In The Academy As Sukuna

Ch 35 - Ruins (Part 3) - Fate's Cruel Hold

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

—Martin Luther King Jr.

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(With Ryogaku...)

The dim light of the dungeon cast eerie shadows on the walls as a horde of goblins rushed towards a green-haired man.

This man was holding three swords, one in each of his hands, and one in his mouth.

The man's muscles bulged as he leapt towards the goblins, slicing them without any difficulty.

However, the sheer number of monsters was overwhelming him, his movements started getting more sluggish my the moment.

Suddenly, from around the corner, came out a person.

This person was Ryogaku.

"Need a hand?" Ryogaku said, jumping into the battle without waiting for answer.

"If you can keep up," the green-haired man said, his voice strained yet confident, a smirk on his face.

Ryogaku drew his sword and together, they dispatched the goblins in a one sided massacre.

When the body of the last goblin fell to the floor, the two students stood panting, eyes locked in mutual respect.

"I'm Ryogaku," he said, extending a hand for a handshake. "Nice moves you have there."

"Rozo," the green-haired man said. "Second-year."

They paused for a bit, assessing their surroundings.

"I've been separated from my group," Ryogaku said. "You?"

"Same here," said Rozo. "We should stick together, safety in numbers."

Ryogaku nodded, walking towards a wall and sitting down.

"Done already?" Rozo mused, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he sat next to Ryogaku.

Ryogaku just smiled in return.

"It's been a long time since someone kept up with my three sword style," Rozo said, grinning.

"I've got to admit, Rozo, the style is impressive. How did you come up with it?"

Rozo chuckled, leaning back on the wall. "It's a family tradition, my old man taught me."

Ryogaku smiled in return.

Rozo, seeing his new friend silent, extended a fist towards him. "Why so gloomy? Let's get going, we gotta get out of here, don't we."

Ryogaku paused for a second, before smiling and fist bumping Rozo.

"Well, let's go then," Ryogaku said, pushing himself up.

With determination, they continued their journey through the ruins, unaware that their bond would soon be tested.

.

(Around a day later...)

Currently, both Rozo and Ryogaku are running, being chased by a spider-like monster.

It was a monstrous spider with a frightening size. Its obsidian-black body spanning about 2 meters in diameter, its eight legs covered in black, chitinous armor that glowed in the dim light of the ruins.

Its legs end in sharp claws that produce an eerie clicking sound every time it moves, echoing in the stone corridors as if doom itself were moving.

The spider's eyes, a cluster of 8 shining orbs, burning with an unsettling bloodthirst, are capable of seeing in the dark, allowing the creature to stalk its prey with precision, leaving no place to escape.