The entire cave started shaking with soft and distant tremors that grew closer over time as if something big was approaching.
However, it wasn’t coming from the surface but deeper underground.
Astoria and Hester barely rested before they became alerted, and their gazes turned sharp with alarm. They immediately shot to their feet and exited their room, gathering in the main cave to meet up with the others.
At that time, Vaan and Aeliana had quickly dressed and headed into the main cave.
However, the main cave wasn’t safe.
Grrrr!
Volcan Wolf growled dangerously with all its fur standing up as if it felt highly threatened by the approaching entity.
“The cave is not safe. Get us out, Tia.”
“Kyuuu!”
Shortly after she received Vaan’s instruction, Topaz immediately opened up the short path to the surface.
Everyone didn’t hesitate to jump out once the path was clear. Even after landing on the surface, they didn’t stay in the area and quickly created distance.
A few moments later, the cave floor ruptured, revealing a huge reptilian head with hard molten rock scales and numerous sharp teeth.
The cave quickly collapsed along with the surrounding area, and the earth consumed everything left behind.
It was followed by a rising cloud of dust that clashed with the thick fog and pushed it away.
Nevertheless, everyone could somewhat make out the huge shadow within the cloud of dust and fog. It was, by no means, small.
“A giant earthworm? No, it’s a wyrm! And Magma Wyrm, at that!” Vaan determined with his sharp eyes.
As the dust settled, the Magma Wyrm’s humongous body was revealed behind the veil of fog. It had glowing lava running in between the gaps of its scales and looked like rivers.
Its arrival quickly caused the surrounding temperatures to rise; it almost seemed like it came straight from the mantle layer.
However, no wyrm could have traveled that fast, nor would it have been attracted over such a great distance.
In other words, there was a magma pool somewhere nearby.
“A Magma Wyrm? How can there be a Magma Wyvrm here?” Hester uttered with shock before mentioning, “There weren’t any records of a Magma Wyvrm in the middle regions—No, in all of the Thousand Fog Mountains before…”
“Probably because everyone who ventured into the Thousand Fog Mountains had only explored the surface and not delved into its subterranean region,” Astoria guessed before asking Vaan, “What did you do with Lord Aeliana, Teacher Raphna? How did you two manage to draw so much mana into this area?”
“What else do you think we were doing, Headmaster Astoria? Naturally, it was dual practice,” Vaan stated.
“What?” Astoria and Hester were even more shocked to hear Vaan’s claim.
“Dual practice can achieve such a high rate of mana gathering?” Hester asked with disbelief.
If such a high rate of mana gathering could be achieved in dual practice, what would be the use of mana stones, potions, and miraculous medicine?
She wouldn’t need to rely on any other type of cultivation resources if she had a natural power charger like Vaan.
“I think we have more important things to be concerned about right now. The Magma Wyrm has turned its attention on us.” Vaan’s eyes were locked onto the serpentine dragon before he added, “And it doesn’t look friendly.”
Vaan wasn’t wrong.
Due to the cave collapsing upon the Magma Wyrm’s arrival, the concentrated mana had dispersed back into the surroundings.
Thus, the Magma Wyrm had made a trip in vain.
And right when it was disappointed about the fruitless trip after leaving its magma pool, it found prey to make up for it.
Roar!
The Magma Wyrm used its dragon roar on them.
But besides the Volcan Wolf and Topaz becoming intimidated by it, the rest of the group did pretty well in resisting its fear-inducing voice.
That said, Hester had more difficulty in doing so.
Awrooo!
The Volcan Wolf howled back in an attempt to bolster its confidence and shake off its fear. At the same time, it was also telling the Magma Wyrm to back off.
However, all it did was direct the Magma Wyrm’s attention to it.
Nevertheless, Hester stood beside the Volcan Wolf, ready to protect it from Magma Wyrm, even when she wasn’t sure if she could stand up against it.
“This Magma Wyrm is around Low-level Rank 4,” Astoria informed the group before smiling wryly.
“Jeez, a Rank 4 dragon-type beast in the middle regions. Wait til other people hear about this. I doubt Peak-stage Senior Witches would still dare to venture into the Thousand Fog Mountains’ middle regions after this.”
“Do you think its dragon scales will make good equipment, Teacher Raphna?” Astoria asked shortly after.
If it was just a Low-level Rank 4, there was nothing to worry about. It wasn’t something they couldn’t handle.
Furthermore, she also noticed Vaan was unaffected by the Magma Wyrm’s dragon roar.
She was beginning to see how strong he truly was.
After all, if he was unfazed by the dragon roar of a Low-level Rank 4 Magma Wyrm, then that meant that he had the strength to stand against it or even defeat it.
“It’s coming,” Vaan alerted without answering Astoria’s question.
In that instance, the wyrm lunged at the Volcan Wolf head-first, which caused all of the wolf’s fur to stand on end.
However, it stood its ground, preparing to lay down its life to protect the group. It was scared, but it didn’t run away.
Nevertheless, Hester and the wolf didn’t need to make a move.
“Eat this!”
Astoria came swooping in with her jet-black greatsword and swung its blunt side against the side of the wyrm’s head.
Smack!
The impact resounded loudly, and the wyrm’s attack trajectory was diverted in a different direction, away from Hester and the Volcan Wolf.
Boom!
The wyrm’s head slammed into the ground just over a dozen yards away before it burrowed into the ground and disappeared from sight.
“Careful, it’s not over yet,” Astoria warned with a more solemn expression.
Even with her brute strength, her attack only packed enough power to re-direct the wyrm’s course and not send it flying.