However, one intrepid warrior, driven by insatiable curiosity, could not resist moving closer to one of the statues. Just as his hand was about to make contact, the statue suddenly sprang to life, extending its colossal arm toward him.

“Ah!” The warrior cried out in terror, hastily retreating.

Enzo reacted swiftly, channeling elemental energy to unleash a beam that severed the statue’s arm.

Enzo commanded,”Don’t move recklessly. Follow my lead.”

Cautiously, the group navigated the room, avoiding the perilous statues. Abruptly, a narrow passage emerged ahead, shrouded in thick fog, obscuring their vision entirely.

Matilda advised,”This mist may be toxic. Everyone hold your breath.”

Enzo procured a magic crystal from his pocket, casting a gentle glow that illuminated a small area.

Enzo instructed,”I’ll pave the way. Stay close to me.”

As they entered the passage, they discovered tiny flying insects concealed within the fog, darting toward them. A sting from these pests would cause immediate swelling of the skin.

Matilda lamented,”These insects are insufferable. My ice powers seem ineffective against them.”

Patricia cast a protective spell, enveloping the group in a barrier to deter the insects’ approach.

Enzo urged,”Let’s hasten our pace and exit this passage as quickly as possible.”

After a hard-fought escape from the passage, they found themselves in a hall riddled with traps. The floor was marked with numerous squares, some adorned with strange symbols.

Enzo remarked,”Those squares are undoubtedly traps. We must be cautious in choosing our path.”

He scrutinized the symbols on the squares, striving to decipher a safe route. After some contemplation, he resolved to step forward with his left foot, landing on a square marked with a circular emblem.

As his foot made contact, the surrounding squares suddenly morphed. Some sank while others rose, forming a labyrinthine structure.

Enzo instructed,”Everyone, follow my lead and avoid straying.”

After navigating the maze for a while, they were met with a deep, menacing growl, as if a colossal beast lurked nearby.

Patricia gasped, fear evident in her voice,”What is that sound? It’s utterly terrifying.”

Enzo said, clenching his fists,”Whatever it is, we must remain vigilant.”

At that moment, a massive spider emerged from a shadowy corner, towering over them, its eyes gleaming with a sinister green light.

“It’s a venomous spider! Everyone, beware of its poison!” Enzo shouted urgently.

The creature unleashed a stream of white venom towards them, which splattered onto the ground, hissing ominously as it corroded a deep pit.

Matilda swiftly invoked her icy divine arts, freezing the venom in its tracks. “My icy power can only temporarily halt the spread of the poison. We must dispatch this spider quickly!”

Patricia brandished her great sword and charged forward. “Watch me take it down!” The sound of rushing wind accompanied her strike aimed at the spider, but the creature adeptly evaded her attack, retaliating with a swift lunge of its long legs.

Patricia sidestepped, yet was caught by another leg of the spider, crashing to the ground. “Damn it, this spider is incredibly agile!”

Observing this, Enzo summoned elemental energy, unleashing a powerful beam towards the spider. A beam of energy struck the venomous spider, sending it staggering back several paces.

Patricia, positioned behind, channeled her supportive spells to mend her companions’ wounds while bolstering their strength and swiftness. “Come on, everyone! Let’s rally together!”

Revitalized, the group surged forward, encircling the venomous spider. After an intense battle, they finally triumphed over it.

Patricia remarked, wiping the sweat from her brow,”Phew, at last, we’ve dealt with a significant nuisance.”

Enzo cautioned,”We must remain vigilant. There are surely more dangers lurking here.”

They continued their exploration of the hall, seeking an exit. Suddenly, Enzo noticed an unusual pattern shimmering faintly on the wall ahead.

Enzo observed,”This pattern seems suspicious. It might be the key to unlocking the exit.”

He stepped closer, examining the design intently. Just as his hand was about to graze it, he was startled by Patricia’s cry. “Enzo, be careful!”

Enzo quickly turned, only to see a swarm of black ants surging towards them from all directions. These ants were enormous, the size of a fist, their jaws sharp and glinting ominously.

“It’s the Death Ants! Everyone, run!” Matilda shouted in terror.

The group turned and sprinted back the way they had come, but the Death Ants, swift as shadows, were hot on their heels.

“Running like this won’t suffice. We must devise a strategy to halt them!” Enzo exclaimed.

Patricia halted, brandishing her greatsword and striking at the nearest Death Ant. The blade cleaved into the creature, splattering thick, black ichor, yet the Death Ant showed no signs of retreat, pressing relentlessly onward.

“There are too many of these Death Ants. My attacks are utterly ineffective!” Patricia confessed, anxiety creeping into her voice.

Matilda summoned the chilling divine arts, endeavoring to freeze the Death Ants. Yet, those fearsome creatures appeared to possess a unique force that shielded them from the icy grasp. They merely hesitated briefly before continuing their relentless advance.

“My spells are ineffective against them!” Matilda exclaimed in despair.

From the rear, Patricia cast supportive spells to bolster the group’s defenses. “Hold your ground! I will devise a strategy!” she urged.

Enzo watched as the Death Ants drew ever closer, his heart racing with urgency. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration ignited within him.

“Patricia, Matilda, draw the Death Ants’ attention with your assaults, while I attempt to unleash a burst of elemental energy to see if it can vanquish them!” Enzo declared.

Patricia and Matilda nodded, launching their attacks toward the approaching swarm. Enzo focused intently, channeling all his elemental energy and directing it toward the gathering of Death Ants.

A tremendous explosion erupted within their ranks, hurling many of the creatures through the air, resulting in the demise of numerous Death Ants.

However, it wasn’t long before—

More Death Ants poured in from all directions, encircling them completely.

“What do we do now? We’re surrounded!” Patricia cried in terror.

“Stay calm! We must fight our way out together!” Enzo shouted.

The group formed a circle, backs pressed together, and launched a combined assault in a singular direction, striving to carve a path to freedom. Yet, the sheer mass of Death Ants was overwhelming. Although their attacks momentarily pushed the swarm back, the relentless tide soon surged forth once more.

In their moment of despair, Enzo’s eyes caught sight of an especially massive ant among the horde, its movements seemingly orchestrating the entire swarm.

“Look, that giant ant! It must be the queen! If we can eliminate it, perhaps we can regain control over this legion of Death Ants!” Enzo proclaimed loudly.

Matilda’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Is that true? Let’s give it a try!”

Patricia hesitated, saying, “But there are swarms of Death Ants all around. How can we approach it?”

Continue reading on m|v-l’e -NovelBin.net

After a moment of contemplation, Enzo declared, “I will carve out a path using elemental energy. You two seize the opportunity to rush forward while I hold off the Death Ants behind!”

With that, Enzo unleashed his elemental energy with all his might, forcibly creating a narrow passage through the throng of ants. Without a second thought, Patricia and Matilda charged toward the ant queen, but the Death Ants quickly closed in, blocking the way once more.

“It’s no use, the passage is blocked!” Matilda cried out.

Gritting his teeth, Enzo replied, “I’ll try again! This time, you must succeed!”

He focused intently and unleashed an even more powerful elemental attack, temporarily repelling the Death Ants. Patricia and Matilda surged toward the ant queen, yet the fierce guard ants surrounding her fiercely protected their queen, rendering their assault ineffective.

“These guard ants are relentless!” Patricia exclaimed, fending off attacks with growing urgency.

Turning to Enzo, Matilda shouted, “Enzo, we need a stronger force. Do you have any solutions?”

Seeing Patricia and Matilda encircled by the Death Ants, Enzo felt a wave of desperation. Suddenly, he recalled the immense power they had harnessed together in prior battles against the Umbra Corps.

“Patricia, Matilda, let’s combine our strengths just like we did against the Umbra Corps leader!” Enzo urged.

Understanding his intent, Patricia and Matilda quickly adjusted their stances. Patricia cast a support spell, linking their powers, while Matilda fused her ice magic with Enzo’s elemental energy.

Enzo felt the surge of power gathering within him as he unleashed a mighty roar, directing his assault once more towards the swarm of ants. This time, a formidable wave of energy sliced through the air like a razor, striking directly at the ant queen. The guard ants were sent scattering in disarray, leaving the queen exposed to the onslaught.

Seizing the opportunity, Patricia lunged forward, thrusting her sword at the queen. The ant queen emitted a piercing shriek, her body convulsing violently. Matilda swiftly invoked her frost divine arts, encasing the queen in an impenetrable layer of ice.

As the queen became encased in frost, the Death Ant swarm descended into chaos, losing their coordinated attacks and scattering in frantic retreat.

The group exhaled in unison, and Matilda, weary yet relieved, remarked, “At last, it’s over. These Death Ants were truly formidable foes.”

Patricia wiped the sweat from her brow, exclaiming, “Indeed! We were nearly lost to them. Yet, what other perils lurk within this ancient ruin?”

Enzo surveyed the disarray of the ant swarm, furrowing his brow. “Regardless of the dangers that still lie ahead, we must not falter. We must locate the Soul Stone. The fate of the entire Alfa planet hinges upon it.”

Matilda suggested,”I have an idea. We can split into two groups to mitigate risk, preventing a repeat of our previous predicament.”

Enzo declared, preparing to depart,”Then you and Patricia should team up, while I’ll venture towards that direction alone.”

“Wait.” Matilda interjected, grasping his arm. “Enzo, you should go with Patricia. I’ll take a few others and set off separately.”

“How can that be acceptable?” Enzo countered. “You’re a girl. I cannot allow you to face such danger alone.”

Matilda offered a gentle smile. “I simply wish to protect you from harm.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep