MTLNOVEL Chapter 467: Crimson Hyena Queen
The thousand hyenas wavered like mirages in desert heat. The lava beneath his feet lost its burning intensity, becoming nothing more than harmless stone. The hellish landscape that had seemed so absolutely real moments before revealed itself as nothing more than an elaborate mental projection.
Arthur's perceptions snapped back to true reality with jarring abruptness. He stood exactly where he had entered the Bone Cathedral, surrounded by the macabre decorations that marked the hyena pack's domain. His legs showed no signs of burning, his equipment remained intact, and his abilities responded normally to his mental commands.
The entire nightmare sequence had lasted less than a second in real time, though it had felt like minutes of genuine torment within the illusion's compressed timeframe.
Arthur found Aether looking at him with obvious worry, the little dragon's void-black eyes reflecting concern that exceeded his usual enthusiasm. The small creature had apparently been watching Arthur's brief moment of disorientation with growing anxiety.
"Master?" Aether's voice carried uncertainty that Arthur rarely heard from his companion. "You looked really strange for a moment there. Like you were seeing something scary that wasn't really there."
Arthur's mind immediately began analysing the situation. If Aether had been watching him throughout the illusion, it meant the void dragon had been completely unaffected by whatever psychological attack the Cackle Queen had launched.
"Aether, were you affected by anything just now?" Arthur asked with curiosity. "Did you see or feel anything unusual when we entered this cave?"
The small dragon shook his head with obvious confusion. "No, Master. Everything looked normal to me. But you just stood there for a few seconds looking like you zoned out."
Arthur nodded with growing understanding. The Cackle Queen's illusion talent was powerful, but it appeared to have limitations regarding the number of targets it could affect simultaneously. Rather than attempting to trap his entire group, she had focused her full power on him specifically, probably recognising him as the primary threat that needed to be neutralised.
It was a tactically sound decision that had nearly succeeded through its unexpected timing and overwhelming sensory detail.
But "nearly" wasn't sufficient when facing Arthur.
...
Arthur glanced at Pride and confirmed that the legendary Golden Mane was also completely unaffected by the Cackle Queen's psychological assault. The massive creature's amber eyes showed no signs of confusion or disorientation, his golden mane gleaming with its usual brilliance as he maintained alert readiness for combat.
Having understood slightly more about the limitations of the queen's abilities, Arthur looked at Aether with consideration. The small void dragon's immunity to the illusion could prove crucial if the Cackle Queen attempted another psychological attack during their inevitable confrontation.
"Aether," Arthur addressed his companion with serious intent, "if that happens to me again, I want you to protect me, okay?"
Aether nodded cutely, his void-black eyes shimmering with determination as his expression changed from curiosity to fierce protectiveness. Despite his diminutive size and childlike demeanour, the primordial dragon's eyes blazed with power that could reshape space.
"Yes, Master!" Aether declared with adorable ferocity, his tiny claws extending as he spread his teeth in what was clearly meant to be an intimidating snarl. "I will make sure anyone who dares to harm you will be obliterated out of existence! I will compress their body into a ball and kick it all the way to space!"
The threat was delivered with such enthusiasm in his small body that it might have been cute if not for the absolute certainty that Aether possessed the capability to make good on his promise. The idea of being compressed into a sphere and launched into orbit was entirely within the creature's range of possible responses.
Arthur smiled with genuine warmth at his companion's protective declaration before turning his attention back to the path ahead. They continued walking deeper into the Bone Cathedral, their footsteps echoing through corridors lined with the skeletal remains of creatures that had once been powers in their own right.
Until now, no hyena had challenged their advance, which meant that if there were any other pack members in this cave system apart from the queen herself, they were waiting inside alongside their leader rather than attempting to slow or harass the intruders during their approach.
The tactical implications were clear; the Cackle Queen was either confident enough in her abilities to allow potential enemies to reach her throne room without interference, or she knew that they were incredibly dangerous, and didn't want her subordinates to be picked off alone.
Arthur continued walking through the increasingly elaborate bone architecture, his eyes scanning for potential ambush points while his mind prepared for whatever psychological or physical challenges awaited in the throne room ahead.
Soon, they arrived at the heart of the Bone Cathedral.
The throne room exceeded even Arthur's enhanced expectations for grandeur. The chamber stretched upward for hundreds of feet, its ceiling lost in shadows. Massive pillars constructed entirely from the femurs of creatures supported the natural cave roof, while smaller bones created mosaic artwork that depicted scenes of hunting, torture, and psychological dominance on the walls.
At the chamber's centre, elevated on a dais carved from what appeared to be a single massive skull, sat a throne that defied normal description.
The seat was constructed from the bones of various creatures, including humanoid remains, and specimens that Arthur couldn't immediately identify. Each bone had been positioned with an intent, creating a piece of furniture that was simultaneously magnificent and deeply disturbing.
Upon this throne of death, the Cackle Queen was positioned.
[Crimson Hyena Queen]
[Level: 24]
[Rank: Legendary-Boss]
[Details: The Cackle Queen is the peak of hyena sadism, evolved from predator to a force of psychological ruin. Born with the Nightmare talent, she learned early to feed on fear, drawing strength from the terror her illusions caused. Over the years, this twisted her instincts into a taste for mental torment. She crafted elaborate, nonphysical methods to break all of her foes, turning her territory into a lab for fear-based manipulation. Bone sculptures scattered across her domain reflect the exact moment her victims lost hope—each one a study in suffering. Her cruelty is not chaotic, but a refined art.]