Mad Hatter's Guide to Clearing The Game
Chapter 114: Ch112. The crowned tyrant

Chapter 114: Ch112. The crowned tyrant

The Maw trembled beneath Miles’ feet, the earth groaning as if it were a living thing, ancient and hungry.

The whispering voices of the Maw grew louder, closer, their demands pressing into his mind, twisting around his consciousness. They were urging him, calling him deeper, pushing him into the heart of the abyss.

And yet, despite everything, it was not the voices that truly made his skin crawl. No, it was the creature that now loomed before him, towering above with an aura of dark majesty.

The Revenant that had almost killed him and Kurt back then.

It stood over him, its grotesque body an unholy fusion of bone, flesh, and rusted metal. Jagged horns crowned its skull, and its hollow eyes burned with a malicious intelligence that sent a chill down his spine. Miles felt the oppressive weight of its gaze, as if the Revenant could see straight through him, through his thoughts, his fears, his every weakness.

He did not know how, but that thing had definitely become stronger than before, if it was even possible.

He tightened his grip on his [Doppelganger]’s shadow scythe, its dark blade still slick with the blood of the other Revenants. His own breath was ragged, his side throbbing. His muscles were screaming in protest, every fiber of his being urging him to step back, to retreat, to run away.

But he could not do it. Not now.

The Revenant’s lips curled into a grotesque smile, its jagged teeth glinting in the dim light as it lifted its massive, spiked claw. The air seemed to warp around it, charged with the promise of death. For a moment, time slowed, and Miles could hear the haunting whispers of the Maw again.

"... Come deeper... Join us..."

Miles’ blood boiled. No, He was not going to let The Maw claim him. Not today.

Not ever.

"Let’s see if you’re as tough as you look!" Miles muttered through gritted teeth, his words hoarse from the exhaustion that was slowly creeping up on him.

His [Doppelganger] stood beside him, silent and focused, ready for the next onslaught. It was as weary as he was, but there was no room for hesitation. No time to question the cost.

The Crowned Revenant roared, a sound like metal scraping against metal, and surged forward with terrifying speed. Miles barely had time to react, ducking under the first swipe of its claw as it came down with the force of a collapsing building. The sheer power behind it sent a shockwave through the ground, knocking loose debris in every direction.

The Maw quaked again, a deep, rumbling growl rising from the very earth as the Revenant pressed its attack. Miles twisted to the side, just narrowly avoiding the second strike. His [Doppelganger] was already moving, its shadowy form matching his every motion as it danced around the Revenant’s massive limbs, aiming precise, calculated strikes at its joints and its exposed ribs.

But the Revenant was faster than they had anticipated.

It was smarter, too. Its hulking frame moved with a terrifying grace, each attack deliberate and measured. Its head snapped toward Miles with an unnatural swiftness, and its hollow eyes gleamed with a hunger that sent a spike of ice through his chest.

Miles barely had time to raise the shadow scythe to block another strike. The impact was bone-shattering, and he was sent flying backward, crashing into the jagged debris of The Maw. His body slid across the cracked metal floor, pain shooting up his spine as he struggled to regain his footing.

His [Doppelganger] appeared in front of him just in time to intercept another blow, its shadowy form dissolving and reassembling as it parried with a blade of its own. But even it was starting to show signs of strain. Its movements were slower now, less precise.

"Fuck..." Miles gasped, pushing himself to his feet. His side burned with every breath, and the world around him was starting to blur.

The Revenant gave a low, menacing growl, as though mocking them. It swung its claw down again, the air crackling with the force of the blow. Miles twisted his body, feeling the edge of the strike graze his arm. His body protested, but he kept moving, the sheer will to survive pushing him forward.

There was no escaping the inevitable, though. The Revenant’s claws were everywhere, a blur of death that left no room for error.

Miles and his [Doppelganger] fought back-to-back, the scythes weaving through the air in a deadly dance. Every strike was met with a counter, every movement a desperate attempt to stay alive.

The creature’s claws clashed against the scythes’ blade, ringing through the air like thunder. Sparks and shadows flew as steel and shadow met bone and metal, the sound deafening.

The Revenant roared again, its fury mounting with every passing second. It was not just fighting for survival. It was clearly toying with them, enjoying the struggle.

The twisted intelligence behind its eyes was unmistakable, and Miles could feel it, deep in his gut.

It was the test of his life.

And the Maw had no intention of letting him pass.

Miles’ muscles were burning, his body aching, but he refused to stop. He pushed himself harder, willing his legs to move, his arms to swing, his mind to focus through the haze of exhaustion and pain.

The Revenant lunged once more, its claws extending like the talons of a beast from hell, its maw opening wide to deliver a killing blow. Miles swung his scythe with everything he had left, his movements fueled by the desperation to survive.

The blade of both scythes connected with the Revenant’s massive arm, severing the limb in a single clean cut. Dark, oily blood sprayed across the ground, and the Revenant let out a screech of rage. But even as it staggered back, the wound already began to heal, and Miles knew they were running out of time.

He was running out of time.

The Revenant’s other claw came crashing down, forcing him to leap backward. His boots scraped against the ground, sending him skidding several feet. He could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears, the agony of his side as he fought to stay upright.

His [Doppelganger] was still with him, its movements becoming slower, more strained. Miles could feel it, too – the exhaustion, the weight of the fight, the overwhelming pressure.

The whispers of the Maw grew louder, and he could feel them clawing at his mind, beckoning him to give in.

’Not in a million fucking years...’

With a deep, ragged breath, Miles gritted his teeth and surged forward again, swinging the shadow scythe in a wide arc. The Revenant dodged, its massive frame moving with terrifying speed. It countered with another strike, its claws raking through the air, aiming straight for his chest.

Miles spun to the side, barely avoiding the blow, and his [Doppelganger] dove in front of him, intercepting the attack. There was a sickening crack as the Revenant’s claws met the [Doppelganger]’s shadowy form, and the creature let out an ear-splitting howl of frustration.

Miles watched as the [Doppelganger] staggered back, its form flickering, almost dissipating under the strain. For a split second, he met its "eyes".

There was no fear in the Doppelganger’s gaze. Only an unspoken understanding.

They were in this together.

But even that bond was not enough to withstand the Revenant’s fury.

The Crowned Revenant attacked again, its monstrous claws coming down in a final, decisive strike. Miles swung the scythe with all his remaining strength, but it was too late. The force of the blow sent him sprawling backward, and he crashed into the jagged remains of the Maw’s landscape.

Pain exploded through his body as he struggled to push himself up, coughing a mouthful of blood, but his limbs were too heavy.

Blood poured from his side, staining the ground beneath him. His vision blurred, and the world felt like it was spinning out of control.

His [Doppelganger] was fading, its form flickering with a final, desperate attempt to stand, but even it could not hold on. The Maw had taken its toll.

And then, for the first time in what felt like forever, the Maw itself seemed to respond. The ground rumbled, the walls creaking as if something even more massive were stirring beneath them.

"Damn it..." Miles whispered, his voice barely audible. His chest heaved with shallow breaths, and his scythe lay out of reach. The Revenant loomed over him, ready to strike the final blow.

But Miles could feel it.

The Maw wanted him gone. It wanted to consume him.

But it had underestimated him.

"Change of plans, fella." Miles muttered through clenched teeth, even as his vision began to fade.

The [Doppelganger] with unspoken understanding...

And kicked Miles several feet away from itself, and the Revenant.