Tearing open the layer, Marcus saw a bottomless dark chasm. Two bright golden eyes stared straight at him.
If he didn't already know the identity of this being, he would have run away. But inherited memories revealed what this creature was.
Their eyes met, and Marcus saw deep malice in its gaze.
He lit a fire to get a better look at the creature. The flames weren't enough to dispel all the darkness, but they revealed a faint outline.
The light reflected off shimmering scales, revealing its reptilian form with multiple limbs and large crystals jutting from its spine.
Despite its predatory expression, the creature didn't move. If not for the deep wounds scarred across its body, Marcus might not have lived to see another day.
According to Marcus's memories, it was the queen of this layer. Killing it would exponentially increase his powers.
There was no fear in Marcus's eyes. Looking at the creature, he thought, 'When I first came to this place, I too was hiding in the dark. How is this thing different from me? I was an ordinary civilian who suddenly came here, and this is the self-proclaimed king of this region.'
Marcus ridiculed it and gathered energy to unleash a destructive blast. But before he could act, the region started to shake violently.
The crystals on its back began to glow brightly. As Marcus stared into its eyes, he got a weird feeling. He didn't know if it was because he had absorbed the soil crystals of the greater basilisks and gained their memories and abilities, but when he saw the basilisk's actions, he had only one thought: 'Shit, it's trying to self-destruct.'
Seeing Marcus going for the kill, the basilisk made a decision. Marcus had been an outrageous nuisance, killing the army it had raised for hundreds of years.
A lesser basilisk evolving into a greater basilisk was a rare phenomenon, and Marcus had killed them all. Normally, after a greater basilisk was killed, authority would return to her. But this time, her authority disappeared completely.
Usually, she would send her armies to destroy everything nearby when her authority disappeared. But there seemed to be no solution this time.
In her peak condition, she could see everything her offspring saw and control their every movement. If her offspring were killed, she would take retribution herself.
But this time was different. Her wounds had not completely healed, rendering her abilities useless. Frustrated, she decided to detonate her soul crystal, using the energy release to take Marcus down with her.
Marcus sensed the dire situation. The labyrinth was collapsing around them. With quick thinking, he made his move.
The place began to collapse, sinking deeper into the ground. Then, a bright light engulfed the labyrinth.
Boom.
A loud explosion shook the entire labyrinth as the basilisk's body exploded. The entire labyrinth collapsed into rubble.
*****
Cedric lay weakly on the concrete floor of the house Marcus had built. Rest had recovered his body somewhat, and his mind was much clearer now.
He couldn't help but think of the time he was in the labyrinth. It was the first time he suffered such a landslide defeat, to the point of humiliation.
"Why would greater basilisks be in a place like that?" Cedric couldn't mistake them for anything else. When he was still in school, there was a course that taught about different types of monsters.
That was the first time he learned about the existence of basilisks. His professor had corrected him when he submitted an assignment on different types of monsters.
He could still remember his professor's words, "Cedric, beasts are divided into types:
The ones that cannot use mana and lack intelligence are called beasts.
The ones that can use mana but lack intelligence are called monsters.
The ones that can use mana and have varying levels of intelligence are known as mana or magic beasts. They are rare and powerful, probably having existed since ancient times. You should not antagonize one if possible.
Basilisks fall under mana beasts. This time I'll give you a full score since it wasn't taught in class, but there won't be a next time."
Cedric could still remember how happy he was after receiving a full grade. But as he thought about it, nostalgia and bitterness rose in his heart.
He might have regretted going with Marcus, but no matter how much he hated Marcus, he couldn't help but feel jealous of his power.
Not only did Marcus have a huge amount of mana, but he was also able to defeat the greater basilisks. Cedric wondered if he had that kind of power, would he have made a greater contribution rather than being a foot soldier.
As Cedric was lost in these thoughts, the ground suddenly started to shake, growing stronger and stronger.
"Why is there an earthquake in a forest? They mainly happen in mountainous regions," Cedric thought, but something interrupted his thoughts. A voice from behind spoke urgently.
"We have to get away from this place."
The voice was familiar, and there was nothing wrong with it, but the problem was that this person should have entered the house, not stand behind him.
Cedric felt his heart was about to burst, but the person behind him were in too much of a hurry. Marcus picked Cedric up like a sack of potatoes and broke through one of the walls and used a strong platform to shoot them up into the sky.
Dumbly, Cedric stared at the shrinking trees as they moved higher into the sky. Goosebumps rose on his arms, and he felt scared, not of heights, but of being dragged into the sky like prey caught in a bird's claws. Subconsciously, he started struggling.
This troubled Marcus greatly. "Hey, stop! You might fall!"
He helplessly watched his home crumble before his eyes. As the earthquake intensified, the trees started to fall one by one.
Both of his homes, painstakingly built, were now gone. Did he have to start from a new beginning again?