"The energy might not be stable, but this is an emergency."
Zenis, his eyes locked on the birds circling above, handed the reins to Rosaline. "Hold these for a second."
"What are you planning?" Rosaline asked, taking the leather straps.
"Those birds—they're covered in pollen, aren't they? I'm bringing them down," Zenis replied. "We might not be able to stop the Dungeon Break, but we can damn well weaken the boss before it fully awakens. [Skill: Knight of the Bowmaster]."
A nearly translucent longbow manifested in his grip. As he drew the string, a phantom arrow ignited with white flames, flickering with tints of crimson and violet. With a sharp clench of his fist, the single arrow split into four. He aimed at the glowing white specks in the sky and released.
The arrows tore through the air like miniature comets, seeking out the birds like heat-seeking missiles. They were incinerated in mid-air by the tri-colored flames, tumbling from the sky in charcoal heaps. Zenis maintained a relentless barrage while Rosaline skillfully guided the spectral steed forward.
By the time the last bird fell, the gargantuan flower loomed before them, its size growing more imposing with every gallop.
"Ready?" Zenis asked, taking the reins back.
"Do we have a choice?" Rosaline countered. Suddenly, the ground groaned and buckled beneath them, sending a jolt of adrenaline through both hunters. "Look out!"
The earth gave way into a massive sinkhole. Zenis yanked the reins, forcing the horse to leap desperately across the widening chasm.
"The roots underneath are moving!" Rosaline shouted.
"I see them! Hold on tight!" Zenis tightened his grip, spurred the horse through the collapsing cityscape. The spectral steed galloped at breakneck speed, racing against the crumbling asphalt.
"Shit—!" Zenis roared as a sudden tremor swallowed the ground beneath them. They plummeted into a dark void, falling through the open air. His instincts kicked into overdrive.
"Screw it! [Skill: Knight of the Dragon Warrior!]"
The spectral horse erupted in a blinding radiance, its form twisting and expanding until a spectral dragon took its place. It spread its wings and surged upward, clawing back into the sky.
"…Zenis," Rosaline called out, her voice laced with concern. She knew the Knight of the Dragon Warrior skill drained him far more than his other summons.
"Situational necessity," he grunted, looking down at the city collapsing below.
Buildings were sliding into the abyss, sparks and fire erupting from ruptured gas lines and falling debris. "Looks like the boss changed its plan."
"It's already achieved its primary objective," Rosaline noted grimly. "Now it's just a matter of what kind of 'Boss' wakes up."
"Tch... what a mess. Nothing is going according to plan. Not a single thing," Zenis complained. "I hate being played like this."
As they flew closer, the giant flower revealed its towering yellow stamen, surrounded by various birds desperate to coat themselves in the sticky nectar to facilitate pollination. Zenis drew his bow again, picking off the flocks while carefully avoiding the central stigma.
The massive petals unfurled, crushing surrounding buildings under their weight. As the layers of petals peeled back, they revealed a glowing Ovary pulsating deep within the floral structure.
Zenis circled the dragon, searching for an entry point. Rosaline pulled out her phone and dialed Ivan once more. "Graham, give me intel. How do we get inside?"
[Uh... one moment!] Ivan sounded frantic. After three minutes of agonizing silence, he returned. [There's a way, but it's a massive risk, Ms. Hermit.]
"I'm listening," Rosaline said, her voice tight.
[Based on the analysis and my database of Earth flora... the fastest way in is through the Pollen Tube. Once the pollen from both sexes mingles, this tube forms to deliver the male gametes directly to the Ovules.]
"The Ovules?" Rosaline repeated.
[Think of it like human ovulation,] Ivan simplified. [I believe the entrance to the tube is right at the tip of the stigma.]
"Any other way?"
[You'd have to pierce the walls of the ovary directly, but they're incredibly thick. It would take far longer than the first method. The tube is the fastest way, even if it's dangerous.]
"The mucus... how long does it take to digest a person?" Rosaline asked, calculating the window.
[...Several hours.]
"Thanks. That's all I needed." Rosaline turned to Zenis, who had already spotted the tube—a small opening protruding slightly above the stigma, just large enough for two people.
After sending a quick photo to Ivan for confirmation, Rosaline nodded to Zenis. Without a second thought, she leaped from the dragon into the tube. Zenis followed immediately.
Inside, the tube was a slick, mucus-filled tunnel lined with stray pollen grains. The moment Rosaline touched the walls, flowers began to sprout on her skin, only to be instantly incinerated by the power of Aethernum. They fell for what felt like thirty stories before splashing into a pool of thick nectar.
'Gross!' Rosaline opened her eyes, only to be met with a horrifying sight. They were inside the ovary, surrounded by countless ovules clinging to the walls like pods.
SCREECH! Embryonic larvae, already fertilized, drifted in the nectar with them. They had floral heads but bodies resembling human infants. They lunged at Rosaline instantly.
Zenis's spectral blade flashed through the viscous fluid, cleaving a larva in two before it could reach her.
Without wasting words, Zenis began hacking at the translucent, off-white wall of the ovule that trapped them. No matter how much power he put into the spectral blade, the wall wouldn't break.
Rosaline slammed the butt of her staff into the wall, but it didn't budge. Despite their hunter status, they had limited time before their oxygen ran out in the fluid.
Zenis pulled out a small emergency oxygen tank, took a breath, and tried to pass the mask to Rosaline. She shook her head, gesturing that she was fine. Though he looked confused, he didn't press her. Thanks to Aethernum, she could stay submerged all day—the environment had no effect on her.
She watched Zenis desperately strike the wall, air bubbles escaping his mouth with every exertion.
'Dammit! He's going to drown at this rate!' she cursed inwardly.
Rosaline slammed the tip of her staff against the wall with everything she had, calling out in her mind: Aethernum!
Her eyes flashed a predatory red for a split second as black smoke coalesced around the staff's tip.
KABOOM! The ovule wall exploded. Rosaline plummeted first, landing face-down on the hard floor below. A second later, Zenis crashed right on top of her with a heavy "Oof!", followed by a flood of translucent mucus.
"Get off!" Rosaline hissed. Zenis scrambled up and quickly helped her to her feet.
As they regained their balance, they realized they were in a massive, hollow chamber—the inner womb of the flower. Ovules lined the high walls, but this was clearly only one section of a much larger complex.
"How are just the two of us supposed to take all of this down?" Rosaline wondered aloud. "We can't wait for Regen... even if he took a chopper from the Association headquarters right now, it would take twenty to thirty minutes."
"…I don't know how many times I can use a healing skill on myself," Zenis admitted. He knew his former partner couldn't use basic support skills. "But we've come this far. We fight. Let's start by destroying these ovules."
Rosaline nodded. "Leave that part to me."