As Zami walked through the corridor, his voice broke the tense silence.
"I don't know what's worse—the skeleton-headed beasts or this cursed temple."
Kiyo, trailing close behind, clutched the back of his cloak, her eyes darting nervously at the oppressive stone walls. The descent felt endless, the air growing colder and heavier with each step.
Suddenly, Zami stopped. His nose flared as a familiar, putrid stench reached him. His voice dropped to a grim murmur.
"The smell of death..."
The descent ended abruptly, revealing an enormous chamber. Zami's silver eyes scanned the room, narrowing as he took in the grotesque sight. Massive, damaged stone pillars rose into the darkness above, barely holding the structure together. A grotesque throne made of mangled human bodies sat at the far end, exuding an aura of malice. But the centerpiece of the room was far worse—a mountain of corpses, nearly ten meters tall, some still clad in decaying armor and tattered clothing.
At the top of the pile, a menacing figure loomed.
It was a grotesque blend of human and insect, its reddish-orange, chitinous body glinting in the dim light. Its segmented limbs moved with unnerving precision, while thin, pale appendages extended outward from its back like a grotesque spider's web. Its gaunt, angular face bore sharp mandibles and skeletal features, and its bluish-green lower legs clicked menacingly as it shifted its stance.
Zami tightened his grip on his katana, his body tense and ready. It didn't speak. It didn't need to. The air in the chamber grew heavier as Zami felt the creature's immense aura, unlike anything he had encountered in the temple so far.
"It's strong," Zami muttered, his voice low. "Stronger than anything else here."
The creature didn't wait. It leaped from the mountain of corpses with incredible speed, faster than Zami could anticipate. He sidestepped just in time, the creature's clawed limbs slicing through the air, leaving deep gouges in the stone floor.
Its movements were precise, calculated, and relentless. It used all its limbs at once, slashing and thrusting with a speed that left afterimages. The force of its attacks created air cuts that whipped through the chamber, carving into the walls and pillars.
Zami countered with *Wild Cat Flow,* using its momentum against it to try to unbalance the beast. But it adapted instantly, regaining balance mid-air and retaliating with a spinning slash from its back limbs. Zami barely managed to parry, sliding back from the sheer force.
The creature pressed its advantage, using its long limbs to strike from unexpected angles. Zami attempted *Multi Kick,* launching a flurry of kicks to push it back, but the creature evaded with unnatural grace, using the damaged pillars as footholds to maneuver around him.
Zami stumbled slightly on the uneven ground, and the creature didn't hesitate. It lunged, its sharp limbs descending like guillotine blades. Zami rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow, but the creature's mandibles snapped at him, forcing him to retreat further.
"This thing... it's faster than me," Zami thought, his breathing steady despite the intensity of the battle. His silver eyes remained locked on the creature, analyzing its every movement. "It has no weak points. Its exoskeleton is impenetrable. And it's using the surroundings better than I can."
The creature lunged again, slashing with all its limbs. Zami countered with *Blade Bind,* locking its claws with his katana to immobilize it momentarily. But the creature's pale appendages shot forward from its back, forcing Zami to release his bind and leap back.
He activated *Adrenaline Surge,* his muscles surging with power, and dashed toward the creature, aiming for its vulnerable joints. His katana struck with precision, but the creature twisted its body unnaturally, avoiding the blow and retaliating with a tail swipe that sent Zami sliding across the floor.
Zami steadied himself, wiping blood from his lip.
"This thing fights like a warrior," he muttered. "It's not just brute strength. It's trained."
The creature tilted its head, as if mocking him, before leaping to the ceiling and launching itself toward him at blinding speed. Zami raised his katana, his mind racing.
He couldn't afford to falter. This was the strongest foe he had faced in this temple—and perhaps one of the most dangerous he had ever encountered.