After successfully deceiving the animal guards inside the cave, the girl—disguised as a gorilla—reached a vast domed chamber.
It was an enormous room, its ceiling curving upward into the inner surface of a dome. At the center stood an altar. On both the left and right sides of the altar were two portal doors. Above the altar floated a glowing purple sphere the size of a volleyball.
"A power orb… I didn't expect to find it this quickly—and without a guardian. I need to take it now."
The gorilla moved slowly toward the altar, glancing left and right to assess the surroundings.
"I think it's safe. Good… no one's here."
She suddenly dashed forward, her steps light and nearly silent, then reached out toward the glowing purple sphere she called the power orb.
The gorilla-girl grabbed it and lifted it from its place.
But the sphere resisted—as if held in place by an invisible force, like a magnetic pull from the altar.
"I didn't think it would be this easy."
A distortion of violet light flickered for a moment, and a wide smile spread across the gorilla-girl's face.
But then—a large, black hand grabbed her shoulder.
"What do you think you're doing, you stupid gorilla?"
She was caught off guard. Her body was lifted into the air and hurled thirty feet away.
She grimaced in pain as her body slammed hard against the stone floor, feeling as if it had been crushed.
Beside the altar stood a muscular man with dark skin, fine hair covering his arms. His yellow eyes glowed sharply.
He wore ankle-length pants, a large silver belt, and black armor that covered his torso and upper arms. His reddish hair flowed freely down his back.
The man growled, baring his teeth. In an instant, he leapt toward the injured gorilla.
His right hand pulled back, ready to throw a punch.
The gorilla, fighting through the pain, rolled quickly to the side.
But the man moved just as fast, grabbing both her legs and throwing her upward.
This time, she spun midair and landed on her feet.
Before she could stabilize, a punch shot toward her face.
Instinctively, she crossed both arms in front of her, shielding her face from the blow. Even so, her body was thrown several feet backward.
With great difficulty, she stood—but the muscular man was already beside her, delivering a powerful kick to her waist.
This time, she rolled across the ground from the impact.
"You're not a gorilla. Show me your true form… before I kill you!" the man growled, his teeth more like fangs protruding from his mouth.
The gorilla's trembling body flickered—and transformed into a girl wearing red.
Struggling, she tried to sit up, her breathing ragged. Both hands pressed against the ground for support.
"You! How dare you come here, you foolish fox!" Without hesitation, the man sprinted toward her and leapt high into the air, his fist drawn back to strike.
And then—Boom!
A thick cloud of white smoke exploded in front of him, filling the space with a sharp, stinging smell—like a harsh chemical used to clean bathroom tiles.
The man twisted his body midair and leapt backward, avoiding the smoke.
As the white cloud began to dissipate, the space before him slowly became visible again.
The girl was gone.
"You! Go after the intruder—now!" the man shouted, summoning his subordinates.
Several gorillas came rushing in, followed by dozens of giant centipedes.
"Move!" His command sent the creatures scrambling to chase the fox girl.
Beside him, a black rectangular portal appeared. From within it stepped a young woman with shoulder-length wavy hair.
"What's going on, Brugman? Why all the noise?" Hanako asked flatly.
"My apologies, Your Excellency. A fox woman infiltrated the area—she was trying to steal something… the power orb."
"Any news about the girl I told you to find?" Hanako asked, glancing at him.
"My apologies… we haven't found her yet."
"Idiots! All of you are useless!"
From Hanako's back, black serpent-like smoke with glowing red eyes emerged and struck the muscular man.
His body was lifted into the air. Hanako's eyes glowed as she snarled.
"Forgive me—I'll capture the girl immediately, Your Excellency!"
Hanako snorted and slammed his body back to the ground.
"I'm giving you one chance. If you fail… I'll kill every last one of you!"
And then—she vanished.
The girl in red sprinted through the tunnel, occasionally leaping and hiding among rocks and cave walls.
***
Her breathing was ragged. Behind her, in the distance, the chaotic noise of gorillas and giant centipedes echoed as they pursued her.
"My breathing is getting tight… that man's punch was brutal. I feel like I might pass out. What is this smell? It's so sharp…!"
"I have to get out of here!"
Before she could finish her thought, several objects flew toward her—
"Ahhh!"
Hundreds of bat-like creatures swarmed her.
With what little strength she had left, she struck them away.
She threw something—and a white smoke cloud spread through the area.
The cave bats scattered, screeching with ear-piercing cries.
The commotion drew the attention of the pursuing gorillas, who rushed toward the noise.
The muscular man sprinted after the disturbance, his glowing yellow eyes piercing through the darkness.
The girl ran desperately through the tunnel until she reached another wide chamber. Her strength was nearly gone, and she leaned against the cave wall.
Her eyes scanned the area—a large space with several tunnels branching off in different directions.
From the tunnel she came from, the gorillas and centipedes burst in with chaotic roars. They shrieked upon seeing the red-clad girl leaning against the wall.
She tried to push herself up and move toward the nearest tunnel—but just as she stood, a towering king-kong-like creature, twice the size of a grown man, blocked her path.
She quickly turned to another tunnel, her energy completely drained.
The gorillas chased her relentlessly.
The tunnel she entered was no different from the others. The creatures behind her were closing in—only about sixty feet away.
At the end of the tunnel, she found nothing but a wall… with a pulsating black circular portal embedded in it.
"No choice… I'm going in!"
The fox girl leapt into the throbbing black portal.
Inside was a vast space filled with a thin layer of mist that limited visibility.
The ceiling was completely obscured by fog. What could faintly be seen was a stone path wide enough for three people to walk side by side.
The path stretched far ahead, disappearing into the mist.
Without hesitation, she ran along the stone path, while the pursuing gorillas entered the space behind her.
The shrill chittering of the giant centipedes made her stomach churn.
A few steps forward—
Then—a hissing sound echoed.
A long, black tendril-like object emerged from the side of the path, about fifteen feet above her.
Without warning, it lunged toward her!
Startled, the girl in red instinctively rolled to the side.
Bugh!
A heavy impact shook the ground. Another tendril lashed toward her from the opposite side.
She had just gotten back up when the second attack came.
She hadn't expected it—there was no time to dodge.
"Ahh!" she cried out, eyes shut in resignation.
Something coiled tightly around her upper right arm—like a steel cable.
Her body was yanked violently upward.
She was lifted into the air—
And then—a loud impact echoed.
Bugh!
***