Wings spread,

  Lupin located the spot where he had fallen and planned to reach back up, but he noticed the huge hole that had opened earlier was closing.

  It was now one-fifth of its original size.

  Lupin wasn’t surprised. This was a monster dungeon, after all. If it didn’t self-heal, it would be riddled with damage from battles, or outright collapse.

  He took flight before the hole closed permanently. He still had to look for his reprobate students. Only God knew how they were faring.

  Suddenly,

  A huge, concentrated beam of energy flew past him, missing him by a hair’s breadth.

  “…Oh, you actually survived that?” Lupin sneered.

  The Gigadrome came stomping forward, its massive steps shaking the cavern.

  The gaping wound Lupin had delivered earlier was still there. He had drilled through its body, from lung to kidney.

  Realistically, it should have been dead. He had ruptured vital organs. Yet here it was, moving as though it were perfectly healthy.

  The wound was no longer bleeding; the blood had clotted, though the hole still remained.

  A mystery even to Lupin. But then again, it was megafauna, high-class at that. It likely used natural mana to stop the bleeding.

  Growling at first, it soon opened its jaws wide and screeched, revealing its ferocious, tooth-filled mouth and sucker-mouthed tongues.

  Lupin’s red-tipped, jagged-bladed spear spawned into reality.

  “I guess it’ll take more than a single attack to put an incorrigible vermin like you down.”

  Two maroon energy spheres condensed on either side of the Gigadrome, firing destructive beams.

  Lupin flew past them, charging straight at the beast.

  Its long, prehensile tongues shot out in serpentine motion, their ring-toothed, sucker mouths threatening to consume him.

  But Lupin moved head-on.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  He twirled his spear, positioning himself between the two appendages, rotating it aggressively yet with precise control, shredding them as he passed.

  The Gigadrome screeched in pain.

  It tried to retract its tongues, only for them to detach completely.

  Blood sprayed.

  Its thrashing intensified.

  But Lupin pressed forward.

  “Sixth Stance: Phantom Lance!”

  He unleashed multiple rapid thrusts so fast they overlapped visually. Phantom spears impaled the Gigadrome.

  Its body was riddled with holes. It was only a matter of time.

  However, it wasn’t going down without a fight.

  Above it, a massive sphere of condensed mana formed.

  It compressed until it was one-sixth of its original size.

  A blinding flash swallowed both Lupin and the Gigadrome.

  Then came a catastrophic explosion that ravaged the cavern.

  Seismic shockwaves followed, collapsing huge portions of stone.

  Dust filled the air. Rubble scattered everywhere.

  Silence.

  Until—

  Golden light shone beneath the rubble. It shattered apart.

  Lupin stood.

  His yellow skin was rough with dust.

  “For an overgrown chicken… you were resilient.”

  He glanced at the rubble burying the Gigadrome. He knew it wasn’t over.

  And he was right.

  The rubble shifted.

  The Gigadrome rose.

  Dust and debris slid off its body, drenched in its own blood.

  It was weakened.

  Its body riddled with holes.

  Ribs shattered.

  Arms broken.

  Feathers torn away.

  It was pitiful. And Lupin was ready to end it.

  “So far, wretch, you fought well. Now rest.”

  “First Stance: Swift Strike!”

  Lupin slashed vertically. Golden aura followed the spear’s path.

  Blood split along the Gigadrome’s midline.

  Its body separated into two equal halves, crashing down with thunderous thuds.

  Turning his back, Lupin smiled.

  “Now to find those reprobates.”

  Then,

  Orange light flooded the cavern.

  He turned.

  The Gigadrome’s *core shard floated in the air, glowing brilliant orange.

  “No… no way…” he whispered.

  “The Gigadrome became a *Threshold Beast… a Sunflare?”

  The remains spiraled around the shard.

  Flesh reformed.

  Bones mended.

  Muscle knitted.

  Like a jigsaw puzzle, it rebuilt itself.

  White feathers fluttered. Black tipped its wings. Blue, red, and white banded its form.

  Its blue-scaled legs gleamed.

  Its teeth, tongues, and crest shone brilliantly.

  All wounds vanished.

  Reborn. Stronger.

  “Ah… atta boy,” Lupin muttered.

  “What a stubborn chicken.”

  ....

  Meanwhile,

  Raven glanced at the system's interface, his expression cold, unreadable.

  "Good"...