Ophelia walked through the ruins carved deep within the mountain, her footsteps echoing faintly against the cold stone. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of dust and decay. Broken pillars and crumbled walls lined the passageway, their carvings worn smooth by time. The bandits had barely touched these ruins, only even entering for the occasional broken crate or rusted weapon discarded in their wake.
Her senses tugged her forward, urging her deeper into the ruins until she stood before a massive arched gateway. The doorway loomed over her, its edges adorned with faded runes that pulsed faintly under her gaze. Ophelia stepped through, her breath catching as she entered the gargantuan library.
The ceiling stretched impossibly high, supported by marble beams and engraved arches that cast intricate shadows across the space. Runes danced along their surfaces, their light dim but steady. The obsidian floor shimmered like polished glass beneath her boots, reflecting the soft glow of the runes.
Surrounding her were massive bookshelves that lined the walls, rising to the ceiling and filled with tomes whose spines were coated in dust. Piles of books littered the floor, their pages yellowed and torn, spilling like forgotten memories into the open space.
In the center of the library, nestled amidst the piles of books, sat a monstrous figure. Its body was black and covered in thick, matted fur, its limbs gnarled and twisting like the roots of an ancient, cursed tree. Its frame was hunched, giving the impression of a decayed, living mass of bark and rot. Pale, sickly eyes glowed faintly within its shadowy face, following Ophelia as she walked toward the room's heart.
It was a Gorgus Maximus.
The beast's voice echoed, deep and guttural, filled with disdain. "Somebody who wields the parasite should be assisting their allies. They have already lost because of your arrogance," it growled, its teeth gnashing as it spoke. "Utter arrogance. I am disappointed."
Ophelia paused, tilting her head slightly before chuckling softly. She reached up, rubbing the back of her head as though embarrassed, her demeanor unfazed by the creature's towering presence.
The beast's eyes narrowed, its tone sharpened with irritation. "What is so funny? Even that man I had high expectations for was utterly shut down."
Her grin widened as she lowered her hand, and she asked, "Are you talking about Edwin?" As she spoke, the air around her seemed to shift. A black hole buried itself into the center of her forehead, a void that pulsed ominously. The hole deepened into an abyss, dark and unrelenting, even as her expression remained calm. "Well, he's not a captain for no reason," she added.
As the words left her mouth, a metallic substance began to spread across her face. It flowed unnaturally, forming a mask over the top half of her face, stopping just beneath her nose and cheekbones. Her sclera darkened to an inky black, and her pupils shifted into a piercing gray silver that gleamed in the dim light.
The beast tensed. A cold shiver ran down its spine, its body momentarily stiff as it recoiled slightly. Its voice wavered as it muttered, "You… controlled it. Even the Bandit Leader here could not control it. How impressive…"
The pale glow of the creature's eyes dimmed slightly as it watched Ophelia, its imposing form seemingly dwarfed by the oppressive aura that now surrounded her.
Ophelia closed her eyes. The moment they shut, the sensation of solid ground beneath her feet disappeared. When she opened them again, she stood in a void of utter blackness, her figure silhouetted against the endless expanse. Below her stretched a smooth, unbroken plane of darkness, its surface reflecting faint, rippling glimmers like an oil-slick mirror.
In front of her lay a silver grub—a parasite.
Its massive body glistened like liquid mercury, its surface shifting and flowing in unnatural patterns. The creature writhed faintly, though it was pinned to the plane by chains of glowing blue mana. The chains coiled tightly around its grotesque form, embedding themselves into the shimmering flesh. A gargantuan stake of the same luminous blue mana jutted through the top of its head, impaling it to the ground.
Hundreds of eyes dotted the parasite's body, their pupils slithering beneath its surface like restless shadows. The eyes locked onto Ophelia, brimming with malice. Yet, the creature remained silent.
Ophelia's expression hardened as her gaze grew colder. "You still refuse to speak to me," she said, her voice steady, cutting through the oppressive silence.
The eyes continued to crawl across the parasite's body, their pupils unwavering in their focus on her. But still, the being did not respond.
Her gaze darkened further, the chill of her expression enough to freeze the very air around her. "Then I will be taking more power from you," she muttered.
She raised her hand slowly, extending it upward until her arm reached its full height. Her eyes stayed locked on the parasite, which continued to glare at her with its hateful, watchful eyes. It didn't move or speak, but its defiance was as noticeable as ever.
As Ophelia's hand reached its peak, the chains of blue mana tightened suddenly, squeezing the parasite with a sharp, audible crack. The stake of mana piercing its head pulsed violently, and from it erupted dozens of glowing tendrils. The tendrils snaked through the air before plunging deep into the parasite's body. The creature convulsed, its liquid-metal flesh rippling violently as the mana forced its way inside.
Ophelia's mask responded in kind. The metallic material crept upward, extending to cover her forehead and her silver hair. The strands of her hair grew shinier, taking on a texture that mirrored liquid metal, flowing and rippling as though alive. The mask extended further down her neck, spreading across her shoulders and melting her cloak away entirely.
Her body was encased in a tight, silver armor that wrapped around her like a second skin. The armor gleamed with an unnatural sheen, ending at her hands and feet, where clawed gauntlets and sharp, metallic boots materialized. Along her back, a segmented spine of mercury formed, flowing continuously like her hair, its movement smooth and fluid.
Then, suddenly, in front of her, a translucent panel materialized, glowing faintly.
[You have forcibly broken through to the next stage.]
[Your parasite will suffer for this.]
Ophelia lowered her hand, her cold eyes never leaving the pinned parasite, whose writhing form had slowed, its silence heavier than ever.
Ophelia's eyes fluttered shut, the faint glint of her silver lashes catching the dim light of the ruined library. Her breathing steadied, and for a moment, the air between her and the beast grew still. When her eyes opened, the pale glow of her pupils locked onto the other, arguably less terrifying beast. Its massive, glowing eyes were fixed on her, unblinking.
"Seems your parasite and the bandit leader's parasite are from the same lineage," it growled, its voice deep and reverberating like the creak of ancient wood.
Ophelia tilted her head slightly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She raised her right hand, and mercury began to swirl from her clawed fingertips, its liquid form twisting and hardening into a spear. She spun it with effortless grace, the sharp whistle of the blade slicing through the silence.
"Let us begin, beast."
The beast roared, and its roots burst from the obsidian floor like a forest come alive. Thick tendrils, gnarled and barbed, lashed toward Ophelia, aiming to ensnare and crush her in one swift motion. Ophelia moved swiftly, her spear spinning around her wrist in tight, controlled arcs. The blade sliced through the first wave of roots, their severed ends crashing to the ground with dull thuds.
The beast anticipated her movement and sent a second wave of roots from the side. Ophelia twisted her body, ducking low as the roots narrowly missed her head. Using her momentum, she rolled to the side and thrust her spear forward, embedding it into the nearest root. With a flick of her wrist, the mercury spread along the root's length, forcing the beast to recoil as the liquid seeped into its structure.
"First mark," Ophelia muttered under her breath, retreating to assess the battlefield.
She noted the positioning of the shelves, the piles of books, and the intricate architecture of the library. A plan was already forming in her mind.
The beast was no fool. Recognizing the mercury's danger, it pulled back, its roots withdrawing into the ground. A moment later, the floor quaked as another batch of thick roots erupted in a circular formation around Ophelia, trapping her in a makeshift arena. The beast lunged forward, its clawed limbs aiming to crush her within the confines of its trap.
Ophelia's eyes narrowed. Instead of retreating, she stepped toward the beast, her spear spinning in a tight figure-eight around her shoulders. As the beast's claws descended, she pivoted, the spear's blade slicing upward to deflect the blow. Sparks flew as claw met metal, and Ophelia used the force of the impact to spin her body, delivering a kick to the beast's side. The creature staggered, but its roots surged upward to counter.
She expected this. As the roots closed in, she thrust her spear into the ground, channeling mercury through the floor. The liquid metal spread outward in thin rivulets, unnoticed by the beast as it focused on its attack. Ophelia leaped backward, landing gracefully atop a fallen shelf, her eyes gleaming with a silver glow.
The beast's roots lashed out once again, tearing through the shelves and scattering debris. Ophelia used the chaos to her advantage, darting between the wreckage and drawing the beast deeper into the library. With each movement, she extended her mercury further, weaving it into the floor and the debris around her. The liquid threads were nearly invisible, blending seamlessly with the shattered wood and stone.
The beast paused, sensing something amiss.
Its glowing eyes scanned the room, and it let out a guttural growl. "You think you can outwit me?" it snarled, slamming its claws into the ground. Roots erupted in every direction, tearing through the library and disrupting her mercury trails.
Ophelia smirked. "What a sharp savage."
She flicked her wrist, and the mercury she had already laid reacted. Thin tendrils of liquid metal shot upward, wrapping around the roots and halting their advance. The beast roared in frustration, yanking its roots free, but not before the mercury seeped into them.
"Second mark," Ophelia noted, her tone cold.
The beast's tactics shifted. It stopped relying solely on brute force and began using feints, sending roots in one direction before striking from another. One particularly cunning attack involved collapsing a section of the ceiling, forcing Ophelia to dodge into a trap of roots waiting below. She narrowly escaped, her spear spinning around her neck as she used its momentum to deflect the roots and vault to safety.
But each time the beast adapted, Ophelia was already a step ahead.
She led it toward a towering bookshelf, its frame precariously damaged. The beast hesitated, sensing the trap, but Ophelia feigned an opening, allowing it to pounce forward. As expected, the beast's attack triggered a collapse, burying it under a mountain of books and debris.
The creature roared in fury, bursting free from the pile, but not before Ophelia's mercury seeped into its exposed wounds. "Third mark," she murmured, her spear twirling as she prepared for the next phase.
The beast, now enraged and desperate, unleashed its full power. Roots twisted together to form massive limbs, which it used to swipe at Ophelia with incredible speed. The floor cracked and splintered under the force of its attacks, and the room seemed on the verge of collapse. Ophelia remained calm, her movements precise as she dodged and countered, her spear a blur of silver light.
As the beast lunged for a final, decisive blow, Ophelia sprang her the trap she had set the entire fight. The mercury she had been embedding throughout the fight converged, forming a web of liquid metal that encased the beast's limbs.
The beast's thrashing slowed against its casing, its massive form somewhat contained by the web of mercury that bound it. Ophelia didn't hesitate in her next attack, dashing forward and cocking back her spear with all her might, wanting to end this fight with one single slice. A decapitation of the beast's head.
But then, the air grew heavy. A dark purple mist began to seep from the beast's body, curling and spreading like smoke. The mercury web quivered, and the creature's pale, glowing eyes darkened, consumed by a swirling violet hue. The mist grew thicker, coiling around the beast's limbs and leaking from its wounds.
Ophelia's eyes narrowed. She tightened her grip on her spear and using the remaining mercury along the beast's body, she pushed herself backward, away from the beast. Soon, her mercury web began to crack, the liquid metal splintering as the beast's body surged with newfound energy.
Without warning, the creature let out a deafening roar, and the mist exploded outward, shattering the mercury into thousands of droplets. The force of the blast sent bookshelves tumbling and cracks spiderwebbing across the obsidian floor.
The beast then lunged at her. It moved with blinding speed, its massive jaws snapping open as it barreled toward her. Ophelia barely had time to react. She spun her spear upward, bracing it horizontally just in time to catch the beast's jaws. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air.
The beast bore down on her, its fangs grinding against the spear, its eyes burning with malice. Ophelia dug her heels into the ground, her muscles straining as she held the spear steady. The floor beneath her feet cracked and gave way, and both she and the beast plummeted through the labyrinth's lower levels.
They crashed through layers of stone and ancient architecture, the ruins shattering under their combined weight. Each impact jarred her body, but she held firm, refusing to let the beast gain an advantage. The air whipped around them as they fell, debris trailing like a comet's tail.
The fight raged mid-fall. The beast swiped at her with its claws, forcing her to twist her body to avoid being gutted. She countered by driving the spear into its shoulder, the liquid mercury at its tip spreading to slow its movements. The beast howled and thrashed, shaking free of the metal and retaliating with a burst of roots from its back.
The roots lashed toward her like barbed whips. Ophelia vaulted off a nearby fragment of falling stone, twisting her body in midair to avoid the attack. She flipped over the beast, landing briefly on its back before thrusting her spear downward. The weapon pierced its hide, but the creature twisted violently, throwing her off.
They broke through the final layer of stone, and dim sunlight filtered through a haze of snow, spilling into the collapsing ruins. The two shot out into the open air, crashing into the main courtyard of the bandit base. Dust and rubble erupted around them as they skidded to a halt, their bodies carving deep gouges into the ground.
Ophelia rolled to her feet, her spear spinning into a defensive position. The beast rose as well, its body now shrouded in the dark mist. Its hunched frame loomed over her, and its glowing purple eyes radiated an ominous light.
To her left, Edwin sat cross-legged on the ground, and beside him, lying motionless was the bandit king.
"As I thought… you would be the winner," She muttered before glancing back at the main task at hand.
The Gorgus Maximus whose form seemed to absorb the dark purple mist.