Carved into the base of the volcano was an enormous throne where an imposing woman with a mane of fiery red hair sat. The woman's skin was charcoal, with lava flowing through her veins.
Black horns jutted out from her head that faded into a dark red at the tip. Gold chains adorned the horns and her body; black armor covered her arms and slender legs.
The risqué short black dress showed off the female monster's shapely figure as her face was attractive but also scary.
"Got to say, I wasn't expecting babies to be my first visitors in so many years. I bet your young flesh and blood will make a fine appetizer!"
The woman licked her lips before pointing her gaze at Lucia.
"Don't care for the fluff ball. Maybe I'll feed it to the Flame Tigers and baby Fire Drakes."
She dismissively waved her hand at the spirit.
"Why, you insolent beast! I'll let you know I'm the adviser-" Rhia slapped a hand over Lucia's mouth. The spirit was fuming in anger.
"Let me introduce myself! Flame Drake Queen. Boss of this dungeon. I was once a B-rank threat level. Until I was defeated by a patronizing young demon noble and had my rank reduced to that of a lowly C-rank threat!"
The humanoid female drake slammed her fist into the armrest of her throne, teeth clenched tight in anger.
"I've waited years to exact my revenge, but I guess I'll settle with a nice little warm-up to test if I lost my touch."
In a blink of an eye, a fist to Rhia's cheek sent her flying and rolling into the dirt.
"I pray that you can at least entertain me before I take your life!"
The humanoid female drake stretched out her black claws, and a red spell circle appeared. Fireballs shot out, aimed in Rhia's direction.
"Rhia!" Alex called out her name as the fireballs created a loud explosion.
Despite a few scratches and bruises, Rhia protected herself from losing her life by calling forth her shield. But as more fireballs attacked her, the shield started to crack.
'Damn it! I gotta make a run for it!'
When the attack stopped, Rhia took this time to run away as she needed a minute to think and devise a plan of attack.
"Are you really gonna run away and leave your little friend unprotected?"
This question made Rhia pause and turn around, only to see the dungeon boss stretch her hand toward Alex.
'N-No! I can't leave Alex alone and unprotected!' Fear filled Rhia's chest as she watched the flames morph into a giant fireball.
Rhia ran towards Alex with all her strength, terrified eyes watching the large flame creep closer to Alex. The poor boy was petrified with fear.
'I'm too scared to move!' Alex could see his young life flashing before his eyes when a shadow of a person appeared before him.
"Lunar Shield!"
Rhia summoned her shield as Alex screamed her name, watching the flames engulf her. Seconds that felt like hours ticked by, and his eyes lit up with happiness when he saw Rhia still standing.
But they soon dimmed when he saw the toll her body took. Rhia could barely stand, fighting to keep her eyes open.
"I can't fall down. I must protect Alex." Rhia unknowingly spoke her thoughts out loud. Reaching Alex's ears, he was hit with guilt.
"I won't be like her. I won't abandon my friend! Lucia!"
Lucia, whose eyes were silently glued to Rhia, transformed into a ball and flew over into Rhia's hands, where she transformed into a bow.
Rhia pulled back the string, and a swirl of dark mana, aimed at the dungeon boss, came to life.
"Nice try, brat!"
The woman stood a foot away, but in the next second, she was before Rhia and thrust her knee into Rhia's stomach. Causing the nine-year-old to cough up saliva as the air was knocked out of her lungs.
With her concentration broken, Lucia reverted back to her original form, but she refused to do things lying down.
"Don't you dare lay another finger on that child! You're nothing but a low-rank dragon. The bottom of the food chain!"
Lucia's mouth formed into a beak that she used to peck the female dungeon boss's face. But her words seemed to have triggered the boss as she grabbed the fluff ball spirit and threw her onto the ground.
"Shut your mouth, furball!"
The woman kicked Lucia into one of the dragon head statues surrounding the area.
"I may be inferior to the rest of my kindreds, but it won't stay that way for long! The people of this world are cattle for 'Haiki' like me! I'll evolve and surpass those snotty purebloods and show them the true might of my powers!"
The woman ranted, but Rhia had her mind occupied on a word the female dungeon boss had used to address herself.
'Did she just refer to herself as Haiki? What does that mean? It sounds Japanese.'
Rhia was in a world of pain, hands clutching her stomach, but yet couldn't stop herself from frowning, pondering over the strange term the female drake used.
'Then again, I shouldn't be shocked, seeing how {The Lucky Hero} was a Japanese light-novel, but what does that word mean?'
The pain had begun to fade when the queen of the drakes buried her claws into Rhia's hair, almost pulling the raven locks from her scalp as she forced her to look at her.
"But, to unleash my full potential, I must feed on people like you. Worthless insects, foolishly clinging onto a life that will soon perish!"
The female drake grinned menacingly in Rhia's face. Her claw only stood a few inches away, glowing, and Rhia saw another fire flicker to life.
"I wished you'd put up a better fight!" The monster mocked and got ready to fire the blast when a rock smacked against her cheek.
"Huh?"
The woman lifted her red eyebrows and shot them in Alex's direction. The boy was holding a pile of rocks in his hands. His ruby eyes glowered with rage despite the tremble of his limbs.
"Stay away from her, you damned monster!"
Alex couldn't stand by any longer doing nothing as this horrible creature tormented Rhia. He thought back to the words she said and how she treasured him as a friend. A sentiment that was new to Alex.
Many of the other kids only crowded around him because of his background. They didn't care about his likes and dislikes and just sought to use him. But not Rhia, who was willing to risk her life for him. A person she hadn't even known for a long time.
"I-I won't let you hurt Rhia any longer!"
"Oh, we have ourselves a hero!"
The female drake found herself amused by the boy's words, while Rhia feared for his life. Discarding the girl, the queen of the drakes appeared before Alex. Her claws choking the boy.
"Alex!"
Alex put up a fight, clawing at the monster's arm, glaring at her.
"The defiance in those eyes, I feel like I have seen them before?"
The monster looked at Alex with a puzzled expression, not caring that she was blocking air from entering his lungs as Alex grew weak and his eyes slowly started to roll to the back of his head.
'No!'
'I can't let it end like this!'
'Please… Please give me the power to protect her!'
{There's a burning rage in your heart, my child. Your strong desire to protect her makes you a suitable candidate. Let those who cross you feel the might of your savage burning rage. Awaken and become... her Sword of Wrath!}
Hearing the voice of a woman speak inside his head, darkness shrouded Alex. Opening his eyes, he saw himself lying on an endless blanket of blooming red roses. He watched as rose petals rained from the sky.
The scene was peaceful but became ruined when an angry sea of flames consumed the rose garden. Alex scrambled to his feet as the petals turned into flares. The garden was swallowed into the sea of fire.
Just as the fire consumed him, he was transported yet again, but now he was standing in a giant chess room this time. Before him stood a humanoid man dressed like a king. The king tapped his cane gently against Alex's forehead.
"Protect your Queen well. After all, a King is useless without his Queen," he said to Alex. A blood red tattoo bearing a sword with dragon wings and a king's crown appeared on the back of his hand before the light engulfed him.