Chapter 44: Reckless Idea

He had an idea.

A rather reckless one.

But considering his current circumstances, it might just work.

Aaron’s eyes shifted between the countless bats swarming around him and the darkness stretching endlessly beneath his feet.

His body was still descending uncontrollably, and although his newly acquired strength had made the creatures considerably easier to kill, it hadn’t solved his biggest problem.

He was still falling.

And there was no telling how much longer he would have to endure this before reaching the lower floors.

’At this rate, I’m going to exhaust myself before I even get there.’

He gritted his teeth.

His thigh was bleeding, his clothes were practically in tatters, and several parts of his body were beginning to ache from the relentless attacks.

He needed a way to reduce the number of injuries he sustained while descending.

But more importantly, he needed to reach the bottom without turning into a bloody mess.

His gaze briefly landed on the bats attacking him.

They were individually weak, but their numbers made them troublesome. Their wings were large enough to support their relatively oversized bodies, and they could navigate the darkness with considerably more ease than he could.

Then, an idea crossed his mind.

’Wait a minute...’

His eyes narrowed.

He glanced at the creatures again, this time paying closer attention to their wings.

’If they’re capable of flying around in this place, shouldn’t I be able to use them to reduce my falling speed?’

It was a ridiculous thought.

He wasn’t even sure whether the combined strength of two bats would be enough to support his weight, let alone slow his descent significantly.

But he didn’t need them to carry him.

He only needed something that could create enough resistance to make his fall more manageable.

And if that failed...

Well, he would probably die.

’Not like I have a better option.’

Aaron clicked his tongue.

There was no point overthinking it.

Without wasting another second, he swiftly sheathed his bloodied sword.

He then extended both arms towards two oversized bats hovering dangerously close to him.

The creatures immediately reacted to his movements.

One flapped its wings and attempted to dart away, but Aaron managed to catch it by its elongated body. The second wasn’t as fortunate. It lunged towards his exposed arm, only for him to seize it just beneath its wings.

"Got you!"

Aaron tightened his grip.

The two creatures immediately began struggling.

Their wings flapped violently, while their sharp talons scratched against his arms and chest. One even managed to sink its claws into his side, forcing a painful grimace out of him.

"Stay still, you little bastards!"

He tightened his hold.

It took considerable effort to secure both creatures, especially with the relentless wind threatening to pull them from his grasp.

For a moment, he struggled to maintain his balance.

His body twisted awkwardly in midair, and one of the bats nearly slipped out of his hand.

’Shit!’

He quickly adjusted his grip.

He couldn’t afford to lose them now.

Aaron pulled the creatures closer to his body, pressing their oversized frames against his chest and stomach. Their wings continued beating furiously, occasionally striking his arms and face as they desperately tried to escape.

He ignored them.

Instead, he concentrated on adjusting his posture.

He needed to protect his head and shoulders.

Those were the parts of his body most likely to collide with the incoming swarm, and he couldn’t afford to have his face torn apart before reaching the lower floors.

After several awkward movements, he finally managed to position himself properly.

His sword was secured in its scabbard, both hands were occupied, and two furious Shadow-Winged Bats were struggling against his embrace.

Aaron took a deep breath.

’Here goes nothing.’

He tucked his head between his shoulders and curled his body forward.

Then—

He nosedived.

His body plunged towards the depths of the dungeon at an almost absurd speed.

The surrounding winds howled violently as he accelerated, and the two bats trapped in his embrace struggled desperately to escape.

Their claws dug into his belly and ribs, but Aaron stubbornly ignored them.

He had already made up his mind.

If he was going to get through this, he might as well make use of everything available to him.

Blood splattered across his face as his head and shoulders crashed into several bats unfortunate enough to cross his path.

CRACK!

SQUELCH!

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

The pain was excruciating.

But Aaron endured it.

The two bats trapped in his arms were becoming increasingly frantic. They clawed and thrashed against his body, desperately attempting to free themselves.

Aaron simply tightened his embrace.

He wasn’t letting them go.

Not yet.

And before long—

He saw them.

An enormous swarm of Shadow-Winged Bats emerged from the darkness below, their countless wings flapping as they rushed towards him.

He had finally reached their nest!

Aaron lowered his head slightly, instinctively protecting his face from the impending collision.

Then, with a roar that was almost drowned out by the howling wind, he plunged straight into their midst.

"ARGGGGHHHHHH!"

His head and shoulders crashed into the approaching swarm.

The impact sent countless bats scattering in every direction.

Their fragile bodies were crushed beneath his rapidly descending frame, while others were struck aside or torn apart by the sheer force of the collision.

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[You have killed...]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

[...Your Existence grows more powerful.]

Aaron continued screaming as he plunged deeper into the nest.

His body was battered from every direction, and the creatures trapped in his embrace continued clawing at him.

But he refused to let go.

He kept descending.

And descending.

Until, gradually, the familiar sounds surrounding him began to disappear.

The incessant flapping of wings faded.

For a brief moment, Aaron felt a flicker of relief.

It was working!

Unfortunately, his relief was short-lived.

The ground was already approaching at an alarming speed.

He barely had enough time to adjust to his slower descent before—

BOOOOOOM!

His body slammed into the ground with tremendous force.

The impact sent a violent shockwave through his battered frame.

For a brief instant, his vision turned completely white.

Then everything went dark.

Aaron had finally reached the lower floor. But he had lost consciousness.