Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 45: Boss Battle

The group stepped into the vast chamber, the deepest part of the dungeon. The ceiling stretched so high it was swallowed by darkness, and the cavern itself felt unnatural, the walls slick and glistening as if they were breathing.

The ground was uneven, jagged rocks jutting from the earth, pools of stagnant water dotted the landscape, their surfaces disturbed by what seemed to be movements beneath.

A shiver ran through the party.

"This place..." one of the mages muttered. "Why do I have a bad feeling suddenly?"

Garrik clenched his jaw.

"Stay sharp. No mistakes from here on. One slip-up, and it's over. Stick to the plan."

They nodded, gripping their weapons tighter as they cautiously advanced. Yet, despite the tension crackling in the air, the boss was nowhere to be seen.

"It has to be here," the archer whispered. "It's watching us. I can feel it."

Bel remained silent, scanning the area like the others. Something wasn't right. They were being hunted, he was sure of it. The boss had to be here. But where?

Then, an idea sparked in his mind.

[Detection: A passive skill that allows the user to perceive hidden objects possessing magic. MP Cost: 5 MP.]

His lips curled slightly under his mask.

It was a good idea. It cost mana, but he had 293 MP left. He could spare just a little. Besides, with all his new skills, he might be fine without relying too much on magic.

Narrowing his eyes, he took a slow breath.

Detection.

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The moment he activated the skill, the world around him shifted. His vision pulsed, threads of magic illuminating hidden spots, glowing veins of mana-rich crystals, faint magical traces in the walls, lingering remnants of magic used. But then...

A massive wave of miasma.

His heart pounded. Miasma, thick, suffocating, and unnatural. The same kind that had filled the goblin den. And that could only mean one thing: a demon.

Bel's eyes widened.

"Above!" he shouted.

Before anyone could react, a horrific screech echoed through the cavern. A sound so sharp it rattled their bones.

They barely had time to throw themselves out of the way as something massive dropped from the ceiling.

A colossal snake, its body thick as a fortress pillar, coiled around the stalagmites and rock formations above.

Its scales were a sickly green, pulsating with black veins of poison, its body moving like liquid shadow, blending unnaturally into the darkness. The head alone was larger than an armored warhorse, its golden eyes glowing like twin suns in the abyss.

Then, with a terrifying speed unfitting for its size, it lunged.

The adventurers barely managed to dive away as the monster struck, its jaws snapping shut where they had stood a second before. The sheer force of its attack shattered the ground, sending rock and debris flying.

The snake coiled and lashed out again, tearing through the cavern, collapsing stalactites and rock pillars. Its body twisted, wrapping around the entire battlefield, enclosing them in a prison of scales and fangs.

Then it rose, rearing its full length from the wreckage, its head high above them, towering like a god of the abyss.

The adventurers, scattered and breathless, stared in horror at the behemoth before them.

"What..." the healer whispered, her voice barely audible. "What the hell is that?!"

Garrik slammed his sword against his shield with a resounding clang.

"Everyone! Get ready!" he bellowed, his stance firm. He took a deep breath, gathering his energy, then unleashed a powerful war cry.

"Come at me, you overgrown worm!" he roared, activating his taunt skill. A wave of pressure radiated from him, drawing the monster's attention immediately.

The colossal snake moved like a shadow through the cavern, its massive body twisting between the rock formations, striking with unnatural speed.

The adventurers scattered, their weapons flashing as they tried to fend off the monstrous foe.

Garrik took the lead, slamming his sword again and again against his shield with a thunderous clang.

"Come on, beast! Try me!"

The snake responded instantly, lunging at him with a sickening hiss. Garrik braced himself, shield raised.

But the impact was devastating. The sheer force sent him flying backward, slamming into the rocky floor. He gritted his teeth, shaking off the pain, and forced himself back up.

"Damn thing hits like a warhammer..."

Meanwhile, the rest of the party fought with everything they had.

The archer danced around the battlefield, loosing arrow after arrow. His skills allowed him to fire at high speed, his projectiles striking true, but none pierced deep enough to cause real harm.

The mages unleashed spell after spell. Fireballs exploded against the snake's scales, frost magic coated its body, but the beast barely flinched.

Only the elf's magic made a difference. With a flick of her wrist, vines erupted from the ground, constricting around the monster, holding it still for a brief moment before she unleashed a searing explosion at its exposed side.

The snake shrieked in anger, momentarily stunned... but only for a second.

It retaliated viciously, coiling its body and slamming its massive tail across the battlefield.

The impact sent two warriors tumbling through the air, barely able to scramble to their feet before it struck again.

Garrik grunted as he was once again thrown back, crashing into a stalagmite. He pushed himself up, spitting blood onto the cavern floor. This wasn't working. No matter what they threw at it, the damn thing refused to fall.

Then, in the midst of the battle, he saw something strange.

Bel.

Garrik's eyes narrowed. Bel was running, dodging, circling, constantly moving... but not attacking. The so-called battlemage wasn't fighting while everyone else risked their lives, Bel simply observed.

Garrik's chest filled with the hottest air in the room at the moment.

"Battlemage! What the hell are you doing?!" he bellowed, his voice carrying over the chaos. The others instinctively turned their heads in confusion, barely avoiding the snake's next attack. "Are you just going to run around while we do all the work?! Get your ass back here!"

The rest of the party, already struggling to stay alive, were thrown into doubt.

"Battlemage, what's going on?!" the healer shouted while dodging debris. "We need you!"

"Is he seriously just watching?" the archer called out, barely ducking under the snake's lashing tail. "We could use some help here!"

One of the dwarves let out a grunt.

"Oi, lad! If ye got some grand plan again, now's the time to show it!" His axe barely grazed the snake's scales, doing next to nothing. "Because this ain't lookin' pretty for us!"

Bel finally stopped running.

Slowly, he turned to face the monster.

He exhaled, shifting his stance, his muscles tightening. His body stilled for a moment, then he moved.

In a blink, he vanished.

A blur of motion.

One second, he was standing still. The next, he was above the snake, his fist raised high.

Then came the impact.

The sound was like a thunderclap, echoing through the cavern. A powerful shockwave burst from the point of impact, sending a scattering of tiny, broken scales flying through the air.

The snake's massive head reeled back slightly, its body momentarily staggering from the force of the blow.

But then, with terrifying speed, it retaliated.

The snake lashed out, its body whipping forward. Bel barely had time to react before it crashed into him, the sheer force sending him hurtling backward.

He smashed into the stalagmites, stone cracking under the impact. Dust and debris clouded the air. But as the dust settled, Bel was still standing, his feet planted firmly on the cavern floor.

The snake coiled, its massive head turning toward him, its golden eyes narrowing.

It had recognized a new threat.

Bel exhaled slowly, then, he lifted his hands, and pulled off his gloves.

Finally, a real test.

His gloves hit the ground with a soft thud. He flexed his fingers, rolling his wrists. His crimson eyes locked onto the colossal serpent before him, unwavering.

"You all tried your best," he said, his voice even. "But you couldn't even scratch it. So, I'll take it from here. He's all mine."

A beat of silence. The party stood frozen, stunned by the sheer confidence in his words. They had just witnessed him send the beast staggering with a single punch. That was no fluke.

The archer let out a low whistle.

"Holy shit... What the hell?"

The dwarves exchanged glances, muttering under their breath. One of them grinned.

"Hah! Now, this should be good."

Garrik and the remaining members of the party watched anxiously. Their breaths were held, their eyes locked onto the battlefield.

Garrik clenched his fists, his pride stinging, but even he couldn't deny it. None of them, except the elf, could do anything visible. Even he, as a tank, had been tossed away too easily, yet Bel not only pushed the beast away, but also tanked an attack.

He was clearly on another level.

A low, menacing hiss cut through the cavern. The serpent coiled tighter, its massive muscles tensing, its golden eyes burning.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air was thick with tension, like the pause before a lightning strike.

Then, they both launched at each other.

The cavern exploded into chaos.

Bel moved first, his figure blurring as he surged forward, closing the distance in an instant. He twisted mid-air, bringing his fist down like a hammer, aiming straight for the snake's skull.

The beast reacted fast, too fast for something so massive. It twisted its neck, dodging the blow by mere inches, then retaliated with a sweeping strike of its tail.

Bel twisted his body, barely avoiding the impact. The sheer force of the tail's passing sent a gust of wind rippling through the cavern, scattering loose stones and debris.

Undeterred, he landed and sprang forward again. His claws extended, slashing at the serpent's side. The attack connected, sparks flying as his claws scraped against the impenetrable scales.

A deep cut formed, but it was shallow.

The snake shrieked, whipping around. Its jaw snapped forward, giant fangs aiming straight for him.

Bel ducked, spinning to the side. He delivered a brutal kick to the creature's lower jaw, sending its head reeling back.

But the monster recovered instantly. Using its massive coils, it slammed the cavern walls, sending rock shards in all directions.

The tremors shook the battlefield, forcing the adventurers to shield their faces.

Then, the snake struck again, its head shooting forward like a lance.

Caught mid-air, Bel couldn't retreat, but didn't think about it anyway. Instead, he met the charge head-on.

With a burst of speed, he leaped onto the incoming attack, planting a foot onto the beast's snout and using the momentum to vault over it. In mid-air again, he twisted, bringing his leg down in a devastating axe-kick.

The impact was deafening. The snake's head smashed into the ground, cracks forming beneath it.

But it refused to stay down.

With a furious hiss, it coiled up, its tail lashing out, finally catching Bel in the side. The force sent him skidding across the rocky floor, a deep groove left in his wake.

The party gasped.

"Shit! Healer, he's our trump card!" the swordsmen shouted.

The healer's breath hitched as she rushed forward, hands glowing with healing magic. But before she could reach him, the snake's massive coils swept past her, blocking the way.

She froze, her eyes widening in fear. The beast's golden eyes flickered toward her, its slit pupils narrowing.

But then, the ground erupted.

Flames burst from the rocky floor, blazing hot and wild. The cavern lit up in shades of red and orange, casting flickering shadows against the walls.

The heat rushed over them, forcing the snake to recoil.

From within the inferno, a figure emerged.

Bel.

His hands burned with fire, flames licking up his forearms like living serpents. The glow reflected in his crimson eyes, which were sharper than ever.

He exhaled, tilting his head slightly.

"Alright," he muttered. "Enough playing around."

His mask fissured, pieces of it crumbled away, revealing a glimpse of something red beneath.