Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 119: Monsters Domain.

Chapter 119: Monsters Domain.

Without hesitation, the group followed her inside, their footsteps echoing softly in the cavernous space.

As they ventured deeper into the stadium, the air grew thick with the stench of rot and decay. The heavy rainfall outside which had darkened the sky, and the oppressive black clouds cloaked the world in near-total darkness, despite it being early morning. With no other choice, the group relied on Scarlett to guide them. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly, acting as their only source of light. Flashlights remained unused in their bags; switching them on would be like sending a flare to signal their presence to the enemy.

After walking for several tense minutes, Scarlett came to an abrupt halt. Her crimson eyes glowed even brighter as she surveyed the surroundings, her posture rigid and alert. The stadium was unlike any they had ever seen. Instead of an open field surrounded by rows of seats, it resembled a natural rock formation like a mountain with numerous dark openings where anything, or anyone, could hide.

Just ahead of her lay a bubbling pool, invisible to the others but starkly clear to her supernatural senses. The acrid stench emanating from it confirmed her suspicion: the liquid reeked of the same poison that had once burned her flesh and led to her death. Scarlett’s expression darkened, a fleeting memory of pain crossing her mind.

"What’s wrong, Scarlett?" Garvin asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His grip on his weapon tightened, his knuckles white. He could feel his pulse quickening, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum.

Scarlett didn’t look back. Her voice was low but carried a commanding edge. "Make sure you stay in a straight line. Follow me closely. There are traps everywhere, step in the wrong place, and you could die instantly, even before the monsters have a chance to get to you."

"Traps?" Larry questioned from the back of the group, his voice laced with skepticism and fear. "Since when do monsters set traps? Aren’t traps more of a human thing?"

Scarlett turned her head slightly, her glowing eyes meeting his. "When I say traps, I’m not talking about anything crafted by human hands. These are natural hazards, like pools of toxic liquid or creatures with sharp, venomous fangs. Just trust me and stick close. Stray even a little, and you might not make it out alive."

Her serious tone sent a shiver through the group. Fear pricked at their resolve, but they steeled themselves, gripping their weapons tighter and nodding in silent agreement.

Scarlett resumed walking, her glowing eyes scanning the jagged walls and uneven floor of the corridor. The map in her hand shimmered with an eerie, otherworldly energy, guiding her through the maze-like passages. Despite her focus, she couldn’t shake the unease growing in her chest. This place was wrong, alien and sinister, even compared to the horrors she had faced before.

The further they walked, the more the unsettling nature of the "stadium" became apparent. Scarlett’s thoughts churned.

This isn’t a stadium. At least, not in the traditional sense.

After what felt like hours but was likely only minutes, the group stumbled upon a large opening. The chamber was wide enough to hold ten people comfortably. Scarlett stepped into the space cautiously, her senses alert, before motioning for the others to follow.

"It’s so quiet in here," Garvin muttered, breaking the heavy silence that had enveloped them. His eyes roamed the walls and ceiling. "This place isn’t a stadium at all but that doesn’t matter. Where are the monsters we’re supposed to face?"

Scarlett raised a hand abruptly, pressing a finger to her lips. "Shhh," she hissed, her voice sharp but controlled. Her head tilted slightly, her ears straining. "Do you hear that?"

The group listened intently, straining to catch the faintest sound. Soon, they heard it too, the scuttling, scratching, and guttural growling echoing through the dark corridors. The unsettling noise seemed to come from deep within.

"It’s coming from down there," Scarlett said, pointing toward the bubbling pit on the ground. To her, the liquid was vividly visible but to the others, it remained invisible.

Though the rest of the group couldn’t see the pit, they nodded in silent understanding, their hearts pounding in unison. Every muscle in their bodies tensed. This was the moment they had been preparing for though no amount of preparation could have truly readied them for this. Even though they didn’t see any pit, they could still hear the sound of monsters.

Suddenly, the scuttling intensified, growing louder and closer. Without warning, winged creatures erupted from the pit, carrying humans in their gnarled, clawed feet. The humans screamed in terror, their cries splitting through the oppressive silence like shattering glass.

The monsters were small but terrifying, their bat-like wings flapping with a frenzied energy. Their sharp, glowing yellow eyes scanned the area, and their mouths opened to reveal rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth.

Ding!

Monster Information:

{Screamers. Level 10.}

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed as her mind raced. The monsters came from the pit, like seriously?! But I thought that liquid was supposed to melt anything that touched it. Why didn’t it affect them? Is it because they’re monsters hence they’re not affected by it? But what about the humans?

Before Scarlett could get answers, the screamers began their horror work. They began hurling the humans into their mouth, anguished screams echoing as blood splattered everywhere. The monsters ignored their prey’s cries, devouring their victims with ruthless efficiency.

"Oh, fuck it!" Scarlett yelled, her voice filled with fury. Without hesitation, she unleashed a torrent of fire, her flames blazing bright in the darkness. The screamers’ heads exploded into ash and smoke as her precise strikes took them down one by one.

The remaining humans, those who hadn’t been eaten, fell to the ground away from the pit. Scarlett’s group sprang into action. Ethan and Kato worked together, using their fire abilities to eliminate any humans who were on the verge of transforming into monsters.

"What the hell are those things?!" Ethan growled, his voice brimming with rage as he surveyed the carnage.

Scarlett stepped out from the shadows, her crimson eyes glowing fiercely. Her team followed closely, their weapons ready in case more monsters emerged.

The other survivors saved by Scarlett and her group ran out of the stadium immediately without looking back.

Spotting a heavily pregnant woman collapsed on the ground, Scarlett quickly moved to her side. She knelt down, her voice soft and steady. "Are you alright?"

The woman was pale and trembling, her breaths shallow. "No... I’m not," she managed to say between gasps. "My husband... he went to find me. I’m sure he’s still down there... in that hell where the monsters dominate." Her voice cracked with emotion as tears streamed down her face. "Trust me, the monsters here are nothing compared to the ones down there."

Scarlett’s eyes widened at the revelation, anger and curiosity flickering across her face. Down there? she thought. Is that where all monsters come from then?

As she listened, Scarlett subtly used her water element to regulate the woman’s temperature and calm her unborn baby, though the woman remained unaware of the assistance. The woman’s pregnancy was only seven months along, and Scarlett knew she had to stabilize her quickly.

Ding!

{This pit is one of thousands of monster hiding spaces. Just like humans, monsters need a place to rest and recuperate. This pit connects to their resting grounds. If humans accidentally fall into it, monsters kill them. Killing humans below is wasteful since they won’t transform into monsters. But killing them above ensures transformation, as long as the monsters don’t consume them entirely.}

Scarlett clenched her fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. This is just one hiding space, like seriously?!

Kato crossed his arms, his tone sharp. "Since we already know where the monsters are, why don’t we just go down there and kill them all?"

The woman shook her head violently, her eyes wide with desperation. "Don’t even think about it! You’ll die down there. I’m alive because of you, but I’ve seen what happens to others. No one survives down there not even those with powers like yours." Her voice broke as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ding!

{The entry to the monsters’ resting place only appears once in a blue moon. The next time it appears, it might not be at this stadium but somewhere entirely different. If you don’t go down now to kill monsters, earn coins, and save the thousands of humans still alive down there, they might all be dead by the time you return.}

Scarlett’s temper flared. "You didn’t tell me any of this before!" she yelled internally, her body trembling with anger.

{I am not responsible for telling you everything. Some truths must be discovered on your own. The more you uncover, the closer you’ll get to understanding the true nature of this apocalypse.}

Ethan stepped forward, his eyes locked on the pregnant woman. "What does it look like down there? Can you tell us anything that might help us prepare?"

The woman blinked in confusion. "What place?" she asked, her voice calm and detached. Her earlier panic seemed to have vanished entirely.

"The monsters’ lair," Ethan said, his tone firm. "You just said your husband was down there. Describe it to us."

The woman stared at him blankly. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. I came here looking for my husband, and now you’re asking me about some place I’ve never seen." Her voice was steady, but there was no recognition in her eyes.

The group exchanged uneasy glances before turning back to Scarlett.

Ding!

{Her memories of the monsters’ domain are gone. This is a side effect of surviving the pit. As the queen of monsters, you are immune, but your companions are not.}

"Fuck it!" Scarlett cursed aloud, startling the group.

"What’s wrong?" Kato asked, his expression filled with concern.

"She’s lost her memories," Scarlett explained, sighing heavily. "She won’t be able to tell us anything useful."

The woman began to walk toward the stadium exit. Without hesitation, Scarlett cast a spell, making the woman invisible to everyone except herself.

"Where did she go?" Larry asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

"She’s heading toward the survivors in the forest," Scarlett replied. "She won’t be able to enter the safe zone until I’m there, but making her invisible will keep her safe for now."

Turning back to the group, Scarlett’s expression hardened. "We’re going down there. Are you all in?"

Ethan nodded immediately, his determination unwavering. "Of course. We’re with you."

The others followed suit, their nods resolute.

Scarlett smiled warmly at their loyalty. She chose not to mention the risk of memory loss as it wouldn’t help now. What mattered now was saving the people below before it was too late.