The sound came again.
From the pit.
Low.
Deep.
Alive.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Dust fell from the ceiling in soft streams as the ancient hall seemed to shift, like something long asleep had just opened its eyes.
The scarred man's expression changed.
Not fear.
But caution.
"…What did you do?" he asked, voice quieter now.
Ren didn't answer.
His eyes were locked on the pit.
Another sound rose from below.
This time—
Closer.
A scraping.
Like claws dragging slowly against stone.
Lira took a step back. "…Ren, I don't think we should stay here."
"Too late," he muttered.
The pit moved.
No—
Something inside it did.
A massive shape surged upward—
And then it exploded out of the darkness.
Stone shattered as a creature burst from the pit, its body long and twisted, covered in jagged plates that looked like broken armor fused to flesh. Its limbs were uneven, too many, bending at unnatural angles.
Its eyes—
Glowed.
Wild.
Hungry.
It let out a piercing screech.
The sound alone made Ren's chest tighten.
"…What the hell is that?" one of the adventurers whispered.
The scarred man didn't answer.
Because he already knew.
"…Back," he said sharply. "All of you—back!"
Too late.
The creature lunged.
It didn't go for Ren.
It went for them.
A blur of movement—
A scream—
One of the men barely raised his weapon before the creature slammed into him, sending both crashing across the stone floor.
"GET IT OFF—!"
The rest attacked instantly.
Steel clashed.
Sparks flew.
The creature moved like a nightmare—fast, erratic, impossible to predict. It twisted mid-attack, deflecting blows with its hardened body before striking back with brutal force.
Ren grabbed Lira's arm.
"Now."
They moved.
Not toward the exit.
Around the edge.
Staying low.
Staying quiet.
Behind them—
Chaos erupted.
"Watch its side!"
"Too fast—!"
"Don't let it—!"
A sickening crunch cut through the noise.
Ren didn't look back.
Don't hesitate.
The creature roared again, the sound echoing violently through the chamber.
The ground shook as it slammed one of the adventurers into a pillar, stone cracking under the impact.
The scarred man stepped in then.
Fast.
Precise.
His blade flashed—
And for the first time—
The creature recoiled.
"…So it can be hurt," Ren murmured.
Lira glanced at him. "Now is not the time to study it!"
"I'm not," he said.
But his eyes were sharp.
Watching.
Learning.
The man pressed the attack, his movements clean and efficient, striking at the creature's joints, its weak points.
But it wasn't enough.
The creature adapted.
It twisted violently, one of its limbs lashing out—
The second adventurer didn't dodge in time.
A scream.
Blood hit the ground.
Silence—
For a split second.
Then the fight exploded again.
"…We need to go," Lira whispered urgently.
Ren hesitated.
Just for a moment.
Because he saw it.
An opening.
The scarred man had the creature's attention.
Fully.
"…Wait," Ren said.
"What?!"
"If I land one hit—"
"Ren, no!"
But he was already moving.
Fast.
Low.
His core pulsed violently as he forced mana into motion again.
Pain followed instantly.
"Ghh—!"
But he didn't stop.
The creature roared as it clashed with the scarred man—
And Ren slipped in from the side.
Unnoticed.
Just like before.
"…One hit," he whispered.
Mana gathered in his hand—
Wild.
Burning.
Stronger than before.
Unstable.
But enough.
He stepped in—
And struck.
His hand slammed into the creature's side.
For a heartbeat—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The energy exploded.
The creature shrieked, its body jerking violently as cracks of light spread across its armored surface.
It turned.
Straight at Ren.
"…Oh."
Too late.
A massive limb slammed into him.
Ren's body flew across the chamber, crashing hard against the stone and rolling to a stop.
"REN!" Lira screamed.
The creature moved—
But the scarred man intercepted.
"Your fight's with me!" he snapped, blade flashing again.
Ren lay still.
Everything hurt.
His vision blurred.
"…Worth it…" he coughed.
Because the creature—
Was damaged.
Not dead.
But weaker.
Lira reached him, dropping to her knees. "You're insane!"
"…You noticed…" he murmured.
She grabbed him, pulling him up. "We're leaving. Now."
This time—
He didn't argue.
They ran.
Behind them—
The battle raged on.
Roars.
Clashing steel.
Crashing stone.
But they didn't stop.
Not until the sounds faded.
Not until the air changed.
Not until the darkness of the deeper tunnels swallowed them whole.
Ren finally collapsed again, breathing hard.
"…Did we lose them?" Lira asked.
Ren closed his eyes.
Listening.
Nothing.
"…For now," he said.
Lira exhaled deeply, sitting beside him.
"…We're actually alive."
Ren let out a weak laugh.
"…Yeah."
Then his expression shifted.
Serious.
"They won't forget this."
Lira nodded slowly.
"…Neither will we."
Ren looked at his hand.
At the faint, flickering glow.
Unstable.
Painful.
But growing.
"…Next time," he said quietly,
"I won't need luck."
Far behind them—
In the ruined hall—
The creature roared once more.
And the scarred man smiled.
"…Interesting," he murmured, blood dripping from his blade.
"Very interesting."