The air inside the cave felt heavy, as if it had absorbed the tension radiating from the impending battle. Ryan Jim's aura blazed around him, a defiant shimmer in the face of Erythros' overwhelming presence. The beast tilted his head, molten eyes narrowing in amusement.
"You're bold," Erythros said, his voice a rumbling growl. "But boldness without power is nothing but arrogance."
Ryan Jim clenched his fists, his aura flaring brighter. He lunged forward with incredible speed, his fists glowing with energy as he aimed for Erythros' chest. The first punch landed with a deafening impact, but the beast didn't even flinch.
Erythros smirked. "Is that all you've got?"
Before Ryan Jim could react, Erythros struck back. His fist collided with Ryan's side, the force sending him crashing into the cave wall. Rocks crumbled around him as Ryan groaned in pain, blood dripping from his mouth.
Ryan pushed himself up, his aura flickering but still present. He dashed toward Erythros again, landing a flurry of punches and kicks. Each strike was precise, calculated—but none of it seemed to matter. Erythros swatted him away as though he were an insect, his raw strength overpowering Ryan at every turn.
"You're fast," Erythros said mockingly, "but speed means nothing against strength."
Ryan Jim wiped the blood from his face, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I'm not done yet."
He charged again, his aura flaring brighter than before. This time, he aimed for Erythros' legs, hoping to destabilize him. He succeeded in making the beast stumble, but the momentary victory was short-lived.
Erythros growled in frustration and lashed out with a devastating kick. The force sent Ryan tumbling across the cave floor, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. He coughed violently, struggling to even move.
Dain, watching from the sidelines, muttered under his breath, "This is just his raw strength. Imagine if he actually used his aura…"
The words sent a chill through the group. If Erythros was this powerful without tapping into his full potential, what hope did they have?
Erythros loomed over Ryan Jim, his voice filled with disdain. "You're pathetic. I'll kill Dr. Moreau because I have a mission—to rid this world of its so-called geniuses. I've already dealt with Dr. Solis and Dr. Voss. Now, she's next."
Ryan, lying on the ground, coughed up more blood but forced himself to speak. "You're wrong... they're alive."
Erythros froze, his molten eyes narrowing.
Ryan Jim struggled to push himself up, his legs trembling under his weight. "As Sir Manav ordered, we won't leave without taking Dr. Moreau. He was right. We thought she was dead, but she's alive. And we're here to find her."
The mention of Manav's name made Erythros take an involuntary step back. His expression, once filled with arrogance, shifted into something unrecognizable—fear.
"Manav," Erythros whispered, his voice barely audible. "That immortal…"
Ryan Jim's bloodied face twisted into a faint smirk. "Yes. Manav."
The cave fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Erythros' molten eyes flickered, and something changed in his demeanor. His towering form seemed smaller, less invincible.
Erythros' mind raced as he stared at Ryan Jim. Memories long buried surged to the surface, and for the first time, the beast showed hesitation. Whatever he remembered, it was enough to shatter his confidence.
Without a word, Erythros turned and sprinted toward the cave entrance. The group watched in stunned silence as the beast leaped from the mountain, his form disappearing into the abyss below.
Ryan Jim stumbled forward, leaning against the cave wall for support. He winced in pain but managed to speak, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What… he killed himself… just by hearing our Sir Manav's name?"
The others stared at the spot where Erythros had stood, their expressions a mix of confusion and awe.
Karael was the first to speak. "That… that doesn't make sense. Why would a beast like him react that way?"
Liora, still clutching her side from earlier, muttered, "Manav. What kind of man power does our sir hold he didn't even fight once
Ryan Jim, his aura flickering faintly, straightened up as best as he could. "It doesn't matter now. What matters is that we can reach Dr. Moreau without him in our way."
He turned to face the others, his determination unshaken despite his injuries. "Let's move. We've wasted enough time."
As the group gathered themselves, one thought lingered in all their minds. Whatever Manav had done in the past, whatever legacy he carried, it was enough to terrify even a creature as powerful as Erythros.
The chapter ended with the group pressing onward, their path now clear but their questions multiplying. What had Erythros remembered? And what kind of man was Manav to wield such influence over the minds of monsters?