The flames of Hellfire raged around Earth Drake.
Grimbald screamed, attempting to leap into the flames.
"Oh, it's so hot~! These flames are overwhelming!"
He edged closer, poised to jump into the flames, but they were so fierce that he recoiled as his hair began to singe.
"Hmm— Sometimes, small sacrifices are necessary for greater gains. I had no other choice."
The Blackbee wizard murmured, sounding defensive.
Jis and his colleagues hesitated in the face of the intense flames, much like Grimbald.
"What's that gorilla up to?"
Tyria quipped, alighting gently on Jis' shoulder.
Like Grimbald, parts of her fur were singed, but the damage was so minor it was hardly noticeable unless inspected closely.
"Tyria! You're still alive! You truly are an incredible assassin!"
"That's just the basics for me. PURR~ PURR~"
Overwhelmed with joy, the boy swiftly slid his hand beneath the cat-humanoid Tyria's armpit and hoisted her up, to which she responded with a playful purr.
ROAR—!
At that moment, a tormented roar erupted from Earth Drake amidst the flames of Hellfire.
WHOOSH—
He then spread his massive wings, pushing away the flames as he soared upwards.
Having reached the cavern's ceiling with a single bound, Earth Drake spread his wings once more and glided effortlessly through the vast space.
Instinctively looking for an escape, Earth Drake spotted a wall on one side of the cavern.
He saw a small crevice in the wall as his potential way out.
Without hesitation, Earth Drake flapped his wings furiously and charged toward the wall, seemingly ready to crash into it.
CRASH—
Immediately, his massive body broke through the wall, sending a spray of rocks and dirt flying.
In an instant, Earth Drake had vanished into the small gap.
Everyone stared in shock at the unexpected turn of events.
"Look... now that Earth Drake's gone, is it over?"
"What are you on about? A lord can take care of a few goblins on his own. Ugh! Why do you think they hired us in the first place?"
Chichi scolded in response to Jis's naive comment.
"There's no reward if we don't catch Earth Drake. Enough talk, let's get after him!"
With that, heeding Chichi's reprimand, everyone began to pursue Earth Drake.
* * *
Following the vast tunnel Earth Drake had created during his escape, they stumbled upon another expansive cavern.
As they neared the cavern's entrance, they were greeted with an astonishing sight.
The defeated Earth Drake was tightly coiled, appearing as if trapped by a massive snare.
"Why is the 'Imoogi' here...!"
Chichi was the first to recognize it.
It bore a resemblance to a dragon, but it wasn't quite right—a massive creature known as the 'Imoogi'.
Spanning approximately 14 meters, its thickest point in the middle was about a meter in diameter.
Its predominantly black skin radiated heat, reminiscent of dark red flames. Red bristles, akin to dorsal fins, ran from its hornless head to its tail.
Earth Drake, now the prey, writhed and struggled in the Imoogi's grasp.
However, as the Imoogi's powerful muscles tightened, Earth Drake's desperate breaths became fainter.
Soon, flames engulfed the Imoogi, reducing Earth Drake to what resembled a charred barbecue.
The Imoogi appeared to relish the entire ordeal, flashing a menacing smile.
Then, with Earth Drake's struggles subsiding, the creature opened its vast jaws, spanning well over 60cm, seemingly disinterested.
As the Earth Drake began its attempt to swallow him, starting from the head, its elongated pupils suddenly focused on Longlong.
For a fleeting moment, the flames enveloping its body, reminiscent of a campfire doused with water, vanished as it slowly lifted its head.
"A dragon... A real dragon has appeared...."
He murmured, repeating himself as though lost in his own thoughts.
"For over a thousand years, I've strived to become a dragon... but you... were you born as one?"
Flames burst anew from his previously extinguished frame, accompanied by a profound roar of rage.
"Why? Why are you already a dragon?"
The fury radiating from the incensed Imoogi grew fiercer.
His cries of envy and anger soon manifested as blistering flames, and, like a dragon spewing fire, they erupted from Imoogi's mouth.
"I'll reduce you all to ashes!"
In an instant, Imoogi, after his fierce declaration, inhaled deeply and lunged forward, mouth agape.
"Everyone, take cover!"
Chichi's urgent cries were muffled, as if smothered by the intense flames.
ROAR—
The fire raced across the floor, forcing out heated air. It met the Misril shield and branched in two directions.
The flames were held back, but the shield's sudden heat caused minor burns to Jis' hands and arms.
"Ugh... I don't think I can stop the fire a second time!"
FLAP— FLAP—
Suddenly, golden powder descended onto the boy's hands and arms, and Chichi's voice echoed in his ears.
"If you don't want to die, lift your shield!"
As Jis hoisted the Misril shield once more, heeding Chichi's warning, a massive blaze from the Imoogi erupted again.
Amidst the Imoogi's inferno, the boy, struggling with the shield, appeared to falter. Rylie rushed over to take it from him.
Yet, the Imoogi's assault wasn't solely focused in one direction.
Surrounded by flames, the Imoogi's formidable body contorted, swiveling rapidly.
Suddenly, the Imoogi's thick tail, reminiscent of a massive battle axe, whipped down at Longlong and Tyria.
"Get out of here!"
BANG—
As Jis, now behind Rylie and the shield, yelled out, Tyria had already vanished into the shadows.
Longlong, brandishing a dagger, deftly dodged the tail attack.
In the aftermath, he swung his dagger with the momentum from the tail strike. Yet, the regular blade couldn't even mark the Imoogi's rugged scales.
"Heh, that was just a tickle."
The Imoogi retaliated with a brief, snorting offensive.
Deep within its vast throat, flames of fury brewed once more, launching towards Grimbald.
Grimbald, bearing resemblance to a gorilla, recoiled and leaped just as the flames neared.
ROOOAAARRR—
With the warrior's resounding battle cry, his fists, fully raised, descended with force, crashing onto the Imoogi's head.
"Sniff— sniff—"
After being struck atop its head, Imoogi briefly exhaled, as though its brain was rattled, and the flames spewing from its mouth subsided.
"Now, wizard!"
Chichi might have been invisible, but her voice echoed close to Jis, prompting the Blackbee Wizard to hastily rip apart the magic scroll.
WHOOSH—
Suddenly, a massive flame surged from the floor, striking Imoogi's jaw and pushing it upwards.
Yet, Imoogi appeared merely drowsy, as if savoring the warmth of a hot bath.
"Throw the sword to Longlong!"
Upon hearing Chichi's command, Jis tossed the Misril sword to Longlong. As Longlong sprinted toward Imoogi, he caught the sword, leapt, and slashed at Imoogi's neck.
Swiftly after, Longlong hurled the Misril sword to Tyria, who had materialized near Imoogi's raised underbelly. Tyria caught the blade and drove it into Imoogi's tender abdomen.
STAB—
However, given Imoogi's thick hide and sturdy scales, only a third of the Misril sword penetrated.
"Sniff— This could be a tad perilous."
Lifting its stubby forepaws, Imoogi gently brushed the superficial gash on its neck.
Now, Imoogi was on high alert.
Harnessing the wisdom and strength amassed over a millennium, it intensified its assault on Jis and his team.
After spewing fire directly ahead, Imoogi turned its head to expand the flame's reach and swung its tail, attempting to strike Grimbald, who leapt away to dodge the fiery onslaught.
Blackbee's predominantly fire-based magic had minimal impact. Likewise, Tyria's stealthy maneuvers, in tandem with Longlong's swift footwork, inflicted little damage.
As their offenses against Imoogi faltered, the beleaguered Jis and his companions found themselves increasingly on the defensive.
"Chichi, what's our next move? If this continues, we might be cooked alive."
Seeking refuge behind Rylie from Imoogi's relentless fire, Jis called out to Chichi with palpable desperation in his voice.
GRRR—
At that moment, the air shifted, punctuated by the low rumbling of a beast.
"Lupus Nĭger…?"
Chichi, who perched on the boy's shoulder as if weakened by the sight of the black wolf, trembled in fear.
Imoogi also focused intently on one spot, as if sensing a peculiar energy.
Subsequently, as Imoogi's fire ceased, Rylie commented, slightly lowering her shield to get a better view.
"Lupus Nĭger? Is that the famed black wolf? He's quite charismatic!"
All eyes, including Imoogi's, were drawn to the shadowy depths of another connecting tunnel.
From there, a two-meter-long zombie wolf with glowing red eyes emerged.
"What's this?"
A peculiar dark red energy emanated from the black wolf's body.
Imoogi, taken aback and intimidated by the sudden appearance of the zombie wolf and its eerie aura, unleashed a burst of wild flames at the intruder.
Yet, the black wolf nimbly evaded the blaze and began sprinting along the cavern's wall.
PITTER-PATTER—
With the agility of one running on flat ground, the black wolf traversed the cavern walls, dodging the relentless flames from Imoogi, and launched itself forcefully at the beast.
In mid-air, the black wolf's right paw became enveloped in dark red energy that resembled searing flames.
As it neared Imoogi's face, the zombie wolf fiercely swiped at Imoogi's gaping maw.
BOOM—!
For an instant, the dark red energy around the black wolf's paw detonated like a minor explosive.
Simultaneously, it shattered the scales of Imoogi, which the Misril sword had failed to penetrate, and decapitated the monster.
SPLASH—
Blood spurted from Imoogi's severed neck, drenching the cavern in a vivid shade of red.
The blood of Imoogi was incredibly volatile; upon contact with the air, it ignited into roaring flames.
The blood that gushed from the millennia-old creature turned the cavern into an inferno, with fire scaling its walls and licking the ceiling.
GRRR—
Unperturbed by the raging fires around him, the zombie wolf continued to advance, drool dripping from its rotting snout.
CRACKLE—
"Everyone, watch out! The ceiling's about to cave in!"
Before Chichi's frantic warning could be fully heeded, the cavern's ceiling, softened by the intense heat, gave way.
THUD— THUD!