Step by step, the first to descend was the E+ rank zombie dog.
The surroundings were gloomy but not completely dark, which was odd for an underground location where there were no lights visible to the naked eye.
Matthew tried to sense some kind of energy and succeeded, but it was a strong, stable energy, yet devoid of purpose; it was a neutral energy.
"A dimensional portal," he quickly concluded.
Although a few minutes later he was able to confirm this when the zombie dog reached the last step and a large chamber appeared before him, with a spatial rift in its center.
"What's happening?" Matthew sensed a sudden hostile energy in the surroundings.
[Multiple B+ rank energy sources detected]
Matthew tried to perceive the origin of the energy sources, and they all seemed to be levitating.
"The only thing that was high up and scattered throughout the city were those hanged humanoid beings. Were they still undead?"
Without immediate answers, Matthew turned his attention back to the spatial rift, and the energy emanating from it began to fluctuate after the zombie dog approached.
"What could have caused this? The dimensional portal is related to the hanged humanoid beings and the lack of zombies in the surrounding area. This seems like some kind of sinister ritual."
Matthew sent the dog back up to check if everything would return to normal, but it hadn't.
"Whatever it was, I broke the balance of what kept this place isolated," Matthew concluded, having ordered his zombie dogs to run toward the hanged humanoid beings hanging from the iron poles while he remained near the stairs leading to the hidden chamber where the spatial rift was located.
"A lack of books or sources of information. An isolated environment free of zombies. A nearly untouched city. Unlike other cities, there are no corpses in the buildings. Humanoid beings hanging. Apparently, the inhabitants of this city and the other one I explored previously paid a price to some Being to safely cross the spatial rift and left no evidence of what happened so that no one would approach the dimensional portal. Either that, or they met an even worse end, falling into the hands of the beings from that dimensional portal."
Through his zombie dogs, Matthew could see the almost mummified humanoid bodies now twitching in a chilling way, as if trying to break free from the chains around their necks.
"What will happen to those hanged humanoids if I escape before they free themselves? Will whatever dwells on the other side of the dimensional portal emerge? Or will the zombies approach the city? Those hanging beings are a great opportunity, but they are also evidence that beyond that portal there must be beings that surpass that rank." Matthew stepped on a cobblestone that protruded from the ground, and the Gothic-style water fountain returned to its place, concealing the underground entrance.
"The water fountain has nothing to do with the ritual. Apparently, it won't stabilize again until whatever dwells on the other side of the portal makes its appearance." Matthew headed toward the place where the D-rank zombie dog was guarding one of the hanged humanoids, which was still dangling from a post, violently convulsing.
...
[Mummy: Rank B+]
Matthew plunged his "bone spear" into the ground, creating a "bone blade." He then watched the sparking chain violently rattling against the iron post.
Bang!
Matthew hurled the bone blade at the chain, shattering it and sending the mummy sprawling to the ground. It let out a chilling, sinister scream and charged at Matthew with obvious hostility.
Matthew didn't hesitate. He threw his "bone spear" at the mummy's head, but the mummy caught it and hurled it into the ground. However, at that moment, Matthew and his zombie dog took the opportunity to close the distance.
The zombie dog bit the mummy's ankle, and Matthew, with a swift downward slash, decapitated the mummy in an instant.
Bang!
The mummy lashed out with its thin forearm, sending Matthew flying against a building whose wall collapsed under the impact of Matthew's body.
[Your ribs have been restored]
The zombie dog had taken the mummy's head on Matthew's orders and moved away to devour it.
The mummy was about to run after the zombie dog, but Matthew spread his bloodied wings and threw another "bone spear" into the mummy's back, then with a "bone sword" he severed the mummy's left arm, leaving its body impaled on the spear, which remained embedded in the ground.