Luke and Angelica were still trapped deep in the lower tunnels of the mine when they heard it—footsteps. Slow, deliberate, and far too heavy to be human. They froze, instincts sharpening, eyes searching the dark cavern walls. Then something emerged from the shadows.

[Alpha Devourer Ant (Beast Captain) – Lvl 32]

It was enormous. Larger than any Beast Captain they had faced. Six limbs, each ending in a razor-sharp blade. Its black exoskeleton reflected almost no light, and its glowing red eyes locked onto them with feral intelligence.

Luke swallowed hard as the creature stepped closer. Angelica, visibly tense, drew an arrow from her quiver, her fingers steady even as her breath quickened. The beast roared, its voice shaking the tunnel around them. Stone crumbled from the ceiling. There was no way out—no higher ground, no allies within reach. Luke's jaw tightened.

It's as strong as Morvat. Maybe worse.

He marked the enemy with Assassin's Mark, just in case. The creature lunged. A blur—blades spinning like a cyclone. Luke didn't think. He let instinct take over, eyes closing for the briefest second as his perception narrowed. Everything else disappeared. He dodged just in time.

The Alpha pivoted mid-charge, targeting Angelica now. Six arms moved as one, like the blades of a killing machine. She rolled aside and released a glowing arrow. It detonated with a flash of blinding light, halting the beast for a heartbeat. Luke tried to summon Charlie, but the distance was too great. She had to stay with the other group.

"Cover me!" he shouted.

"Always!" Angelica called back, already firing again.

The Alpha slammed its arms into the ground, striking. Stone split and dust shot upward. Luke met the attack head-on with his kukris, steel clashing against carapace, deflecting a blow that would've sliced him in half.

An arrow sailed past him and struck the creature's side. It didn't even flinch. Then—white light. A soft glow building in the tip of Angelica's next arrow. He recognized the spell and pulled back immediately. The arrow struck, and the burst of mana rocked the tunnel. The Alpha stumbled—but only for a moment.

Then it was airborne again. Six blades came down in perfect sync. Luke blocked one, felt the second slice along his ribs, and dashed away from the third with a Dark Dash. He soared upward using the enhanced legs of his Arachnid Pants, twisting mid-air, and drove a kukri straight into the Alpha's face. The blade struck true.

The creature howled and thrashed, spinning with terrifying force. Luke was hurled from its body and crashed hard to the ground, rolling and springing back to his feet in a single motion. Before the Alpha could follow, a streak of lightning cut through the air. The arrow hit, locking its body in convulsions for one brief, precious second.

Luke activated Force Infusion, draining more of his rapidly dwindling stamina, and hurled his remaining kukri straight at the creature's chest. The impact knocked it off its feet. But not for long. It rose again—faster now, angrier. Luke moved to counter but stopped. His second kukri was still embedded in the creature's body.

The Alpha lunged. A massive strike sent him flying backward, skidding across the stone floor. Gritting his teeth, Luke raised a hand and called the blade back with Magnetism. It tore free of the creature's exoskeleton and flew into his grip just as the Alpha turned—not toward him this time, but toward Angelica.

She was already in position. Bow raised. Calm. She loosed the shot. The arrow struck the exact spot where Luke's blade had pierced earlier. The carapace split with an audible crack. The creature recoiled, screeching in pain, and began to spin—dragging its scythe-arms across the floor in a wide arc. Dust and stone exploded outward in a maelstrom of destruction.

Luke shielded his eyes and backed away.

"Nice shot!" he called out.

Angelica stepped back, lowering her bow for a moment. "I hit where your blade landed," she said, voice steady despite the chaos. "It cracked the armor. It's like a shell—we just need to keep hitting the same spot."

The Alpha burst through the dust cloud like a freight train of black steel, six bladed arms raised high. It charged—silent, lethal, certain. It didn't expect what met it. Two kukris slammed into its chest, glowing with raw, condensed stamina. The exoskeleton cracked under the force.

Luke yanked the blades back with Magnetism. As they returned to his hands, he surged forward, closing the distance just as the Alpha retaliated. Arms came down, slicing through the tunnel in a brutal wave. He spun beneath them, every movement sharp, instinctive.

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[Demonic Blade Dance] activated.

Luke's form blurred, his strikes becoming fluid, feral. He twisted through the air, kukris flashing in perfect arcs. One foot planted against the ground—then a pivot, a sudden dash—and the next cut went deep across the Alpha's midsection.

From across the tunnel, Angelica fired. The arrow split the air with supernatural speed and precision, striking the Alpha directly in the face. The impact jarred the creature, its roar echoing through stone like a collapsing wall.

Luke launched himself forward again, spinning mid-air. His kukris bit into the Alpha's carapace, cleaving a jagged line across its head. Angelica had already repositioned, focus unshaken. Another shot loosed. The arrow struck the beast's back, forcing it to stagger. Seconds. That was all they had.

Luke rushed in and plunged one blade deep into the exposed side. The Dancing Mimic blinked into existence beside him, echoing every strike, shadow and steel in perfect unison. They became a blur—two versions of the same relentless assault. He didn't care about the mana cost. There was no time for restraint. One mistake, one hesitation, meant death.

The Alpha retaliated with a full-bodied slam, two of its arms crashing into the ground. The explosion of stone and force shattered the space around it. Luke dove aside, barely clearing the blast. The mimic caught the brunt of the blow and dissipated into smoke. Angelica dropped to a crouch, shards of debris slicing across her arm. She didn't cry out—just loaded another arrow.

The Alpha moved to finish it. Luke was airborne, cloak unfurled, gliding downward like a shadow falling from the sky. He landed hard on the beast's back, both kukris driving deep between armored plates. Blue blood sprayed from the wounds as the creature thrashed. The impact sent them both flying. Luke hit the tunnel wall, hard. Pain lanced through his side, but he pushed to his feet.

I can't fall.

Angelica was still in the fight. So was he. His blades had scattered in the chaos. He called them back with Magnetism, catching both just as the Alpha lunged again. Six blades came for him. He crossed the kukris in front of his chest, deflecting the first strike. The force of the hit shook his arms to the bone, but he held.

From across the tunnel, Angelica fired. The arrow struck the Alpha's back, and it faltered for a second—enough. Luke steadied himself just as another arrow passed inches from his cheek.

He didn't need to look. He closed his eyes and trusted her. The arrow burst into light, bathing the corridor in white glare. The Alpha reeled, blinded. Luke dashed forward, pushing through the glare. His kukris carved deep into the creature's chest, forcing a guttural cry from its throat. Angelica aimed low. One shot to the right leg. Luke slashed through the left. The beast stumbled, its balance broken.

Angelica didn't hesitate. She sprinted forward and leapt straight at the creature's head, her final arrow drawn back. It pulsed in her hand—stamina compressed to its limit. She slammed the shot point-blank into the Alpha's face.

The arrow struck, cracking through armor. The monster's head snapped sideways. Its body crashed to the ground with a quake that rippled through the cavern floor. Angelica landed and rolled, then rose, panting. Dirt clung to her uniform. Sweat glistened along her temple. She already had another arrow nocked—just in case. But then she lowered the bow.

"It's dead," she said. Her voice was calm, certain.

She looked at the glowing system prompt in front of her and nodded. "Confirmed."

For a moment, he had expected the level 32 Ant General to pose a challenge on par with Morvat. But the fight… had ended surprisingly quickly.

Am I stronger now? Or were those monsters just weaker?

He hesitated to jump to any conclusions. Maybe the difference lay in Morvat himself—a general with an evolved class, unlike the creature they had just faced. But when he looked at Angelica, he understood the real answer.

It's easier… because she's here.

Angelica wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, her bow still slung over her shoulder. When she noticed Luke staring, she raised an eyebrow.

"If you like my face, feel free to keep admiring it," she said with a smirk.

"What? No, it's not that…" Luke snapped out of his thoughts, clearly caught off guard. Angelica laughed—that familiar mix of teasing and relief in her voice.

"I just meant… it was easier than I expected."

"Easy? One mistake and we'd have been skewered. We fought for that win, Luke."

"I mean it was easier than fighting the Manticore."

Angelica went quiet for a second, then nodded. "Yeah. The Manticore clearly had a class mutation. Remember the lightning? That had to be a special skill. This ant, despite the level, felt more... raw. Pure brute force. If monsters have classes too, this one probably hadn't evolved yet."

"Or maybe ants rely more on numbers," Luke muttered.

"Let's hope the Queen is that simple. But don't say that out loud—you'll jinx us."

Luke gave a faint smile and pulled up his interface. He'd ignored the notifications during the fight, but now one of them caught his eye:

[Princess Charlie has slain a Devourer Ant Soldier – Lvl 21]

[Princess Charlie has slain a Devourer Ant (Beast Captain) – Lvl 30]

[Princess Charlie has reached Level 13! Skeleton (Rank F)] (+1 bonus point to all attributes, +1 free point)

Charlie was still on the upper level, fighting her own battles with the others. Luke hoped she was holding out. Once they were too far apart, her name would go gray on the system display—and then she'd be truly on her own. If she died, that would be it.

"Looks like we've only got one way forward," Angelica said, turning her attention to the tunnel ahead. "The cave's collapsed behind us. No way to climb back up."

Luke glanced at the hole they'd fallen through. Maybe he could cross it using Wraith Form—but that would mean leaving Angelica behind.

"Then let's keep going," he said.

Angelica smiled and started walking. "At least you won't die in bad company."

They moved on. The narrow tunnel swallowed them in oppressive darkness, the damp stone walls dimly reflecting the weak glow of the lantern clipped to Angelica's belt.

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