The oppressive, burning heat of Patala Loka was starting to wear thin on Ananya's patience. With the clock aggressively running down, her Finder Skill was pulsing wildly, but the path ahead was still empty.
"Ugh! We don't have time for this!" Ananya roared, her temper completely flaring up.
In a fit of pure frustration and desperate rage for her dying husband, she violently kicked the hard cavern floor.
BOOM!
The ground beneath them shattered. The violent impact cracked open an ancient, sealed subterranean trench, and the entire cavern began to violently rumble. From the smoking depths, a colossal, terrifying Hell Snake erupted into the open air. The massive beast hissed, its scales shimmering with magma, and it instantly unleashed a torrent of scorching hellfire from its jaws.
Ananya leaped backward, her eyes narrowing as she braced against the heat. "What on earth is this thing?!"
Sara scanned the glowing, venomous liquid dripping from the serpent's fangs, her eyes widening in realization. "Ananya! This is a wild cosmic monster of the deep underworld! Look at its venom... that means the Bhuta Hala poison is literally flowing inside this snake's body!"
Ananya's face instantly shifted from frustration to a cold, deadly serious smirk. "So all I have to do is butcher it? Sara, can we kill this thing?"
"Yes! If we crush its core, we can extract the poison!" Sara yelled over the roaring flames.
Without waiting another second, Ananya stepped directly into the vanguard position. She stood as immovable as a mountain rock, her clothing whipping wildly in the fiery updraft. The Hell Snake, insulted by her defiance, opened its massive jaws and unleashed a colossal stream of concentrated fire straight at her.
Ananya didn't even try to dodge. Activating her core energy, she charged forward, her fist glowing with kinetic pressure, and landed a devastating, heavy punch right on top of the snake's massive head!
CRACK!
The shockwave echoed through the cavern, but the wild hell monster was incredibly durable. It wasn't defeated yet. Hissing in absolute fury, the snake whipped its tail and began rapidly firing a barrage of massive, high-density fireballs directly at her.
Proving exactly why she is the wife of the Sovereign, Ananya didn't flinch. Moving with terrifying martial precision, she began smashing the incoming fireballs out of the air using nothing but her bare hands! Exploding embers rained down around her as she deflected every single strike.
Realizing its ground attacks were failing, the Hell Snake roared, channeling its ultimate cosmic magic. The ceiling of the cavern turned blood-red, and a devastating Fire Rain began to plummet from the sky like falling meteors.
"You think you're the only one who can control elements?" Ananya sneered.
With a rapid hand gesture, she manifested her glowing Water Symbol. Instantly, a massive, swirling torrent of high-pressure aquatic energy enveloped her entire body. With a fierce shout, she shot a colossal Water Blast straight into the sky, the freezing torrent completely neutralizing and extinguishing the falling fire rain in a cloud of massive steam.
Taking advantage of the blinding mist, the giant snake lunged forward at blinding speed, opening its jaws wide to swallow Ananya alive. But Ananya's reflexes were on a completely different level. She effortlessly sidestepped the massive fangs, escaping the trap.
Floating above the monster, Ananya's eyes flashed with an ancient, absolute authority. She manifested her ultimate Power Symbol, channeling every ounce of her offensive physical output into a single point.
She dropped down right in front of the beast and gently tapped the snake's snout with just one single finger.
FWOOM!!!
The sheer, concentrated kinetic density of that single-finger strike was so immense that it sent a massive shockwave running through the snake's entire spine. The colossal Hell Snake instantly collapsed onto the hard ground, completely paralyzed and defeated.
Ananya walked up to its face, her hand glowing as she prepared to safely extract the Bhuta Hala poison from its throat.
Suddenly, the giant snake opened its eyes, looking at her not with anger, but with absolute respect. To her surprise, the monster began to speak in a raspy, ancient underworld tongue. "Why... why did you not kill me, powerful warrior? You had the strength to erase my existence."
Ananya adjusted her tunic, looking down at it calmly. "I only want your Bhuta Hala poison to save my husband, Rudra. I have no interest in taking your life for no reason."
The Hell Snake's eyes lit up with profound loyalty. A warrior this strong and merciful was a master worthy of serving. "A woman of such divine strength... I do not wish to remain in this dark trench anymore. I want to come with you and serve your cause."
Ananya blinked, surprised, but then smiled faintly. "Fine by me. Let's go."
SHING!
In a flash of blinding spiritual light, the massive, fire-breathing Hell Snake began to shrink rapidly, its dark, magma-veined body reshaping itself. Within seconds, it flew onto Ananya's wrist, perfectly transforming into a stunning, heavily detailed Obsidian Bangle.
Ananya looked at her new bangle, feeling the potent Bhuta Hala poison resting safely within it. "Team 2 mission accomplished. Let's move