WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom

Inferno's mandibles clicked in amusement. He didn't understand Ben's words, but he didn't need to. The gesture was universal—a challenge.

He roared, flames swirling around his body, white fire pooling in his throat as he prepared to unleash another devastating blast.

But Ben was already moving.

BAM!

A massive Grimslate block materialized above Inferno, plummeting toward him like a meteor.

The Ravager reacted instantly—his tail lashed out, smashing the falling block aside, shattering it into fragments.

That was exactly what Ben wanted.

He was already in motion, dashing forward, using the dust and debris as cover. His muscles tensed, his adaptive limbs shifting mid-sprint, morphing into reinforced plating along his sides.

Inferno's gaze snapped to the movement, but it was already too late.

At the very last second, he twisted, cutting past Inferno in a sudden sharp turn—straight toward Storm.

Meanwhile Elvira clutched the bracelet, feeling the rush of mana surge through her broken body. It was enough to cast spell to recover her body to the point it can move to get out of the way.

Her mind raced—she couldn't afford to stay here, not in her current state. She needed to get close enough to her lab. If she could just reach them, she could turn this around.

But first—she had to leave unnoticed.

Meanwhile Ben had already thrown himself into battle, his target is Storm. Inferno was still bellowing in rage, turning to incinerate him, but Ben dodgedx, weaving, outpacing the fire as he closed in on Storm.

Elvira gritted her teeth and forced her body to move. The moment Ben's battle with Inferno and Storm erupted into a full-blown clash, she seized the distraction.

Step. Step. Step.

She slipped between the battlefield's wreckage, moving without sound, her form flickering as she cast a low-powered Shadow Veil to blend into the environment.

Arround her, the world burned.

BOOM!

Ben's pickaxe clashed against Storm's lightning-clad claws, sparks flying like miniature stars. Inferno come from the side, his burning tail whipping toward Ben's back.

Ben twisted at the last second, shifting his entire torso mid-dodge. Inferno's flaming tail scraped past him, heat searing the air—but before it could swing back, Ben's arm morphed, elongating into a scythe-like blade that lashed upward—

SLASH!

Inferno howled as the tip of its tail was sliced clean off, molten blood spraying onto the ground, sizzling on impact.

Storm took advantage of the moment.

CRACKLE!

Lightning surged—Ben spun, barely deflecting the strike with his pickaxe. The force sent him skidding backward, but he never lost his footing.

Elvira didn't stop moving. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain, pushing her way to get closer to her lab. After that she need more time to prepare her spell.

BOOM!

The battlefield trembled as Inferno dashed forward, flames roaring across its body like a living inferno. The molten blood from its severed tail sizzled against the cracked ground, the sheer heat distorting the air.

A blur of white fire shot forward, faster than before. The ground beneath it melted in its wake, the sheer intensity of its speed leaving trails of molten rock.

Ben's jumped to the side dodging the attacks.

WHOOSH!

A claw, wreathed in white flames, slashed past his face. The air split, a searing heat cutting close enough to burn the edge of his hair.

But Ben had already moved.

He dropped low, his leg coiling like a spring, then shot forward. His scythe arm swung upward, aimed straight for Inferno's exposed underbelly.

CLANG!

The impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, the force splitting the charred ground beneath them. But Inferno had reacted at the last second—its hardened exoskeleton absorbed most of the damage.

Ben clicked his tongue. 'Tough bastard…'

Inferno retaliated, its burning tails whipping around in a spiraling arc. Three attacks at once.

Ben barely had time to react. The battlefield was a storm of heat, and Inferno attacked like a force of nature.

He shifted his stance, his legs morphing, muscles twisting and coiling like springs. The moment the first flaming tail lashed out, he was already moving. His foot slammed into the ground, propelling him sideways just as it carved through the air, missing his face by inches. The heat alone was enough to make his skin blister.

Before he could recover, the second tail was already incoming. He raised his forearm, his adaptive muscles hardening, morphing into a blackened, metallic shield. The moment of impact sent shockwaves rippling through his body, sparks and molten embers exploding from the sheer force. His feet dug trenches into the cracked earth as he slid backward.

But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.

His pickaxe lashed out mid-motion, a counter aimed at Inferno's leg. The sharpened scythe carved through the Ravager's exoskeleton with a crunch. A deep wound split open, dark red blood pouring from the gash like liquid fire.

Inferno roared in fury. Its entire body ignited, turning into a walking inferno. The temperature around them skyrocketed, the very air shimmering with heat. The ground beneath them splintered, molten cracks spider-webbing outward as flames surged from the earth itself.

Ben gritted his teeth. 'This is bad.'

A sudden CRACKLE echoed through the battlefield.

Lightning.

His instincts screamed, and he twisted just in time to see Storm moving.

Ben barely had a moment to react before the air exploded.

A bolt of lightning ripped through the battlefield, cutting through the thick smoke and flames, arcing straight for him.

'Too fast.' Ben crossed his arms, his body hardening just before the bolt slammed into him.

A deafening boom shook the ground. His muscles spasmed violently, every nerve in his body screaming as raw electricity coursed through him. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay standing.

Inferno wasted no time. The instant Storm's attack connected, the fire-covered Ravager charged.

Ben's eyes snapped toward him just as white-hot claws came swinging straight for his chest.

Swosh!!

But the instant they should have connected—They passed straight through.

Inferno's six eyes widened. Instead of flesh and bone, its claws had hit nothing—Ben's torso had morphed, hollowing itself out into a gaping hole.

Ben's grin was sharp, dangerous. "Got you, Bitch."

The hole snapped shut.