We stood at the wide dead end, the dungeon walls rising high around us. Bell and Lili waited behind me, confusion clear in their eyes. They were confused as to why I had led them over here.
"Alright, just stay back there for a bit," I said, stepping forward into the open space of the dead end. I mentally navigated to the summon tab. A new tab had appeared, one that allowed me to summon monsters id already faced before, but it would cost mp....
It cost me a third of my mana. The sensation was strange, a tugging deep within, an electric shiver racing through my limbs as I clicked on the chatacabra. Sparks and shadow twisted and coalesced in front of us, forming into a shape far too familiar. The shadow grew solid, color filling it rapidly until a hulking beast stood before us.
"What the—Amara?" Bell's voice cracked slightly, daggers slipping into his grip instinctively.
"This isn't like the one we've faced before," I warned, my sword and shield already out. The Chatacabra shook itself, massive limbs flexing as it took in its new surroundings. It stood taller than us, this had to be a golden crown sized one, the teal stripes on its rough hide shimmering faintly under the dungeon lights. Its blunt, spike-lined head turned, eyes locking onto me.
With an ear-splitting roar, the Chatacabra lunged, its massive body hurtling forward. Bell and Lili split, rolling to either side of the narrow dead-end. I brought my shield up just as the beast's heavy arm swung down, coated in saliva and already sticking with loose rubble it picked up from the dungeon floor. The blow crashed into my shield with the force of a falling tree. My boots skidded backward on the smooth stone, the impact jarring my shoulder painfully, but I managed to hold my ground.
Pivoting quickly and slashing low with my sword. The blade scraped across the beast's tough hide, leaving a small slash. Damn, I'd need to hit harder.
Bell moved fluidly, already behind the monster, his dual blades glowing with the faint crimson aura of demon mode. He slashed quickly, twin daggers biting into the Chatacabra's side, drawing blood. The beast swung around faster than I expected it to, tongue lashing out, thick and heavy with saliva. Bell barely managed to dodge, back-stepping as the tongue left a sticky trail on the dungeon floor. Nxy slashed its tongue as it did that, making it bleed heavily. She followed Bell's lead, and they worked together when they attacked.
Lili kept her distance, a bolt loaded in her crossbow. She took careful aim and fired, the bolt embedding itself into the beast's thick shoulder. It roared again, twisting violently.
Bell danced around the beast, slipping between attacks. Every strike he landed seemed to make the beast angrier. A sudden, deafening crash echoed through the chamber as the Chatacabra smashed both arms down, creating a shockwave. Bell stumbled, falling backward, and the beast immediately pounced. Acting purely on instinct, I charged forward, shield up, ramming into its side and knocking it off course. My current strength barely matched its raw power, but it was enough to stagger. I felt the sharp impact through every bone in my body, but Bell was back on his feet.
"Firebolt!" Bell yelled, sending bursts of flame toward the Chatacabra. The flames hit squarely, igniting small patches of saliva-coated rubble on its arms, causing it to screech in pain and fury. Lili's bolts continued flying true, each embedded arrow seemed to slow it down. I took advantage, my sword slicing upward, cutting deeper this time.
The Chatacabra roared louder, thrashing violently. It swung wildly, forcing us back. Then, it leapt toward me again, jaws wide and salivating hungrily. I raised my shield again, bracing hard, but at the last second, I pivoted sharply and jumped out of the way, letting it crash headlong into the dungeon wall. The stone didn't crack under the impact.
The Chatacabra rose, disoriented but still vicious. It swung slower now, injuries and fatigue affecting it. We attacked on each side. Each strike landed cleaner, deeper, wearing it down. The beast's movements turned sluggish, desperation evident in its every action.
It wasn't finished yet, though. With a final, defiant bellow, it lunged again. This time, it targeted Lili, charging full speed. Panic flashed across her face as she desperately fired a bolt. I ran hard, intercepting at the last second, shield slamming against its jaw. My sword plunged deeply, piercing into its side of its face.
The beast staggered, its massive form collapsing onto the dungeon floor, gasping and twitching. We kept our distance, weapons raised cautiously, until its movements stilled completely.
Up close, the thing was enormous, more than twice my height nose to tail. Bell poked its side with a dagger, half‑awed, half‑wary. Lili kept her crossbow trained a moment longer before lowering it. I wiped sweat from my brow. "We need to carve it before scavengers show up." I knelt and drew a slim gut‑knife from my satchel.
Bell blinked. "Carve it? For… materials?"
"Exactly." I slid the blade in at a seam behind the jaw hinge. Thick blood oozed as I worked the hide free. "Shell, scales, hide, jaw, everything has value."
Lili inched closer, fascination edging out disgust. "You've done this before."
"A few times." I grinned up at her, it was kind of a lie, kind of not. "Want to help? It's easier with two hands."
She hesitated only a second before nodding, pulling a small field knife from her belt pouch. Bell moved to watch our backs, tossing wary glances over his shoulder while we worked.
The hide came off in broad, rubbery sheets more than enough to make a lot of things out of. I'd never understand why we would need so much in the game. Underneath lay the interlocking Chatacabra Scales, sea‑green plates shot through with quartz‑like streaks. We eased them free one by one, stacking them beside the wall. Next came the rough Shell Plates lining its forearms, still tacky with saliva and gravel. Those were heavier; Lili grunted with effort as we hefted them into my satchel's waiting pocket, which surprised her cause she couldn't see inside of it. The other things we carved also went inside.
"Why summon something this strong if you had to kill it?" Bell finally asked, voice tight, I guess he was putting things together, boy was smarter than he looked. I kept carving, eyes on the work. "Because if I don't defeat at least one more like this, I get yanked to a place called a Pocket‑Plane. Twenty‑four hours alone against who knows what. I'm… not keen on that test right now."
Bell cursed softly. "That's insane." He didn't seem to think I was lying, but it was clear he wanted more information.
"Welcome to my life." I shrugged, then worked the blade under the beast's lower jaw. With a wet crack, the Chatacabra Jaw came loose, heavy, studded with spikes. Perfect for a Hammer.
Lili wiped her forehead, cheeks smeared green with gore. "So you still need one more?"
"Yeah. We'll manage." I met her eyes, grateful for the help. "Thanks for digging in." She gave a small, proud smile. "Supporters carry the loot. Carving's just part of the job."
With the physical harvest complete, only one task remained. I stood, blood‑slick knife still in hand, and focused on the corpse's dark outline. Nyx hopped down, eyes gleaming in anticipation.
Bell tensed. "Amara… what now?"
"Watch but keep it a secret from other adventurers." I stood over the body. "Arise."
Black mist seeped from the carcass, coiling like smoke before condensing into a towering silhouette. Seconds later, a perfect ink‑black Shadow Chatacabra knelt before me, spines glinting with starlight‑sheen. Thankfully, it was still that large size.
Lili's jaw dropped. "You control it… like that cat?"
"Exactly. Meet our new heavy hitter." I patted the shadowy forearm, cool as moonlight. "This guy will be our new tank, so I should be able to switch up my weapon from now on."
Bell exhaled, half‑awed, half‑shaken. "Remind me never to pick a fight with you."
I laughed tiredly. "Help me pack the last of these scales, and we can move. Two monsters down, one to go."
Nyx chirped, leaping onto the Shadow Chatacabra's shoulder like a queen claiming her throne. Together, we hefted the last hide bundle into my satchel. The corridor smelled of iron and musk, but the loot haul was worth it.
Bell wiped his daggers clean, eyes flicking between my growing troop of shadows and the bloody remains. "Next dead end you lead us to, I'm asking questions first."
"Fair," I said, slinging my shield back onto my arm.
The Shadow Chatacabra stood behind us, teal stripes now rendered in glossy midnight. Bell kept sneaking looks at it.
"One more," I reminded myself aloud.
"Same plan as before?" Bell asked. He rolled his shoulders, testing the lingering crimson aura of his Demon Mode.
"No, this time the Shadow tanks. You and Nyx carve it up with cuts. Lili keeps the bolts flying and yells if anything sneaks up." I tapped my shield, then my sword.
Bell's eyes flicked to the dead monster at our feet. "That thing was bigger than the first one in the Dungeon. If this next one spawns normal size, we should drop it fast."
"Don't jinx it," Lili muttered, winding her bowstring tighter. Still, I saw the slightest grin on her face; she liked plans that ended quickly and profitably.
I stepped to the far end of the chamber so the new summon wouldn't land on the corpses. My fingers trembled with a mix of eagerness and fatigue as I opened the Summon tab. One more click, and another third of my mana vanished. Cold lightning raced through my limbs, and the air thickened with static.
Shadow and sparks spiraled together again, familiar now, and the second Chatacabra slammed into existence with a wet, reverberating roar. Not gold‑crown huge, but still taller than me and Bell. Its nostrils flared; its eyes fixed on me. That was its mistake.
The black titan moved, slamming its shoulder into the newcomer before it had time to crouch. Scale crashed against ghostly scales; the live Chatacabra screeched and stumbled, confused. For a heartbeat, the two monsters traded shoves, each trying to pin the other. Then Bell flashed in behind like a crimson whirlwind, both daggers raked the live beast's hamstring, the other ripped through the membrane at the back of its knee. A gout of dark blood hissed on the stone.
Nyx dropped from her perch, landing between the monster's splayed toes. Her short sword slashed a quick trio of slashes across the ankle tendons. She hopped away before a sticky tongue could whip down.
Lili's first bolt sank deep beside Nyx's cut, pinning that damaged joint. The Chatacabra tried to raise its fists, but the Shadow's fist clamped both forearms, forcing them wide. I sprinted in, shield braced. With the living monster held, I didn't need to absorb a crushing blow; I needed to end it. I leapt, planted my boot on the Shadow's elbow, and vaulted, driving my sword straight under the living beast's jaw into the soft palate.
The monster's eyes were bulging. Then Bell's "Firebolt!" cracked like thunder. Flame burst inside the open maw, igniting saliva and shattered teeth. The Chatacabra thrashed once, twice, and crashed to the floor, smoke and embers rolling from its mouth.
We backed off as its death spasms rattled the ground. A few seconds later, it stilled, the echo of impact fading into distant dungeon whispers.
Bell exhaled sharply. "That was…almost easy."
"Teamwork," I said, heart hammering but steady. "And a very big shadow friend." I rapped the Shadow Chatacabra's shell; it rumbled like distant thunder, pleased.
Lili wasted no time. She already had her knife out. "This one's smaller, we'll carve faster."
I grinned, wiped my blade clean, and crouched at the belly seam. "Dive in."
We fell into rhythm. Nyx darted about, cutting connective tissue while Bell levered plates free. Lili handled hides and scales, stacking the green‑striped plates in neat towers. I focused on separating forearm shells slimy, gravel‑studded clubs. Sweat stung my eyes, but the process felt smoother than the first carve. Bell even started humming under his breath.
"Amara," he said quietly while working a scale loose, "that Pocket‑Plane thing… Are you sure we can't help you avoid it any other way? Some loophole?"
I shook my head. "Quest rules are quest rules. Three Kills was the condition." The second jaw came free with a crack; I hefted it, spike tips glimmering. I didn't add that I'd already felt the distant pull fade, the Pocket‑Plane threat neutralized. But Bell deserved some comfort. "So it's over now. The dungeon version also counted."
He nodded, relief soft in his red eyes. "Good. Because twenty‑four hours in an unknown dimension sounds like a nightmare."
"Exactly." I slid the jaw into the satchel, then wiped my brow with a gore‑smeared sleeve. "How's the satchel weight, Lili?"
She lifted it; the bottom didn't budge, and it looked normal and empty. "I think this bag of yours breaks every law of physics I know. But I'll take it."
In ten more minutes, we'd stripped the corpse clean: another mound of Chatacabra Hide, Scales, Shell Plates, and a matching Jaw. I straightened, stretching my aching back. "One more job."
Bell stepped aside willingly this time. Lili did too, eyes big with curiosity rather than fear. Nyx twirled her sword like a proud assistant and hopped onto a boulder to watch. I stored the other chatacabra away first.
I placed my hand on the cooling hide and whispered, "Arise."
The familiar chill spilled out, shadows pooling, coiling. The new Shadow Chatacabra formed—this one a size smaller than its gold‑crown sibling but still monstrous. It bowed low beside its elder shadow, as I stored it away as well. Nyx let out a delighted chirp.
Bell sheathed his daggers, finally relaxing. "We're going to need a bigger hallway."
I laughed, the tension draining out of me. "Let's get all this back home."
Lili wiped her knife clean and tossed a final bolt at an invisible target. "Lead the way, boss. I'm already planning what we can sell and what we can keep."
We formed up, Bell at point, Lili beside him, me in the rear with Nyx. The corridor smelled of iron, smoke, and cooked frog meat. On the long climb up the spiral stairs, Bell broke the calm. "So… after we unload all this, what's next?"
I glanced back at the shadows following us. "Next? Sleep. Then I start figuring out what kind of weapon that jaw wants to become. "
Lili's eyes gleamed. "And maybe new armor sets. Though we would have to find someone willing to work with unknown material like this."
Bell chuckled, tapping his chin. "Sounds like tomorrow will be a day off for us, I take it you want to keep them?"
"Yeah," I said, we cleared the last curl of the staircase and stepped into the cool air beneath Babel's archway. Night hadn't quite fallen, but the sky over Orario was smudged violet, the western edge still gold, and every step I took felt like my knees were full of gravel. Lili kept pace beside Bell, quietly counting projected profits while he hummed under his breath, daggers already wiped and stowed. I should have been thinking about the payout, too; I should have been savoring the victory. Instead, a slow‑building ache pulsed behind my eyes, low and warning, as though something vast was pressing forward from deep inside my skull.
I managed three more steps before the world lurched sideways. Steel‑bright sparks flooded my vision. My breath caught; heat ‑‑ no, furnace heat ‑‑ rolled through my veins. I didn't cry out, but I felt Nyx's alarm echo through the bond as my legs buckled. I dropped to one knee, palm slapping the flagstones, and the satchel thumped against my hip.
Bell spun so fast his cloak flared. "Amara? Amara!" He reached for my shoulder, but I barely heard him over the roar filling my ears, anvil blows, hammer rings, bellows pumping, slag hissing in oil. Scenes not my own flashed behind my eyes: a towering forge in some place underground, coaxing red flame higher; a young woman, sturdy, sun‑freckled, wiping sweat from her brow, a smile of perfect, wordless pride as she quenched a blade glowing ocean‑green.
Gemma. I knew her name the instant the memory stamped itself on my mind. Miss Forge. And all of it, her years of practice, her muscle memory, the smell of iron and alder coal, flooded through me in a single impossible breath.
Pain rippled down my spine. I gasped, clenching the stone to keep from face‑planting. Lili darted around Bell, hands hovering helplessly. "Is it poison? Mana depletion?" Her voice trembled.