Two days later the operation had descended into exhaustion.

The mine reclamation continued slowly but successfully as the workers expanded the rails and smoke pipes section by section deeper underground. Entire sections of tunnel had already been reclaimed while collapsed passageways forced the remaining rats farther inward.

But the deeper we pushed—

The worse the resistance became.

Large swarms attacked constantly now.

The rats no longer fled immediately from the smoke like before. Many had started charging directly through it in desperate waves while the riflemen fought almost nonstop near the advancing rail lines.

Everyone looked exhausted.

The workers had dark circles beneath their eyes while soot, blood, and grime permanently coated most of their clothing by this point.

Even Finn had stopped making as many jokes.

Which honestly worried me slightly.

The only reason we had not been overwhelmed already was Rowan and the flamethrower.

Everybody knew it.

Every single large swarm eventually got broken apart by fire.

The moment the burning fuel erupted through the tunnels, the rats panicked almost instantly.

Without it—

We probably would have died days ago.

Fortunately the flamethrower fuel remained relatively easy to produce compared to ammunition. Oil, pitch, resin, and alcohol could all be purchased or refined locally without much issue.

Bullets however—

Bullets were becoming a serious problem.

I stared down at the remaining ammunition crate near the rails grimly.

Not much left.

The operation had consumed absurd amounts already.

Every surviving bullet now mattered.

Nearby Garrick sat against one of the tunnel walls while cleaning blood from his knife.

"We’re close."

I looked over slightly.

"You sure?"

The hunter nodded once.

"The swarms are weaker."

He pointed deeper into the tunnels.

"Less organized too."

That made sense.

If the colony had been continuously losing rats for days while entire sections of tunnels got collapsed or burned out, then eventually their numbers had to start thinning.

At least I hoped so.

Because otherwise—

We were eventually going to run out of ammunition completely.

A while later the operation resumed again.

Smoke pumped steadily through the pipes while workers cautiously extended the rails deeper into the reclaimed sections of the mine. The steam engine outside continuously hissed while the minecart cable system remained ready to yank everyone back toward the surface if another swarm appeared.

Finn, Garrick, Rowan, two additional workers, and I advanced near the front lines while lanterns illuminated the newest cleared tunnel.

The atmosphere felt strange today.

Too quiet.

Finn eventually frowned slightly while glancing deeper into the darkness.

"...The rats usually attack by now."

I immediately looked toward him.

"Don’t say that."

"What?"

"You’re going to jinx us."

Finn rolled his eyes slightly.

"That’s not how—"

THUMP.

Everyone froze.

The sound echoed faintly through the tunnels.

Not scratching.

Not shrieking.

Heavy.

Slow.

THUMP.

THUMP.

The entire tunnel seemed to vibrate slightly.

Garrick’s expression immediately changed.

"...Move."

Another THUMP echoed from deeper underground.

Then another.

Everyone instantly backed toward the minecarts.

Nobody spoke.

THUMP.

THUMP.

Something enormous was moving underground.

I felt genuine fear crawl up my spine for the first time since entering the mine.

Then suddenly—

The furthermost lantern flickered slightly as something massive entered its light.

I only saw it for a moment.

But that moment alone was enough.

"...What the hell..."

It barely resembled a rat anymore.

The creature filled almost the entire width of the tunnel while massive claws scraped against the stone floor. Its body resembled some grotesque fusion between a rat and a bear while sections of jagged rock protruded across its back and shoulders like natural armor plating.

And its eyes—

Glowing faintly.

I immediately looked toward Garrick.

The hunter’s face had gone pale.

"...A magic beast."

The words came out almost like a whisper.

"GO!" Garrick suddenly roared.

Everyone immediately jumped into the minecarts while workers farther outside activated the steam engine upon seeing the rope being tugged.

The steel cable violently tightened.

Then the carts shot backward through the tunnels at terrifying speed.

Behind us—

THUMP.

THUMP.

THUMP.

The creature was moving faster now.

Stone cracked somewhere behind us while deep animalistic growls echoed through the mine.

Finn looked genuinely terrified.

"THAT WAS NOT A RAT!"

"It used to be!" Garrick shouted back.

The minecarts finally burst from the entrance moments later before everyone stumbled out onto the forest clearing outside.

Finn immediately turned toward the workers nearby.

"GET READY!"

The panic in his voice alone immediately alarmed everyone.

"Something BIG is coming!"

Workers scrambled instantly toward barricades while rifles got loaded and explosive satchels prepared.

I meanwhile grabbed Garrick’s shoulder.

"What’s a magic beast?"

The hunter still stared toward the mine entrance in shock.

"...Monsters that awaken their own mana capacity."

I froze slightly.

"What?"

Garrick’s voice remained tense.

"Animals normally can’t use magic."

He pointed toward the tunnel.

"But some survive long enough or absorb enough mana that they awaken their own mana capacity."

My expression darkened immediately.

"So it can use spells."

"Yes."

That was bad.

Very bad.

My mind instantly raced through calculations.

Our remaining bullets likely would not pierce that stone-plated hide.

The flamethrower might work—

Or it might not.

And worse—

We only had three explosive satchels remaining after days of tunnel collapses.

Not enough.

Not nearly enough.

Then suddenly—

THUMP.

The ground shook.

Everyone immediately looked toward the mine entrance.

Stone cracked outward from inside the tunnel.

Then something massive forced itself through the opening.

The creature practically squeezed its way out from the mine.

And for the first time everyone saw it properly.

It was enormous.

Easily the size of a bear.

Jagged stone plating covered most of its body while thick claws dug deep grooves into the earth beneath it. Its rat-like head twitched violently while saliva dripped from massive yellow teeth.

And worst of all—

Faint mana glowed between the cracks in the rocky armor.

Nobody moved.

Nobody even spoke.

The entire clearing simply stared at the monster emerging from the mine.

Then the creature opened its mouth—

And shrieked loud enough to shake the trees.

The creature’s shriek shook the entire clearing.

Several workers physically stumbled backward while the massive beast forced itself completely out of the mine entrance. Loose stone cracked beneath its weight while jagged rock plating shifted across its body every time it moved.

Up close—

It looked even worse.

The creature barely resembled a rat anymore. Thick claws dug deep grooves into the earth while faint mana glowed through cracks in the rocky armor covering most of its body.

Then it looked directly toward us.

And charged.

"MOVE!" Garrick roared.

The beast surged forward with terrifying speed despite its massive size.

BANG.

BANG.

Several rifle shots slammed into the creature immediately.

Sparks burst from the rocky armor.

But the bullets barely penetrated.

Finn’s face paled slightly.

"...That is NOT normal."

The magic beast smashed directly through one of the wooden barricades moments later like it barely existed.

Workers scattered instantly.

My mind raced rapidly.

Too armored.

Too durable.

The bullets would never kill it fast enough.

Then the creature suddenly opened its mouth—

And a jagged spike of stone erupted from the ground beneath one of the workers.

The man barely avoided being impaled.

I froze slightly.

Magic.

It really could use magic.

"ROWAN!" I shouted.

The bulky worker immediately stepped forward while raising the flamethrower nozzle.

FWOOOOOOOSH.

A massive stream of burning liquid erupted across the clearing.

The creature shrieked violently as flames engulfed its head and shoulders.

The sticky fuel clung between the rocky plates while fire spread rapidly across its body.

But instead of collapsing—

The beast became enraged.

It charged straight through the flames.

"Oh COME ON!" Finn yelled.

The magic beast slammed into another barricade hard enough to send shattered wood flying everywhere.

I immediately noticed something important though.

The creature kept blinking violently.

And steam rose from parts of the armor where the fuel seeped into gaps between the stone plating.

The fire was working.

Not enough to kill it—

But enough to hurt it.

"Eyes!" I shouted.

"ONLY AIM FOR THE EYES!"

The riflemen immediately adjusted.

BANG.

One bullet grazed near the creature’s face.

BANG.

Another slammed into the edge of its jaw.

Then Finn’s shot struck directly into one glowing eye.

The creature shrieked loud enough to hurt everyone’s ears.

Dark blood sprayed across the clearing while the beast violently clawed at its own face.

"It worked!" Finn shouted.

Then the creature slammed one massive claw into the ground.

The earth exploded upward.

Stone spikes erupted through the clearing while workers desperately scattered aside.

One spike punched directly through a wagon wheel.

Another nearly skewered Rowan.

My expression darkened immediately.

If this thing reached the steam engines—

We were dead.

"Pressure!" I suddenly shouted toward the workers near the pipe systems.

Everyone looked confused.

I pointed toward the smoke pipes connected to the second steam engine.

"Redirect the steam lines!"

Understanding instantly spread across Finn’s face.

"Oh."

I sprinted toward the steam controls while the others scrambled to reposition several of the pipe outlets extending from the mine entrance.

Behind us the creature continued thrashing violently through the flames while Garrick barely avoided another massive claw strike.

The hunter slid across the dirt before firing a heavy crossbow bolt directly into the creature’s wounded eye.

The bolt sank deep.

The beast screamed again.

I meanwhile reached the steam engine and immediately began increasing pressure.

Dangerously high pressure.

The entire machine started shaking violently while steam hissed from several joints.

Finn noticed immediately.

"...Leon."

"Not enough yet."

"LEON."

The pressure gauge kept climbing.

Then the creature suddenly charged toward Rowan.

Too fast.

The flamethrower operator barely managed to fire another burst before the beast smashed into him directly.

Rowan got thrown violently across the clearing while the flamethrower skidded across the dirt.

The fuel tank ruptured slightly.

Burning liquid immediately began spilling onto the ground.

The creature turned toward the fallen worker.

My eyes widened.

"NOW!"

Workers instantly opened the redirected pipe valves.

A massive blast of superheated steam erupted from the steel pipes.

The clearing exploded into white vapor.

The steam struck the creature directly across the face and underside.

The effect was immediate.

The magic beast shrieked louder than before while violently recoiling backward. Steam forced its way between armor gaps while exposed flesh along the mouth and eyes visibly blistered almost instantly.

The creature panicked.

Its stone armor protected the outside—

But the steam invaded everywhere else.

I immediately increased the pressure again.

The pipes violently shook.

More steam blasted outward.

The beast clawed wildly at its own face while half-blinded from the boiling vapor.

Then I grabbed one of the remaining explosive satchels.

Quickly I shoved steel scraps, rail spikes, bolts, and mining fragments into it before lighting the fuse.

Finn saw immediately what I was doing.

"Oh that’s horrifying."

I sprinted closer while the creature reeled beneath another steam burst.

Then I hurled the explosive directly beneath the beast’s exposed underside.

The satchel detonated moments later.

BOOOOM.

Shrapnel exploded upward into the softer flesh beneath the armor.

The creature screamed horribly.

Dark blood sprayed across the clearing while fragments embedded into its legs, stomach, and damaged face.

The beast staggered violently now.

Burning.

Bleeding.

Half blind.

Steam continued blasting across its body while flames still clung between sections of rock plating.

Then suddenly—

The steam engine behind me started screaming.

Too much pressure.

The metal frame shook violently while steam burst from the joints.

Finn’s eyes widened.

"...Leon I think it’s going to explode!"

I looked toward the beast.

Then toward the overloaded boiler.

Then back toward the creature again.

A terrible idea formed instantly.

"Everybody MOVE!"

I grabbed one of the disconnected pipe sections and redirected it directly toward the creature before wrenching the pressure release wheel completely open.

The boiler discharged everything at once.

A catastrophic blast of superheated steam erupted from the pipe.

The force alone nearly knocked me backward.

The creature took the full blast directly into its face and open mouth.

The shriek that followed sounded almost human.

Steam forced deep into its throat, lungs, eyes, and exposed wounds while the remaining flames reignited violently across the boiling fuel covering its body.

Then finally—

The creature collapsed.

The ground shook beneath its weight.

Silence followed.

Nobody moved.

White steam slowly drifted through the clearing while flames crackled faintly across parts of the beast’s corpse.

Finn stared at the dead monster for several seconds.

Then slowly looked toward me.

"...You killed a magic beast with industrial equipment."

I stood there breathing heavily while steam hissed around me.

"...Apparently."

Nearby Garrick continued staring at the corpse in complete disbelief.

"For thirty years..."

His voice sounded quieter now.

"That thing ruled the mine for thirty years."

The hunter slowly looked toward me afterward.

"And you people killed it with fire, pressure, and boiling water."

Finn crossed his arms tiredly.

"When you say it like that it sounds insane."

I looked back toward the mine entrance.

Deep underground—

The remaining rats were still there.

But now their king was dead.

And for the first time since this operation began—

The mine truly felt conquerable.