The never-ending corridor of the ruin was dark and broken, even though light had found its way after a long time; its effect was not as good as the team wanted.


    I looked at the group of people walking at the front; fortunately, no one was injured from the previous fight.


    "Hey, Anny I was wondering why we have not brought any supplies for this exploration."


    Asher had been walking for quite some time now, but it had been bothering him why no one had asked about rations or other important equipment needed for their long stay.


    Anny looked back at Asher; with a smile, she answered. "Liber and Kena both have storage bracelets."


    Asher looked at the people Anny named and noticed a small handy bracelet on their hands.


    ''Of course they would have it.''


    Asher cursed inside at his own forgetfulness.


    "Thanks, I didn''t notice."


    The ruins seemed determined to confound them, the corridor twisting and turning in a labyrinthine dance that always seemed to lead them back to the same general direction. "We haven''t found any treasures yet," Sofia grumbled, her frustration palpable.


    Liber, his gaze fixed ahead, offered a pragmatic response. "Our first priority is to clear all monsters from here," he stated, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Treasures will come later."


    ''There is no struggle yet, all the fights that had happened since we came had been quite nice.''


    Whenever a fight broke out with monsters, Gian and Seth would act as their shield. Sam and Liber will rush to deal with the enemy. Me and Sofia will provide support along with Kena. Anny who doesn''t fight will heal the injured.


    ''This is a pretty good team. Maybe we can even fight an Avenger rank threat and win.


    Asher was quite optimistic with the enemy he has faced till now. He was confident that a rank 2 was maybe not that much of a threat after all.


    With a face full of confidence, Asher felt content.


    Thump Thump


    Heavy sound came from the ground, the passage has gotten a lot narrower by the time reached one of the corridors.


    "Get ready". Seth voice pulled Ash, out of his thoughts as he looked at the exit of the passage.


    Asher''s eyes followed Seth''s gaze, focusing on the chamber''s entrance.


    A pack of skull beasts emerged from the darkness, their skeletal frames moving with an unnerving, jerky gait. Their rib cages were exposed, their thin bodies exuding an aura of decay. Black haze emanated from their backs, and their claws, tipped with darkness, gleamed menacingly.


    Kena, positioned in the center of the group, visibly trembled, the memory of their previous encounter with these creatures still fresh in his mind. "There are four of them," Seth murmured, his eyes scanning the beasts. "Liber and I can take one each and keep another busy, if needed." He glanced back at the team. "You all will need to engage as well."


    Liber, his expression grim, echoed Seth''s sentiment.


    "I''ll try to assist, but I can''t guarantee anything," Seth added, his knuckles whitening as he tightened his grip on his sword.


    The room reeked of decay, a cloying mix of rotting flesh and something acrid, like burnt hair. The air hung heavy, thick with the stench of death.


    Asher, who had already taken out his dagger, was also ready for the fight. ''A gun will not work anymore from here.''


    Looking at the black dagger he had newly purchased, Asher hoped it would work on the beast made of bones.


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    Liber and Seth gave each other a glance and rushed forward, not wanting to waste even a moment.


    They both had decided to fight three of them together while the other would swiftly deal with the last one.


    Asher, who saw them take off, didn''t complain at this choice either.


    "Let''s go."


    With a loud shriek, the monster of bones rushed at them, their hand full of darkness.


    Gian lunged, aiming to grapple the charging beast, but the creature lashed out with surprising force, its claw connecting with Gian''s chest and sending him crashing backward.


    ''tch'' The beast didn''t wait; it raised its claw as it got closer to Asher, its jaw wishing to bite away his life.


    ''Static'' momentarily freezing the beast in mid-air. Taking advantage of the brief pause, Ash twisted his body and landed a sharp kick to the beast''s flank, sending it careening off course


    The effect of static soon wore off as well, making the beast fall to the side, unable to maintain its own weight.


    "What are you all doing? Fight, dammit!!"


    Asher shouted as he looked at others; Gian, who had fallen, stood up as soon as he could. Transforming into his metallic look, instead of charging, he turned his shield state as well, giving it a grayish look.


    The skull beasts moved with a disturbing, jerky speed, their skeletal limbs flailing in unpredictable directions. Their thin frames and exposed ribs made it difficult to find a solid point of impact for a blow.


    The beast lunged at Kena, who was still dazed and frightened. Gian, who had come forward, used his shield to block the massive hit, making Kena fall over.


    "Sofia, support us from behind." Sam shouted as he rushed toward the beast.


    Sofia, tucked behind a crumbling pillar with Anny, nocked an arrow to her bowstring. She drew back, her eyes fixed on the skull beast. A swirling vortex of wind materialized at the arrowhead


    The skull beast was enraged; its eyes glowed a dark crimson as it saw Gian blocking its way.


    Asher jumped towards the ceiling with his air step. Sam, meanwhile, gave a massive blow to the beast''s limbs, making it shake, and took a step back.


    Sofia, perched on a ledge overlooking the fray, rained arrows down on the beasts. One shaft, guided by her precise aim, found its mark, piercing the eye socket of a skull beast with a sickening crunch


    "Gotcha."


    Asher''s voice echoed through the narrow corridor as he plummeted from above, his dagger glinting in the dim light. With a fierce snarl, the skull beast barely had time to react before the weapon met its target—a precise strike to the creature''s skull.


    The impact was tremendous, the sound of bone cracking echoing through the air as the beast''s head split open, showering the ground with a sickening spray of black ooze.


    "No time to celebrate."


    Sofia shouted as she started firing at her next targets, the three beasts being held down by Seth and Liber.


    Liber had his sword ablaze with a fiery serpent, the flame dancing around the blade in a mesmerizing pattern. He had engaged the creature that looked like it had the potential to be the most agile, leaving no room for it to escape.


    The skull beast snarled and lunged, its claws swiping through the air, but Liber was one step ahead. Each swing of his sword was meticulously calculated, leaving a trail of fire in its wake that singed the creature''s brittle bones. The beast''s movements grew erratic, the heat searing through its dark aura.


    Seth, on the other hand, had summoned the earth to his aid. He had managed to trap one of the beasts in a quagmire of mud and rocks. The creature struggled and thrashed, but the more it moved, the more it was entangled in the sticky embrace of the earth.


    Seth watched it with a cold, determined gaze, his muscles bulging as he held the ground in place with his terrakinesis. He knew that keeping the beast immobilized was key to their victory.


    Shake! shake!


    The ground trembled with each of Seth''s heavy steps, as if threatening to give way. With a roar that echoed through the chamber, he plunged his sword into the skull of the trapped beast, the blade piercing bone and sinew.


    The beast screeched in pain and thrashed around, trying to break free from the serpents that were now wrapping themselves around it.


    Liber''s eyes narrowed in focus as he watched the creature''s movements. His blade, which had been steadily burning brighter with each successful hit, now seemed like a sun in the dim corridor.


    The serpents grew in number, their fiery forms slithering and coiling around the beast''s body, each one a little more intense than the last. The creature''s movements grew more frantic as the flames licked at its bones.


    Boom!


    A large combustion happened as the beast ignited under the fiery serpents of Liber.


    The smell of burning bones filled the corridor as the creature let out a final agonizing screech before collapsing to the ground, nothing but a pile of charred remains.


    The beast that was trapped under the pool of mud roared; his claw started glowing under the rocks.


    "What''s happening?!"


    Anny''s cry pierced the air as the ground beneath them gave way. With no time to react, the team plummeted into the darkness below, the floor of the corridor shattering like glass beneath their feet.


    "What!"


    Asher felt the wind rushing past him, the world spinning as he fell. The last thing he saw before the light was swallowed by shadows was the horrified look on Kena''s face.


    Then, with a splash, the team found themselves in damp water.


    The shock of the cold liquid brought them back to reality as they surfaced, spluttering and disoriented. The water was murky, obscuring their vision, but the faint glow from the tourch Liber ignited provided just enough light to navigate.


    As their eyes adjusted, they saw they were in a gigantic room supported by numerous pillars, each one tall and ancient, covered in moss and slime. The water was surprisingly warm, hinting at some form of underground spring beneath them.


    The remains of the last skull beast lay scattered around the edges of the pool, crushed by the fall. The sight was grisly, with bones shattered into a hundred pieces and the dark haze that had once been its aura dissipating into the water.


    The creature had been massive, much larger than the others they had encountered. It had clearly been the leader of the pack, and its death had left a palpable sense of relief among them.


    Coming out of the water, they looked above from where they fell.


    A hiss came from the darkness, making every hair on their bodies stand on end, and they shivered. Looking behind them, a giant serpent of purple scales emerged from the shadows.


    The creature''s eyes gleamed with malevolent intent, reflecting the dim light from the bracelets like two malevolent diamonds. It had to be at least fifty feet tall, its body a sinuous coil of muscle and scale that stretched out of sight into the cavernous room.


    ''This! what is that thing!'' Asher thoughts turned chaotic as he looked at the towering figure.


    The serpent opened its maw, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth and a forked tongue that danced in the air, tasting their fear. It was a monster that could easily swallow them whole without even blinking.


    The team stood there, frozen, unable to comprehend the sheer size of the beast.


    Then, with a sudden exhale, a thick, purple smoke billowed from the serpent''s mouth, enveloping the room in a dense fog. The smoke had a sweet, almost intoxicating scent that made their heads swim and their eyes water.


    The world around them grew fuzzy as the smoke filled their lungs and clouded their thoughts.