Lucca continued in the vehicle, observing the road that stretched out before him. While the area closest to him was illuminated by the front lanterns of the tank-carriage, everything farther away remained shrouded in a dense and oppressive darkness. The shadows seemed to have stained the entire world, as if trying to devour any trace of hope or clarity.
The path led him into what appeared to be a large, deep cave. As he advanced, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, as if something invisible were blocking its way. Noticing that something was preventing him from continuing, Lucca decided to turn off the engine and stepped out to investigate. But not without taking precautions: he activated a mechanism that raised metal barriers around the carriage, just as Mok had taught him, ensuring no one could attempt to steal it while he was away.
With a flashlight in hand, Lucca began walking toward the obstacle blocking the road. What he found was strange: it had a rough texture, like hardened skin, but it didn't seem to be an ordinary rock. Intrigued, he quickly returned to the carriage to move it to the side of the road, leaving it out of harm's way. Then, mustering his courage, he grabbed a more powerful lamp and returned to the spot where the mysterious object lay.
Determined to uncover what it was, he pulled a small knife from his waist and stabbed it forcefully into the unknown material. At that instant, an earsplitting roar echoed through the cave, so powerful that it made the walls tremble and caused Lucca to momentarily lose his balance. The sound was like that of a giant bear mixed with something far more primal and terrifying.
When the echo of the roar finally faded and the cave stopped shaking, Lucca steadied himself and raised his flashlight to illuminate the area. But what had been in front of him was no longer there. The thing he had stabbed seemed to have moved, disappearing into the darkness. Lucca frowned, wondering what kind of creature could possibly do something like that.
Just as he decided to return to the carriage to continue his journey, he sensed something ahead of him. Without hesitation, he quickly stepped back. From the ceiling of the cave, something heavy and wrinkled fell, landing with a dry thud that reverberated through the cavernous space. The creature began to move, slowly revealing itself under the light of the lamp.
It was a bear... but not an ordinary one. This one was enormous, much larger than any bear Lucca had ever seen before. Its snout was grotesque, split into two as if it belonged to an alien creature, and its claws were double: normal ones and others that resembled sharp bone extensions, designed to tear through anything that stood in its way. Its eyes glowed with an almost supernatural fury, fixed solely on Lucca, blocking his path back to the carriage.
Lucca braced himself, his expression shifting from surprise to determination. "So you want to fight, big animal, huh?" he said firmly, though a slight tremor betrayed his nervousness. "Well then, get ready. I'm Lucca, the great warrior who defeated the lion monster." He then drew the staff he had been given, his ultimate weapon, the same one with which he had vanquished that previous beast. "I'm not backing down."
Without another word, Lucca lunged at the ferocious creature, which showed no intention of moving from the path without first confronting him. With agility, he used his staff to block the bear's enormous claws while darting quickly from side to side, avoiding being caught by the horrifying maw that opened and closed like a deadly trap. Each time the staff clashed against the bear's claws, a metallic screech echoed through the cave, accompanied by sparks that briefly illuminated the battle.
The creature roared again, this time closer, its hot breath hitting Lucca like a scorching blast. Though the elderly warrior was determined, he knew this fight wouldn't be easy. The beast wasn't just enormous; it was also incredibly fast for its size, and every blow he tried to block required all his concentration and strength.
"Come on, big guy," Lucca muttered between gasps, searching for an opportunity to counterattack. "You're not stopping me here."
The bear swung its massive claws, tearing through the air with brutal force, but Lucca, with precise and rapid movements, spun his staff like a whirlwind, blocking every attack. The impact of the claws against the metal staff resonated like thunder in the cave, causing the animal to recoil for a fraction of a second before returning with even more fury in its gaze.
"I need to finish this thing," Lucca murmured as he quickly assessed the situation. "Otherwise, Paltio won't reach his destination in time... and that's something we can't afford." He took a deep breath, resolved to act swiftly.
With renewed determination, Lucca gripped his staff with both hands and extended it from both ends. As he spun it, rows of fire began to emerge, enveloping it in a fiery vortex that illuminated the entire cave. He pressed one of the red gemstones embedded in the staff's handle, and the flames expanded further, forming a sphere of fire that he launched directly at the monster.
The bear roared in pain as the flames licked its fur, burning it and exposing patches of reddened skin. Lucca, with a confident smile, shouted: "So you see, it's not just the butler who can use elemental attacks!" However, realizing he was speaking to a mindless beast, he shook his head. "I think I'm going crazy talking to an unintelligent animal," he muttered to himself.
The massive bear, enraged and wounded, slammed its fists against the ground with tremendous force, scattering the flames still consuming its body. Now, with large patches of its fur torn away and its charred skin exposed, the creature lunged at Lucca without giving him a moment's rest. Its retractable claws gleamed under the flashlight's glow, threatening to tear the elderly warrior apart.
Lucca fought back with all his might, but he knew he needed to do something fast. He stepped back a few paces and, with a resigned sigh, murmured: "Oh well, I'll have to use something special. I thought I'd save it to impress the others, but what does it matter… I'll have to use it on you, stinky bear."
Without another word, Lucca lunged at the ferocious creature, which showed no intention of moving from the path without first confronting him. With agility, he used his staff to block the bear's enormous claws while darting quickly from side to side, avoiding being caught by the horrifying maw that opened and closed like a deadly trap. Each time the staff clashed against the bear's claws, a metallic screech echoed through the cave, accompanied by sparks that briefly illuminated the battle.
The creature roared again, this time closer, its hot breath hitting Lucca like a scorching blast. Though the elderly warrior was determined, he knew this fight wouldn't be easy. The beast wasn't just enormous; it was also incredibly fast for its size, and every blow he tried to block required all his concentration and strength.
"Come on, big guy," Lucca muttered between gasps, searching for an opportunity to counterattack. "You're not stopping me here."
The bear swung its massive claws, tearing through the air with brutal force, but Lucca, with precise and rapid movements, spun his staff like a whirlwind, blocking every attack. The impact of the claws against the metal staff resonated like thunder in the cave, causing the animal to recoil for a fraction of a second before returning with even more fury in its gaze.
"I need to finish this thing," Lucca murmured as he quickly assessed the situation. "Otherwise, Paltio won't reach his destination in time... and that's something we can't afford." He took a deep breath, resolved to act swiftly.
With renewed determination, Lucca gripped his staff with both hands and extended it from both ends. As he spun it, rows of fire began to emerge, enveloping it in a fiery vortex that illuminated the entire cave. He pressed one of the red gemstones embedded in the staff's handle, and the flames expanded further, forming a sphere of fire that he launched directly at the monster.
The bear roared in pain as the flames licked its fur, burning it and exposing patches of reddened skin. Lucca, with a confident smile, shouted: "So you see, it's not just the butler who can use elemental attacks!" However, realizing he was speaking to a mindless beast, he shook his head. "I think I'm going crazy talking to an unintelligent animal," he muttered to himself.
The massive bear, enraged and wounded, slammed its fists against the ground with tremendous force, scattering the flames still consuming its body. Now, with large patches of its fur torn away and its charred skin exposed, the creature lunged at Lucca without giving him a moment's rest. Its retractable claws gleamed under the flashlight's glow, threatening to tear the elderly warrior apart.
Lucca fought back with all his might, but he knew he needed to do something fast. He stepped back a few paces and, with a resigned sigh, murmured: "Oh well, I'll have to use something special. I thought I'd save it to impress the others, but what does it matter… I'll have to use it on you, stinky bear."
"The next time, I'll ask the butler to teach me a few culinary tricks," Lucca muttered as he chewed on a slightly burnt piece of meat. "Although, well, this isn't so bad… for a beginner." He shrugged, satisfied with himself for making the most of the available resources.
Once he finished his improvised meal, Lucca gathered his utensils and carefully extinguished the fire, making sure not to leave any traces that might alert other dangers in the area. With a full stomach and renewed energy, he returned to the tank-carriage.
"Alright, it's time to continue," he said to himself as he climbed into the vehicle and adjusted the controls. He started the engine, which roared to life, and slowly resumed his journey along the dark path. Despite everything, Lucca couldn't help but feel proud of having overcome that obstacle. He knew there were still many challenges ahead, but he was determined to face them one by one.
With the carriage moving again, Lucca allowed himself to relax a little, thinking about how he would share this story with the others when he reached his destination. Maybe he'd even exaggerate a bit about the size of the bear… just a little.