The morning sun cast long shadows over the rugged terrain as Ronan and his team—Sylphie, Garrick, Darius, and Kael—crouched behind a dense thicket, observing the entrance to the Flame Hound's den. The rocky outcroppings surrounding the cave flickered with residual heat, a clear sign of the monsters lurking within.
Ronan activated his Keen Eyes perception skill, sharing it with the others. Their vision sharpened, details coming into focus, the faint embers drifting in the air, the rhythmic rise and fall of the beasts' chests as they lay outside, basking in the warmth of the early morning. Seven Flame Hounds in total. Four patrolled the entrance, while three remained inside the cave.
Kael frowned. "This will be problematic, especially the ones inside. They're all stronger than us."
"As planned," Ronan said, his voice firm, "we take down these four by surprise."
Kael adjusted his stance, gripping his weapon. "What are our chances?"
Ronan met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Fifty per cent."
A tense silence followed before Ronan asked, "Ready?" He drew his twin daggers, channelling flame into the blades, causing them to glow with a crimson hue.
Darius tightened his grip on his spear and nodded. "Ready."
"Sylphie, Kael—you're up," Ronan commanded.
Kael took a deep breath and activated Bewildering Haze. Instantly, the air shimmered, and multiple copies of himself appeared, weaving unpredictably through the battlefield. The Flame Hounds growled, their fiery eyes darting in confusion.
Sylphie followed up with Entangling Vines. Thick tendrils erupted from the ground, snaking around the hounds' legs before they could react. The beasts snarled and thrashed, their movements hindered.
Ronan seized the moment, launching his daggers with pinpoint accuracy. The first struck deep into the throat of one hound, severing its windpipe, while the second embedded itself into another's skull. Both collapsed instantly, embers flickering out in their lifeless eyes.
Darius lunged at the remaining hound, sidestepping its fiery breath. With a powerful stab, he drove his spear through its neck. The beast crumpled to the ground, flames sputtering from its mouth before fading.
Panting slightly, Ronan signalled everyone back to cover. The team crouched low as Garrick whispered urgently, "Why did you retreat? What happened?"
Ronan held up a hand. "Quiet."
A moment later, two more Flame Hounds emerged from the cave, their eyes scanning the area. Something was off. Where was the third?
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Maybe the last one is injured. That could be why it didn't come out."
Ronan turned to Kael. "Trap them with your illusions." Then to Sylphie, "Boost our agility, but stay back. You'll be supporting us from the shadows. If these hounds go after you, Garrick, you'll defend her. That's your priority. Think you can handle it?"
Garrick smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Don't worry. I've got this."
Sylphie raised a hand, a soft green glow emanating as she cast an Agility Boost on everyone except Ronan. The others felt their movements grow lighter, more fluid.
Kael activated another illusion, causing the hounds to perceive flickering afterimages of the team, further disorienting them.
Ronan wasted no time, dashing forward with inhuman speed. One of the hounds snapped at him, but he twisted mid-air, evading its scorching bite. He retaliated with Blazing Strike, sending a fiery slash that struck deep into the beast's flank, searing through flesh.
Darius followed, his spear crackling with electricity as he unleashed a Thunder Cleave, sending arcs of lightning through the second hound. The beast howled in pain, its body convulsing as the electricity coursed through it.
Garrick roared as he launched Boulder Cannon, sending a compacted rock projectile directly into the ribs of one hound, cracking bone on impact. The beast staggered, but before it could recover, Sylphie's Entangling Vines coiled around its legs, pulling it down.
The battle intensified. One of the hounds broke free from Kael's illusion, lunging toward Sylphie. Garrick reacted instantly, throwing himself between them. He used his momentum to drive his fist into the hound's jaw, knocking it back.
Kael, observing the chaos, clenched his fists. "If we fought without Ronan's leadership, we'd be dead already…"
Moments later, the last hound fell, its body smouldering as the team caught their breath. Ronan burned the blood from his blade and scanned his teammates. "Anyone hurt?"
"No major injuries," Darius panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just some minor burns and bruises."
Ronan smirked, the firelight dancing in his eyes. "Good. Then it's time to take down the boss."
He turned toward the dark mouth of the cave. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from within.
As they stepped deeper into the cave, a putrid stench filled the air, thick and suffocating. The acrid smell of decay clawed at their throats, forcing some to cough and gag. Sylphie instinctively covered her nose, her eyes watering, while Garrick grimaced, taking shallow breaths to endure the overwhelming odour.
Ronan, walking ahead, didn't turn back but spoke with quiet authority. "If you can't handle it, wait outside. We don't know what's inside, and it's not worth taking unnecessary risks."
Despite the discomfort, everyone shook their heads. "We're fine," they answered in unison, determination in their voices.
Ronan exhaled sharply. "If you think you can't bear it anymore, you must leave. Am I clear?"
A brief silence followed before they all responded, "Yes."
Kael stole a glance at Ronan, his thoughts stirring. I thought Ronan only joined us to achieve his own goals. But... he's genuinely concerned about us.
As they ventured further, they reached a vast chamber at the heart of the cave. The sight before them was gruesome. The ground was littered with tattered remnants of clothing, dried blood staining the cold stone. Towering, grotesque plants with pulsating veins sprouted across the field, their twisted forms almost alive. In the centre of the chamber, a massive Flame Hound feasted upon the carcasses of other monsters, its fiery breath casting flickering shadows against the walls.
Ronan's eyes narrowed as he studied the beast. "This is our best chance to take it down."
Kael furrowed his brows. "Why now? It's distracted."
"Not just that," Ronan replied, voice edged with certainty. "Its magical core is unstable. Something must have wounded it before we got here. If we act fast, we can finish it before it recovers."
Before anyone could argue, a powerful surge of energy erupted from Ronan. His body pulsed with crimson light as Void Overdrive activated, an intense self-boosting technique that drastically enhanced his strength, endurance, and agility. Crimson cracks laced his neck, arms, and the skin around his eyes, burning with raw power.
With practised ease, Ronan unsheathed his sword, Eclipse Edge. The moment he infused his flame into it, the sword ignited with a crimson glow, radiating intense heat. Without hesitation, he unleashed Blazing Strikes, sending fiery slashes cutting through the air toward the wounded Flame Hound.
The monster, already weakened, couldn't dodge in time. The fiery blades tore into its flesh, scorching fur and searing wounds deeper. The hound let out a pained snarl, its molten eyes blazing with rage as it turned towards Ronan, but before it could react, small fireballs began forming in Ronan's left hand, Flare Burst.
Kael, watching from the side, felt a chill despite the heat. His control over fire is insane… as if he has complete control over his element.
With a flick of his wrist, Ronan sent the condensed fireballs toward the beast. The moment they made contact, they detonated in a series of rapid, concentrated explosions. The hound howled in agony, flames consuming its body. Its legs buckled, and it collapsed, struggling to rise.
Seeing the opportunity, Ronan activated Shadow Step, his figure flickering out of sight for an instant before reappearing beside the hound's exposed neck. Without hesitation, he slashed down with Blazing Strikes, the fiery blade carving through muscle and bone. With one final, guttural growl, the hound's massive body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Ronan straightened, exhaling as the crimson energy faded from his body. He turned to the others and smirked. "It's done. Let's collect the materials and get out of here."
Darius clapped him on the back, grinning. "You really don't hold back, do you?"
Ronan, on the verge of collapsing, said, "I'm out of mana. I could pass out at any moment. Hurry, collect the materials and let's leave."
Sylphie shook her head, impressed.
Kael let out a low chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with. This place reeks."
With their prize secured, they left the cursed cavern, the heavy atmosphere lifting as they stepped back into the open air.