"Shit," Stuart made out once again as his voice was filled with fear. I looked at him, then looked to Hazel. Hazel looked different than usual, but I was able to tell with a glance that she had it under control. She may have looked like a demon, but nothing about her mood had changed. Well, other than the absolute disgust and rage she gave off like a blazing fire. However, her rage was nothing compared to mine. As I looked at her arm, I saw blood flowing from her elbow like a fountain as it stained the ground below her.
"You dare," I whispered with rage. Though my voice was quiet, it rang out through the cave like a bell. Stuart looked back at me, his body trembling, as I made my way forward. I first walked toward Hazel, then put my hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at me and our eyes met. As I looked into her wide golden eyes, I was taken by surprise when I couldn't help but admire her beauty. Even her horns and scales, which others might consider barbaric and grotesque, were like jewelry to me. However, I quickly realized now wasn't the time for that, "Go get some rest. That wound should heal in a few minutes."
Hazel looked into my eyes, then slowly calmed down. The scales began to disappear and her horns slowly shrunk. The golden color of her eyes was the last thing to go, eventually returning to the midnight black that I had already familiarized with myself. I turned away from Hazel, then looked toward Stuart.
As I looked at him, my body filled with anger. I felt like a bomb, easily able to go off and destroy everything in my path. My instincts were screaming at me to let loose and destroy everything here. I wanted carnage and destruction. However, for now, Stuart would be the one to experience everything I had bottled up.
"Fuck!" Stuart yelled out as I slowly walked over to him. As I made my first step forward, flames began to dance around my body and cover my armor. They were small at first, barely the size of a candle fire, but they quickly grew. I took another two or three more steps and the fire around my body began to cover me like a second set of armor. Stuart was forced to back away, unable to do anything but watch.
I looked down at my hands, which were covered in blazing flames, and chuckled. The fire on my body wasn't voluntary in the slightest. They had just appeared as if answering to my rage. As I looked at the flames on my body, I couldn't help but personify them, "So you're angry too, huh?"
"Please!" Stuart yelled out, his body shaking violently from fear. His nose was running and tears were violently falling from his eyes. His knees trembled, unable to support his full weight, and his hands were shot toward me as he attempted to do anything to protect himself.
"Why couldn't you just die when you were supposed to," I spoke, my words like venom. I took another step forward, giving life to the flames on my body as I moved. They flickered with rage, reflecting what I felt, "You hurt my woman!"
"Huh?" Stuart whimpered. I didn't wait for him to say anything else, as the flames on my body were ready for a meal. I held out my hands, then watched as the mana in my body answered my call for revenge. The fire on my hands shot forward like snakes and consumed every part of Stuart's body. His screams echoed through the air, but I didn't care whether he screamed or died. They were simply a way for me to confirm if he felt pain or not.
I was glad he did. Within a few seconds, Stuart was dead and a burnt husk remained. As I looked at his body, the rage inside me slowly calmed down and the flames dropped down to mere embers.
I sighed in relief and dropped my hands to my thighs. I turned around, then looked at the others. Hazel was eyeing the ground, her face as red as a tomato, while the twins were looking at me with shock.
"The fight isn't over," I warned as I ignored their expressions. I had no idea why they were acting like that, but I didn't have the time to be concerned about it. As I spoke, the others nodded and put on their game faces. Hazel, because she was still injured, couldn't participate. Icarus had already walked up to her and began comforting her. I looked over to Hazel, then said, "Good fight. We'll take it from here."
"S-Sure," Hazel stammered. I nodded, then turned my hand to the air and used『 Dungeon Visit 』. A large portal of flames appeared in the space next to us. Aros and the bottom floor's boss room lay behind. I turned back to Hazel, then said, "We'll meet up with you once this is all over."
She nodded, then turned toward the portal as she held her injured arm. I looked at her wound, then nodded in satisfaction as I saw that the healing process had already begun. She would be completely healed in about ten minutes, probably.
After the portal closed, I turned to the others.
"We're ready," Jonathan said as he nodded in my direction. His expression of shock from before had already disappeared, replaced with a glint of determination. Even Evelyn looked determined to battle, though she would sometimes glance at Stuart's corpse and shiver for a moment.
I quickly opened my map and checked the group's location. Soon after I found out, I turned to the twins and said, "We have just over a minute. Let's get in position."
"Position?"
"Hide," I told them as I pointed to the hallway, "I put up some corners, so you can go unnoticed as the Caldwell group comes here. I'll stay, as bait."
"Won't that put you in danger?" Jonathan asked. I looked at him, then felt myself smile as I grew excited for the fight. I shook my head.
"Get in position. I won't be able to talk to you until the battle is over," I explained. I looked down at Icarus, then nodded. Icarus looked at me, then turned his gaze toward Jonathan. Then, without any further instruction, Icarus jogged over to Jonathan and joined him as the twins attempted to find a good place to hide.
I looked back to the map, then sat down on the ground as I began to wait for the Caldwell group to show up. I didn't have to wait long. Just over thirty seconds later, I began to hear a group of footsteps echo through the caves.
I looked to the hallway as I focused on the noise of the footsteps. Hopefully, the twins managed to find a good hiding place. Then, as the footsteps got closer, I stood up and brushed my cape off.
"Look!" A voice called out, bringing my attention away from my cape. I looked to the entrance of the room, then smiled as I saw the first soldier from Caldwell's group step out of the tunnel. The rest of their group was behind them, watching from a distance.
"He's alone?" One voice muttered in confusion. I looked to the voice, then saw Anya the beastwoman step forward as she pushed her way out of the crowd of soldiers. I looked to Anya and tensed my body, bracing for a fight. Her brother, Dave, was a few yards away from her, "Where are your allies?"
"Dead," I replied as I turned my body to the side, revealing the carcasses behind me, "I killed them."
"What?" Anya gasped. Although my statement wasn't completely false, it wasn't exactly true either. However, for the sake of holding the attention of the group in front of me, I had to give a white lie. Anya stepped forward and brought her sword from her back as she prepared herself for battle, "I don't know how you were able to kill your entire team, but you were a fool to do so. You'll die here, brat, and nobody can defend you."
"No," I said, "You're the ones that will die here. Every last one of you doesn't stand a chance,"
"Charge!" Anya yelled out as she brought her weapon into the air. The crowd of soldiers behind her roared, then stepped forward and began to run in my direction. I smiled, then closed my eyes and began to concentrate on my skills. Then, a blanket of fire covered my body, dancing with rage as the shape of my body changed underneath. My legs grew longer and stronger, with muscle like steel, as my body grew larger. A large tail grew from my back, as did two strong wings that had the power to sweep a house away. My neck grew in length as well, then sprouted a snout from the front of my face.
Once the backward horns grew out of my head, the flames disappeared and revealed my dragon form to the enemies before me. A few of the soldiers stopped, halting their charge as they dug their heels into the ground. The few that were ahead of the others, tripped over and began to roll on the ground.
One soldier, in particular, rolled farther than any of his comrades. As I saw this, I lifted my front right foot and slammed it down on him. As my foot crashed against the soldier's body, I saw a small explosion of blood and guts as his body opened up like a grape.
Then, as my body shook with rage, I opened my mouth and roared.