The heavy iron doors to the boss chamber creaked open with an otherworldly groan, releasing a wave of scorching air that made Avince's skin prickle. Beyond lay a cavernous space that stretched into darkness, its boundaries barely visible in the ominous glow of molten rock that flowed through cracks in the obsidian walls. Rivers of magma crisscrossed the chamber floor like veins of liquid fire, casting writhing shadows that danced across the ceiling.

The air was thick and oppressive, carrying an almost tangible weight that seemed to press down on Avince's chest with each breath. The young man found himself drawing closer to his father, his steps hesitant as an overwhelming presence bore down upon them—something far more powerful than any creature they had encountered in the dungeon thus far.

Smeech, their faithful slime companion, slithered eagerly ahead of them, its translucent body reflecting the orange glow of the chamber. The creature had proved invaluable throughout this dungeon, effortlessly neutralizing the living armors with little effort. But before it could venture further, Erwin raised his hand.

"Smeech," he called softly, his voice carrying an authority that needed no volume to command attention. The slime paused mid-motion, its body rippling with what could only be described as disappointment. It let out a dejected gurgle before dissolving into a puddle of crystal-clear water and flowing back toward them, reforming at Erwin's feet.

"You're calling Smeech back?" Avince asked, unable to hide his surprise. He wiped beads of sweat from his forehead, the chamber's heat already becoming uncomfortable. "Why? It's been the perfect counter to everything we've faced so far. These fire based armors don't stand a chance against him."

Erwin's response came with a knowing smile, the kind that always made Avince feel like he was missing something obvious. "True enough. Smeech would be an ideal counter... if our goal was to kill the King." He paused, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But remember, I'm not here to destroy it. I'm here to tame it."

Before Avince could voice his confusion, his father closed his eyes in concentration. A familiar shimmer of mana surrounded him as he accessed his monster space. A burst of crimson light materialized before them, coalescing into a small salamander with scales the color of sunset. About the size of a housecat, the creature stretched lazily before curling its tail around itself, looking utterly unfazed by the suffocating heat.

"Lizzy?" Avince blurted out in disbelief. "You brought out Lizzy? But she's just—" He caught himself, remembering all the time when his mother and his sister would leave their home feeling like an icebox whenever they instinctively used their ability. Lizzy had always been there, curled up in the living room, providing much-needed warmth. "I thought she was just our house heater!"

Erwin's laugh echoed through the chamber, genuine amusement dancing in his eyes. "Oh, Lizzy is much more than a simple house heater. You've only seen her at her most docile." He reached down to scratch under the salamander's chin, earning a pleased chirp. "She's been holding back. Significantly."

A low rumble interrupted their conversation, the sound reverberating through the chamber like distant thunder. The magma streams pulsed brighter, and at the far end of the room, a figure emerged from the shadows. The King Living Armor revealed itself, each step it took leaving ghostly trails of flame in its wake.

Avince's initial reaction was confusion. The King wasn't particularly large—in fact, its armor was smaller than the Elite Living Armors they had fought on their way here. But as he studied it more closely, he began to understand why this creature commanded such respect. Intricate runes were carved into every inch of its armor, each one glowing with inner fire. A crown of pure golden flame hovered above its helm, and the very air around it seemed to bend and distort from its power.

The pressure in the room intensified tenfold, and Avince found himself struggling to breathe. His instincts screamed at him to run, to get as far away from this creature as possible. Every fiber of his being recognized the presence of a predator far above his level.

"That's the difference between C and B tiers, Avince," Erwin explained, his calm voice anchoring his son against the tide of panic. "The threshold between them is vast, and this one sits at high B-tier. What you're feeling now—that's natural. It's your body recognizing a superior enemy."

The King's hollow eyes flared to life, twin orbs of crimson that blazed like captured stars. Heat radiated outward in visible waves as its entire form began to glow white-hot. Flames erupted from every joint in its armor, transforming the being into a walking inferno that put the chamber's ambient heat to shame.

Avince stumbled back, the intensity of the heat making his eyes water. The air around the King had become so hot it distorted like a mirage, and he could feel his skin beginning to blister even from this distance. "Dad, we should—"

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"Liz," Erwin said simply, cutting off his son's suggestion of retreat.

The transformation in the salamander was instant and dramatic. Gone was the lazy, content creature that lounged in their living room. Lizzy's eyes snapped open fully, revealing pupils of molten gold that fixed upon the blazing King with predatory focus. She rose to her feet with fluid grace, her tail uncurling as she began to stalk toward the Living Armor.

The King responded with a roar that sent shivers down Avince's spine—the sound of metal grinding against metal, amplified by the chamber's acoustics. It raised its arms, and the very air ignited. A torrent of white-hot flame, so intense it was almost blue at its core, rushed toward Lizzy with devastating force.

"Dad!" Avince screamed, his heart in his throat. "That attack could vaporize us! Lizzy's going to—"

His words died in his throat as Lizzy opened her mouth impossibly wide. Instead of attempting to dodge or defend, she began to drink in the flames like a person dying of thirst. The fire bent and twisted in mid-air, funneling directly into her maw. With each gulp, her body began to change.

The transformation was mesmerizing. Lizzy's form expanded rapidly, her muscles swelling and bulging as she absorbed more and more fire. Her crimson scales darkened to deep burgundy, taking on a metallic sheen that reflected the chamber's light like polished copper. Horns of crystallized flame sprouted from her head, and her tail lengthened and thickened until it could easily crush stone. Soon she stood as tall as a bear, then larger still, her claws leaving deep furrows in the chamber floor that immediately filled with molten rock.

"What... what is she?" Avince managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.

"A Magma Salamander," Erwin replied, pride evident in his voice. "An extremely rare species that feeds on fire itself. The more powerful the flames, the stronger she becomes." He gestured toward the King, who had finally ceased its attack upon realizing it was only making its opponent stronger. "And right now, she's feasting on some of the purest fire mana she's had in a while."

Lizzy's growl of disappointment when the flames stopped resonated through the chamber like an avalanche. She fixed the King with an almost accusatory stare, as if demanding it continue feeding her. When the Living Armor took a defensive stance instead, brandishing its flame-wreathed sword, Lizzy's patience evidently ran out.

She moved with shocking speed for her new size, her massive body barely seeming to touch the ground as she launched herself at the King. The Living Armor swung its weapon in a desperate arc, but Lizzy twisted in mid-air with impossible agility, avoiding the blade entirely. She crashed into the King with enough force to shake the entire chamber, massive claws pinning the armor to the ground hard enough to leave deep indentations in its enchanted metal.

What followed was both fascinating and terrifying to watch. Lizzy's jaws clamped down on the King's chest, right where its core of fire mana burned brightest. The Living Armor thrashed wildly, its flames flaring in desperate bursts, but each explosion of power was simply absorbed into Lizzy's ever-growing form. The salamander's scales began to glow from within, as though she had swallowed the heart of a star.

The King's struggles grew progressively weaker, its once-brilliant flames diminishing to flickering embers. Just as it seemed the creature would be completely drained, Erwin's voice cut through the chaos.

"Liz, enough."

The command was gentle but firm. Lizzy released her grip with obvious reluctance, stepping back to allow Erwin to approach. She had grown to the size of a small dragon, her body radiating enough heat to turn the stone beneath her feet molten.

Erwin approached the fallen King, his mana radiating as a visible aura around him. The pressure in the room shifted, no longer emanating from the Living Armor but from Erwin himself. The weakened King had no choice but to submit to this overwhelming display of dominance as the aura enveloped it. After a moment, its form shimmered with golden light before dissolving into pure energy, which Erwin guided into his monster space with practiced ease.

"Well done, girl," Erwin praised, reaching up to pat Lizzy's massive snout. The salamander, now easily twenty times her original size, rumbled contentedly and nuzzled against his hand like an oversized cat. "That should keep you well-fed for quite a while."

Avince watched the interaction with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "So... this whole expedition was just to get Lizzy a reliable source of food?"

"Partially," Erwin admitted with a grin. "Might as well, right? We’re already here for your equipment so I might as well use this trip to go get some food for Lizzy, efficient right?"

And exactly how strong is she?" Avince asked, eyeing the massive creature that had so easily overwhelmed a B-tier boss. "At her full power, I mean."

Erwin's expression grew thoughtful as he considered the question. "When properly fed? Lizzy is my second-strongest tamed creature. She could hold her own against peak A-tier opponents, though she'd need a constant supply of fire mana to maintain that level of power."

Avince groaned, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "Of course she could. Any other house pets I should know about? Is the old tree in the backyard actually an ancient being?"

His father's mysterious smile did nothing to reassure him.

An exit portal materialized near them, its cool blue light a stark contrast to the chamber's red glow. As they prepared to leave, Avince watched Lizzy's form dissolve into motes of light as she returned to his father's monster space. He had a feeling he'd never look at the salamander the same way again, especially the next time she was curled up by their fireplace, pretending to be nothing more than a simple house pet.

He had severely underestimated his father's tamed creatures. He couldn't help but wonder what other surprises Erwin had in store. If Lizzy was only his second strongest, just how powerful was his strongest?