The group pushed forward, cutting down any abominations that dared to stand in their way.
The deeper they went, the more the air grew thick with the stench of decay, and the more relentless the creatures became.
While Von and Violet kept their guard up, Horizon and Nyx were more interested in scouring the battlefield for loot.
"Look at this haul," Nyx flashed a toothy grin, picking through the remains.
There were piles of claws, a handful of eyes, pouches of gil, gleaming stones like pearls, colorful shells, bits of coral, and some rare water herbs and ores.
The spears the Lizardmen carried weren't worth much, and they would only clog up their inventory, so they ignored those.
As for armor, the Lizardmen were practically naked, so there wasn't much to be found—only a few accessories like tooth necklaces and shell bracelets, both of which were low-tier items.
Horizon sighed at the meager bounty. "These guys are dirt poor . . . but treasure's treasure. It'll still fetch some gil." He shrugged and began stuffing the organs into his [Preserver's Container], which had proven invaluable for collecting these oddities.
"We should've brought five more bags," Horizon muttered, eyeing the scattered loot with a glint of regret.
"Don't worry, I got us covered!" Lydia chimed in, winking and flashing a thumbs-up. Her grin was almost blinding, her teeth shining under the dim cave light as she pulled out numerous bag from her bag. "You have to be at a time like this."
Nyx snorted. "At least you're useful in this situation, thief."
Lydia ignored her. "Alright, Horizon, Von—you loot that side. I'll gather the materials over here. Saw some mushrooms, seaweed, and pearls by the waterfall. There are ores along the walls too," Lydia said, pointing as she took charge of the operation.
Violet and the harpies stood at a distance, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. They had come expecting a rescue mission, but what they were witnessing was closer to a heist.
Horizon and his crew were strong, sure, but they felt more like treasure hunters than saviors—plundering the Lizardmen's cave like it was a trove of riches rather than a battlefield.
What was supposed to be a daring rescue had suddenly turned into a looting spree.
Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel—a vast chamber illuminated by the faint glow of magic.
Violet ignored their banter, and raised her voice again. "Hang on, Priestess! We're coming to save you!"
Before they could bridge the gap, however, a deep, guttural roar filled the chamber. Emerging from the shadows, a hulking figure stepped into the light—an enormous Lizardfolk, its body covered in thick, blackened scales, and its eyes burning with a primal fury.
It was larger than any they had seen before, towering over them like a living nightmare.
"Looks like we've found the boss," Horizon muttered, his hand tightening on the hilt of his scimitar.
From behind the massive boss, ten more Lizardmen warriors slithered out of the shadows, their weapons gleaming with the intent to kill.
"Interlopers!" the boss hissed, its forked tongue flicking out as its glowing reptilian eyes locked onto the group. "You will regret stepping foot in my lair!"
Horizon tightened his hold on his scimtars. "I'll handle the boss. You focus on the mission," he said calmly, stepping forward with deliberate confidence. His presence alone felt like a challenge.
The Lizardmen flanked their leader, each standing at full height—towering, armored in thick, greenish-black scales that shimmered with an unnatural sheen.
A typical Lizardman had an HP pool of around 5000, with their stats hovering near the 100+ range, but their Constitution — already exceeding 150+ — made them walking tanks. Their scales were tough, like stone, almost impervious to standard strikes.
The harpies, with their nimble attacks, would struggle to pierce such resilience, but Von's bullets, dealing true and piercing damage could surely penetrate their hard scales.
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|| A/N ||
No update this weekend since we'll be travelling. Update resumes on October 1st.
Thank you ????