This was only the beginning. The closer they got to the ruins, the stranger—and more lethal—the dangers became.
The ground would suddenly collapse, revealing spike-filled pits. Invisible magical force fields tried to crush people into paste. Ancient trees seemed to come alive, whipping their branches like clubs. Sometimes the very air would abruptly condense into icicles or fireballs.
"These magic traps… ancient and exquisitely crafted. They're filled with a will to protect… but they've also been tainted by dark corruption," Strange said while continuously casting Seraphim Shield and Bolts of Balthakk to neutralize the hazards, all while analyzing the structure of the spells.
Saitama's way of handling things was far simpler.
A massive tree slammed down? He casually punched it into powder.
A pit opened up? He stomped once—hard—and the shock of raw force stabilized the surrounding ground, sealing the collapse shut.
Icicles and fireballs flew at him? He didn't even bother dodging. They shattered and fizzled out the moment they hit him, unable to tear so much as a thread from his cape.
Peter stared, slack-jawed. "Woooow. Saitama… you're literally the natural enemy of traps!"
At last, after pushing through a final barrier of crazed, writhing vines, a vast, ruined stone complex appeared before them.
Enormous stone pillars—covered in moss and strange fungi—rose into the air. Broken walls were carved with incomprehensible patterns and ancient text. A bleak, oppressive aura rolled over them, old enough to suffocate the soul. From deep within the ruins, a low, unsettling rumble echoed faintly, as if something was waking up.
They had arrived at the Coraca Ruins.
And everyone knew it.
The real challenge was only beginning now.
Inside the ruins, the light was unnaturally dim. Only a few beams poured down through collapsed sections of ceiling, and faint glows from special moss on the walls barely illuminated the sprawling passageways and massive halls. The air stank of dust, rotting plants, and a peculiar scent of magical energy—sharp, like ozone.
"Stay alert," Strange said quietly. The Eye Of Agamotto glimmered faintly, giving him constant insight. "The spatial structure here is extremely unstable—and the magical interference is intense."
They advanced in a slow tactical formation. Hawkeye and Spider-Man scouted ahead and guarded the flanks. Wanda and Strange held the center for support. Saitama stayed in the rear—
Or rather, he was the strongest shield who could instantly move to the front at any moment.
…
Suddenly, the massive statues lining both sides of the corridor—things they'd assumed were just decorations—began to tremble. Stone flakes fell away in sheets, revealing bodies as black as ink beneath, glowing with dark-red light.
Their shapes were humanoid, but larger and far more brutal—nearly three meters tall. Their rough, stone-like frames were carved with dark runes, and in their eye sockets burned two clusters of eerie fire.
"Gargoyles! Activated by dark magic!" Strange shouted. "Watch their attacks!"
Before he even finished speaking, the two nearest gargoyles let out deep roars. Their massive stone fists slammed down with howling force, and at the same time they opened their mouths and unleashed dark rays packed with corrosive, chaotic energy!
"I've got it," Saitama said calmly.
Almost the instant the gargoyles moved, his figure blurred—and he appeared at the very front of the team.
A stone fist capable of flattening a tank came crashing down.
Saitama simply raised his right hand and lightly blocked it.
Bang!
(End of Chapter)
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