Chapter 23 Inferno

The dragon’s glowing golden eyes locked onto the group, Stunnig them in place. Their bodies trembled involuntarily as they instinctively retreated further into the cavern. Yet, the distance to the exit was still too great.

The beast raised its massive head high and opened its enormous maw, unleashing a thunderous roar that shook the cavern. Tremors rippled through the ground as the deafening sound reverberated around them.

"Ahhh!" the group cried out, clutching their ears in agony.

Lowering its gaze, the dragon began advancing toward them with slow steps.

Rhogan, undeterred by the creature's overwhelming presence, let out a fierce growl. His body and horn began to glow with a radiant emerald light as his energy surged. Without hesitation, he charged directly at the monstrous dragon.

“Wait! Rhogan!” Alessandra screamed, her voice cracking with fear.

The group stood in stunned silence as Rhogan charged with everything he had, his emerald aura blazing like a beacon. The dragon remained unmoved, observing the spirit beast with an almost dismissive gaze.

Yumi’s hands trembled as she nocked an arrow. “Be careful, Rhogan!” she shouted, her voice breaking. Pouring her energy into the arrow, she shaped it into a glowing spear of light that spun like a drill, radiating immense power.

Beside her, Reika stood equally terrified, electricity crackling and sparking between her clasped hands. Her face was etched with worry as she focused intently, preparing to unleash a devastating lightning spell.

But before they could release their attacks, the sight before them froze them in horror. The dragon casually swiped its massive claw at Rhogan. The sheer force of the blow tore through the spirit rhino like he was made of sand. Rhogan let out a wounded growl, his body flickering and crumbling into shards of energy and dust before disappearing entirely.

“Rhogan!” Alessandra screamed, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. Yumi and Reika’s eyes filled with tears as well, but they held their ground, their magic still charging despite their anguish.

Iryoku stood frozen, his face pale with terror, unable to move or speak as the reality sank in. Rhogan, their steadfast companion and protector, the one they thought was an impenetrable shield, was gone—struck down as if he were nothing.

The cavern was silent for a moment...

Both girls unleashed their powerful attacks.

“Piercing Arrow!” Yumi cried, her bow trembling in her hands as she let loose the glowing, drill-like arrow she had charged with all her energy.

“Lightning Bolt!” Reika followed, clasping her hands together, sparks of electricity erupting as a massive bolt of lightning shot from her palms.

The two attacks hurtled toward the dragon’s face, their combined force crackling and whistling through the air. The cavern illuminated with a blinding light as the attacks collided with the beast’s skull. A deafening explosion echoed through the chamber, the lightning spreading across its metallic crimson scales in jagged arcs, while the spinning arrow drilled into its armored forehead, emitting a high-pitched screech as it tried to break through.

The girls paused, panting as the dust cleared, their hearts pounding with hope.

But the dragon didn’t flinch.

Its massive head turned, its golden eyes burning with an unrelenting malice, unfazed by their combined assault. The drill arrow, still glowing, remained lodged in its skull but failed to penetrate it. Electricity danced harmlessly across its armored body before flickering out.

The gang froze, their faces pale as they looked back in horror.

The dragon slowly rose onto its hind legs, towering impossibly high, its spiked crown scraping dangerously close to the cavern’s ceiling. Its massive chest expanded as it inhaled deeply, glowing brighter and brighter with an eerie, divine crimson light.

Iryoku shouted with desperation, “It’s now or never—RUN!”

They turned and sprinted toward the exit, legs stumbling over the uneven ground. But even as they ran, they couldn’t help glancing back.

The dragon unleashed its power.

A beam of radiant blue-white light burst forth with a piercing, unnatural sound that sent shivers through their bodies—“PHEEEEEEE!” The beam shot upward, obliterating the cavern ceiling in an instant. Rocks vaporized into glowing dust as a hole tore open to the sky above.

Still glowing, the beast swung its massive head downward, directing the beam toward the fleeing group. The ray carved through stone and molten rock, cutting the entire mountain in two as it bore down upon them.

“Duck!” Iryoku yelled, throwing himself over the girls, pushing them to the side just as the beam blasted past.

The heat seared the air around them. Alessandra instinctively raised her shield, though it offered no protection. The beam barely missed them, carving a smoldering trench through the ground.

When the noise finally subsided, they hesitated before opening their eyes. Before them lay utter devastation—a massive, glowing rift stretched from the heavens to the earth, cutting the mountain as though it were paper. The edges glowed with molten rock, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burning stone.

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“Fuck…” Iryoku muttered, coughing as he struggled to his knees. His back was scorched, covered in blackened dust and burns.

Yumi groaned weakly, clutching her injured face as she lay on the ground, her entire body trembling from pain and exhaustion, her scorched skin raw and blistered. Beside her, Alessandra's arm hung limply at her side, the burns marring her flesh so severe that her once-strong grip had faltered. She had dropped her shield, now glowing red-hot like molten iron. Reika sat slumped nearby, tears streaming down her soot-streaked face as quiet sobs escaped her lips, every movement amplifying her pain.

The dragon, unharmed, lowered itself back onto all fours and moved again, its wings creating a gust that scattered debris. With terrifying speed, it flapped once and leapt, landing squarely in front of the cave’s exit, blocking their path.

Reika, the first to notice, Paralyzed as the beast loomed over them. Her body trembled, her legs refusing to move. “We… can’t… it’s hopeless,” she whispered, barely audible.

The others shared her despair. Yumi’s tears streaked her burns-covered face, and Alessandra’s head dropped as though in surrender.

Iryoku, kneeling, let his daggers slip from his fingers. For a moment, it seemed like he, too, had given up.

Then Reika’s voice broke through.

“The blue stone…”

Iryoku’s eyes snapped open. He turned toward Reika, who fumbled in her bag and pulled out the blue artifact. She held it tightly and began chanting, pouring every ounce of her remaining energy into the magical stone.

But it would take time.

The dragon advanced, its golden eyes fixed on them like a predator closing in on its prey.

Iryoku glanced at the girls, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stop. He saw their dirt-streaked faces, filled with tears, burns, and pain, and his chest tightened.

Gritting his teeth, he picked up his daggers, gripping them tightly.

Then, turning back to the girls, he gave them a soft, affectionate smile

“Please… escape. I’ll see you later,” he said softly, his voice filled with determination. Ignoring the searing pain from his burns, he sprinted toward the monstrous dragon.

“Iryoku! No!” Yumi screamed, her voice breaking. Alessandra, barely conscious, reached out feebly toward him, tears streaming down her face.

Reika paused her chanting for a moment, sobbing. “No! Don’t go!”

Iryoku glanced back, his voice cutting through the chaos. “Keep chanting! Trust me—I’ll come back to you. After all, I still have to make all of you fall for me!” he shouted with a bold grin.

The girls watched helplessly as he grew smaller and smaller, running toward the dragon, his determination radiating even in the face of certain death.

Reika resumed her chant, her voice trembling as the blue stone in her hands flared with an intense, otherworldly light. The radiance engulfed them, casting their faces in an ethereal glow.

“Come here, motherfucker!” Iryoku roared, his voice defiant. The dragon turned to him, its claw swiping with deadly precision.

Iryoku dropped into a slide, narrowly dodging the strike, then scrambled to his feet, running to the side. “Over here, you oversized lizard!” he taunted, trying to lure it away.

The dragon let out a deep, menacing growl, its massive claw swiping through the air once more. Iryoku leaped to dodge, his body twisting midair with practiced agility. But before he could land, the beast's massive tail lashed around with unimaginable speed, a blur of crimson and gleaming steel slicing through the air like a whip.

“Shit,” Iryoku muttered, realizing he was midair with nowhere to go.

Desperately, he pulled his harpoon and hurled it toward the cave wall. It lodged firmly in the stone, and he yanked the rope with all his strength, narrowly pulling himself out of the tail’s path. The dragon’s tail missed him by inches, slicing the air with a deadly whistle.

He landed hard, the impact jarring his body as he rolled to his feet, chest heaving with the effort. Despite the pain coursing through him, his gaze stayed fixed on the dragon.

"I'm not done yet," he muttered through gritted teeth, bracing himself for another round.

As he fled, he cast one final glance toward the girls. Their faces, etched with sorrow and regret, burned into his memory. In a brilliant flash of radiant light, their forms dissolved into the ether, vanishing from sight. Gone.

A faint, bittersweet smile formed on his lips, knowing they had been transported to safety.

"Guess it’s just you and me now," he muttered, his voice cracking.

The dragon growled, its claws scraping against the stone with an ear-splitting screech as it advanced.

Iryoku sprinted toward the cave opening, desperation fueling every step. Behind him, the dragon launched into the air with terrifying speed, slamming down just meters away with a deafening crash that shook the ground.

"Shit," he muttered, his breath ragged. His back pressed against the edge of the cave’s opening, the abyss behind him stretching out like a bottomless void.

The dragon inhaled deeply, its massive chest expanding like a bellows. A sinister crimson glow ignited in its throat, pulsating with raw, destructive energy.

Iryoku’s eyes widened as dread settled over him. He knew what was coming—a devastating beam of pure annihilation. His mind raced, grasping for options, but one chilling truth remained: there was nowhere left to run.

With no time to hesitate, he did the unthinkable—he leaped.

The freezing air bit at him immediately, sharp as knives slicing into his already wounded body. The monstrous beam erupted behind him just as he jumped, narrowly missing his head. The searing ray roared above him, so hot it singed the edges of his hair and burned patches of his back. Yet, in a cruel twist of fortune, the intense heat fought off the encroaching frost that would have frozen him solid mid-air.

"Argh!" Iryoku cried out, his voice strained as pain wracked his body. Tumbling through the frozen void, his eyes darted to the opposite side of the mountain. The ledge he aimed for was impossibly far, but he refused to give up.

Gritting his teeth, Iryoku yanked the harpoon from his side and hurled it with every ounce of strength he had left. The weapon soared through the freezing air, embedding itself into the jagged rock of a cave ledge with a sharp, satisfying thunk. His frostbitten hands grasped the rope just as gravity clawed at him.

Swinging through the icy void, his body was battered by the unforgiving winds as he aimed for one of the many cave openings dotting the cliffside like a massive beehive. With a final desperate lurch, he reached the mouth of a cavern, slamming into the cold, unyielding ground.

The impact jolted through his battered frame, sending waves of pain coursing through his body. He rolled across the rough stone floor, trying to bleed off momentum, only to crash shoulder-first into the cave wall with a sickening thud. Groaning, he lay still for a moment, gasping for air, the frozen chill seeping into his bones.

With a ragged exhale, Iryoku forced himself upright. Every movement was a battle, his muscles burning and his chest heaving as he steadied himself.

The mountain trembled violently behind him as the dragon unleashed another deafening roar. The sound reverberated through the stone. Iryoku sprinted further into the darkness, his legs barely holding him up. He knew he couldn't stop—not now.

A sharp tingle pricked the back of his neck, his danger instincts flaring. Without thinking, he dropped flat to the ground just as another beam tore through the air above him, horizontal this time. The powerful blast scorched the cave walls, carving through stone as if it were paper and flooding the air with searing heat.

"Come on, calm down," he thought desperately, gritting his teeth as he pressed himself to the ground. His breaths slowed, and he willed himself to disappear—his presence fading into the shadows. Staying low, he crawled deeper into the cave.

Bit by bit, the dragon's roars faded, replaced by an unsettling silence. The mountain tremors subsided, the ground no longer shuddering beneath his weight.

Easing his breathing, he crawled further into the cave's depths, the pitch-black void swallowing him whole. Alone, wounded, and unsure of what lay ahead, he ventured deeper into the unknown.