacks crossed paths, creating an intricate web of danger.
"Now, now, that's cowardly!" I exclaimed, jumping back to avoid an ambush of three simultaneous lightning bolts.
I moved like a blur across the chamber, slashing at the crystals while dodging the beams with quick, precise movements.
Amidst the chaos, I noticed one of the Wretched Louts had reappeared, but this one was larger, sturdier, and radiating an intimidating aura.
I had already faced monsters like this before—stronger, tougher, and acting unpredictably. Skelly had warned me about them.
"You've got to be kidding me," I said, staring at the massive figure.
The big guy charged at me, and I barely had time to react. He smashed into a pillar as I dodged, shaking the entire chamber.
"Okay, if that's how you want it, let's dance!"
I stood up and channeled all the energy of the Stygian Flame into a single concentrated shot. The fireball struck the Lout with immense force, knocking him back, but he didn't fall.
The moment he thought he'd recovered, I was already on top of him.
I delivered an upward blow with the Stygius, followed by a flurry of quick cuts that left him staggering. When he attempted to counter, I leapt back and fired another burst from the Stygian Flame. Finally, the monster fell to its knees and disintegrated into ash.
Silence returned to the chamber, broken only by my heavy breathing.
The door to the fourteenth chamber rattled in the background, signaling it was open.
"Two more chambers," I muttered to myself. "And then, Megaera."
I wiped the sweat from my forehead, readjusted my grip on the Stygius, and stepped through the door.
When I entered, the fourteenth chamber was surprisingly simple compared to the previous ones. This time, there were only Brimstones, many of them, lined up in common patterns.
I quickly dispatched them, and the door to the fifteenth chamber opened.
"Okay, Megaera. Finally, we meet again."
I stepped through the door, gripping Stygius tightly, and immediately recognized the fifteenth chamber as a boss room. The elongated space, with several pillars scattered around, set the stage for a climactic battle.
In the center stood a figure with its back turned to me. The color of its hair and clothing gave it away—it wasn't Megaera.
"Tisiphone? What are you doing here?"
The duty of guarding the exit from Tartarus fell to the Three Furies. Megaera was usually the boss, but after a few runs, she could be replaced by one of her sisters—Tisiphone or Alecto.
Tisiphone turned slowly, her black eyes illuminated by the intense green glow of her pupils.
"Zagreussss... Murdererrrr..." she hissed.
"Tisiphone, wait! I'm not here to fight you!" I protested, but her whip cracked through the air, and she lunged at me with terrifying speed.
[Ding! The system proposes the mission "End of Tartarus"!]
1 - Escape from Tisiphone. (Reward: 1 Fusion Point)
2 - Defeat Tisiphone and recruit her. (Reward: 15 Fusion Points)
3 - Kill Tisiphone. (Reward: 30 Fusion Points)
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