The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 92

Chapter 92: 03/10- Fight Hard
The serpent moved with alarming speed, lunging toward them with its fanged maw wide open. Its iridescent scales shimmered under the glow of the crystals, making it look almost ethereal—if not for the deadly intent in its gleaming yellow eyes.

Kael reacted first, raising his sword just in time to deflect a sweeping strike from the serpent’s tail. The force sent him skidding back several feet, his boots digging into the stone floor. “This thing is fast,” he growled, adjusting his stance.

Aeliana immediately began weaving a spell, her hands glowing with arcane energy. “We need to slow it down. If it keeps moving like that, we won’t land a solid hit.”

Garrik didn’t wait for the spell to take effect. He dashed to the side, aiming to strike at the serpent’s underbelly. His blade met resistance as it clashed against the creature’s reinforced scales, barely leaving a mark. “Damn it! Its hide is just as tough as that Drakarid!”

The serpent hissed, its body twisting unnaturally as it coiled tighter, preparing for another attack. With one powerful thrust, it shot forward, aiming directly at Aeliana.

Kael was already moving before he could think. He intercepted the strike, slashing upward at the serpent’s mouth, forcing it to recoil. The creature let out an enraged screech, shaking the ground beneath them.

Aeliana finally released her spell. A wave of frost burst from her hands, encasing part of the serpent’s body in a thin layer of ice. “That should hold it for a moment!” she called out.

Garrik took advantage of the opening, targeting the now-sluggish portion of the serpent. He drove his blade between the hardened scales, aiming for a weak spot. The creature let out an ear-piercing shriek, its body convulsing from the pain.

But the victory was short-lived. With an angry thrash, the serpent shattered the ice around it and retaliated. Its tail lashed out, catching Garrik square in the chest and sending him flying across the chamber. He crashed against a jagged crystal, groaning in pain.

“Garrik!” Aeliana shouted, panic seeping into her voice.

Kael gritted his teeth, moving to cover Aeliana. “We need to end this before it picks us off one by one.”

The serpent, enraged and bleeding from its wound, began to glow. The strange energy from the crystals seeped into its body, making it pulse with newfound strength.

Aeliana’s eyes widened. “It’s drawing power from the crystals! We have to separate it from them!”

Kael glanced at their surroundings, quickly assessing their options. “Then we destroy the crystals.”

Aeliana hesitated. The magical energy radiating from the formations was ancient, powerful. Destroying them could have unknown consequences—but at this rate, they had no choice.

“Fine,” she said, her voice firm. “Let’s do it.”

Kael and Garrik, now back on his feet despite his injuries, focused their attacks on the nearest crystal formations. With powerful swings, they struck the glowing structures, shattering them one by one. The chamber trembled as the energy within the crystals dispersed.

The serpent screeched in agony as the glow around its body dimmed. Weakened and disoriented, it thrashed wildly, no longer as quick or controlled as before.

“Now’s our chance!” Aeliana shouted.

Kael surged forward, dodging the creature’s sluggish movements, and drove his sword deep into the exposed wound Garrik had created earlier. The serpent roared, its body convulsing violently.

Garrik followed up with another strike, his blade slicing across the serpent’s throat. A gush of thick, dark blood poured from the wound as the creature let out one final, pained screech before collapsing onto the ground.

The chamber went silent. The only sounds were their heavy breaths and the occasional crackle of residual magic fading from the air.

Aeliana wiped sweat from her forehead, surveying the fallen beast. “That… was harder than I expected.”

Kael chuckled breathlessly. “Tell me about it.”

Garrik sheathed his blade, wincing as he pressed a hand to his ribs. “Well, at least we learned something. Next time, maybe don’t fight creatures that can recharge from ancient magic.”

Aeliana laughed softly, exhausted but relieved. “Noted.”

With the serpent defeated and the crystals shattered, the dungeon suddenly felt less ominous. Whatever dark power had been lingering was now gone.

“Let’s get out of here,” Kael said, already turning toward the exit. “We’ve had enough adventure for one day.”

But it rose again.

The serpent’s body twitched violently, and to their horror, its eyes flickered open once more. The glow that had dimmed was now reigniting, weak but persistent. The beast was rising again.

Aeliana took a step back, gripping her weapon—a beautifully crafted elven glaive named Moonpiercer—her knuckles whitening. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” she breathed.

Kael cursed under his breath, his grip tightening on his enchanted longsword, Dawn’s Fang. The blade, forged in sacred fire, had been his companion through countless battles, yet against this monstrous foe, it had done little more than scratch its impenetrable scales. “It’s not dead,” he muttered, taking a defensive stance. “We need another plan.”

Garrik, still wincing from his injuries, readied his twin axes, Thunderfang and Stonecleaver, their edges glinting in the dim light. “Alright, I officially hate this thing,” he grumbled. “Any bright ideas?”

The serpent uncoiled once again, its massive form rising like a tower of muscle and rage. Though weakened, it still moved with deadly precision, its fanged maw snapping dangerously close to Kael, who barely dodged in time.

Aeliana lunged forward, sweeping her glaive in a wide arc. The silvered blade met the serpent’s thick hide, creating a sharp metallic clang—but once again, only a shallow scratch formed. “Damn it,” she hissed, leaping back before the beast could retaliate.

Kael followed up with a powerful downward slash, aiming for the same weak point they had attacked earlier. His blade struck true, but the damage was minimal. The wound was already closing.

“This thing’s regenerating too fast,” Kael growled. “Even with its energy drained, its natural resilience is insane.”

Aeliana’s mind raced. Magic attacks barely slowed it down, and physical strikes couldn’t penetrate deeply enough. There had to be another way.

Then she noticed something—the shattered remnants of the glowing crystals. The serpent had been absorbing energy from them before. Could that power be turned against it?

“Kael! Garrik! The crystals!” she shouted. “Maybe we can use them as weapons!”

Kael’s eyes widened as he quickly understood. “You mean, channel their energy into our attacks?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Garrik said, already moving toward the shattered remains of one crystal. He grabbed a jagged shard, and as soon as his fingers touched it, a faint hum of power coursed through his hands.

Aeliana followed suit, snatching up a small, still-glowing fragment. As she pressed it against the shaft of her glaive, the weapon shimmered, absorbing the energy.

Kael did the same, pressing a fragment to Dawn’s Fang. The sword responded instantly, its blade igniting with a faint golden aura. “Alright,” he said, feeling the power surge through him. “Let’s see if this works.”

The serpent lunged again, but this time, the trio stood their ground. Aeliana was the first to strike, sweeping Moonpiercer in a high arc. The moment the glaive met the serpent’s flesh, a shockwave of energy rippled outward. This time, instead of a shallow scratch, a deep, glowing gash split across the monster’s scales.

“It’s working!” she shouted.

Garrik roared as he leaped onto the serpent’s back, driving both Thunderfang and Stonecleaver deep into its flesh. The energy-infused axes cut through like never before, sending waves of magical disruption coursing through the beast.

Kael delivered the final blow. With a powerful leap, he drove Dawn’s Fang directly into the serpent’s skull, the golden light exploding upon impact. The serpent let out an earsplitting shriek before convulsing violently.

Then, at last, it collapsed, its massive body shuddering once before going completely still. The glow in its eyes faded. The cavern, once filled with its monstrous presence, fell into an eerie silence.

Aeliana slowly lowered her weapon, her chest rising and falling heavily. “Is it… really over this time?”

Kael nudged the corpse with his boot. When the serpent didn’t stir, he finally exhaled in relief. “Yeah. It’s dead.”

Garrik collapsed onto a nearby rock, rubbing his sore shoulders. “Next time, let’s pick a fight with something a little less indestructible, yeah?”

Aeliana chuckled weakly. “Agreed.”

Kael glanced at their weapons, still faintly pulsing with the crystal’s energy. “That was a gamble,” he admitted. “But it worked.”

Aeliana looked at the broken remnants of the cavern around them and smiled. “And that’s what matters.”

As the dust settled, Garrik suddenly smirked and stood up from his resting spot. “Hold on,” he muttered, cracking his knuckles. “I’ve been waiting to do this.”

Without warning, he hoisted one of his axes into the air, channeling the last remnants of the crystal’s energy into it. The weapon crackled with raw power as he spun in place, gathering momentum. Then, with a mighty roar, he brought the axe down onto the serpent’s already lifeless form. The impact sent a final, explosive shockwave rippling through the cavern, shattering the remaining crystal fragments and sending a gust of wind outward.

Aeliana and Kael shielded their eyes from the force. When the dust cleared, Garrik let out a satisfied huff. “Now it’s definitely dead.” He rested his axes on his shoulders and grinned at them. “You never know with these kinds of things. Gotta make sure it stays down.” Kael shook his head with a chuckle, while Aeliana simply sighed. “You really are a brute,” she said, though the amused glint in her eyes showed she wasn’t entirely displeased.