Chapter 68: Magic of Freedom

Chapter 68: Magic of FreedomThe tension in the air was palpable, a silence so heavy it threatened to choke them. The moment they stepped into the cavernous chamber, the ambient warmth of the outside world vanished. In its place came a suffocating chill and the oppressive scent of decayed flesh and scorched bone. Then, they heard it. Clacking. Not just one or two sounds—dozens, maybe even more. Fifty figures emerged from the gloom ahead, their bony forms illuminated by the sickly blue glow of the crystals embedded in the cave walls. They towered over ordinary men, their skeletal frames thicker and bulkier than any human remains. These were minotaurs once—now twisted undead hulks, each easily over eight feet tall, horns jutting from their cracked skulls, and empty sockets glowing with an unholy green fire. "Skeleton minotaurs," Serina said, eyes widening in recognition. "Animated through dark magic. This is necromancy—strong necromancy." "And fifty of them," Lyra muttered. "That’s... a bit more than I expected." "They’re fast," Elira warned, raising her kite shield and bracing her stance. "Watch their charge." "Serina," Inigo said, his voice calm despite the rising danger. "Burn them." The sorceress nodded, already stepping forward. She lifted her silverwood staff and began chanting in a soft, melodic cadence. Glyphs glowed from the runes carved into her cloak and spellbook, lighting up with an eerie orange hue as mana gathered in her palm. Her voice rose—no longer gentle but commanding. A flare burst from her staff’s tip, exploding overhead and lighting the entire cavern in searing orange light. "[Infernal Nova]." A fireball the size of a cartwheel soared through the air and slammed into the front ranks of the undead. The explosion rocked the chamber, heatwaves washing over them as skeletal limbs flew in all directions. The blast incinerated at least ten of the minotaurs on contact—flames licking at the rest as they stumbled from the shock. The others roared—or tried to, though the sound came out as hollow, breathless snarls. "Now!" Elira shouted, charging through the fire. She crashed into the front lines like a divine hammer, her shield glowing with mirrored light. Her sword swept low, cleaving through brittle bones and snapping spines in a blur of silver. Every movement was practiced, every step heavy with conviction. The paladin crusader’s battle aura shimmered with golden sparks as she slashed, blocked, and rammed. Lyra, positioned at the rear right, already had her bow drawn. "Targeting stragglers," she called out. Three arrows flew in rapid succession—each one enchanted with kinetic tags. They slammed into the skulls of charging undead with pinpoint accuracy, cracking bone and embedding themselves deep in the eye sockets. "Reloading," she muttered, reaching for another arrow without ever dropping her aim. Inigo, meanwhile, stood at the rear left—arms crossed and leaning casually against a mossy boulder. He watched with amusement as Serina’s second spell, a sweeping [Flame Arc], burst across the skeletons like a whip, lighting another group ablaze. Elira was a storm of steel at the front, and Lyra was basically sniping from the sidelines like death’s own archer. "Do I even need to be here?" he muttered under his breath. "You’re doing great," Lyra shouted, clearly overhearing. "Real team effort." "Yeah, yeah," he said, tapping open his shop menu. The ethereal blue interface of the Freedom Shop flickered before him, accessible only to him—the system’s exclusive user. He scrolled through quickly, eyes skimming past rifles, grenades, and enchanted knives. Then he saw it. [RPG-7 Anti-Tank Launcher (Modified)] — Cost: 5000 Tokens Includes 1x High-Explosive Anti-Tank Round S~eaʀᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inigo didn’t hesitate. He tapped ’Buy.’ A few mana particles shimmered in the air—and with a soft click, the launcher materialized in his hands. Long, sleek, and cold to the touch, the RPG-7 gleamed with light modifications: a reinforced casing, stabilized grip, and a rune-lined scope for accuracy. Lyra glanced over her shoulder and grinned when she saw it. "Oh no. You brought the big toy." "Had to," Inigo replied. "This one’s going to need it."Because just then, the real threat stepped into view. The ground trembled with its arrival. It ducked beneath the stone arch and emerged into the chamber—easily towering over all the others. At first glance, it looked like a massive boulder walking on two legs. But as it stepped forward, the details became clear: thick muscle bound by armor-plated bones, a cracked horn that jutted like a spear from its forehead, and in its hands—an axe longer than a wagon. It was at least three stories tall. The other skeletons immediately backed away, forming a semicircle around the beast like subordinates to their general. The glow in this one’s eyes wasn’t just green—it was molten, burning with crimson and violet pulses, as though something more than dark magic fueled its rage. "That’s... not normal," Serina said, voice tense now. "No kidding," Inigo muttered, hoisting the launcher to his shoulder. Elira took one step forward, but he stopped her with a hand signal. "Hold position. This one’s mine." The team watched as Inigo walked forward slowly, not running, not hiding—just standing with that same lazy confidence he always had. The giant skeletal minotaur let out a low growl, hefting its axe back. And Inigo smirked. "I hope you like fireworks." He squeezed the trigger. FWWWWSSHHH! The rocket roared through the air, leaving a trail of fire and smoke as it crossed the chamber. Time seemed to slow as the explosive arc traced toward its target. The monster raised its axe, perhaps out of instinct or arrogance. It didn’t matter. The rocket hit square in the chest—and the explosion shattered the silence. Flame and shrapnel erupted in a geyser of force, blowing back nearby undead and throwing up chunks of rock and dust. The shockwave knocked several of the remaining minotaurs flat. For a moment, the chamber went still as smoke billowed outward. When it cleared, the massive skeletal beast was nothing but broken pieces. Its torso had been obliterated. The cracked axe lay to one side, the minotaur’s skull rolled to the other. Elira blinked. "That was..." "Overkill," Serina finished. "What kind of magic is that?" "That ladies, is the magic of freedom," Inigo grinned.