Chapter 295: Shark Lizard Beast
"Everyone, stay alert," Lonely Like Snow murmured, carefully holding up his Great Shield.
Now, more than ever, he had to watch not only the monsters lurking within the Labyrinth—but also his unreliable teammates. The memory of his earlier transformation into a Sheep still made him shiver. Without thinking, he instinctively took a few steps back, putting more distance between himself and the Flying Witch.
"Aw, come on, it was just a fluke!" the Flying Witch said, scratching her head sheepishly with a grin. "No real harm done, right?"
Lucky Emperor and Jiu Li, meanwhile, had shrunk into the rear of the group, trembling. They were terrified of anything sudden leaping out from the shadows—something that could instantly erase them, two rookie Wizard Apprentices, in a single, brutal instant.
"Watch me speed-run this quest," the Flying Witch declared confidently, casting a guiding spell that lit the path forward through the twisting corridors of the Labyrinth.
It was clear she was trying to redeem her image, clinging desperately to the dignity of a Senior Veteran.
But Lonely Like Snow narrowed his eyes. As a Paladin, his Divine Perception picked up on subtle shifts in the air—the faint tremors beneath their feet.
He turned to his teammates. "Did you feel that? Did you discover it?"
"Discover what?" the Flying Witch tilted her head, confused.
"Crack... crack..."
Before she could finish, a low rumble erupted beneath the ground. The earth heaved violently, and right in front of him, a massive mound of dirt surged upward.
"Get out of the way! Danger!" he shouted, panic rising.
"ROOOOAAARRR—!"
The mound exploded. Dirt and rock flew in all directions. From the maelstrom, a monstrous shadow lunged into the air.
"Boom!"
The beast crashed down with terrifying force, shaking the entire Labyrinth. Dust billowed, rocks tumbled from the ceiling, and the ground trembled as if the world itself had been punched.
The four of them had barely escaped—Lonely Like Snow rolled desperately, barely avoiding the onslaught. Even so, the shockwave from the beast’s leap sent them flying several meters back, one of them even crashing onto the ground.
When the dust cleared, they finally saw the true form of their uninvited guest.
—A creature born of shark and lizard, a grotesque fusion of flesh and spirit. Over four meters tall, it loomed like a small mountain. Its body was armored in thick, jagged plates, still caked with dirt and earth. Its digging claws were massive, powerful enough to tear through stone.
This was the Shark Lizard Beast, the Absolute Dominator of the Underworld Realm.
Now, its tiny, pea-sized eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, fixed hungrily on them. Thick, foul saliva dripped from the edges of its colossal, blood-filled maw. It was hungry. And it had been waiting.
Lonely Like Snow lay on the ground, staring up at the nightmare before him.
【Shark Lizard Beast】
Challenge Rating: 5 (1800 experience points)
"Whoa... this thing is way above our level," the Flying Witch boasted, grinning. "You newbs are overreacting. Back in my day, I took down multiple level-eight Frost Giants with just one spell."
"Awooo—!"
She hadn’t even finished her boast when the Shark Lizard Beast launched itself at them again, unstoppable, a force of nature.
Lonely Like Snow instantly raised his Great Shield, stepping forward as the team’s only Tank. His role was clear—he would take the hit.
"Boom!"
The shield held. The beast’s charge slammed into it with bone-crushing force—but the impact sent Lonely Like Snow flying backward, tumbling across the ground for over ten full rolls.
"Hey, focus, would you?!" he groaned, still gasping from the blow.
The beast now lunged straight at Lucky Emperor, its maw wide open—ready to swallow him whole.
"Damn it, these idiots!" Lonely Like Snow gritted his teeth. Ignoring the numbness spreading through his limbs, he raised his shield once more and channeled Divine Power.
【Divine Guidance: Defiant Challenge】
A shimmering, ethereal chain snapped into existence between him and the beast—a phantom barrier, sealing them into a single, isolated duel. The battlefield was now theirs alone.
With the ground trembling beneath the beast’s advance, he gripped his shield tighter and whispered, voice raw:
"Guess I’ve gotta carry the load again..."
"I’ll hold it off! You guys deal damage!" he roared.
"Arcane Bolt!" Jiu Li raised his staff, unleashing a crackling bolt of electric blue energy. It streaked toward the beast, creating a continuous arc of lightning between them.
But the creature was thick-skinned, tough as old hide. The spark barely fazed it.
"Rainbow Spray!" Lucky Emperor, lacking a staff, had no choice but to cast with his bare hands.
A dazzling cascade of colorful light erupted from his palms—only to splash harmlessly onto the ground.
"Lucky Emperor! Aim! You’re supposed to hit it, not paint the floor!" Lonely Like Snow yelled, barely dodging another swipe.
Lucky Emperor scratched his head, meekly replying, "My spellcasting level’s too low… still getting the hang of it. Sorry, sorry."
"Leave it to me!" the Flying Witch declared, smirking. "Fireball Spell!"
She raised her hands—magic surged through the air. But instead of a fireball, a flurry of butterflies and petals danced through the corridor, fluttering in the breeze.
"Whoa… kinda romantic, huh?" she blinked, then laughed. "Nice aesthetic."
Lonely Like Snow barely dodged another lunge—only to be bowled over by a brutal headbutt, sending him crashing into the wall. His body left a deep, human-shaped crater.
"Romantic? Damage output, now!"
He groaned from the pit, voice weak.
If not for his Refined Gold Armor, he’d have been minced meat by now.
"Working on it! Working on it!" the Flying Witch snapped back, finally snapping into focus. She couldn’t afford to seem unreliable in front of these rookies—she was determined to be the dependable veteran.
With a fierce grimace, she thrust her hands forward, crackling with electricity.
"Lightning Beam!"
"BANG—!"
A thick, roaring bolt of lightning tore from her fingertips—piercing straight through the Shark Lizard Beast.
It was pure luck. Wild Magic Currents had amplified the spell beyond her control, and the lightning struck with devastating force.
"AOWWW!" The beast roared in agony. Its body blackened in patches, smoke curling from its flesh. The sheer power of the strike sent it crashing down, shaking the entire Labyrinth once more.
"Ha! Told you I’d save the day!" the Flying Witch grinned proudly.
But she hadn’t noticed—Lightning Beam was Piercing Damage.
And in its path? Not just the beast.
But also Lonely Like Snow, still trapped in the wall.
"Uh… Witch Sister… you kinda forgot about me…" a faint voice came from the rubble.
"No way… please tell me—"
The Flying Witch froze, eyes wide. Slowly, she stepped forward, hands trembling.
There, on the ground, lay Lonely Like Snow—barely breathing. His helm was cracked, his eyes dull with exhaustion. His entire body was charred black, like a piece of burnt meat. His hair was gone, reduced to ash. Even his Refined Gold Armor was scorched, crackling with faint electrical arcs.
The beast had taken most of the blow—Mithril Armor had deflected much of the lightning—but the memory of being nearly turned into charcoal still burned in his mind.
"Agh… should’ve known this would happen," he muttered, turning his head stubbornly away. A thin wisp of blue smoke curled from his lips.
Once a noble Paladin. Now, he looked like a roasted delicacy.
He’d never should’ve joined this lousy guild.
(End of Chapter)
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