The tunnel Ignis led them down opened into a colossal, spherical cavern. At its center, suspended over a lake of pure, bubbling magma, was their target. It was a Magma Serpent, but unlike any Adam had seen. Its body was a chain of interlocking, obsidian-like segments, and it moved with a fluid, menacing grace.
Most strikingly, three jagged, black stones orbited its head like malevolent moons, humming with dense, gravitational energy. This felt like a hidden boss, a guardian of a deeper secret.
"This is the place," Ignis confirmed, his simple thought tinged with a mix of fear and excitement.
"Good. Now, We observe first," Adam commanded, his Deep Camouflage already activating, blending his obsidian scales with the dark, shimmering cavern walls. Alice vanished into the shadows.
But Ignis, fueled by eagerness to prove himself, misinterpreted. Seeing the serpent, she let out a challenging screech and launched himself forward, a living fireball using Cinder Dash.
