The Basilisk immediately sensed Ren's presence. Its massive body slowly emerged from the darkness, its rough green scales glistening dimly under the flashlight's glow. Its powerful legs dug into the rocky ground, and its long tail coiled behind it, ready to crush anything in its path.
Ren instinctively shifted into a defensive stance. Without hesitation, he unstrapped the two bags filled with minerals from his back, letting them drop to the dungeon floor with a dull thud. Carrying unnecessary weight in a fight like this would only slow him down.
Now armed with his anti-materiel rifle, he swiftly scanned for the best firing position.
(I've read about this creature… but facing it in reality is a whole different story.)
Back in the royal library, he had studied Basilisks—high-tier monsters that were nearly unbeatable in close combat.
Characteristics:
Scales as hard as steel, capable of deflecting conventional weapons.
Deadly gaze that paralyzes its prey within seconds.
Venomous fangs strong enough to kill a young dragon.
A heavy tail that could shatter bones with a single strike.
Weaknesses?
Its eyes and the underside of its neck had significantly weaker defenses than the rest of its body.
(The target is clear, but the problem is how to hit it precisely without getting caught in its gaze.)
The Basilisk let out a sharp hiss, and in the blink of an eye—it lunged forward with insane speed for a creature of its size!
"Tch!"
Ren leapt to the side, narrowly dodging the sudden attack. Its razor-sharp claws ripped through the stone floor where he had been standing, sending splinters of rock flying in all directions.
In a split second, Ren pressed his left cheek against the ground, closed one eye to avoid direct eye contact, and raised his rifle.
(I only have a few rounds for this weapon. I can't afford to waste a single shot.)
He took a deep breath, steadying his racing heartbeat.
The Basilisk twisted its head, zeroing in on Ren's movement.
Ren pulled the trigger.
BOOM!
A high-caliber round pierced through the air, heading straight for the weak spot under the Basilisk's neck.
But at the last split second—the Basilisk twisted its body, and the bullet ricocheted off its hardened scales, sending a shower of sparks flying!
"Damn it!"
Ren quickly rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the Basilisk's massive tail as it slammed down where he had just been, obliterating the stone floor with brute force.
(I can't just rely on reflexes. I need to outthink this monster.)
Panting slightly, he rapidly recalculated his approach.
(If one bullet isn't enough… then I need to make sure my next shot doesn't miss.)
Suddenly, an idea clicked in his mind.
Ren glanced at his remaining ammunition—two armor-piercing rounds.
(If I can force it to expose its weak point… I can finish this in one strike.)
The Basilisk hissed aggressively, creeping closer, preparing for another attack.
Ren smirked.
"Alright… You want to play? Let's see who's smarter here."
With precise and practiced movements, Ren swiftly set his plan into motion.
From his tactical belt, he pulled out two grenades—one fragmentation grenade and one smoke bomb. He knew that a direct fight against a Basilisk was suicide. This monster had high durability, lightning-fast reflexes, and killer instincts.
If he wanted to win—he had to outwit it.
Without hesitation, he tossed the smoke bomb first. The moment the canister hit the ground, thick white smoke erupted, quickly flooding the chamber and obscuring vision.
(Step one: Take away its main advantage—its eyes.)
The Basilisk let out a sharp, agitated hiss, its body shifting uneasily within the smoke. It likely had sharp senses of smell and hearing, but its lethal instincts still primarily relied on its vision.
As the smoke spread, Ren didn't stay idle. He moved swiftly, repositioning himself between the dungeon's rock formations and debris.
But the Basilisk was no fool.
Driven by its killer instincts, it began rampaging blindly.
Its claws tore into the dungeon walls, sending chunks of stone crashing down from the ceiling.
The cave was slowly collapsing.
Ren quickly assessed the situation. If he didn't end this fight soon, he wouldn't just have to deal with the Basilisk—he'd also risk getting buried alive in this dungeon.
Amid the chaos and destruction, the Basilisk suddenly caught a silhouette through the thick smoke.
Its eyes gleamed.
With insane speed, it lunged forward, its massive claws slamming into the ground with tremendous force, followed by a spray of thick green venom from its fangs.
Unlucky for the Basilisk.
The silhouette it attacked… wasn't Ren.
As the smoke began to clear, all that was left was a decoy—a lifelike statue created through Ren's ability, Material Transmutation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the chamber, Ren had already positioned himself in the perfect spot.
Standing atop one of the last remaining stable stone pillars, he held his ground firmly, a massive high-caliber rifle resting on his shoulder.
But this was no ordinary rifle.
This was an anti-materiel railgun—an experimental weapon that used electromagnetic acceleration to launch projectiles at supersonic speeds.
The Basilisk let out a furious roar upon realizing its mistake—but it was too late.
Ren smirked coldly.
"Time to fry, lizard."
He pulled the trigger.
BRRZZZT—BOOM!!
In an instant, a massive metal projectile shot out from the railgun's barrel, leaving a streak of blue light as it tore through the air at an unimaginable velocity.
The impact was devastating, creating a shockwave that shook the entire dungeon.
The bullet pierced straight through the underside of the Basilisk's neck—one of its weakest points.
The monster let out a deafening screech, its entire body convulsing violently before it collapsed onto the ground with a thunderous crash.
Dark green blood pooled beneath its massive form, staining the surrounding stones. The Basilisk's body still twitched, but its breathing was growing weaker, and its once-glowing eyes were starting to fade.
However, Ren didn't have time to confirm the kill.
The cave was about to collapse.
Without wasting a second, he swiftly hoisted his heavy weapon, strapped it back onto his back, and grabbed his mineral-filled bags from the ground. Chunks of rock began to rain down from the ceiling, crashing onto the dungeon floor with thundering echoes. The air was becoming thick with dust and debris.
Without looking back, Ren sprinted toward the exit, leaving the Basilisk's crumbling remains behind.
The narrow dungeon corridors now served as his escape route.
Ren kept his pace steady, despite the heavy weight on his back. He knew that if he stopped now, he might end up buried alive.
But just as he was nearing the more stable part of the dungeon, something caught his eye.
Through the swirling dust and falling debris, a figure lay partially buried within a small crevice in the stone wall.
Ren skidded to a halt, sharpening his gaze through the chaos.
A woman.
Her leather armor was torn and stained with blood, her short hair disheveled, and her face pale with ragged, labored breathing. Judging by her condition, she had likely been trapped there for some time—probably long before Ren had arrived.
Ren frowned. (Was she part of the adventurer group that first discovered this Basilisk?)
The woman was still conscious, though her eyes were dull with exhaustion.
With a weak, desperate voice, she lifted her trembling hand slightly, reaching out toward something—or someone.
"Help… me…"
Ren let out a short breath.
(This is going to complicate things, but…)
His cold expression softened slightly.
He couldn't just leave someone to die here.
Without hesitation, he moved toward her.