As the glowing texts flickered out, a low, grinding rumble echoed across the cavern.
Dust trickled from the ceiling.
"What the hell was that? What does that mean?"
Kai muttered to himself.
And then—
New eyes opened in the darkness.
Deeper in the chamber.
Six of them. Not red.
But deep violet.
Shapes began to emerge. Larger. Meaner.
Kai froze. His face paled.
"…Fuck me."
From the shadows stepped three new beasts, sleek, muscular, armored with natural plating across their bodies.
Their eyes glowed with unnatural intelligence. They weren't just stronger, they had evolved.
And they weren't alone.
Two smaller, quadrupedal ones flanked the bigger ones. Fast. Agile. With venom glistening on their fangs.
Another six total.
Kai pushed off the ground, pain flaring through his ribs.
He didn't hesitate and took potion from his storage bracelet and threw it to Vael, who caught it mid-air with his beak and drank quickly.
