The ground trembled beneath Ryu and Shiromoto's feet as the echoing roar faded into an eerie silence. Dust swirled in the dimly lit dungeon, and the walls pulsed faintly as if alive. They barely had time to catch their breath when the heavy stone gate before them groaned open, revealing a spiral staircase leading downward.
Ryu wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I guess that was our warm-up."
Shiromoto cracked his knuckles, his flames flickering slightly. "Whatever's next, we take it head-on."
They descended cautiously, the air growing colder with each step. The scent of damp earth and something venomous filled their lungs. As they reached the third floor, a massive cavern stretched before them, dimly illuminated by bioluminescent moss clinging to the walls. The silence was unsettling, broken only by the faint hissing sound coming from the darkness ahead.
A pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the shadows, followed by the slithering form of an enormous serpent. Its scales shimmered like polished obsidian, and a deep crimson pattern spiraled down its body. The snake's forked tongue flickered, tasting the air, its gaze locked onto the intruders.
Ryu took a step forward, gripping his donut tightly. "Great. Just what I needed—a giant snake."
Shiromoto's flames intensified around his fists. "We don't back down. Let's take it down before it strikes."
The serpent coiled, preparing to lunge. In an instant, it shot forward with blinding speed, its fangs gleaming with venom. Ryu barely dodged, rolling to the side as Shiromoto unleashed a blazing fist, the flames scorching the snake's side. The creature hissed in anger, its tail whipping around and smashing into the ground, sending debris flying.
Ryu countered, activating his ability. He tossed his donut into the air, catching it as a surge of energy burst from his hands. With a swift movement, he launched a crescent-shaped energy wave at the serpent, striking it across its scaled hide. The beast screeched, writhing in pain but still relentless.
"It's tough!" Shiromoto growled, dodging another strike. "We need to hit it harder!"
The snake's body glowed faintly before its scales darkened. Suddenly, its form split into three identical copies, surrounding them. Each snake hissed in unison, their fangs dripping with venom.
Ryu gritted his teeth. "Of course, it has clones. Why wouldn't it?"
Shiromoto clenched his fists, flames roaring around him. "Then we take them all out at once."
Ryu and Shiromoto moved in sync, dodging the strikes of the serpents as they weaved through their attacks. Ryu used his donut ability, striking at one of the clones with a precise energy slash, but instead of dispersing, the creature's form twisted, evading the blow.
"They're not just illusions! These things are real!" Ryu shouted.
Shiromoto spun, his fists igniting in blue flames as he sent a fiery punch toward the second snake. The attack landed, scorching its body, but the creature retaliated by lashing out with its tail, knocking Shiromoto backward.
"Tch! We need a better plan!" Shiromoto groaned, pushing himself up.
The real snake, still coiled in the back, watched them carefully, its tongue flicking. It was waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ryu's eyes darted around, analyzing the battlefield. "Alright, I've got an idea. I'll distract the clones, and you go for the real one!"
Shiromoto smirked, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "Just don't get swallowed."
Without hesitation, Ryu dashed toward the nearest clone, his energy radiating from his hands. He flipped forward, landing a heavy kick to its jaw before backflipping away. The snake reeled, but the other clone lunged at him.
Shiromoto took the opening. Flames surged around his arms as he launched himself toward the real snake, dodging its massive fangs at the last second. With a roar, he drove his flaming fists into its skull, the impact sending shockwaves through the cavern.
The serpent shrieked, its body convulsing as cracks of fire spread along its scales. With one final, ear-splitting screech, the clones disintegrated, leaving only the smoldering remains of the real snake.
Shiromoto landed beside Ryu, breathing heavily. "That was a pain."
Ryu chuckled, tossing his donut into the air and catching it. "Told you we had it. Now, what's next?"
A sudden rumble echoed through the dungeon, and a massive stone door at the far end of the chamber began to open.
"Looks like we're about to find out," Shiromoto muttered.
The heavy stone door groaned open, revealing a vast chamber bathed in eerie green light. The air was thick with the scent of moss and something metallic—blood. At the center of the room, a massive pedestal stood, adorned with ancient carvings that pulsed faintly. A faint hissing sound echoed from the shadows.
Ryu took a cautious step forward, his donut ability still active in case of an ambush. "I don't like this..."
Shiromoto's flames flared slightly, casting flickering shadows along the walls. "Neither do I. This place is way too quiet."
As they approached the pedestal, the hissing grew louder. Without warning, the ground beneath them trembled, and from the darkness, a colossal serpent emerged. This one dwarfed the last, its emerald scales shimmering like liquid jade. Its slit pupils locked onto them, and a deep, guttural growl vibrated through the room.
"That... is way bigger than the last one," Ryu muttered.
"Yeah, no kidding!" Shiromoto shouted, bracing himself.
The serpent coiled back, its muscles tensing before it lunged at them with terrifying speed. Ryu barely managed to roll aside as the massive fangs crashed into the stone floor, shattering it on impact.
Shiromoto retaliated instantly, unleashing a surge of flames toward its face. The snake recoiled, hissing in fury, but it wasn't enough to bring it down.
"We need to find its weak spot!" Ryu shouted as he scrambled to his feet.
Shiromoto nodded. "I'll keep it busy—find an opening!"
With a roar, Shiromoto charged forward, his flames intensifying. The serpent reared back, preparing another attack, as Ryu scanned the creature for any vulnerabilities. His eyes landed on a glowing mark beneath its chin—an exposed core.
"There! Under its head!" Ryu yelled.
Shiromoto didn't hesitate. He dashed toward the beast, feinting left before leaping onto its back. The snake thrashed wildly, trying to shake him off, but he clung on, flames bursting from his hands.
Ryu saw his chance. He focused his energy, shaping it into a concentrated wave before launching it at the exposed core. The blast struck true, and the snake let out a deafening screech, convulsing in pain.
Shiromoto seized the moment, driving his burning fists directly into the core. The flames erupted, engulfing the serpent in a fiery explosion. With one final, anguished roar, the beast collapsed, its body disintegrating into glowing embers.
Panting, Shiromoto hopped off its remains, shaking the ash from his hands. "Now that... was tough."
Ryu grinned, catching his breath. "Yeah, but we did it."
A sudden rumbling interrupted them, and the pedestal at the room's center split open, revealing a staircase leading further down.
Shiromoto wiped sweat from his brow. "You've gotta be kidding me..."
Ryu smirked. "Looks like we're not done yet."