Chapter 71: The Beast Beneath

Chapter 71: The Beast BeneathThe scent of ash still lingered in the air, a grim reminder of the skeletal titan that Inigo had blown to pieces only minutes ago. Charred bones and broken horns littered the cavern floor like a battlefield long abandoned, and yet the oppressive silence that followed didn’t offer comfort. If anything, it felt like the calm before something worse. Their boots echoed against the stone as the team pressed deeper into the dungeon, cautious and silent. The tunnels narrowed, then widened again into jagged halls supported by ancient beams and rough-cut stone arches. The light from Serina’s hovering [Lumen Orbs] barely reached the end of the corridor ahead, and the magical glow they cast only deepened the shadows around them. Inigo held his M4 Carbine low, trigger finger resting loosely, barrel aimed at the dark. He walked beside Elira, while Lyra and Serina stayed close behind. His Desert Eagle holstered at his side, ready for close encounters. "This is further than most reports reached," Elira noted, her voice calm but laced with tension. "The other parties that tried to clear this place never made it past the third chamber." "Which one are we in now?" Lyra asked, nocking an arrow and scanning the ceiling. "Fifth," Serina answered. Inigo grunted. "Love it when we go off the map." Sёarᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They pressed on in tense silence, weapons ready, every sense sharpened. The path sloped downward. Faint vibrations ran through the soles of their boots. Then, the tremors returned. But this time—they were heavier. Rhythmic. Like the heartbeat of something massive, buried beneath stone. Everyone stopped. A gust of wind blew from ahead. But it wasn’t wind—it was breath. Hot, rancid, and laced with decay. From the depths, a sound emerged. A slow, dragging growl. Then the shadows moved. No—something within the shadows moved. The stone wall at the end of the chamber shifted. Cracks appeared in the darkness. Two enormous red eyes blinked open, glowing like dying embers. Then the creature stepped forward—and the very ground shook under its weight. It wasn’t just a minotaur. It was a demon, shaped like one. Horned and covered in obsidian-black fur. Its body was wrapped in what looked like molten metal armor fused to its flesh. Jagged runes burned across its limbs. Its hooves left trails of scorched stone with every step. And in its hand—it held a greatsword forged of bone and hellfire, larger than any weapon Inigo had ever seen. "By the gods..." Elira whispered. The monster snarled—and lunged. "Scatter!" Inigo shouted. The beast slammed its sword down. The ground exploded, sending shards of stone flying like shrapnel. Inigo dove left, barely avoiding being cleaved in half. Elira raised her shield just in time to absorb a shockwave that sent her skidding back several feet. Lyra rolled to the side and loosed an arrow. It struck the creature’s chest—and bounced off harmlessly. Serina raised her staff. "[Flame Lance!]" A burning javelin of fire shot forward and struck the creature directly in the face. The flames dispersed. The creature didn’t even flinch. It swung again. This time, its sword caught a stone pillar and sheared it in half like butter. The explosion of dust and stone forced the party to fall back again. Inigo cursed under his breath, ducking behind a rock. "What the hell is this thing?" "It’s not a natural monster," Serina gasped. "That’s demonic infusion—layers of curse magic. It’s not undead or beast. It’s... something else entirely." "Great," Inigo muttered, flipping the fire mode on his M4 to burst. "How do we kill it?" "I don’t know if we can," Serina said quietly. Elira was already charging again, glowing with divine aura. She struck the beast with full force, shield first. The blow connected—but the beast didn’t even budge. It backhanded her across the chamber. Her body crashed into a wall with a sickening crack. "Elira!" Lyra shouted. "I’m... fine!" came a strained voice. Lyra fired another volley. Her arrows sparked against the creature’s molten armor and deflected. "Serina, we need healing on Elira!" Inigo called, opening fire. The M4 rounds struck the creature’s shoulder, neck, and chest. He infused the bullets with mana—each shot glowing faintly blue. But still—the beast came. It raised its sword again and charged. It moved faster than anything that size should. Inigo barely rolled away. The sword struck where he had just been, exploding the ground into a crater. His ears rang. Serina ran toward Elira, staff raised. She began chanting her healing spell. "[Greater Restoration—]" The rune on her staff flickered. And then—snapped. The magic sputtered out. "What?" she whispered, stunned. "Try again!" Lyra yelled. Serina raised her staff again, focused harder. Her voice shook. "[Greater Restoration!]" Nothing. "No response," she whispered, her hands trembling. "It’s—something is blocking it. Like the mana itself is being... rejected." Inigo fired again—short bursts, targeted shots. But the bullets melted on impact. His heart dropped. "We can’t hurt it," he said aloud. "Nothing’s working. Not steel, not arrows, not fire." The demon-minotaur roared and swept its sword in a wide arc. Lyra dove, but a wave of heat followed the swing. She cried out—her leg grazed and scorched. "Elira’s out. Lyra’s hurt. Serina can’t heal." Inigo looked at the monster—its burning eyes fixed on him now. And for the first time since arriving in this world— He wasn’t sure they could win. "Everyone—fall back!" he shouted. But there was no retreat path. The tunnel behind them had collapsed from the earlier impacts. The demon was herding them, pushing them back toward a corner chamber. Trapping them. Serina stood beside him, panting. "Inigo... I can try something. A ward to stall it. But it’ll take time." "How much?" "Ten seconds." "We don’t have ten seconds!" The demon roared again and began charging. Inigo gritted his teeth. He stepped forward and raised his M4. Then switched to his Desert Eagle. The weight of the pistol felt reassuring in his hands. He loaded a single mana-infused round. The strongest he could produce. He aimed. Waited. Then fired. The bullet flew straight into the demon’s eye. It exploded—blinding light flashing in its socket. The beast recoiled, screaming. "Now!" Inigo shouted. "Serina, do it!" Serina dropped to her knees, drew a magic circle, and began chanting. Runes glowed, interlocking around her. Lyra pulled Elira behind a large rock, gritting through her burned leg. The demon recovered fast. Too fast. It roared and lunged. The spell wasn’t done. "Inigo—stall it!" Serina screamed. He charged. Straight at the monster. No plans. No backup. Just him and a half-loaded Desert Eagle. He slid beneath its legs and fired again—at the knee. Another detonation. The joint buckled—but held. The beast swung down. He dove back—barely avoiding a deathblow. The pressure of the swing sent rocks tumbling. Serina finished the chant. "[Aegis Lock!]" A glowing dome of silver light expanded around them just as the sword came down. CLANG! The impact cracked the barrier but didn’t break it. They were safe—for now. But Serina collapsed, drained. "I can’t do another," she whispered. "That’s it." Inigo stared at the beast outside the shield, pacing like a predator just beyond reach. They had minutes at best. Then they would die. And for the first time, he wasn’t sure they could survive what came next.