WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom

"Another outsider... but you're not him." The Krell Alpha's voice was low, edged with curiosity as it stepped forward. "Who are you people? Are you connected to him?"

Draeven's eyes narrowed. He could tell instantly—this thing was strong. Not quite on the level of the Hellworm they'd killed, but despite that it's more dangerous.

It was smarter. Sharper.

"Outsider?" the magus spoke up, his tone shifting. "Where did you meet him?"

His eyes lit up with interest. Finally—a lead.

The Traveler he'd been hunting might be close. His fingers twitched slightly with impatience.

If this was the clue he needed, then he could quickly finish the mission and return to the surface.

"I'm the one asking questions," the Krell Alpha shot back without flinching.

It wasn't that he didn't sense the magus's strength—he just didn't care. There was no fear in his stance, no hesitation.

Whatever power the magus held didn't register as a threat to him.

The magus scoffed, lips curling. "A talking beast is still a beast," he said coldly.

His mana surged. A spark of lightning jumped from his fingers, lashing toward the Krell in a flash of blue light.

But before the lightning could land. The shadow beneath the Krell Alpha rippled. Then it exploded outward.

Tendrils of darkness lashed up like spears, intercepting the lightning mid-air. The clash sent a burst of light and black mist across the cavern floor, the impact cracking stone and kicking dust into the air.

The magus narrowed his eyes, lips twitching in amusement. "Interesting."

The Krell Alpha didn't reply—his shadow surged again, rising like a living storm. It twisted around him, reshaping in real time. Blades, shields, claws—each tendril morphing with terrifying speed.

The magus raised both hands, lightning spiraling up his arms before firing in arcs—forking bolts that carved through the air like fangs.

CRACKLE! CRACKLE!

But the shadow moved like water. One shadow-tendril turned flat like a mirror, reflecting a bolt sideways, slamming into the ceiling and blasting a crater above.

Then the Krell Alpha moved. His body blurred, carried by his own shadow. He appeared beside the magus, a black scythe now in hand, forged from the shadow.

The blade swung.

The magus caught it with a lightning-formed gauntlet, sparks flying as the two powers clashed. The impact cracked the ground beneath them.

"You can shape shadow?" the magus asked, grinning wide now. "Finally... something good."

The Krell Alpha's eyes glowed faintly. "And you're just another arrogant bastard. The last still alive, I will kill you in change."

He pushed forward, the shadow around him erupted, forming chains, axes, whips, each attack hammering the magus from every direction.

But the magus just laughed, stepping into the chaos, lightning dancing off him like living armor. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a surge of electricity in every direction—BOOM—a blinding flash tore through the cavern, disintegrating half the shadow constructs in an instant.

The ground trembled from the impact. "…We're staying out of this, right?" Tzarek muttered, eyes wide.

"Of course. Let him play." Vek'tal shrugged, already chewing another bite of dried meat. "We're still on break."

But Draeven didn't move. His gaze locked on the battle. He hadn't forgotten his deal with Slark. And if the opening came…He'd strike without hesitation.

The air cracked as the magus move forward, boots skimming the stone floor. He moved like lightning, reappearing in bursts of electric arcs.

Bolts spiraled around him, tearing hole in the cavern walls as he shot toward the Krell Alpha.

The Krell shadow surged beneath him like a living sea, then rose—a massive barrier in the form of a sharp wall, layered with spikes that twisted and writhed like fangs.

BOOM!

The magus slammed into it, his fist wrapped in thunder, shattering the surface on impact. But as pieces fell away, they reformed instantly.

And then it attacked.

The wall twisted mid-shatter, turning into a dozen shadow spears that launched toward the magus at impossible angles.

The magus grinned and spun, a sphere of lightning crackling to life around him.

Crackle!

Each spear that touched it exploded in a burst of black mist. "Is that it?" he taunted, stepping through the fading smoke. "You talk big, but your tricks are shallow."

Despite the chaos, the magus's robe remained untouched—not a single tear, not a speck of dust. The deep folds still draped perfectly, his hood casting shadow over his face.

The Krell Alpha didn't speak. He simply vanished.

The Krell Alpha didn't answer. Instead, he vanished. The shadow swallowed him like ink, and in the next breath, he appeared behind the magus.

This time the shadow became a hammer, bigger than a man, slamming down like a meteor.

BOOOOM!

The magus blocked with both arms, lightning surging into a dome—but the force of the blow cratered the ground, sending chunks of rock flying outward in a shockwave. He slid back, boots digging trenches in the stone, arms sparking.

The Krell Alpha landed silently, shadows already shifting—forming twin scimitars now. "I don't need tricks. I am strong."

The magus let out a short laugh, rubbing his knuckles. "Good. Then try this."

He raised both hands, the mana around him spiking, forming a massive sigil in the air.

"Thunder CLOUD!!"

The symbol collapsed inward—then shot upward, forming a ring of thunder above him. Lightning rained down in chaotic bolts, filling the cavern with flickering white light.

The Krell's shadow tried to rise—but the lightning struck everywhere. Each time it took form, it was shattered again.

But the Krell Alpha moved inside it. He darted between the strikes, faster than before, pushing forward with blades raised, slashing at the edges of the magic circle, trying to unravel the spell itself.

The magus saw it and snarled. "Not yet." He raised one hand and closed his fist.

The lightning converged—a single, massive bolt—and shot straight down.

The Krell Alpha raised both blades, shadow condensing into a swirling shield above him.

CRACK-KA-BOOOOOM!!

The cavern shook as the bolt struck, dust and debris clouding everything in sight.