Tutorial II (3)
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The cave lit up like a furnace the moment the Three-Tailed Fox roared again.
“KRRRAAAHHHH!!”
Magma surged violently beneath its perch, bubbling and hissing like a beast ready to consume all.
The fox arched its back, and with a fluid, predatory grace, it sprang from one rock pillar to another, tails blazing like molten whips behind it.
The stone it left behind cracked and crumbled, breaking apart as if frightened by its departure, then sank into the glowing pool with a hiss—SSSSHHHHK!
“Archers and mage, focus fire!” Lucas bellowed, already surging forward like a true soldier.
One of the fox’s tails flared up—fireball igniting at the tip with a loud, snapping CRACK.
It pulsed, then launched with searing intensity—
WHOOSH—BOOOOM!
The explosion slammed into the cave wall behind us, scorching it black and sending shards of rock raining down like daggers.
“That’s one! Stay sharp!” Boris roared, repositioning with the finesse of a battle-hardened fighter.
From the molten edges near the frontlines, magma churned and erupted—three new monsters emerged: two Lesser Salamanders, claws scraping the stone with ember trails, and one Magma Snake, its obsidian-scaled body steaming violently in the cooler air.
Luke braced himself—
CLANG!
—a salamander’s claw collided with his shield like a hammer. Sparks burst from the impact.
Boris darted in from the right, moving like a lion unleashed.
SWOOSH! SLASH!
He cleaved through one salamander’s neck.
The creature shrieked, molten blood spraying, but still it moved—
“Damned thing!” Boris cursed, going for another strike.
I didn’t wait.
A Magma Snake hissed and lunged at me—fangs glowing with intense heat.
SHING—SLASH!
With one clean, horizontal sweep of my longsword, I bisected the creature mid-air.
It shrieked—
SSSZZZHHKK!!
—and its halves dissolved into steam as they hit the ground.
[You’ve slain a magma snake!]
Another salamander came at me, jaws open, molten drool dripping.
CLANG! CRACK!
I deflected its claw effortlessly, twisted my stance, and plunged my sword straight through its skull.
SPURRT!
My blade hissed as it seared through molten bone and exited the back of its head.
Its body spasmed, then collapsed in a smoking heap.
Behind us, the ranged trio opened fire.
TWHIP! THWIP! THWIP!
Chris fired his arrows rapidly, each shot precise, iron tips gleaming in the firelit gloom.
Tris stood tall, eyes locked, her fingers drawing slowly. Her enhanced arrow glowed blue—
SHIIIIINNN—
—and she loosed it. The air crackled.
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BOOOM!
It exploded mid-air, scattering magical shrapnel that grazed the fox’s leg.
“Nice shot!” Nina called, already forming another spell.
Mana swirled in her palms—FWOOM!—a ball of flame emerged and launched forward.
BZZZZZTT!!
Thunder magic followed—her fingers sparked, a fork of lightning ripped through the air like a whip.
CRACK—ZAAAP!!
The Three-Tailed Fox snarled in pain, its fur singed, then leapt once more, dodging most of the attacks with a growl of rage.
“There it goes—move!” Tris warned, stepping back.
WHOOSH!
Another tail flared.
BOOM!
A second fireball exploded near Boris—he barely raised his sword in time to shield himself.
“That’s two!” Lucas shouted.
A third fireball ignited.
WHOOSH! BOOM!
Chris ducked low—his hood caught fire at the edges.
“Damn it—” He slapped it out, teeth gritted. “I’m fine! Keep firing!”
The fox landed with a snarl and fired again.
WHOOSH! BOOM! BOOM!
Three more fireballs tore through the air—now seven in total.
One rocketed toward Nina.
“Move!” Luke shouted, diving to tackle her aside just as the explosion hit.
KABOOM!!
The blast rocked the entire chamber—dust and ash filled the air.
The ground cracked violently, pieces of stone jutting upward like broken teeth.
Tris was thrown back, rolling and scrambling to her feet.
I remained still. Calm.
Another salamander came at me—its tongue hissed with fire.
SSSHHH!
I stepped aside.
SHING—CLANG—SLASH!
My blade cut clean through it, again and again.
Steam rose from my surroundings.
Their bodies fell, and yet my heart was steady.
They were dying.
One by one.
And none of them saw it coming.
“Damn it!” Nina cried, pulling herself up.
Her mana flickered low.
She extended one more spell—Flame Javelin.
FWWWWOOSH—STAB!
It pierced the fox’s shoulder.
Blood splashed.
"Grrrr....!"
A high-pitched growl rang out as it staggered.
My fingers flexed around my sword.
The scent of charred fur, burnt stone, and blood filled the air.
More salamanders poured out from the lava’s edge—magma hissing, glowing cracks spiderwebbing along their backs—but I met them with a flurry of steel and cold fury.
SLASH! SLASH! CRACK! SPLAT!
Their molten bodies didn’t even slow me down.
My blade moved like lightning.
No hesitation. No mercy.
It sang through the air, carving arcs of blood and fire.
Each strike cleaved through molten scales, severing limbs, bursting cores of burning fluid.
They hit the ground in pieces—bodies twitching before melting into puddles.
The ground rumbled beneath my boots.
Stone pillars trembled and spat glowing dust into the air as the Three-Tailed Fox launched itself once more, soaring from one rock column to the next with terrifying grace.
Its bodies shimmered with embers, and those tails—each alight with rolling flame—left trails like comets across the smoky cavern sky.
From my position near the frontlines, I watched it, calmly, calculating.
Another fireball flared at the tip of its tail.
WHOOOSH—BOOM!!
The blast shook the cave.
Ash and burning shards scattered in every direction.
'Just a bit more!'
I thought.
Behind me, Luke raised his shield just in time, bracing against the shockwave with a grunt.
The force skidded his boots back against the stone.
Boris stood at my side, his blade drawn, breathing heavily.
From behind, Tris and Chris launched arrow after arrow, while Nina continued weaving spells, her face glistening with sweat.
“Keep firing!” I shouted, adding edge to my voice, pretending urgency, urgency I didn’t feel.
THWIP! THWIP!
Arrows sliced through the heated air.
One glowing blue—Tris’s handiwork—struck near the fox’s hind leg.
BOOOOM!
The beast stumbled mid-leap, yowling in pain, its claws scrabbling against crumbling stone.
Nina didn’t miss her chance.
ZAAAP!!
A fork of lightning screamed through the air, crackling across the fox’s shoulder, burning fur and flesh alike.
The fox howled again, enraged—but slower now.
That’s right… tire it out.
Burn through your tricks.
Make them think they're winning.
BOOOOOM!!
It slammed into the side wall, detonating stone.
Tris and Chris ducked, debris raining down like meteors.
The fox landed—awkwardly—its tail scorched, blood seeping from its flank.
It was panting now, claws slipping on the pillar.
Bleeding. Trembling.
Perfect.
Luke shouted, his voice sharp and hopeful. “We’ve almost got it!”
I nodded slowly. A small smile pulled at the corner of my mouth.
“…Almost.”
I looked over my shoulder.
Nina stood behind me, fingers still glowing faintly as she prepared another spell.
Her face was pale, drained, but her eyes still carried that trust.
That faith.
And that was her final mistake.
I moved towards her quickly and—
SHIKK!!
The tip of my sword drove through her gut.
Deep.
Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened, lips trembling. “W… why…?”
“You were useful,” I whispered, ice in my tone.
And then I twisted the blade.
"Aagh!!"
She screamed—sharp and raw—then dropped like a rag doll, her blood splattering across the stone.
Luke turned at the sound, eyes wide, disbelief etched in every line of his face.
“What the hell!?”
He locked eyes with me, fury igniting behind them.
“You bastard!”
I met his glare with a calm grin. “I think you should look ahead.”
He didn’t followed my advice.
“You’re a deadbeat, you bastard!”
I shrugged, voice mockingly amused at situation.
“Is it so?”
He opened his mouth. “Just wai—”
But he couldn’t finish.
From the maga, the sound of scales slithering and claws scraping echoed ominously across the stone bridge.
WHOOSH! FWOOM!!
Salamanders and magma snakes burst forward in a frenzy.
They slammed into him like a wave of fire and fang.
“LUKE!” Chris screamed—but it was too late.
Flames erupted.
Luke’s screams filled the cave, agonized and raw, as fire devoured his armor and flesh.
His silhouette twisted in the blaze, then collapsed into the magma.
I turned, slowly, toward Tris.
She had drawn an arrow—an enhanced one, glowing like lightning trapped in crystal.
"Hey, come on. I warned him to look ahead. He didn’t listen."
I raised both hands in a mock apology.
Her hands trembled, her aim steady despite the tears threatening to fall.
But then—
Two salamanders burst from the front, hissing, molten tongues lashing.
She turned to meet them, loosed the arrow—
BOOOM!
It struck the first, disintegrating it in a flash.
The second closed in, jaws wide—
And I moved.
SLASH!
My blade flashed across her throat. One clean cut.
Blood sprayed. Her body dropped beside the glowing bow, eyes still open, stunned.
Chris’s voice broke. “TRIS!!”
He loosed an arrow in blind rage—
TWHIP!!
It grazed my cheek, slicing the skin. A sharp sting.
I reached up, wiped the blood, and watched the wound knit shut instantly, my flesh glowing faintly red.
Ironblood Regeneration.
Chris’s eyes widened in horror. “No… no…”
He turned, trying to flee.
Pathetic.
I grabbed my sword by the hilt and hurled it like a javelin.
THUNK!!
The blade buried deep into his back, splitting through bone.
He hit the ground hard, twitching once, then lay still.
Only Boris remained.
He roared, his voice hoarse. “You traitorous filth!!”
He charged, blade raised high, eyes full of vengeance.
I stepped into his swing, caught his wrist, twisted—
CRACK!
His scream echoed as his bones snapped. I yanked him forward—
WHOOSH—BOOM!!
The fox, half-dead, released one more fireball. Desperate.
It exploded against us.
I put Boris ahead of me.
His body shielded me from the worst.
Flames swallowed him whole.
His armor melted.
Flesh charred.
He didn’t even scream. Just gurgled.
The heat licked at my side—my skin bubbled, split.
But—
Hsssssshhh…
The wounds closed.
Steam hissed from my body as I stood.
Healed. Whole. Untouched.
“Thanks,” I muttered, dropping his smoldering corpse like dead weight.
I turned toward the fallen bow—Tris’s last weapon.
It still pulsed with magic.
I bent down, picked it up. Drew an arrow. One of the glowing, enhanced ones.
Across the chasm, the fox watched me.
Bloodied. Burnt. Breathing hard.
Its eyes met mine—wild with fear. Fury. Hopelessness.
I smiled.
“Now it’s just you and me.”
I pulled the string.
Silence reigned for a heartbeat.
