Beneath the flickering torchlight lay a scene of chaotic devastation—torn earth, scattered blood, and bits of flesh strewn everywhere.
It was clear the ram-horned ground dragon had toyed with its prey for a while before finally feeding.
Watching this, the faces of the gathered adventurers soured noticeably.
Outside the clearing, a long drag mark of crimson blood trailed off in a specific direction.
"After it!"
At Jenny's command, the group immediately raised their torches and followed the trail.
The Extreme Dark Domain lay beneath the surface of the earth, shrouded in perpetual darkness. However, the humans living here had not evolved darkvision, so torches and other light sources were essential equipment for any expedition into the domain.
"The footprints on the ground are getting denser!"
Willin held a torch in one hand while the other gripped the handle of his steel sword so tightly that his knuckles had turned white from the strain.
A pungent, fishy stench began to permeate the air, sharp enough to make Willin's eyes water. It reminded him of the time he had worked in a stable as a child.
Then, illuminated by the torches, a small hill of black stone appeared ahead. At its base, a massive hole had been carved out, burrowing deep into the hillside as if hollowing it out entirely.
"We can't fight it inside its lair—we have to lure it out!"
Jenny took one look and made her decision.
In this dim light, fighting inside the cramped lair would inevitably endanger the Dragon Blood Buds. If the buds were damaged, then even if they killed this ram-horned ground dragon, it would all be for nothing.
"It's fine. The ram-horned ground dragon has very low intelligence and is extremely sensitive to the scent of blood. We can use that to set a trap…"
At this point, Jamos stepped forward. Under his direction, the adventurers set up a simple trap in front of the cave entrance.
Due to limited materials—and the need not to startle the ground dragon inside the cave—Jamos chose the simplest trap of all: poison!!!
A black goat-like creature, into which Jamos had poured an entire bottle of red potion, was laid on its side in front of the cave. Its four legs were bound, and a large gash had been cut into its artery. Fresh blood flowed steadily, quickly forming a small puddle on the ground.
The adventurers nearby had already extinguished their torches and were waiting in silence. Now they didn't even dare to breathe too heavily.
Willin gripped his sword with both hands, glancing at the tense-looking Jenny and the grim-faced Jamos. A resolute expression settled on his features.
Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
Only a dozen minutes or so had passed, but to everyone it felt like centuries. Just as some of the adventurers were growing restless, the sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps reached them, accompanied by a faint trembling of the ground.
"It's here! Get ready!"
The ambushers lowered their heads, drawing their weapons and nocking arrows, all aimed at the cave entrance.
"Hoo… hoo…"
Heavy, labored breathing echoed from within, and the foul stench intensified tenfold! The bait goat let out a piercing scream.
"Crunch! Crunch!"
With the sound of tearing and chewing, the goat's screams cut off abruptly.
"So that's a ram-horned ground dragon?" Being a Knight already, Willin's eyesight was quite sharp. By the faint torchlight, he could just make out the creature's form.
The monster was nearly fifteen or sixteen meters long. Four thick, sturdy legs supported its bloated body, and sharp claws scratched deep grooves into the ground with every step.
Above its yellow eyes, two curved black horns jutted outward like the mark of some demon, rising silently from its skull.
Its maw opened and closed, sharp teeth grinding together as it tore the goat into shreds. Blood and flesh sprayed everywhere.
"On my mark! Now!!!"
Jamos swung his arm and hurled a fist-sized stone toward the ground dragon.
BOOM!!!
From that stone erupted a blinding burst of light and heat, as though a miniature sun had crashed to the earth.
Light instantly dispelled the darkness, flooding the area.
"Roar… roar…"
Under the sudden, intense sunlight, every adventurer on the scene squeezed their eyes shut, tears nearly spilling down their cheeks.
And the ram-horned ground dragon, a creature habituated to living in darkness, let out a furious roar.
"Quick! It'll be temporarily blinded by the light—strike now!"
Jamos knew full well that creatures of the dark, when suddenly exposed to sunlight, would suffer a period of blindness from the shock. This was their best chance to attack!