Amid the calm, chilly surface of the water, a body floated, radiating frustration. His face showed clear disgust as he endured the unfortunate role of bait on a fishing line meant to lure a massive fish from its lair.
"Why hasn't the fish shown up yet? Maybe it's not interested in the bait." Gavin called out from high above.
Baron, who was also perched above, responded with an irritating smirk, "I'd guess it's because the fish doesn't like low-grade beef."
"Or maybe it just doesn't like the taste of fatty mad cow meat," Gavin added, followed by chuckles from others nearby.
The broad-shouldered young man below glared up, locking his gaze on the ones mocking his predicament.
"I guess the Failed Product suits you guys as a friend," he sneered at Baron and Gavin, who sat safe within a suspended cage alongside Trisha and her two remaining henchmen.
Casildo was beginning to regret his decision to go along with Prince Arkana's idea of creating a hanging cage, crafted from thick vines and sturdy roots attached to the high ceiling. It seemed the perfect haven for the annoying loudmouths up there.
Had he known he'd be their target of ridicule, he'd have stopped Arkana from using the Rootbound Prison technique to suspend that cage and let those idiots be the greedy Lulun Samak's snack instead. "Prince Arkana, brother, wouldn't it be wise to add more bait?"
"Quit complaining; it's not like this will kill you," the young prince shot back from his position, balanced on a narrow ledge with one hand clutching a vine. His sharp eyes swept over the river below, alert for any sign of churning water—a clear sign the bait had done its job.
Silence fell as everyone focused on the water, tense and alert.
After a while, bubbles broke through the calm surface, bursting with a popping sound that raised the tension. As more bubbles erupted, a whirlpool formed, shaking the underground river.
"Casildo!" Arkana shouted to his friend. The monster fish had surfaced from the vortex and was darting straight toward the bait.
A wave rippled across the surface as the fish's massive body leapt, jaws wide open, baring two sharp fangs that gleamed like sword blades, poised to split its target's head in two.
Casildo, ready for the danger, kicked the water, launching himself into a backflip and striking the creature's face with his Wira hammer.
Crack!
A loud shattering noise echoed, followed by a pained roar, as one of the fish's fangs broke off under the impact.
Within a split second, Casildo grabbed a vine Arkana tossed, hoisting himself into the air as he clung to it.
Meanwhile, the enraged fish, furious over its lost fang, sprang at him, trying to coil its powerful body around him. Casildo felt the crushing weight tighten around him, each squeeze bringing heat and pain.
He lifted his hammer over his head, straining to keep the remaining fang from piercing his skull, while gripping the vine that was fraying under the weight.
"Damn it, bro! Are you waiting for me to get flattened here?!" Casildo cursed at Arkana, who hadn't moved and seemed to enjoy watching his friend's suffering.
A mischievous smile lingered on the prince's face as he replied, "I'm testing your resilience. According to my great-grandfather, those who bear the bull spirit have a unique bone structure—harder and much stronger than other animal spirit hosts. I wanted to verify that."
Casildo grumbled, "Didn't your great-grandfather die ages ago? Is he speaking to you from the grave?"
"Nope, he was cremated."
"Now's not the time for jokes, damn it!" Trisha yelled from the cage, frustration clear in her voice. Just as she feared, disaster struck.
Snap!
The vine finally reached its breaking point and tore, nearly sending Casildo and the fish plummeting back into the river. Realizing he'd pushed things too far, Arkana threw another vine just in time for Casildo to grab and steady himself mid-air.
Once Casildo seemed secure, Arkana swung himself across, gripping his own vine as he launched toward Lulun Samak. In his other hand, he held his Taraka dagger, a blade known as the 'star-edged dagger'. As he passed the fish, its claw-like tip carved a deep gash along its body.
Blood spurted from the wound, staining the river red. With a furious howl, the fish thrashed and fled into the water, trying to escape further attacks.
"Hey, damn it! That old stingray ran off!" Casildo grumbled.
Prince Arkana sprang into action, raising his hand to summon a flurry of vines and roots from the forest outside. They slithered across the damp floor of the stepped pyramid, hurtling through the underground river's surface and closing around their target in one swift move.
Lulun Samak writhed in fury, trapped in the water by the powerful Creeping Snare vines holding it tight.
With their target subdued, Arkana leapt into the river, dashing toward the monster, leaving a trail of splashes in his wake. As he neared, he gathered his strength and jumped high, ready to drive both daggers into the monster.
Stab!
The blades pierced the fish's thick scales, spilling fresh blood that clouded the river in a deep red. But the wounds only enraged the creature, unleashing its fury.
With a mighty roar, Lulun Samak shredded the vines holding it in a single sweep. In seconds, its scaled body transformed into a bristling array of blade-like spines as hard as rock.
Caught off guard, Arkana was slammed to the lakebed by the creature's powerful tail, a chill running through him as he landed. His head throbbed, and fiery pain shot through his chest and stomach, where he was hit. In that moment, the fish reappeared, slicing through the dark water like a flash of lightning.
Fighting to hold his breath as he resisted the current pulling him back, he steadied himself, preparing his next move. Focusing on the monster's gleaming eyes, he controlled hundreds of leaves from the nearby forest, drawing them down from their branches in a green wave.
The leaves sliced through the river's surface and pierced the creature's flesh in a torrent of tiny, razor-sharp strikes.
The monster reeled backward, its body riddled with deep wounds as blood clouded the water even more. The murky red obstructed Arkana's vision, but as he tried to refocus, a row of sharp teeth suddenly appeared right in front of his face; it seemed Razorleaf Torrent hadn't been enough to stop the terrifying beast.