Adventure World Online (AWO)

"Eww~ Master, get that thing off my shoe!"

Anya turned to Chang Long for help, but the kindest master in all the land had long since walked away. She seemed thoroughly engrossed in fighting the beasts, along with Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, the twin siblings, and the rest of the pets. Anya sighed in frustration and glanced over to see Brownie standing not too far off. The fairy girl turned to him and spoke in a sweet voice that made even the mischievous mouse's fur stand on end.

"Dear Brownie, could you please get this rotten skin thing off my shoe? Pretty please?"

That kind of plea might not have swayed Chang Long or the others mid-battle, but it definitely worked on Brownie. The thieving field mouse was more than happy to help, even without her begging. He scurried over and used his toothpick sword to poke at the rotting hide and flick it off Anya's shoe. The fairy girl watched him with affection. If it were a human, she might have had to pull out every trick in the book to get what she wanted. But with Brownie, no charm was needed—just an honest request, and he was ready to do anything for her.

"All done, Anya,"

Brownie said, looking up at her with a bashful smile.

"Thanks a lot. You're really sweet."

Anya praised him, flashing him a bright smile.

"W... Well, it's not that big of a deal, really!"

Brownie raised a tiny hand to scratch his head in embarrassment. No compliment could lift his spirits like one from the girl he adored—except maybe a compliment from his revered master.

"Alright, let's go help Master in the fight. The sooner we finish this creepy floor, the better."

Anya suggested, even though she was absolutely repulsed by the putrid flesh beasts and wanted nothing to do with them. She knew that if she let fear keep her from fighting, they would be stuck on this floor even longer. And that meant her shoes would have to deal with more of that disgusting muck.

"Yeah. Let's do this."

Brownie replied with a serious tone that made Anya chuckle softly. The two joined the fight alongside Chang Long's group, who showed no mercy to the putrid flesh beasts. Even though the beasts seemed pitiful, running away from the seething hot pans, the group stuck to long-range attacks to avoid letting them get too close. Not only did their skins peel off during battle, but when they died, pieces of rotted hide would go flying everywhere—forcing the group to dodge like mad.

Because of that, everyone preferred to deal with the other two types of beasts first, if possible. No one wanted to get gunked by chunks of rotting skin. But the more they tried to avoid them, the more the beasts came charging in. It turned into such a chaotic free-for-all that even Chang Long's seasoned assassins lost patience, unleashing a barrage of kicks and stomps to keep the creatures at bay while waiting their turn to fight.

Throughout the battle, Anya's screams could be heard again and again. The fairy girl kept getting attacked by the putrid flesh beasts, and just like the others, she fought them off with flurries of kicks that sent them flying. But those very attacks often made their skin stick to her shoes even more easily.

After what felt like ages of battling and dodging, Chang Long's group finally managed to defeat the required number of each beast type. A doorway to the third floor appeared, along with the second Gatekeeper, who stood waiting calmly nearby. Dressed in a black robe that concealed its body and face, it carried a massive scythe slung across its back. As the group, still reeling from the putrid flesh assault, ran into the beast king's range, they stood there gasping for breath.

Exhausted, everyone collapsed to the floor—only to immediately leap away in different directions when the boiling pan beast splashed hot water in the center. They quickly regrouped out of splash range and began healing themselves.

Once they had fully recovered and their statuses were back to normal, Chang Long's group approached the door to the third floor. The second Gatekeeper began to move, drawing the massive scythe from its back and assuming a battle stance. Everyone knew there was no avoiding this fight, if they wanted to proceed. So they all launched a coordinated attack from every direction.

"Second Gatekeeper Beast King, Level 75. Prepare to engage."

As the announcement rang out, the second Gatekeeper spun its scythe with astonishing speed before swinging it forward in a powerful arc. A massive, razor-sharp wave of wind shot forward, targeting Chang Long's group. They quickly raised their weapons to block, but the force of the attack sent them flying.

"This guy's no joke!"

Even Hisa-chan, whose level was significantly higher, could not help but say it. The Gatekeeper's blow had knocked him back—not as much as the others, but enough to surprise him.

"No joke, huh. Still no match for me,"

Chang Long replied. She knew that while she was at a disadvantage in raw strength and level, she had one trump card: the Sovereign Sword. Any beast in this Hell Dungeon had reason to fear it.

The second Gatekeeper fixed his gaze on Chang Long with interest, sensing some familiarity. Though her appearance had changed, it instantly recognized her as the ruler of this domain. The Gatekeeper lowered its scythe and returned to a calm, motionless stance, much to everyone's bewilderment.

"What's with this guy? Is he surrendering or what?"

Killer asked in confusion.

"Don't drop your guard, kid. There's definitely a reason for that change in behavior. And more importantly, they probably won't give up that easily,"

Devi-chan said, frowning with suspicion at the Gatekeeper's sudden shift in demeanor.

Chang Long cautiously approached, gripping her sword tightly, ready to counter any surprise attack. But the Gatekeeper still did not move. Not until she stepped into striking range—when suddenly, something shot out from beneath the ground and attacked her.

The young woman leapt backward, hovering in midair, narrowly avoiding the attack.What had burst from the ground was a worm with a body covered in jagged spikes. Its rough, dark brown skin lacked eyes and a mouth—only a cluster of twitching antennae at its top, which it used to sense movement. These appendages lashed about like living whips of thorns, their tips razor-sharp like blades. To make matters worse, the spiked worms could extend their bodies to launch attacks at Chang Long's group from a distance.

"Ugh. That coward's just sending ugly worms to fight for him while he stands there watching."

Killer grumbled, clearly annoyed. There were too many of the worms, and their precise attacks left the group with no chance to approach the second Gatekeeper.

"No, look. He's stalling for time—doing something. I can't see it clearly, but his mouth, it's moving like he's chanting something."

Anya cried out, having noticed the Gatekeeper's behavior.

Before she could finish speaking, something happened. The Gatekeeper's body began to grow—rapidly—until it was towering like a giant. Its robe tore apart, revealing bulging muscles and veins crisscrossing its body. Though its hood remained intact, covering its head, everyone could now see its face: stitched together with black thread, both eyes and lips sewn shut. Scars marred its muscle-bound body, as if it had endured unspeakable torture.

The Gatekeeper swung its enormous scythe—now resembling a curved greatsword—with a loud whoosh, the air tearing with its force. An explosion erupted a short distance from where Chang Long stood. She stared hard at the Gatekeeper. Not only did it refuse to speak a word, it showed no recognition of her status as its sovereign. The murderous aura radiating from it made one thing clear: this was not a test. The Gatekeeper's sole intent was to kill the intruders—slowly and painfully.

"This one's nothing like the first Gatekeeper. There's no trace of consciousness left. Honestly, it's like a walking corpse,"

Brownie said with terror. In the tiny field mouse's eyes, this Gatekeeper was nothing short of a monster.

"Everyone, deal with the spiked worms. I'll handle him."

As soon as Chang Long spoke, she unfurled her wings and shot into the sky, stunning both Hisa-chan and Devi-chan.

"My liege!!"

The two ghosts shouted in unison—but had to immediately turn back to deal with the oncoming spiked worms. No matter how many they cut down, more kept coming. Their numbers seemed endless, and their precise, rapid strikes kept Chang Long's followers on the defensive. The worms' tough, abrasive hides made them even harder to slice through, often taking considerable effort.

Time passed, and the second Gatekeeper's body was now covered in wounds. Black flames flickered along his injuries, but even that was not enough to make him surrender. He continued swinging his weapon at Chang Long relentlessly, ignoring the agony ravaging his body. Eventually, Devi-chan's group managed to eliminate the spiked worms. They looked exhausted but still rushed to support Chang Long in her fight.

Kitsune pounced and bit down hard on the Gatekeeper's ankle, causing him to stagger. He kicked Kitsune away with a violent shake and stepped forward to crush him—but the little fox quickly regained his footing and lunged again, aiming for the extended leg.

This time, the Gatekeeper anticipated his move. He launched Kitsune into the air with a kick, then raised a massive hand to swat him down. Though skilled, Kitsune was still outmatched in raw stats. Suspended midair, he was defenseless—there was no way he would come out of this unscathed.

Shunk!

Aaaaargh!!!

A bloodcurdling scream echoed—for the first time. The Gatekeeper's hand had been impaled down to the wrist bone by the Sovereign Sword. The black threads sealing his lips snapped as he let out a howling scream. His hand was consumed by black flames while Chang Long pulled her sword free and dashed to Kitsune's side.

The Gatekeeper collapsed, clutching his burning hand tightly. His face twisted in unbearable agony. His body trembled as he sensed the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Chang Long—rage, fury, and pure malice. It was so intense that even the twin brothers had to instinctively back away.

"You… you've got some nerve. You actually dared to hurt Kitsune,"

Chang Long growled, her voice thunderous with fury. Her killing aura surged like a tidal wave, terrifying the nearby beasts outside the Beast King's Radius, sending them fleeing in all directions.

"Oh boy, the Master is really pissed now!"

Brownie clung to Anya, torn between awe and fear as he stared at Chang Long.

"I... It's not that bad. I'm fine, really. Why's the Master this angry?"

Kitsune said to Brownie, who understood and translated it into human speech for everyone.

"It's not just because of you. She's probably had enough. That thing's tough as nails—doesn't know when to give up,"

Devi-chan replied, frowning.

"Letting her unleash her wrath might be for the best. If she taps into the powers of the Reaper King, this fight might end faster,"

Hisa-chan added, watching Chang Long with deep admiration. She had come so far, so fast, that even the young samurai wondered—if they were the same level, could he actually beat her?

"Incredible. So that's the power of the Reaper King!"

The twin brothers cried out in unison, though their voices trembled with fear.

"No more games, you musclebound freak. If you're still not giving up after all this pain, then I've got only one way to reach the third floor,"

Chang Long said coldly—so cold it made the Gatekeeper flinch. His body jolted as if shocked by electricity. Facing Chang Long's killing intent--for the first time, he felt fear like never before. Standing before the furious ruler of the land of the dead, even surrender meant nothing now.

"Reaper's… Soul… Harvest!"

The Gatekeeper froze in a stunned stance. No one saw what the skill did—only that Chang Long slashed once through the air, and the Gatekeeper went still. Then, with a crash, his body hit the ground. The black flames across his form vanished. The door to the third floor shimmered as it activated, and the system announced the Gatekeeper's death.

"Let's go."

Chang Long retrieved the second key fragment that had rolled from the Gatekeeper's corpse and stepped through the door, descending to the third level of the Hell Dungeon.

.....

And so, Lin Lan's brutal training course came to a close. Aswa and the curious guild members had gathered, eager to see how the stubborn little dragon had changed. The door creaked open slowly. Lin Lan was the first to step out. When she saw Aswa waiting, she gave a respectful bow. But when she spotted the crowd of guild members behind him, she could not help but frown in suspicion.

"What are all of you doing here? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"We're just curious to see how Little Jade's changed. We're just as excited as the guild leader."

One of the female guild members replied, and the crowd chimed in with eager agreement.

"Oh, really? That's interesting, huh?"

Lin Lan chuckled, glancing over the nosey guild members with amusement. She had a sneaking suspicion someone had placed bets.

"You can call her out now. I'm dying to know whether you, Lin Lan managed to tame our Little Jade," Aswa said, clearly impatient. Was Little Jade now a gentle, well-behaved dragon to match her looks--or was she still the same rebellious, headstrong beast?

"Of course, Guild Leader. Presenting my proudest achievement—Little Jade…"