A metallic clang split the gloom. Jared’s blade shaved a crimson crease across the demon general’s armored arm, and oily black blood hissed into the air.
“Courting death!” the monster roared. It reversed its axe in a blur and hacked toward Jared, moving several times faster than before.
Jared dodged, but the sweeping light kissed his shoulder. The golden sheen of his Golem Body shattered, leaving a bone-deep gash that filled with creeping black mist.”
“Jared!” Flaxseed cried, rushing forward until the monster’s aura locked every muscle. Jared, no more stalling, seal that poison inside and finish this…
He clenched his teeth and summoned the Focus Technique, drawing the invading darkness into himself.
He understood that every heartbeat mattered, the fight had to end before the wound did. His gaze skimmed the giant, and at last spotted a single white scale gleaming on its chest.
That’s the weak spot! Instead of evading, Jared hurled himself into the falling axe, pouring every shard of spirit power into the Dragonslayer Sword. Golden light burst from the blade like a newborn sun.
“Ignorant insect!” the general bellowed, the axe whistling toward Jared’s skull. At the final instant, Jared twisted aside, and the sword struck like a viper, driving straight into that lone white scale.
A shriek like tearing metal ripped from the monster. Its colossal frame convulsed, fountains of black blood geysering across the shattered tiles.
“Now!” Jared shouted. He flung the wyrm’s inner core to Flaxseed.
“Use the core-ignite the sealing array!”
Flaxseed caught the inner core, set it into the altar’s hollow, and slapped talismans onto the glowing runes.
Core and sigils answered one another. Light erupted, weaving a vast translucent dome that swallowed the demon general. The monster thrashed, but the prison only tightened.
“No! I refuse!” it howled as its body unraveled into swirling ink, every wisp sucked into the seal until nothing remained.
The underground palace fell silent, tremors eased, and the sour stink of corruption drifted away with the dust. Only then did the two men sag to the floor, dragging in ragged breaths.
“At last… We did it,” Flaxseed panted, wiping sweat from his brow while stared at the still altar.
Jared nodded. He inspected the ragged wound on his shoulder, the darkness was gone, yet pain burned like buried wire.
“Lunaria’s scheme was brutal,” muttered. “She never wanted treasure. She used us to break the seal and free that beast…”
“So what now?” Flaxseed asked, glancing at the demon core pulsing atop the altar. “Do we take it, or leave the damned thing where it lies?”
“Take it… Why ever wouldn’t we?” Jared shot back, voice ringing in the cavern.
He marched up the altar, wrenched the pulsing demon-core free, and slipped the seething stone into his pack.
“The demonic aura is vile, but it may still be useful against Lunaria, and we didn’t descend into this abyss for a souvenir…” He secured the inner core, then brushed dust from a black sword lying beside it. “Cursed or not, this blade hits like a thunderclap. Let’s keep it before someone worse does…”
Flaxseed joined him, frowning at the fresh slash across Jared’s shoulder. “Your arm…”
“Only a scratch,” Jared answered, flashing a lopsided smile. Luminous energy rippled beneath his skin, weaving torn flesh together.
“Time to leave. This place has lingered long enough…”
Retracing their path, they met no further danger.
***
Three days later, they climbed out of the rift and stood once more on the wind-scoured flank of Nine Serpent Mountain.
