The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain!-Chapter 101 - 03/19 - Thornmaw Ravager

As the party moved deeper into the dungeon, a strange, low growl reverberated through the tunnels. It was guttural, uneven, almost like a combination of grinding stone and a muffled snarl. Aeliana instinctively tightened her grip on her sword, her senses sharpening. She shot a glance at Kael, who had already drawn his weapon, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

"Did you hear that?" Kael murmured.

Selene, still walking beside them, stopped in her tracks and exhaled. "Oh, I definitely heard that. And it doesn't sound like anything friendly."

Garrik let out a deep chuckle, rolling his shoulders. "Do things ever sound friendly in places like these?"

Before anyone could respond, a sudden shuffle echoed ahead, followed by an eerie silence. Then, from the shadows, it emerged—a hulking creature covered in pale, rubbery flesh, its oversized maw filled with jagged, uneven teeth. Its elongated body moved in slow, deliberate motions, as if testing its prey. But what stood out most were the grotesque spikes protruding from its head, curved backward like the horns of a demon.

Markus took a half step back, his eyes narrowing. "That's a Thornmaw Ravager," he muttered.

Dorian scowled. "Great. Haven't fought one of those in a while."

Aeliana frowned. "You know what this is?"

Selene nodded grimly. "Soft-bodied carnivore, but don't let that fool you. Those spikes on its head? Not just for show. It uses them to impale anything that gets too close."

As if responding to the mention of its hunting method, the Thornmaw Ravager let out a rasping shriek and slammed its skull against the stone floor, sending sparks flying. The movement caused the spikes to rattle, a sound that sent a shiver down Aeliana's spine.

Kael didn't wait. "On three, we hit it together."

Aeliana nodded, shifting into a battle stance.

"One…"

The Thornmaw's body tensed.

"Two…"

It let out a guttural snarl, preparing to lunge.

Kael exhaled sharply. "Three!"

As one, the group attacked.

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Aeliana and Kael moved in unison, their blades flashing. Kael swung for the monster's side while Aeliana aimed a precise downward strike at its exposed neck. But the Thornmaw was faster than it looked. With a violent burst of motion, it twisted its body, its spikes slicing through the air.

Aeliana barely dodged in time, the razor-sharp tips of the monster's spikes grazing past her shoulder. Kael was forced to leap back as well, his strike missing by inches.

"Damn thing's fast," he hissed.

Dorian charged in next, his massive greatsword arcing downward. The Ravager recoiled, but not before Dorian's blade tore into its side, sending a dark, viscous liquid splattering onto the ground. Instead of recoiling in pain, the beast let out a maddening screech and twisted its body, slamming its spiked head toward Dorian's chest.

"Dorian, move!" Markus shouted.

The warrior barely managed to shift out of the way, but one of the spikes still tore through his cloak, missing his ribs by mere inches.

Selene narrowed her eyes. "We need to take out those damn spikes first."

"I can take care of that," Markus said, lifting his staff. His fingers moved in a quick, fluid motion as he muttered an incantation. A sharp wind picked up around him, and within seconds, a concentrated burst of force shot toward the monster's head.

The spell struck home. The Thornmaw reeled backward, its spikes cracking at the base. The monster screeched in rage, shaking its head violently, trying to dislodge the damage.

Aeliana saw her opening. Without hesitation, she surged forward, her blade glinting in the dim light. She slashed down hard, severing two of the weakened spikes. The Ravager howled in agony, its body convulsing as it staggered backward.

Kael followed up instantly, delivering a brutal stab to the creature's underbelly. His sword cut deep, but the weapon's weakened edge made it difficult to push all the way through. Frustration flickered across his face.

"Selene, remind me again why we didn't get proper weapons before coming in here?" he growled.

Selene smirked as she expertly dodged a wild swipe from the monster. "Hey, I offered to fix them, remember?"

Garrik laughed, dodging another lunge from the beast. "Less talking, more killing!"

Dorian, undeterred by his near miss earlier, rejoined the fray, this time swinging his greatsword in a horizontal arc. The sheer force of the blow sent the monster stumbling again, its movements growing more erratic.

Markus, sensing an opportunity, lifted his staff once more. "This ends now." He muttered another incantation, and this time, an intense heat radiated from his hands. Within seconds, a fireball erupted from his fingertips, streaking toward the monster's open maw.

The explosion was immediate. Flames engulfed the Thornmaw's head, and a horrible, ear-splitting wail echoed through the dungeon. The fire burned away the last of its spikes, leaving only its scorched, writhing body.

Aeliana and Kael didn't hesitate. Together, they struck one final time—Kael's sword piercing its heart while Aeliana's blade sliced through its neck.

The Thornmaw shuddered, then collapsed with a heavy thud, its grotesque form finally still.

Silence settled over the chamber, the only sound the group's heavy breathing.

Dorian exhaled, sheathing his sword. "That was messy."

Selene nudged the monster's lifeless body with the toe of her boot. "Yeah, well, blame our blacksmith scam for that."

Garrik wiped his axe clean and grinned. "Could've been worse."

Markus rolled his eyes. "Could've been better."

Aeliana let out a breath, shaking her head. "At least we made it through." She turned her gaze toward the path ahead, shadows still lingering in the distance. "But something tells me this isn't the worst thing waiting for us down here."

Kael tightened his grip on his sword, his expression grim. "Then we'd better be ready."

...

The aftermath of the battle left the party with a renewed sense of wariness. The Thornmaw Ravager had been a formidable opponent, and Aeliana knew that deeper within the dungeon, there were likely even deadlier foes. She wiped her blade clean, frowning at its dull edge. Even with their collective strength, their equipment was failing them.

Kael, as always, was the first to refocus. He glanced at Dorian, who was examining the torn fabric of his cloak with a scowl. "You alright?"

Dorian huffed, tossing the ruined cloak aside. "I'll live." Then, with a cocky grin, he turned to Markus. "You, my friend, are getting better with those fire spells. Almost felt bad for the poor beast."

Markus raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You were nearly impaled, and you're making jokes?"

Garrik let out a booming laugh. "That's just how he copes, wizard."

Selene, standing with her arms crossed, smirked. "Well, since we're all still breathing, why don't we take a moment to show you how the Ironveil Company gets things done?"

Aeliana and Kael exchanged glances. "Oh?" Aeliana asked, intrigued.

Sylva, the sturdy dwarf, stepped forward first. She lifted her warhammer, the intricate runes carved into its handle glowing faintly in the dim light. "You've seen our combat skills in action, but let me show you why we win fights before they even begin."

With a flick of her wrist, she slammed the hammer into the stone floor. A pulse of energy spread outward in a perfect circle. At first, Aeliana thought it was just a show of strength—until the cracks in the stone shifted, revealing hidden tripwires and pressure plates scattered across the ground.

Kael let out a low whistle. "That's… impressive."

Sylva grinned. "My hammer's got enchantments carved into it by the best forge-masters in the north. It can sense weak points in terrain, expose traps, and even reinforce armor with the right runes."

Aeliana could see why Sylva had been recruited into Ironveil. Having someone who could read the battlefield before stepping into danger was an invaluable skill.

Markus adjusted his staff next. "And while Sylva ensures we don't get caught off guard, I make sure our enemies do."

He raised his hand, murmuring an incantation. The air around him shimmered as glowing sigils formed in a slow rotation above his palm. Suddenly, several jagged ice spikes materialized from the ground, forming a circle of crystalline spears. Then, with a flick of his wrist, they shattered into a mist of freezing air.

Aeliana felt the chill even from where she stood. "Impressive," she admitted.

Dorian clapped Markus on the back, nearly knocking the mage over. "He's the smartest of us, even if he complains too much."

Markus sighed. "That's because someone needs to have common sense."

Next was Lirian. The vampire girl, despite her small stature, stepped forward with the confidence of someone twice her size. "Unlike the rest of you brutes, I prefer a different approach."

She reached into her satchel and pulled out a vial of thick, crimson liquid—baby lamb's blood, Aeliana realized. She uncorked it, took a small sip, and exhaled.

A soft glow surrounded her. Her hands moved with unnatural speed as she drew a sigil in the air, and suddenly, a faint golden light wrapped around Dorian, sealing the shallow cuts on his arm. The healing was swift, seamless, and left no scar behind.

"Efficient," Kael noted. "A healer who doesn't rely on long incantations."

Lirian gave him a toothy grin. "Of course. Someone has to keep you fools alive."

Selene was the last to step forward. She held up a pair of daggers, each one gleaming with an eerie, bluish light. "I don't do flashy magic or brute force." She twirled the blades in her hands effortlessly before tossing one into the air. It vanished.

Aeliana blinked. "What—"

Before she could finish, the dagger reappeared inches from Kael's face, stopping mid-air before gently rotating back to Selene's outstretched hand.

Kael let out a slow breath. "Okay. That was impressive."

Selene smirked. "They're void-touched. Can pass through shadows, return to me whenever I call them, and—" She flicked her wrist. The dagger disappeared again. A second later, it embedded itself into the far wall, impossibly far for a normal throw.

Aeliana nodded. "Alright. I see why Ironveil is so well known."

Garrik grinned, shouldering his axe. "Now that you've seen what we can do, why don't we put it to real use?"

Aeliana turned toward the darkness ahead. "Agreed. Let's keep moving."

With that, the party pressed forward into the depth of the dungeon.