Ariana had never expected to lose consciousness while being nosy and somehow find herself in a completely different location, while being hunted to be killed by a ten-meter-long, murderous serpent.

SMASH!

She jumped out of the way again, in the nick of time as the massive maws of the serpent came crashing into the cave wall behind her, forming a massive crater on it and shaking the entire cave rigorously.

Lucky for her, Ariana had on a necklace artifact around her neck called the ’swallow’s gale’. She always has this on her since, as an AOE damage dealer, she is not particularly known for her incredible speeds like the other heroes.

Without the artifact, she was certain to have been dead already, as the serpent’s speed was more than double hers.

Still, she was running out of stamina, and her artifact was running out of mana.

This was a beast like she’s never seen in her life, and the fear she was currently experiencing knew no bounds.

Ariana was screaming through the cave as she dodged several attacks that would have maimed several of her body parts at the last minute.

And that’s when she noticed the large opening in the distance to the south wall, which she somehow had missed while she was so agitated.

BOOM!

She attempted to dodge yet another attack, but she was a little bit slower this time, with one of the serpent’s long teeth, scarring the side of her belly in a sharp, long cut that tore through her nightwear, all the way up to the side of her right breast, causing a painful scream to burst out of her.....

"AHHH!!"

Ariana’s scream resounded through the cave, yet she did not stop, and using her training, she rolled over the rocky ground with all her attention aimed at her only means of salvation... the only open exit in the distance.

She made a beeline for it, putting all her strength into her last-ditch attempt at survival, with the serpent striking yet again where she had just hopped off, shattering the ground on impact and shaking the surrounding space.

BOOM!

Ariana didn’t dare look back; as she could feel her life flash before her eyes.

The threat before her was one that, with just one look, she could tell that any resistance would be futile.

Her skills, unlike Andrew and the others, relied heavily on support and gathering mana to deal large AOE damage....

And she could instinctively tell that whatever firepower she thought she could bring to attack this beast... would be an effort in futility; she needed to escape, and fast, that was the only way.

And Ariana was doing it... she was nearly at the opening, and even as the pain from her injuries ravaged through her, sweating profusely and breathing ragged and painful breaths...

She didn’t pause her advance, and she could barely hear the serpent slithering and breaking through the cave floor behind her anymore.....

"Wait... did it stop?!" Ariana muttered half-hopeful and dreadful as she sharply turned her head to figure out what was going on while she still ran, but what she saw made her heart sink to her stomach....

"FUCK!!" Ariana cursed loudly as she ran ahead with all her might.....

But it was already too late.

A massive water cannon came shooting out of the serpent’s massive maws.... Aimed not at Ariana, but at the top of the open entrance she was running towards.....

BOOM!!

The entire cave shook vigorously, with the shockwave from the impact lifting Ariana off her feet and blowing her back through the air, crashing hard against the cave wall on the opposite side.

Streams of her blood leaked from the side of her mouth, from the internal wounds she’s sustained.

"Damn it!..."

Araiana looked up in horror to see the broken rocks from the top of the opening, crashing down rapidly and sealing off her only exit completely.

She felt a cold chill run down her spine as she then turned to see that the serpent was now just a few feet away from her.

It didn’t seem in a hurry anymore.... Like a predator advancing leisurely towards its cornered and wounded prey.

"Ahah...cough!... I guess this is it...."

"Who even did this to me..... who hates me so badly to want me dead...."

"That they would throw me into such a place....?’

Ariana muttered as she stood up shakily, and as she did, her entire frame began to glow in writhing red mana, causing even the mighty serpent to pause its advance in surprise.

"I guess it doesn’t matter.... It’s not like some prince charming is coming to my rescue..."

"So.... I have to at least put up all the fight I can..."

"You..... you want to eat me right....?"

Ariana uttered, looking at the serpent, with her pupils turning into kindled flames, and her bountiful red hair bursting into crimson mana flames... her aura causing the space around her to tremble visibly.

"I hope for your sake that your tummy’s good with fire...You ugly fucking snake!"

"Ssssssss...."

The serpent launched at Ariana as she channeled her large pool of mana, sending massive balls of death fire raining down on it, with her hands acting like literal flamethrowers, pouring out enough fire to dry out a small lake through the entire sealed-out cave. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Ssssssss!!"

Ariana was happy to see that the serpent was having a difficult time with her attacks.

As the serpent was so large, all of her attacks were hitting true, bruising its skin and causing the serpent to scream and thrash around in the burning flame and rising heat inside the cave.... Its massive body, tearing through the ground and breaking apart walls as it struggled visibly with the lethality of Ariana’s flame.

Ariana was looking half a step away from collapsing at any moment.....

She was running out of mana, and there was a backlash for that, and also, both her physical and internal wounds were starting to worsen. But she was hopeful.....

The serpent was being pushed back by her powerful attacks.

"It’s.... it’s worki.....!" Ariana was just about to say, when her face suddenly lost the rest of its color.

"AH.... this isn’t fair," she muttered dejectedly.

Ariana watched helplessly as a massive ball of water materialized from thin air and surrounded the serpent in a protective bubble.... Completely negating all of her flames.

"Well.... I guess this is were i die."