As Sophia looked over, the creature suddenly froze. Its head slowly turned a full 180 degrees, the bones in its neck creaking with a sickening sound, before it locked eyes with the cold-faced Sophia and the terrified soldiers.
"Hissss—" It grinned, revealing sharp teeth as it flicked a blood-red, serpent-like tongue. Its vertical orange pupils glowed like lanterns in the dark, creating an eerie, unnatural effect.
Sophia's eyes turned cold. Without hesitation, the last remnants of her magical energy surged within her, causing the temperature in the hold to plummet. Ice crystal chains began to form in the air, twisting like serpents as they shot toward the creature.
Bang! The chains pierced through the monster's body and fell to the ground. The ship's defense magic array automatically activated, and blue glowing runes appeared on the floor. Though the ship was unharmed, the creature suddenly reappeared in front of Sophia with astounding speed, leaving an afterimage behind.
