**Continuation In the Cave**
Mark held his breath, hiding in camouflage mode behind a cluster of rocks, his one eye fixed on the cave entrance.
Suddenly, a dark shape filled the opening -
The dragon's massive body emerged into view.
Its body was covered in black scales with faint blue edges, glowing embers served as eyes, burning with inner fire. Razor-sharp teeth lined its jaws, and curved horns protruded from its forehead. Smoke drifted from its nostrils, carrying the scent of burning stone.
Mark's heart racing, he watched as the dragon moved deeper into the cave.
glowing ember-like eyes scan the cave...
His camouflage skill seems to be working – the dragon doesn't appear to notice him.
The dragon's massive head swivels towards the deeper part of the cave...
It sniffs the air, then moves closer to the area where Mark had left the Dryad's corpse...
The dragon's claws click on the stone floor as it approaches the giant bell-shaped formation...
Mark's one eye watches in fascination and horror as the dragon inspects the scene...
The dragon's head dips into the bell formation, and it lets out a thunderous:
"GRAAAKAROTH, ZHILAKAI!"
The voice echoes through the cave, making Mark's skin crawl...
He doesn't know what the words mean, but the dragon's tone sounds like a loud declaration...
His mind races – what does this mean for his survival chances?
Mark hid in the corner of the cave, barely out of sight from the giant bell-shaped formation where the Dryad's corpse lay.
He held perfectly still, his one eye peeking around the edge of the rocks...
The dragon's massive head dipped into the bell formation, and Mark's heart sank as he realized what was happening...
The dragon's jaws opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and then closed around the Dryad's lifeless body.
Mark watched in horror as the dragon began to chew, its teeth tearing through the Dryad's wooden-like flesh with sickening crunches.
The sound was like a nightmare – a gruesome mixture of splintering wood and ripping flesh...
Mark's stomach churned with revulsion as he realized he was mere feet away from this monstrous creature...
The dragon's glowing ember eyes seemed to be closed in satisfaction as it devoured the Dryad's corpse...
Mark watched in horror as the dragon unleashed fiery breath, engulfing the Dryad's remains.
The smell of burning wood and charred flesh was overwhelming, making Mark's eyes burn and his lungs scream for air.
He stumbled backwards, gasping for breath, but his body reacted instinctively to the desperate situation.
With a surge of adrenaline, Mark charged towards the dragon, his one eye fixed on its glowing embers.
He swung his right arm – the one made from the Dryad's wood-like flesh – in a powerful punch.
The arm connected with a loud crack, striking the dragon's scaled jaw and sending it stumbling backwards.
The dragon's claws scraped against the stone floor as it fell, its wings flailing wildly.
Mark seized the momentary distraction to turn and run towards the cave entrance...
But his legs only took two strides before being jerked violently back –
He crashed to the ground, realizing too late that his left leg was still chained to the cave wall...
The metal links clanked loudly as Mark struggled to free himself, his one eye fixed on the dragon slowly rising to its feet...
Mark's hands grasped the chains, pulling with desperate strength as he tried to break free.
His muscles bulged, veins popping out of his skin as he strained against the metal links.
The dragon slowly rose to its feet, its glowing ember eyes fixed on Mark with intense anger.
Mark's one eye locked onto the dragon's gaze, fueling his adrenaline as he pulled harder.
Time seemed to slow down as Mark's hands slipped, regained grip, and pulled again –
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mark heard a loud CLANK...
The chain snapped, freeing his leg as the last link broke apart.
Mark stumbled forward, almost falling, but regained balance just in time...
He turned to face the dragon – and froze.
The dragon was NOW FULLY STANDING, its massive body towering over Mark, ember eyes blazing with fury...
It unleashed a deafening roar:
"KKRRRAAAAGHXAAROTH... VRAAAKTHOKK!"
Mark covered his ears, wincing at the loud, piercing sound – he had no idea what the dragon was saying...
But its tone was unmistakable: pure, unadulterated rage.
Mark barely had time to react as the dragon charged towards him with claws swiping wildly.
He dodged to the side, avoiding the deadly blow by mere inches – the dragon's claws scraped against the stone floor, sparking violently.
Mark quickly seized the momentary reprieve to act:
He grasped the remaining chains still attached to his left arm, wrapping them tightly around his forearm.
The metal links clicked into place, forming a makeshift
His one eye locked onto the dragon as it recoiled for another attack.
But before it could charge again, Mark faced its head directly –
The dragon unleashed a stream of fiery breath directly at Mark's face:
Mark dodged to the side again, avoiding the stream of fiery breath by a hair's breadth.
The flames scorched the stone wall behind him, casting flickering shadows on the cave floor.
As he dodged, Mark counterattacked with his chained fist, striking the dragon's scaled chest with tremendous force:
The blow landed with a deafening CLANG, sending shockwaves through Mark's arm – yet he felt barely any pain.
In fact, he felt... stronger.
Mark realized with astonishment that the Dryad's stats were still coursing through his body –
* His strength had increased dramatically
* His speed and agility had enhanced
* His endurance seemed almost limitless
Emboldened by this discovery, Mark unleashed another powerful punch, then another, each blow landing with precision and force.
The dragon stumbled backward, its ember eyes widening in surprise – clearly, it hadn't expected Mark to fight back with such ferocity...
The dragon swung its claws wildly, trying to catch Mark off guard – but he dodged every swipe with ease.
His enhanced agility and strength from the Dryad's stats made him a formidable opponent.
The dragon tried again and again, but Mark evaded each attack effortlessly.
Finally, seeing an opening, Mark countered with a powerful punch that landed squarely on the dragon's jaw.
The dragon's head snapped backward, its body stumbling – Mark seized the moment to deliver a finishing blow.
He wound up for a devastating punch, ready to end the battle...
Just as he threw his fist, a strange notification flashed in his mind:
**"INSTINCT: DANGER DETECTED FROM REAR"**
Mark ignored the warning, thinking it was just a glitch – he was about to win!
His fist was mere inches from the dragon's face when...
EVERYTHING ERUPTED INTO CHAOS.
Mark felt an intense force collide with his back, lifting him off the ground.
He was blown forward, fist still clenched, and crashed into the cave wall with brutal force.