Lighting Phantom

Like a wave, the flame quickly surrounded Alex, taking the shape of what could be seen as a tornado. Both Medusa and Ayesha backed away immediately.

Audrey appeared from nowhere and knelt on the ground for a moment, gathering her focus.

"Oh Titan of the Abyss, grant me the strength to conquer the Petalis. Horbecius Lisantro." As she enchanted a spell, a surge of power coursed through her, and a faint light green aura began to emanate from her body.

In an instant, her strength surged, and she effortlessly lifted Alex as though he weighed nothing. Without hesitation, she vanished.

Medusa's face twisted with rage, boiling from anger as the fire erupted from nowhere. Signaling all the snakes in the vicinity to attack at once, he leaped from his position, moving swiftly toward the firestorm where Alex was.

Without regard for his own safety, Medusa jumped into the air, lifting his tail to strike at Audrey, who was in the midst of casting a spell.

Carter and Cornelius crossed paths, drawing their swords from opposite sides to strike at Medusa, now suspended midair.

In the brief clash, Medusa whipped his tail around to avoid the attacks from Carter and Cornelius but lost control in midair, falling as a result. A group of snakes surged forward, acting as a makeshift shield to minimize the damage from the fall.

Medusa quickly rose, wiping the splash of snake blood from his face, and dashed toward Cornelius, who was already retreating in the opposite direction of Alex.

Thanks to Alex killing several hundred snakes, the area had become less congested.

Meanwhile, Carter moved quickly to carry the unconscious Katie on his back and rushed out of the area.

Once Alex was retrieved, Aprille cast a spell toward Audrey, who was running in the dark, and then followed her shortly after.

Aprille launched a fire toward the ceiling, and five different colors of flames erupted from the main one. Carter noticed the orange fire and followed its trail.

Cornelius saw the fire, but with Medusa closing in behind him, he knew he had to act quickly. In an instant, he raised his sword, releasing a burst of bright light from the blade. The flash was so intense that it blinded Medusa, causing the giant snake to trip slightly, momentarily disoriented by the sudden brightness.

Seizing the chance, Cornelius quickly moved to the side, his steps light and fast. He used the distraction to put some distance between himself and the snake, disappearing into the shadows right when Medusa regained his focus.

The adventurers finally regrouped and ran together, heading back to where they had come from.

With tired eyes and aching bodies, they pushed themselves to the limit, running as fast as they could, especially Audrey, who used a power spell that quickly drains her mana to carry the unconscious Alex.

Cornelius and Aprille led the group at the front, cutting down any snakes that tried to attack. Slowly but surely, they drew closer to the entrance.

Out of the darkness, Ayesha suddenly appeared, blocking their path.

"Don't think you can get away so easily!" she shouted.

Cornelius locked eyes with Ayesha, his gaze sharp and intense. But soon, his attention shifted back to his group, who were desperately pushing forward.

'This all happened because of my stubbornness. All of our lives are at risk because of it' he thought, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on him.

Cornelius lifted his sword once more, and this time, the light it emitted shone brighter than before, almost blinding in its intensity. His hair and skin began to turn white, as if the very light was transforming him.

Without hesitation, he charged forward, swinging his sword at Ayesha with incredible speed. The strike was so fast that she barely had time to defend with her tails. The force of the blow sent her crashing into the wall, but her tails swiftly adjusted, stopping her from slamming into it completely.

Ayesha regained her balance, fury flashing in her eyes as she prepared to counterattack.

"Get out, fast," Cornelius commanded, his voice sharp and pressing. "I may not be able to hold on much longer."

At his words, the adventurers quickly surged toward the entrance, racing to escape before it was too late.

A relieved yet eager smile spread across Cornelius's face as he stood firm, watching Ayesha close the distance with unrelenting speed.

'Now I can go overboard,' Cornelius lifts his sword toward Ayesha. In an instant, his form almost vanished with the speed of his movement.

"Lightning Phantom"

Ayesha spotted Cornelius to her right, but the moment she turned, he was already on the opposite side. He moved with unprecedented speed, combining precision and flawless positioning as he dodged both her attacks and the snakes simultaneously.

Bit by bit, small cuts began to appear across Ayesha's body, a testament to his relentless precision.

After a minute of intense swordplay, Cornelius gripped his weapon tightly, pointing it at Ayesha. With a burst of strength, he lunged forward, his blade slicing toward one of her vital points.

In that brief moment, Ayesha's bloodshot eyes burned with fury, her face twisted in a mix of rage and frustration, she clenched her teeth tightly.

Dark purple hair erupted from her scalp, wild and untamed. Her hands grew bigger, her snake scales thickened, and her nails elongated, turning into dark purple.

With a swift motion, she lashed out, her tails whipping the sword toward Cornelius while simultaneously piercing his stomach with it.

Cornelius coughed up blood as his strength faded instantly, his power draining away like a dying candle.

Ayesha placed her hands on her face, trembling with uncontrollable anger. "I didn't want to transform yet. How dare you waste my transformation?" With her head twisted, she glared at Cornelius, pure fury burning in her eyes

She lifted Cornelius and slammed him into the wall. His golden armor shattered on impact, the force crushing his spine and snapping his neck.

The moment he was slammed to the wall, he lost consciousness instantly. Blood spilled from his body, winding its way across the ground.

Meanwhile, the adventurers had somehow made it to safety, slowly moving through the dark forest with only a faint flicker of fire.

The entire forest was silent, and so were the adventurers. Not a word was spoken throughout the journey.

Losing their leader and with one member in critical condition, the team's spirit was shattered.

Alex slightly opens his eyes as he was being carried.

Throughout it all, Alex could see everything that happened in the cave. Though he couldn't move his body, his Sage Eyes allowed him to witness everything that had unfolded so far.

His Sage Eyes helped him perceive it all.

As he was carried, Alex quietly stared at the ground, lost in thought.

'This reminds me of the exact situation I was once in.'

Barely able to move, Alex gazed at his hands, deep in thought.

_________

The giant snake Medusa was now kneeling on the ground, trembling in fear.

Ayesha lifted Cornelius's body with her tails as she also kneeled.

A mysterious figure sat on the throne, radiating overwhelming power as it looked down on them like ants.

'Insignificant fools. You say a group of humans came, wrecked the cave, and left just like that?'

'I'm sorry, Master. Please forgive us.'

'Valkarth, throw them into the Coilhold.'

'As you wish, My Lord.'