Under Eluna's guidance, the group swiftly arrived at the entrance of the cavern.
This was but one entrance to the underground cavern.
According to Eluna, the body of Devourer Oksd was immense.
Upon his death, his veins formed a complex network of caves, with no one knowing the exact number of entrances and exits.
"This cavern indeed seems different," Ethan commented, nodding.
The cave in front of them was unlike any ordinary rocky cavern.
Instead of the typical black or brownish hue of most caves, the walls of this cavern were crimson, resembling the color of blood.
There was also a faint, metallic smell in the air.
Eluna, leading the way, heard Ethan's remark and added, "The peculiarities don't stop there. Oksd was a god, after all."
"For such a being, everything in the world is mundane. Inside these underground caverns, many wondrous creatures have come to life."
"Some are benevolent, while others malevolent, but it's best not to provoke any."
Her voice dropped a little as she said this, seemingly reminded of the curse she bore.
It was then that Ethan sensed something amiss.
Thunder Dragon, who had been perched on Ethan's shoulder ever since they entered the cavern, began to roar.
It radiated a silvery-white luminescence, its claws digging into Ethan's clothes in obvious distress.
"What's wrong?" Eluna turned her gaze to Ethan.
Everyone else also became alert, glancing around warily in case of sudden danger.
"Thunder Dragon senses the presence of its natural predator," Ethan explained.
This statement left the group baffled, especially Pale Wolf, who immediately asked, "Though Thunder Dragon might be small in stature, it still belongs to the dragon lineage. To my knowledge, dragons don't have any natural enemies, do they?"
"Pale Wolf is right," Sherry chimed in.
Ethan nodded in agreement.
"You're both correct. Although the Thunder Dragon is petite, they usually appear in flocks."
"When I mentioned a natural predator, I wasn't referring to one for the Thunder Dragon but rather for the sandworm."
"This particular Thunder Dragon evolved from a sandworm, hence it still retains some characteristics and instincts of its predecessor."
Understanding dawned upon the group, yet there was no relief in their expressions. An enemy of the sandworms would undoubtedly be formidable.
But with only this path available to delve deeper into the cavern, retreating would inevitably mean wasting significant time.
"Stay close to me!" This time, Ethan took the lead.
The cavern was spacious, and above, numerous small holes allowed sunlight to filter through.
This meant that the cavern, instead of being gloomy, was adequately illuminated.
However, the subtle, pervasive scent of blood made the atmosphere somewhat unsettling.
As Ethan proceeded deeper, Thunder Dragon became increasingly agitated.
Ethan had to soothe it, and as he leaped down from a certain ledge, he finally saw what was causing its distress: a peculiar corpse.
"Wait, isn't this a sculpture?" Pale Wolf said, perplexed.
His eyes widened as he examined the stone figure before them.
It bore bat-like wings, and atop its head were goat-like horns.
Its body was remarkably smooth, emanating a metallic sheen.
"This is undoubtedly a sculpture!" Pale Wolf exclaimed, thumping his chest with conviction.
Ethan looked to Eluna and Sherry, his brows furrowed in confusion.
Eluna was the first to speak, "I've been here before. This has always been here, and nobody seemed to care. They say it's just a statue of some creature."
Ethan wasn't entirely satisfied with that explanation.
If it were a sculpture, its craftsmanship was extraordinary.
Every strand of hair, every intricate detail was vividly defined.
Such craftsmanship would require a master sculptor of the highest caliber.
Therefore, he called out to the dozing Baal.
"Baal, it's your time to shine!"
Pulled from Ethan's pocket, Baal groggily opened his eyes.
But upon seeing the figure, he jolted in alarm, "Ah, why is there a gargoyle here?"
"A gargoyle?" Everyone looked puzzled, except for Eluna, who wore a hint of astonishment.
She explained, "Gargoyles are an exceedingly rare species, made entirely of stone. They're incredibly hardy, and when injured or killed, they turn to stone statues, only to revive after a while."
As an elder of the Treants, she had heard some tales about gargoyles.
But before she could finish, Baal interrupted, "This isn't just any gargoyle. It's the king of gargoyles, an Iron Gargoyle."
"Its body is made of a very hard and rare metal, a metal often used to forge divine artifacts in ancient times."
Suddenly realizing something, Baal shouted, "Ethan, we're rich!"
His proclamation snapped everyone to attention.
Their eyes turned to the Iron Gargoyle's body, burning with avarice.
But Eluna interjected, "Wait, how can we be certain the Iron Gargoyle is dead?"
Everyone immediately sobered up, especially recalling Thunder Dragon's earlier reaction.
It didn't seem like a response to merely encountering the corpse of a foe.
"Using blood can awaken the Iron Gargoyle," Baal offered a method of testing.
However, after discussing, Ethan decided against attempting it.
It was a risky endeavor with seemingly no tangible reward.
The gargoyle species became natural enemies of the sandworms because, while gargoyles too need blood, they are entirely composed of stone and devoid of any blood themselves.
Therefore, the sandworms were powerless against them.
Yet, the gargoyles were quite fond of preying on sandworms, given the ample blood contained within their bodies.
The group decided not to experiment further but didn't abandon the Iron Gargoyle.
After discreetly moving it to a concealed location, Ethan and the others continued deeper into the cave.
They trekked for what felt like three or four hours.
The external light no longer pierced through, leaving the depths of the cave engulfed in darkness.
They were forced to light torches to navigate.
Along their journey, they discovered traces of previous visitors — campfires reduced to ashes, discarded tattered clothing, and weapons with nicked blades.
All these signs suggested they were nearing the heart of the cave.
Before long, the group halted their progress.
Not far off, they spotted a campfire with a group of people seated around it.
The man at the helm appeared to be middle-aged, with a thick goatee and bushy eyebrows.
One of his arms was bandaged, held in place with wooden splints, and suspended from his neck with a rope – a clear sign of injury.
His gaze, which was anything but friendly, settled on Ethan and his companions.
Without giving him much thought, Ethan intended to walk past them.
Just as he was about to do so, a female warrior sitting next to the middle-aged man leaned in and whispered, "Veed, we should detain them. I sense the aura of the Blood Source on that young one."
"Blood Source!" These words instantly electrified Veed, the middle-aged man.
"Hold right there!" Veed shouted at Ethan's group.
Ethan wore a look of impatience, but before he could respond, Eluna stepped forward, addressing Veed, "Are you sure you want to pick a fight?"
"It's not us looking for trouble," Veed replied with a greedy glint in his eyes as he sized up Eluna.
Her graceful figure and delicate features set his blood racing, and his excitement only grew as his eyes landed on Mia and Sherry.
He concluded internally, "These must be some noble's children out for an adventure."
Growing even more audacious, Veed proclaimed, "Out of consideration for these lovely ladies, I'm willing to spare the young one."
"Just hand over the Blood Source. Of course, that's provided these beauties are willing to show our squad a good time."
At this, laughter erupted from Veed's companions.
One of them stood up, adding, "I'd advise against resistance. Though Veed may be injured now, he has become a Rank S Hero. A level of power you lot can't even begin to fathom."
"Rank S Hero!"
With a cold snort, Ethan could hardly contain his fury.
He lunged forward, not resorting to any special abilities, but rather relying solely on his sheer physical prowess.
In an instant, he was before Veed, throwing a devastating punch to his abdomen.
Veed had no time to react, nor could he even perceive how Ethan had appeared before him so suddenly.
The next moment, he was sent flying into the cave wall with a crashing sound.
The echoing crack of shattered bones filled the air, and it was clear that Veed had met an instant, fatal end.
"He killed Veed with a single punch!"
Even the dimmest among them could grasp the gravity of what had just occurred.
The onlookers stared at Ethan with a mix of terror and awe, pleading, "Mighty one, please forgive our transgressions!"
Ethan showed no mercy.
In his eyes, granting forgiveness was the domain of the gods.
His job was simply to send these souls on their way to meet them.
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of fists meeting flesh echoed hauntingly throughout the cavern.
Once Ethan had dealt with the lot, he took a moment to assess his spoils.
Unfortunately, there was no Blood Source, only a few red jades – a meager consolation.
Subsequently, Ethan and his company proceeded onwards.
Yet, after they had left, the corpses of Veed and his crew began to stir.
Or more accurately, they were forced to move.
The crimson ground and surrounding walls began to shift eerily, consuming the bodies of Veed and his crew, regurgitating only their clothes.
This macabre spectacle, however, went unnoticed.
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