"This is..." I froze instantly, seeing that the troop was comprised not only of monkeys but also humans, and even some other animals.

I couldn't grasp the significance of such a contingent appearing within the labyrinth.

But whatever their origin, the troop was drawing nearer. The monkeys leading the way gestured wildly, chittering as they saw me, perhaps in threat, or perhaps in excitement.

I backed away steadily until I reached the turning point where I had to change direction, and there I stopped.

Those monkeys showed no inclination to bypass me; instead, they pressed directly toward me.

I knew retreating wasn't a solution. My body felt completely refreshed and agile just then, every limb seemingly brimming with energy, needing an outlet.

I thought to myself, if these damned monkeys dared to charge, I'd send a couple flying first.

Unexpectedly, under my cold, clenched gaze, the vanguard of monkeys halted not far in front of me.

The followers behind them instantly ceased their movement as well.

Even the drumming and the theatrical singing stopped. The world fell into silence within a single second.

I watched the monkeys stand before me as if petrified, frozen, each one staring at me with the black hollows of their masks—it was unsettling.

"Chitter... chitter..." After several agonizing seconds, a restless monkey began to make a small, tentative scratch, but quickly settled down again.

I had never witnessed such restraint from mischievous monkeys; the atmosphere felt intensely strange.

It was then that a peculiar gurgling sound echoed through the previously silent space, like someone stifling a laugh.

The sound was slowly approaching, as I saw the procession behind being parted by something, the bizarre creatures within making way for an unseen presence.

I knew that whatever was coming this time was not benevolent. Cold sweat beaded on my brow, yet my fists clenched tighter.

Just at that moment, the source of the strange gurgle burst forth before me.

Then, I saw a grotesque white face shoot up from the midst of the monkeys with the suddenness of a satellite launch.

The white face was large and bizarre; upon closer inspection, it was the semblance of an ox.

Specifically, it was a powerfully built, muscle-bound humanoid monster wearing a mask resembling a bull’s head.

However, the horns atop the head were not part of the mask; they sprouted naturally from the head of the masked figure.

Its body rose higher and higher, nearly touching the ceiling. Only then did I clearly see that the monster’s massively muscled hands were wrapped around a thick black chain, nearly as wide as my own arm.

Furthermore, below its human torso, it did not possess human legs but rather a serpentine tail.

"What the hell is this thing? Medusa's husband, or Milo's best buddy?" A bizarre thought flashed through my mind.

Once this creature appeared, the monkeys dared not breathe, squatting low, their entire bodies trembling incessantly.

I could perceive that the Ox-Head’s Nian (Essence/Power) was formidable, and beneath the chain in its hand, several potent Nian were bound—yet these Nian had no physical substance.

This brought to mind the Ox-Head emissary from Chinese mythological tales of the underworld; could the being before me be an agent from Hell?

I thought, Damn it, I haven't finished my lifespan yet. Who sent you to fetch me? Tell your superior to come see me.

While my mind wandered, the Ox-Head monster had already raised its arm high, swinging the heavy iron chain in its hand, which whistled through the air with a loud wuwu.

Simultaneously, a plume of white vapor jetted from the two enormous nostrils beneath its mask, its eyes wide open, faintly glowing red.

"He's here to take me to the Judge," I admitted, feeling a genuine tension, knowing a hit from that chain would either steal my soul or leave me half-dead.

At that moment, the chain left the Ox-Head's grasp and was hurled toward me.

The momentum was immense, like an airplane plummeting overhead, unstoppable.

But I was completely trapped. Just then, an unprecedented surge of power erupted from my mutated right arm, and I lunged forward, throwing a punch directly at the incoming chain.

With a resounding Pang!, sparks flew before my eyes. My body was jarred backward two steps, my arm tingling with numbness, so I shook it out reflexively.

Focusing my gaze, I saw that the Ox-Head monster was faring much worse. Struck by the chain I sent rebounding, it rolled its eyes back and slowly collapsed.

Three seconds later, I heard a loud Peng! and the floorboards vibrated slightly; the Ox-Head had hit the ground below, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Seeing their leader fall, the monkeys went into a frenzy, flapping their arms and legs in panic, retreating rapidly away from me.

I thought, Surely an official from the netherworld wouldn't be taken down that easily?

As I pondered this, a horse’s whinny suddenly pierced the air from the rear of the procession, followed by another monster charging forward with even greater speed.

Not good, I thought, recognizing the sound as likely belonging to the Ox-Head brother's sidekick, the Horse-Face.

Sure enough, moments later, a creature with the body of a horse and a serpent's tail rose up, also gripping a chain, standing beside the enraged Ox-Head.

They exchanged a look, and I noticed an expression of solace in the Horse-Face’s eyes, as if comforting his fallen comrade.

A wave of nausea washed over me; I desperately wanted to ask, Do you two need soap?

But before I could utter the question, the Horse-Face opened its wide mouth, and I saw Nian force gathering within.

"Genki Dama! Ranged attack, hard to dodge," I muttered inwardly, already side-stepping to avoid it.

Indeed, a green fireball erupted from the Horse-Face’s mouth, slamming into the nearby stairs and instantly igniting them.

My agility clearly surprised the opponent; seemingly enraged, it swung its chain again, sweeping toward me.

Seeing both chains flying my way, I dared not hesitate, dropping low to evade the assault.

However, facing a two-on-one situation ignited a slow burn of fury within me.

After narrowly dodging the sweeps, I planted my foot on one of the chains and vaulted upward.

I was heading straight for the Horse-Face’s visage. With an unknown surge of power and speed, I sprinted across the chain until I was right before its massive face and drove my fist downward.

The Horse-Face let out a long, drawn-out shriek as its mask shattered like glass under the impact.

It was then that I saw the face beneath the mask, and I was instantly too stunned to speak.

Because it wasn't an ox face at all, but the face of an ordinary person.

This face carried an overwhelming aura of death, its eyes filled with venom and gloom.

A normal human face shouldn't be this large, but this person's head seemed encased in some gelatinous substance, enlarged perhaps twofold, making the face appear massive.

It was so hideously repulsive; no wonder the creature had worn a mask.

My seeing the Horse-Face's true nature enraged it. It let out another piercing cry and reached out, swiping toward its own face.

Knowing I had no room to maneuver at such close range, I sidestepped and flipped off the chain to the ground.

But the moment my feet touched down, the Ox-Head spun around and slammed its powerful serpentine tail toward me.

The strike came too suddenly; I had no way to evade it, forced only to cross my arms over my chest to brace for the impact.

The blow felt like being hit by a semi-truck; my entire body was flung away.

The sensation reminded me of being used as a punching bag by the white-haired old man previously, but this time, my body felt significantly tougher.

I realized that just before impact, a layer of green, smoke-like substance had materialized on my skin, cushioning much of the shock.

Combined with the fact that my bones and sinews seemed far stronger than before, I suffered no internal injuries this time, only numb hands.

I slammed violently into the wooden wall, punching a large crater into it, before crashing heavily onto the floor.

Any normal person would have been killed instantly by those two impacts.

Seeing this result, the Ox-Head and Horse-Face ceased their attacks, and the monkeys began to chatter noisily.

Though I could have risen immediately, I preferred to wait and see exactly where these fiends intended to take me.