WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom

Inferno snarled, trying to yank its claw free, but Ben's flesh wasn't letting go. The muscles around its limb twisted, contracted, regenerated, forming an inescapable vice around the burning appendage.

Inferno roared, flames erupting across its body in an attempt to burn itself free. The heat was unbearable, the fire consuming everything—but Ben didn't let go.

His regeneration kicked into overdrive, flesh repairing as fast as it burned, sealing Inferno's claw tighter and tighter.

His grin widened."Not so tough when you're stuck, huh?"

Inferno thrashed, its entire body igniting like a living sun, flames roaring around them as it struggled to break free. But Ben didn't let go. The muscles around Inferno's claw tightened even further, the flesh regenerating faster than it could burn. It was trapped.

Ben's pickaxe came down.

CLANG!

Inferno jerked up its other claw, barely managing to intercept the strike. But the moment it met the chitin, The pickaxe pierced straight through.

A hole tore through Inferno's arm, Dark red blood spilling onto the battlefield, hissing as it burned into the dirt. Inferno screeched in pain, its six eyes flickering wildly.

Ben raised his pickaxe again. This time, it was aimed directly for Inferno's throat.

Swoosh!

Inferno's tail snapped forward, coiling around Ben's wrist like a vice.

A battle of strength. Neither yielding. Ben's muscles bulged, his adaptive biology pushing his body beyond its limits. His grip tightened around the pickaxe, veins throbbing as he fought against the crushing force of Inferno's tail. The Ravager's entire body burned hotter, trying to cook him alive, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

Inferno's tail creaked, straining against Ben's sheer force.

"Give up?" Ben hissed, his voice thick with amusement despite the flames searing his flesh.

Inferno let out a growl, as he refuse to back down.

Seeing this Strom quickly make his decision, staying here is pointless and will just put his life in danger.

CRACKLE!

His body flickered with electricity, turning into bolt of lightning that rip through the battlefield.

Ben's eyes flicked to the side, irritation flickering across his face. "Tch. Another one slipped away."

Storm's retreat was a problem. Ben had planned to weaken the Ravager in front of him before using Consume on Storm, ensuring no resistance. But now? He didn't have that luxury.

His grip tightened on the pickaxe. 'I need to finish this fast.'

[Your Krell Scout has perished!]

[Your Krell Tangker has perished!]

[Your Krell Soldier has perished!]

[Your Krell Scout has perished!]

[Your Krell Soldier has perished!]

[…]

The storm of notifications filling his vision only confirmed what he already knew—One was barely holding on. The battle on the other side was reaching its limit. It was only a matter of time before Earth arrived. And if that happened while he was still tangled with Inferno?

This entire fight would turn into a disaster.

Inferno's burning tail constricted around Ben's wrist like a viper, the heat intensifying, threatening to melt through his flesh. But Ben gritted his teeth, muscles flexing, refusing to let go.

Inferno screeched, flames bursting outward in a desperate attempt to break free. Ben other arm shifted, bladed claws forming, and he swung them in a deadly arc.

SLASH!

The claws carved deep into Inferno's chest, dark red blood spilling from the fresh wound. The Ravager thrashed harder, its tail whipping around like a living flame, trying to dislodge him.

Ben felt his legs buckle, the pressure immense, his body screaming under the heat—the pain is intense, but he wasn't letting go. He used the moment of struggle to twist Inferno's arm backward, forcing it down toward the ground.

BAM!

The impact shook the battlefield, Inferno's massive frame crashing into the dirt, flames scorching everything around them.

Ben drove his knee into its chest, locking it in place. He raised his pickaxe high, ready to deliver the finishing blow—

But Inferno's jaws snapped forward!

Ben barely tilted his head to the side—CRUNCH!

Teeth scraped against his cheek, narrowly missing his skull. Inferno's six eyes gleamed with burning hatred. "Not bad." Ben grinned, ignoring the searing pain. His pickaxe came down.

THUNK!

The strike landed—but Inferno twisted at the last second, the blade sinking into its shoulder instead of its throat.

Ben snarled, pulling the weapon free, but Inferno used the moment to ignite its entire body in a white-hot explosion.

BOOOOM!!!

The force sent Ben skidding backward, his chitin armor hissing, glowing red-hot from the sheer heat. His breath was heavy, his muscles screaming from exertion.

Across from him, Inferno rose.

Its body were covered in wound, were blood still dripping—but it was far from done. The fire burning across its body only seemed to grow stronger, brighter.

Ben's eyes sharpened. If there was one thing he had learned from these fights, it was that every elemental Ravager had a trump card.

Venom had evolved into something far beyond its original form the moment it was pushed to the brink. If Inferno had something similar—he needed to end this before it could happen.

His muscles coiled, energy surging through his limbs. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he kicked off—a blur of motion.

His four appendages twisted mid-air, shifting into razor-sharp spears, gleaming with a jagged edge. Inferno barely had time to react before the first spear struck.

CLANG!

The force sent it staggering back, dark red blood sizzling where the spear tore through its carapace.

Ben didn't let up.

The second spear followed, aimed straight for its gut. Inferno's body twisted unnaturally, its molten form shifting mid-motion to avoid the fatal stab. But it couldn't dodge everything.

The third spear came from above, a brutal downward slash that carved through its armored shoulder, sending a spray of molten blood sizzling into the air. Inferno roared, the wound glowing white-hot as flames erupted from within, cauterizing the injury instantly.

But Ben wasn't done.

The fourth spear snapped forward, a perfectly timed thrust aimed straight for Inferno's chest.

Inferno reacted, raising its massive claw to block. Ben smirked. It was a feint.

At the last second, he twisted his body, adjusting the trajectory mid-air. Instead of striking the claw—he drove the spear deep into the exposed joint of Inferno's leg.