Will to Protect

Amukelo lay prostrate on the cold, unforgiving ground, his body racked with sobs of despair. His heart was torn, grappling with the enormity of what had just occurred. "Eliss... Why did you do that?" he murmured into the emptiness, his voice a whisper of agony as tears streamed unbidden down his face. The pain of loss, so acute and overwhelming, threatened to consume him entirely.

Yet, in the depths of his despair, a flicker of memory ignited within him—a recollection of the map they had studied earlier, and specifically, a path between different entrances that might offer a slim chance of reaching Eliss. Clinging to this shred of hope, Amukelo pushed himself off the ground, his determination rekindling. A newfound resolve coursed through him, fueling his spirit with a purpose that momentarily overshadowed his grief.

"Eliss, hold on for a moment. I will save you. I promise," he declared into the void, his words more a vow to himself than a message she could hear. His voice, though filled with resolve, carried the weight of the promise he was determined to fulfill.

Quickly, Amukelo retrieved the last healing potion he had reserved for dire circumstances and drank it in one swift gulp. The liquid was bitter as it was full of fungus, but it coursed through his veins like fire, knitting together his wounds and reinforcing his battered body. Knowing that time was of the essence and that his physical condition needed to be at its peak, he took a deep breath, calming his mind to prepare for what was to come.

With his body steadied, Amukelo began to gather mana, drawing deeply from the reserves of power that he had been trained to harness. His focus was so intense that the world around him seemed to fade away, reduced to nothing more than a distant murmur. The air around him crackled with the energy he summoned, visible streams of mana swirling towards him, coalescing into a vibrant aura that enveloped his body.

As he stood there, a transformation began. The mana coat that formed around him this time was unlike any he had ever conjured. It glowed a fierce, radiant red, pulsating with an immense power that was both exhilarating and terrifying. This was not just simply the technique he learned; Amukelo had pushed the mana coat beyond its usual limits, venturing into a realm that bordered on the perilous. The power felt unlimited, raw, and slightly beyond his control, showing his desperation and determination to save Eliss.

Just as he was mastering the surge of power, a pack of Dread Wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing malevolently in the dim light. With little more than a snarl, they lunged at him, drawn to the energy he emanated. But Amukelo was ready; the overwhelming power of the enhanced mana coat propelled him forward with unnatural speed.

"Get out of my way!" he roared, his voice booming with the force of his mana-infused fury. As he moved, his actions were a blur, each movement so swift it was as if he danced between the threads of time itself. His body, glowing with red energy, dispatched one wolf after another, his attacks a series of precise, powerful motions that left no room for a counterattack. The wolves fell around him, one by one, unable to withstand the force of his enhanced abilities.

With every fiber of his being pulsing with a fierce determination, Amukelo propelled himself forward on the perilous path that could lead him to Eliss. The landscape blurred around him as he harnessed the extraordinary speed granted by the enhanced mana coat, each stride fueled by a blend of fear for Eliss's safety and a relentless drive to reach her in time.

The route was fraught with dangers, its corridors and passageways teeming with creatures drawn to the disturbances in the magical energies caused by the ongoing battle. Amukelo's eyes were sharp, his senses heightened to an almost preternatural degree as he navigated through the twisted terrain. He was a spectral figure darting through the shadows, his presence barely registered before he vanished into the distance.

Despite his best efforts to avoid unnecessary conflicts, confrontations were inevitable. Swarms of diverse monsters barred his way. Each encounter was a delay he could ill afford, a ticking clock echoing ominously in his mind, reminding him that time was the currency he lacked.

His left arm, though bolstered temporarily by the healing potion, hung limply by his side, as it was unable to heal even after consuming the potion. Yet, the sword in his right hand, accompanied by an unusually potent flow of mana, became a deadly extension of his will. With precise, sweeping strokes, he cut down the monsters that leaped towards him, each slash accompanied by a burst of red and black energy that decimated his foes.

However, not all could be evaded or dispatched so cleanly. At times, he was forced to stop entirely, engaging in more protracted skirmishes that saw him weaving and slashing through waves of adversaries. His frustration mounted with each passing second. Anger seared through his veins hotter than the magic he wielded; it was an anger born of desperation, a visceral reaction to the ticking clock of fate hanging over Eliss's life.

"Out of my way!" Amukelo roared, his voice reverberating through the corridors. Channeling his rage, he created spatial tears that ripped through the air, trailing destruction in their wake. 

Utilizing mini explosions of mana at his feet, Amukelo surged forward with bursts of incredible speed, his figure almost blurring into the environment. He was like a force of nature, unstoppable, a tempest tearing through the landscape.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but was only a matter of harrowing minutes, Amukelo arrived at his destination. His heart dropped as he saw the scene unfold before him. Eliss lay on the ground with her hand reaching the skies blocked by many layers of the dungeon, as a slow-moving swarm of monsters encircled her. Above the cacophony, Leviathan's laughter rang out, a sound mad with triumph and malice.

The sight fueled a new surge of adrenaline in Amukelo. His breath quickened, and his heart pounded against his ribs like a drum of war. There was no time left for subtlety or caution. With a final burst of speed and power, he prepared to throw himself into the fray, to reach Eliss before it was too late, to fulfill the promise he had made not just to her, but to himself.