The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 103

Chapter 103: 03/21- Abyssal Dreadmaw
As the group ventured deeper into the dungeon, the air grew heavier, thick with an eerie stillness that sent a shiver down Aeliana’s spine. The stone walls, once damp and worn, now bore deep, jagged claw marks, as if something massive had torn through the cavern in a blind rage. The torches flickered weakly, their glow unable to fully illuminate the widening chamber ahead.

Markus slowed his steps, his grip tightening around his staff. “Something isn’t right,” he murmured.

Kael was already drawing his sword, his instincts on high alert. “Yeah, I feel it too.”

Lirian’s crimson eyes gleamed as she tilted her head, listening. “We’re not alone. And whatever’s ahead…” Her lips curled into something between a grin and a grimace. “It’s strong.”

A deep, guttural growl reverberated through the chamber, the sheer force of it vibrating the ground beneath their feet. Aeliana felt her pulse quicken. This wasn’t like the Spinehounds or the Mossgrazer. This was something far, far worse.

Then, out of the darkness, it emerged.

The Abyssal Dreadmaw.

A towering, monstrous behemoth with blackened scales that shimmered unnaturally, as though absorbing the dim torchlight instead of reflecting it. Its elongated, reptilian skull bore jagged protrusions, each spike coated in a sickly green venom that dripped onto the cavern floor, sizzling against the stone. Muscular, clawed limbs dug deep furrows into the ground as it moved, and behind it, a thick, segmented tail swayed ominously, ending in a massive, bladed tip that looked capable of cleaving through steel.

Kael took an instinctive step back. “Gods above…”

Dorian let out a low whistle. “Now that’s what I call a real monster.”

Selene’s grip on her daggers tightened. “And a real problem.”

Garrik cracked his neck, adjusting his stance. “This is going to be fun.”

The Dreadmaw’s eyes—small but burning with unnatural intelligence—locked onto them. It let out a slow, deliberate exhale, misting the air with a foul, acrid scent that sent Aeliana’s senses screaming in alarm.

Then, without warning, it moved.

Faster than anything its size should have been capable of, the Dreadmaw lunged, its massive claws swiping toward the group in a blur of motion.

“Scatter!” the leader of Ironveil barked.

The team burst into action. Aeliana barely rolled out of the way in time as the beast’s talons gouged deep trenches into the stone where she had stood. Kael was already moving, blade flashing as he aimed for the creature’s exposed flank—but before he could make contact, the Dreadmaw’s tail lashed out.

Kael barely raised his sword in time to block, but the sheer force of the impact sent him skidding backward, boots scraping against the cavern floor.

“Damn, that thing hits hard!” he gritted out.

Markus, standing at a distance, began weaving a spell. Energy crackled around him as he raised his staff, ancient words slipping from his lips. A sudden burst of fire erupted from the tip, the flames roaring toward the Dreadmaw.

The beast twisted unnaturally, avoiding the blast with terrifying agility. It learned.

“Of course it did,” Markus muttered.

Selene took the chance to strike, darting in with precision only a blade master could manage. Her dagger flashed, aimed for the soft joint between the Dreadmaw’s scales—only for the beast to whip its head toward her mid-strike.

Aeliana saw it a second too late. “Selene, move!”

Selene twisted just in time as the Dreadmaw’s gaping maw snapped shut where she had been. Her agility saved her from being crushed in its jaws, but the venom-coated spines on its skull grazed her shoulder.

She hissed, stumbling back, gripping the wound.

Sylva cursed. “We need to end this quickly before that venom takes effect!”

Lirian moved in a blur, suddenly by Selene’s side. “Let me handle that.” Without hesitation, she pressed her palm against the wound, her healing magic already working to counteract the poison.

Aeliana didn’t waste the opening. While the Dreadmaw was focused on Selene, she sprinted forward, her sword glowing as she channeled her energy into a powerful, downward slash.

The blade struck true, cutting deep into the monster’s hind leg. Dark, viscous blood splattered onto the floor, but the creature did not falter.

Instead, it let out a bellowing roar—one so powerful that the very air seemed to tremble.

Then it reared back and slammed its massive tail into the ground.

The impact sent shockwaves through the cavern, knocking several of them off their feet. Stones rained from the ceiling as the dungeon itself seemed to protest the battle unfolding within its depths.

Garrik groaned as he pushed himself up. “Alright, I’m officially not having fun anymore.”

The leader of Ironveil narrowed his eyes. “Enough playing around. We finish this.”

Dorian grinned despite the danger. “Now you’re talking.”

Markus, still standing, gripped his staff tighter. “Cover me. I’ll prepare a spell strong enough to bring it down, but I need time.”

Kael wiped blood from his lip, nodding. “You’ve got it.”

Aeliana and Kael moved in tandem, attacking the Dreadmaw from opposite sides to keep its attention split. Their blades flashed, striking at every exposed weakness they could find.

Meanwhile, Garrik charged in, his axe glowing with raw energy as he swung at the beast’s tail. The impact sent a jolt through the creature, momentarily staggering it.

That was all the time Markus needed.

His spell completed, he slammed his staff into the ground, and a surge of blinding white light erupted from beneath the Dreadmaw. Chains of pure energy shot up, wrapping around the beast’s limbs, locking it in place.

“Now!” Markus shouted.

Aeliana didn’t hesitate. She gripped her sword with both hands, focusing every ounce of her strength into a single, decisive strike.

The blade sliced clean through the Dreadmaw’s neck.

For a moment, the beast stood frozen.

Then, with a final, shuddering breath, it collapsed.

Silence followed, broken only by the ragged breathing of the team.

Lirian was the first to speak. “…Another clean sweep?”

Aeliana let out a breathless chuckle. “Not quite.”

Kael grinned, nudging her shoulder. “But close enough.”

The leader of Ironveil surveyed the fallen monster, nodding. “Well fought. But we’re not done yet.”

Markus exhaled, leaning on his staff. “Of course we’re not.”

Selene, still holding her wound, smirked. “If this was the mid-boss, I’d hate to see the final challenge.”

Aeliana’s expression hardened. “Then let’s be ready for whatever comes next.”

Lirian wiped a bit of dust from her sleeves and let out an exasperated sigh. “Now we really have to up our game,” she muttered, eyeing the fallen Abyssal Dreadmaw. “That thing nearly turned us into a fine paste.”

Kael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. “She’s right. That was way too close for comfort. If there’s something worse than that thing lurking ahead, we need to be prepared.”

Aeliana’s grip tightened around her sword. The adrenaline from the fight was still coursing through her veins, but she could already feel the exhaustion creeping in. “We need to recover first,” she said, rolling her shoulder. “Even with Lirian’s healing, we can’t keep fighting at this pace without a break.”

Dorian scoffed, leaning against a nearby rock. “A break? In a dungeon like this? We rest too long, and whatever else is down here might come looking for us.”

Markus, still steadying himself from the massive spell he had unleashed, let out a short chuckle. “Not like we have much choice. If we go forward like this, we’ll just be limping to our deaths.”

The leader of Ironveil nodded. “Agreed. We rest, but not for long. Just enough to regain our bearings.” He glanced at Aeliana and Kael. “You two held up well, considering your weapons are still subpar.”

Selene stretched her arms above her head and gave a smirk. “Speaking of which, I’d still like to take a proper look at those. I can fix them up, maybe even reinforce them temporarily, but it’ll cost you.”

Kael gave her a dry look. “Figures.”

Aeliana, however, nodded. “Do it. We need every advantage we can get.” She unstrapped her sword and handed it over. Kael followed suit, albeit reluctantly.

Selene examined the weapons with a practiced eye, running her fingers along the edges and testing their weight. “The structure is still solid, but the enchantments are weak. No wonder they degraded so fast. If I tweak the metal and reforge the magic, they’ll hold up better in the next fight.”

Sylva crossed her arms and huffed. “We should’ve done this before going in. Proper equipment is the difference between life and death.”

“Yeah, well, hindsight is a wonderful thing,” Kael muttered.

Garrik chuckled, leaning back against a boulder. “I’d say we did well enough. I mean, we’re still breathing, aren’t we?”

Aeliana shot him a tired look. “For now.”

As Selene set to work on their weapons, the group took a moment to breathe. The tension in the air remained thick, a lingering reminder that their trials weren’t over yet. But for now, they could prepare, strategize, and make sure that when the next battle came, they would be ready.