Solo Dungeon Streamer-I Am Overpowered

Chapter 160 Whispers of the Forbidden

The eerie silence of the Forbidden Floor was shattered by the growl that reverberated through the mist. The sound wasn't just loud—it was primal, resonating deep in my chest like the roar of some ancient predator. My fingers twitched, the weight of my blade suddenly feeling heavier. Raij? snarled in response, its electric arcs illuminating the thick black fog around us.

Grandma, unfazed as ever, glanced at the team behind us. "Stay close. If you get separated, you won't survive."

Her words were blunt, but no one argued. Even the most seasoned S-rank explorers in the group tightened their grips on their weapons. This wasn't a dungeon where ego had any place.

"Do you recognize that sound?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"No," Grandma replied, her sharp gaze scanning the darkness. "But whatever it is, it's hunting us."

: This is straight out of a nightmare.

: UNKNOWN better flex those EX-rank skills.

: Raij? looks like it's about to zap everything.

I ignored the chat, focusing on the path ahead. The black mist seemed to move with purpose, curling and shifting as if alive. The faint glow of the dungeon walls barely pierced through, casting long shadows that played tricks on the eyes.

"Raij?, scout ahead," I commanded.

The lightning yokai leaped forward, its electric aura crackling against the mist. Grandma's sharp eyes followed its movements, and I could tell she was analyzing every detail, every flicker of movement.

"Be ready to summon Hashihime," she said. "If this thing attacks, we'll need barriers."

I nodded, already forming the spell in my mind. Hashihime wasn't the most combat-effective shikigami, but her defensive capabilities were second to none. If something broke through her barriers, it wasn't something we could fight head-on.

We moved cautiously, the mist growing denser with every step. The growls came again, closer this time, and I felt the weight of a thousand unseen eyes watching us. My grip on the blade tightened, my palms slick with sweat.

"Stop," Grandma ordered abruptly, raising a hand. Continue your adventure with empire

The team froze. Even Akari, who had been quietly streaming from the back, lowered her camera. The air around us had shifted, growing colder and heavier.

"What is it?" I asked.

Grandma didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pointed to a faint shimmer in the mist ahead. It was subtle, barely visible, but unmistakable—a distortion in the air, like heat waves rising off asphalt.

"A barrier," she said. "Powerful, too. It's masking whatever's beyond it."

"Can we break through it?" one of the S-rank explorers asked.

Grandma shook her head. "Breaking it would take too much time and energy. Kisaragi, this is where you come in."

"Me?" I blinked, caught off guard.

"You're the only one here who's dealt with Forbidden Floors directly. If there's a way to bypass this barrier, you'll sense it."

Great. No pressure or anything.

I stepped forward, summoning my magic. Closing my eyes, I let the energy flow through me, searching for any weaknesses in the barrier. The air around me pulsed with an almost sentient resistance, as if the barrier itself were alive.

"There," I said, pointing to a spot where the mist seemed thinner, the distortion less pronounced. "That's the weak point."

Grandma nodded. "Good. Gozu, Mezu—protect the team. Hashihime, create a fallback barrier."

I summoned Hashihime and the two guardian yokai, their towering forms appearing with a flash of light. Gozu and Mezu took defensive positions on either side of the team, while Hashihime raised her hand, creating a shimmering wall of energy behind us.

"Let's move," Grandma said.

We passed through the weak point in the barrier, the air growing colder and heavier as we crossed the threshold. The mist thinned slightly, revealing a vast, open chamber. At its center stood a massive structure—a black, crystalline spire that seemed to pulse with an eerie, otherworldly light.

"That's it," Grandma said, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "The source."

The spire was unlike anything I'd seen in a dungeon before. Its surface was smooth and reflective, but the light it emitted was chaotic, shifting in color and intensity like a heartbeat. It felt alive.

"Raij?, stay close," I murmured.

The yokai returned to my side, its electric aura flickering uneasily. Even it could sense the unnatural energy emanating from the spire.

: What is that thing?

: This is way beyond normal dungeon stuff.

: UNKNOWN, don't touch it!

For once, I agreed with the chat.

Grandma stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she studied the spire. "It's a core, but… different. Bigger. More powerful."

"Can we destroy it?" I asked.

"Possibly," she said, her tone grim. "But doing so might destabilize the entire floor. Maybe the whole dungeon."

"And if we leave it alone?"

She didn't answer. The unspoken truth was clear—leaving the spire intact wasn't an option. Whatever this thing was, it was too dangerous to ignore.

Before we could decide on our next move, the growl came again, louder and deeper than before. From the shadows around the spire, multiple sets of glowing red eyes emerged. The creatures stepped into the light, revealing themselves to be massive, wolf-like beasts with obsidian-black fur and razor-sharp fangs.

"Guardian monsters," Grandma said, drawing her weapon. "They won't let us near the core."

I summoned ?mukade, the massive centipede yokai towering above us. "I'll handle the big ones. Can you take the left flank?"

Grandma smirked. "Try to keep up, boy."

As the first wolf charged, ?mukade lunged forward, its segmented body coiling around the beast and crushing it with brutal force. On the left flank, Grandma moved with deadly precision, her blade slicing through another wolf like a hot knife through butter.

The team behind us held their ground, fending off smaller wolves that darted toward the rear. Akari, ever the opportunist, kept her camera rolling, capturing every moment.

: Is this a boss fight?

: Grandma is terrifying.

: ?mukade is so OP!

"Focus!" I snapped, slicing through another wolf with a mana-infused strike.

The battle raged on, the wolves relentless in their assault. But for every beast that fell, another seemed to take its place. The spire pulsed brighter, as if feeding off the chaos.

"This isn't sustainable," I muttered, summoning Kama-itachi to clear a path.

"Then stop playing defense," Grandma said, her blade glowing with magic. "Go for the core."

"But—"

"Now, Kisaragi!"

Her command left no room for argument. Taking a deep breath, I charged toward the spire, dodging and weaving through the chaos. Raij? leaped ahead of me, clearing a path with bolts of lightning. The spire loomed closer, its energy growing more oppressive with every step.

I raised my blade, preparing to strike.

And then the ground beneath me shattered.

The floor splintered like glass beneath my feet, plunging me into darkness. I barely managed to summon Hashihime in time, her protective barrier enveloping me as I fell. The air grew colder, sharper, the oppressive energy from the spire now wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket.

"Tsukasa!" Grandma's voice echoed faintly from above, but the roar of collapsing rock drowned out any further words.

I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of me. Hashihime's barrier had absorbed most of the fall, but the landing still left me disoriented. Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up, scanning my surroundings. The cavern I'd fallen into was enormous, illuminated by the same eerie light as the spire above. But here, the light felt heavier, more concentrated, and the oppressive energy was almost tangible.

Raij? appeared beside me, its fur sparking with unease. "Stay close," I muttered, gripping my blade tightly. "We're not alone."

The sound of claws scraping against stone confirmed my suspicion. From the shadows, creatures began to emerge—smaller than the wolves above but no less menacing. These were humanoid, with elongated limbs and glowing eyes that radiated malice. Their movements were jerky, unnatural, as if they were puppets controlled by an unseen force.

"Hashihime, hold the line," I commanded, summoning her barrier again. The yokai's spectral form shimmered into existence, her barrier forming a protective dome around me and Raij?.

The creatures hesitated, their glowing eyes fixated on the barrier. For a moment, it seemed they wouldn't dare cross it. Then the spire's pulse intensified, and one of the creatures lunged forward, smashing into the barrier with a sickening crack.

Hashihime's barrier held, but the force of the impact sent a shiver through the ground. The other creatures followed suit, clawing and pounding at the barrier in a frenzy. It wouldn't hold forever.

"?mukade!" I called, summoning the massive centipede. The yokai burst forth, its segmented body coiling protectively around the barrier. With a guttural screech, it lashed out, its powerful mandibles tearing into the attacking creatures.

The chat, still active on my phone's screen, buzzed with commentary.

: Did he just fall through the floor?

: This is why you don't play solo, man.

: ?mukade MVP as always.

I ignored the chat, focusing on the fight. Despite ?mukade's efforts, the creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. The spire's pulsing light grew brighter with each passing moment, and I could feel its energy pulling at me, beckoning me closer.

"We can't keep this up," I muttered, summoning Gashadokuro. The skeletal giant materialized with a deafening roar, its massive hands slamming into the ground to crush the advancing creatures. But even Gashadokuro's overwhelming presence wasn't enough to stem the tide.

Raij? growled, its lightning sparking erratically. It was as if the spire's energy was affecting even my shikigami, their usual precision and strength faltering under its oppressive influence.

I needed to act. Fast.

Taking a deep breath, I dispelled Hashihime's barrier and pointed my blade toward the spire. "Raij?, ?mukade, cover me."

The yokai obeyed without hesitation, their attacks intensifying as I sprinted toward the spire. The creatures swarmed around me, but Raij?'s lightning and ?mukade's crushing blows carved a path through the chaos.

As I approached the spire, the oppressive energy became almost unbearable. My vision blurred, and my legs felt like lead, but I forced myself forward. The spire's surface was smooth and cold, its black crystal glowing with an otherworldly light.

I raised my blade, channeling my magic into its edge. "Let's see what you're hiding," I muttered, slashing at the spire with all my strength.

The impact sent a shockwave through the cavern, and for a moment, everything went still. Then the spire cracked, its light flaring brightly before dimming. The creatures around me froze, their glowing eyes flickering like dying embers.

"Did that… work?" I whispered, lowering my blade.

Before I could catch my breath, the ground began to quake violently. The spire's light returned, brighter and more erratic than before. Cracks spread across its surface, and a deep, guttural roar echoed through the cavern.

"Of course not," I muttered, stepping back as the spire shattered.

From its core emerged a massive, serpentine creature, its body composed of the same black crystal as the spire. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and its roar shook the very air.

"Raij?, get ready," I said, summoning Kama-itachi to my side. "This just got a whole lot worse."

The serpent lunged, its crystal fangs aiming straight for me. Raij? intercepted it with a bolt of lightning, while Kama-itachi's razor-sharp winds carved into its body. But the serpent barely flinched, its movements fluid and relentless.

: Boss fight time!

: Is this the Forbidden Floor's guardian?

: UNKNOWN better not die on us now.

"Not planning on it," I muttered, charging forward to join the fight. Whatever this creature was, it wasn't going down without a fight—and neither was I.

I darted to the side as the serpent's crystalline tail came crashing down, obliterating the ground where I had stood moments ago. The sheer force of its attack sent shards of crystal and dust flying in all directions. Raij? snarled, leaping onto the serpent's back and unleashing a surge of electricity into its crystalline hide. Sparks danced across its surface, illuminating the cavern in erratic flashes, but the beast didn't slow.

"Kama-itachi, focus on its weak points!" I yelled, summoning a flurry of wind slashes aimed at the serpent's glowing eyes. The weasel-like shikigami obeyed, its crescent-shaped wind blades striking true and forcing the serpent to recoil with an ear-splitting screech.

"?mukade, pin its tail!" I commanded, summoning the centipede to anchor the serpent's rear. With a screech of its own, ?mukade lunged forward, coiling its massive body around the serpent's tail and sinking its mandibles into the crystalline surface.

The serpent thrashed wildly, trying to free itself from ?mukade's grip. With its movements restricted, I seized the opportunity to strike. Channeling magic into my blade, I dashed toward the beast's exposed flank and slashed with all my might. The impact sent cracks rippling through its crystal hide, but the serpent's roar told me I'd only succeeded in angering it.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, jumping back as the serpent unleashed a burst of energy from its core. The shockwave sent me sprawling, and I barely had time to roll to my feet before the serpent lunged at me again.

Raij? intercepted it once more, its lightning surging into the serpent's open maw. The attack bought me a moment to regroup, but the serpent's resilience was becoming a problem.

: This thing is insane!

: Is UNKNOWN even making a dent?

: ?mukade looks like it's hanging on for dear life.

: Raij? is MVP again.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, glancing at the chat on my phone's screen. The commentary was unhelpful as always, but at least it reminded me that people were watching. I couldn't afford to lose here—not with the world's attention on the Forbidden Floor.

"Kama-itachi, cover me!" I shouted, summoning another flurry of wind blades to distract the serpent. As the creature recoiled, I summoned Gashadokuro, pouring as much magic as I could into the skeletal giant.

The massive shikigami emerged with a deafening roar, its glowing eyes locking onto the serpent. Gashadokuro raised one of its enormous hands and brought it crashing down onto the serpent's body, pinning it to the ground. The impact sent tremors through the cavern, and for a moment, I thought we might have the upper hand.

But the serpent wasn't done yet. Its crystalline body glowed brighter, and with a burst of energy, it shattered Gashadokuro's grip and sent the skeletal giant staggering backward. The serpent coiled tightly, its glowing eyes locked onto me.

"This is getting ridiculous," I muttered, summoning Hashihime for support. Her barrier shimmered into existence just as the serpent lunged, its fangs bouncing off the protective shield. The yokai's calm, unyielding presence gave me a moment to think.

"Okay, think, Tsukasa," I muttered to myself. "The spire was its core. It's connected to this thing. If I can sever that connection…"

My eyes darted to the remnants of the spire, where faint traces of its chaotic energy still lingered. If I could disrupt whatever link the serpent had to the spire, it might weaken the beast enough for a decisive blow.

"Raij?, Kama-itachi, distract it!" I ordered, sprinting toward the shattered remains of the spire. The two shikigami obeyed without hesitation, their combined efforts keeping the serpent occupied as I reached the glowing remnants.

The energy radiating from the shards was almost unbearable, but I forced myself to focus. Channeling my magic, I created a barrier around the shards, isolating their energy. The serpent immediately reacted, its thrashing growing more frantic as it sensed the disruption.

"That's it," I muttered, pouring more magic into the barrier. "Let's see how you like fighting without your power source."

The serpent's glow dimmed, its movements becoming sluggish. Raij?'s lightning strikes and Kama-itachi's wind blades began to leave visible damage, and even ?mukade's mandibles started to crack through its crystalline hide.

"Gashadokuro, finish it!" I shouted, summoning the skeletal giant once more.

With a guttural roar, Gashadokuro raised both hands and brought them down onto the serpent's head, crushing it into the ground. The creature let out one final, ear-splitting screech before its body shattered into countless shards, the glowing fragments fading into nothingness.

: HE DID IT!!!

: That was insane!

: Gashadokuro for the win!

: Raij?'s MVP as always.

: UNKNOWN is unstoppable!

I collapsed to my knees, gasping for breath as the adrenaline began to fade. The cavern was silent now, the oppressive energy finally dissipating. Raij? and the other shikigami disappeared one by one, their energy spent.

I glanced at the remnants of the spire, now completely dark. Whatever power had fueled the serpent was gone, but the spire's existence raised more questions than answers.

"Forbidden Floor, huh?" I muttered to myself, standing shakily. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

: Tsukasa, you okay?

: Don't die on us, man.

: Take a breather, you've earned it.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, pocketing my phone. "Thanks for the concern, I guess."

Now came the hard part—figuring out what the Explorer Association would make of all this. With the spire gone, I had no proof of what had transpired here, save for the shattered shards and the memories burned into my mind.

I started making my way back to the surface, one thought lingering in my mind: if this was just one Forbidden Floor, what else was out there?