Jack smirked as he looked down at Leon and Ricardo, who were thrown into the cold, damp dungeon below. The heavy iron door slammed shut above them, and his mocking voice echoed through the chamber. "Enjoy your time down there. You won't be leaving anytime soon."
Leon groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, dusting off his clothes. "Well, this is just great..." he muttered sarcastically. Then, as he glanced ahead, his expression froze. "Uh, Ricardo... look behind you."
Ricardo turned cautiously, his hand gripping his sword tightly. His eyes widened in shock as he saw what lurked in the shadows—a monstrous, three-headed, flame-engulfed hound. Its fiery breath illuminated the dark chamber, casting eerie shadows on the damp stone walls. The beast growled, its glowing red eyes locked onto them.
"A hellhound," Ricardo muttered under his breath. "And a big one."
Leon swallowed hard. "Yeah, this just keeps getting better."
The creature lunged without warning, flames bursting from its maws as it swiped at them with razor-sharp claws. Ricardo reacted instantly, dodging to the side while slashing at the beast's flank. His sword barely left a scratch.
"Its hide is too tough!" Ricardo shouted, rolling away as the hellhound snapped its jaws inches from his face.
Leon shot a fireball at the monster, but the flames merely merged with its own fiery aura, doing nothing to harm it. "Okay, that was dumb," Leon admitted, barely dodging a tail swipe that sent debris flying across the dungeon.
Ricardo gritted his teeth. "We need a plan!"
Leon's mind raced. He had one trick up his sleeve. "I've got an idea! Distract it for me!"
Ricardo didn't hesitate. He charged forward, slashing at the beast's legs, forcing it to focus on him. The hellhound roared and lunged at Ricardo, its jaws narrowly missing his shoulder. Meanwhile, Leon activated his invisibility skill, vanishing from sight.
Taking advantage of the monster's focus on Ricardo, Leon quietly climbed onto its massive back. Careful not to alert the beast, he positioned himself near its central head. With a deep breath, he drove Ricardo's silver sword straight into its eye.
The hellhound shrieked in agony, its body thrashing violently. Flames burst chaotically from its wounds, scorching the surroundings. Ricardo seized the moment and tossed Leon his sword. "Finish it!"
Leon caught the blade midair and, with a final powerful strike, severed all three of the beast's heads in one swift motion. The hellhound let out a final gurgling growl before collapsing, its flames slowly dying out.
Panting, Leon stumbled back. "Holy crap... that worked?!"
Ricardo exhaled heavily, wiping sweat from his brow. "You actually pulled it off."
Above them, Jack watched with interest, his arms crossed. "Impressive," he muttered, though his expression remained unreadable.
After catching their breath, Leon and Ricardo pressed forward, deeper into the dungeon. They needed to find a way out before Jack or his master decided to toy with them again.
But as they turned a corner, they stopped dead in their tracks. Their bodies stiffened as they stared at what lay ahead.
A shocking sight awaited them—one that made their blood run cold.
What had they just walked into?