Alastor's heart pounded as he backed away from the monstrous worm. He'd only narrowly avoided its last attack, his reflex was the only thing that saved him.
While Alastor retreated, Craig unleashed another fiery assault. A fireball, even larger than the last, slammed into the worm's head. The creature shrieked, its armored hide cracking and burning under the intense heat.
"Nice shot, Craig!" E shouted, already aiming his arrow. A strange energy pulsed around the arrowhead as he released it, the projectile finding its mark with a sickening thud. The arrow exploded on impact, tearing a gaping hole in the worm's exposed underbelly.
Alastor watched, a chill running down his spine. E's attack was precise and brutal, a terrifying display of power, and it wasn't even his full strength. Behind his friendly smile, E was clearly a force to be reckoned with. Each movement was fluid and deadly, his arrows seeking out weak points with terrifying accuracy.
Marcus, wielding his axe with surprising agility, hacked at the creature's thick hide. He lacked the raw power of Craig's fire or E's deadly precision, but his relentless assault kept the pressure on, preventing the worm from focusing on a single target.
Finding an opening, Alastor drew his daggers and joined Marcus in close combat. His speed allowed him to land a flurry of blows, targeting the wound E and Craig had created. He could feel the worm's strength waning with each strike.
As the battle dragged on the cavern boomed with the sounds of battle – the worm's enraged roars, the clang of metal against chitin, and the sizzle of burning flesh.
From deeper within the cavern, crackling lightning mixed with the sounds of screeching. Kayla and Arthur were holding their own against a horde of red-eyed rats, preventing them from joining the main fight.
"E, aim for its eye! I think it's almost finished!" Alastor yelled, dodging a snap of the worm's massive jaws.
"On it!" E responded without hesitation, nocking two arrows that glowed with an intense, pulsing light.
Alastor became a blur of motion as he speed off dancing just out of reach of the worm's snapping jaws. He could feel the heat of its breath, smell the stench of rot and decay. He just needed to distract it for a moment longer...
The worm, momentarily distracted, exposed its eyes. It was the opportunity E had been waiting for.
Two streaks of blinding energy shot forward.
The worm sensed the incoming danger but it was already too late for it to react.
Two arrows found their mark, burying themselves deep within the creature's eyes.
A deafening roar, full of agony and fury, echoed through the cavern as the blinded creature thrashed wildly. It slammed its head against the ground, desperate to dislodge the arrows, but it was no use.
Blinded and bleeding, the worm's movements became erratic and uncoordinated.
Seeing their chance, the group attacked with renewed ferocity. Blow after blow landed, each one draining the creature's remaining strength.
Finally, with a shuddering gasp, the monstrous worm collapsed, its massive body shaking the very foundation of the cavern.
As if on cue, the battle with the red-eyed rats ended, leaving Kayla and Arthur catching their breath.
"Whew, that was tough," E said, his voice heavy with exertion.
"Incredibly tough for a first encounter in a level 2 F-tier Abyssal Seed," Marcus added, leaning on his axe. "Is it always like this?"
Alastor, his own curiosity piqued, listened intently.
"No, not always," E replied, frowning. "This is… strange."
Arthur, overhearing the conversation as he approached the group nodded in agreement.
"Our first encounter was supposed to be one or two one-star creatures. This is far from normal."
Even though this was their first official Abyssal raid, the trio knew the basics. It was common knowledge, something every kid in their world studied in preparation for awakening their bloodline abilities.
Based on their knowledge, a level 2 F-tier Abyssal Seed should only hold a few one-star creatures, maybe a couple of two-stars, and the Seed Guardian as the final challenge. The further down you traveled, the tougher the creatures got. The Seed has a powerful energy that grew stronger the deeper you went. This meant the strongest monsters hung out in the depths, while weaker ones stayed closer to the entrance.
Encountering a powerful two-star creature right at the entrance was definitely not normal.
"Like I said, this place gives me the creeps," Molly chimed in, shooting a smug look at Craig. "My female intuition is screaming danger."
"Your female intuition screams danger at every Abyssal Seed," Craig retorted.
"Pathetic."
"You–!"
"Are they always like this?" Marcus whispered to E, trying to avoid attracting the attention of the bickering duo.
E shrugged.
"Pretty much. They've been at each other's throats since I joined their group a few weeks ago. No idea why."
"No wonder you're so nice to us," Marcus remarked, glancing over to Alastor and Arthur. "Haven't gotten the Kayla effect yet."
Alastor, who'd been wondering the same thing, couldn't help but agree.
Just then Kayla's commanding voice cut through the chatter, bringing everyone back on task;
"Enough chit-chat. We need to keep moving." She scanned their surroundings with a wary gaze. "Stay sharp. This place is strange. And keep an eye on the ceiling. We don't want any surprises from above."
'No kidding,' Alastor thought, activating his [Shadowsight] ability. His vision pierced the darkness, spotting two spider-like creatures clinging to the cavern ceiling, their multiple eyes fixated on the group. He made a mental note to keep eyes on it as there was no way for him to inform the group about it.
They continued deeper into the cavern, they were on high alert. Something about this place felt really off.
They encountered a few more red-eyed rats, easily dispatching the creatures. A couple of other weak, one-star beasts crossed their path, but they proved to be no real challenge.
Their progress was surprisingly easy, allowing them to conserve their energy. It wasn't until they were halfway down the winding path that they encountered their next real obstacle: a large group of Deathstingers, scorpion-like creatures with massive, hairy venomous tails.
"Damn it, this hide is like iron!" Marcus cursed, leaping back as his axe bounced harmlessly off the armor of a particularly large Deathstinger. The creature slammed its barbed tail into the ground, narrowly missing him.
"Arthur, a little help here!" Alastor shouted, parrying a blow from one of the smaller creatures.
Arthur, momentarily free from his own battle, unleashed a bolt of lightning. It struck the massive Deathstinger with a crackle, but it didn't do much damage as expected. The creature, however, was momentarily stunned, the paralyzing energy coursing through its body.
Marcus, seeing his chance, used the wall for leverage, launching himself into the air. With a roar, he brought his axe down towards the creature's head, putting all his strength behind the blow.
A deafening crack echoed through the cavern as the axe finally found its mark, splitting the Deathstinger's armored head.
"Now, Alastor!" Marcus yelled, already scrambling back.
Alastor didn't hesitate. He darted forward with incredible speed, aiming for the newly created crack in the creature's armor. It was time to finish this.