Eric's heart skipped a beat. The low growl seemed to come from a beast straight out of hell, approaching step by step. As the sound got closer, a huge figure slowly emerged at the end of the passage. It was a monster as large as a small mountain, its entire body covered with jet - black scales that glowed with an eerie light. Sharp fangs protruded from its gaping maw, exuding a nauseating stench of decay.
Eric instinctively tightened his grip on the crystal ball in his hand, trying to find a bit of calm in this chaos. He tried hard to recall the spells he had learned from the ancient magic book before. However, the extreme nervousness made his thoughts a complete mess. The monster's eyes, as big as lanterns, locked onto Eric, and then it suddenly pounced, bringing with it a strong gust of fishy wind.
At this critical moment, the crystal ball in Eric's hand shone brightly. A dazzling light screen burst out from the crystal ball, barely blocking the monster's attack. Taking this opportunity, Eric quickly recited a defensive spell. A pale - blue magic shield condensed and took shape in front of him.
The monster seemed to be enraged. It let out a deafening roar and its two claws fiercely grabbed at the light screen and the shield. The light screen and the shield trembled violently under the monster's attack, on the verge of shattering at any moment. Eric gritted his teeth and continuously poured magic power into the shield, beads of sweat as big as soybeans rolling down his forehead.
Just when Eric felt that his magic power was about to be exhausted, he suddenly remembered that the crystal ball might hide other powers besides guiding the way. He concentrated all his mental power and connected his consciousness to the crystal ball. Instantly, a vast and strange power welled up from within the crystal ball and spread throughout his body along his arm.
Eric suddenly opened his eyes, a determined look flashing in them. He channeled this power onto the shield. The shield immediately glowed brightly and its power increased greatly, actually pushing the monster back several steps.
Eric didn't pause for a moment. Taking advantage of the monster's brief daze, he quickly searched his mind for a suitable counter - attacking spell. Finally, he found an offensive lightning spell. Eric waved his hands and muttered incantations. Immediately, dark clouds gathered rapidly above the passage, and thick bolts of lightning struck down, directly hitting the monster.
The monster let out a painful howl. It was struck by the lightning, and thick black smoke rose from its body. But this monster was extremely tenacious. Despite being severely injured, it still dragged its wounded body and charged at Eric again.
Eric knew that he couldn't fight it head - on any longer. While maintaining the shield, he observed the surrounding environment. Suddenly, he noticed a narrow crack on one side of the passage. The crack was only wide enough for one person to pass through.
Eric made a prompt decision. Under the cover of the lightning, he sprinted towards the crack. The monster, due to its huge size, couldn't pursue him into the crack and could only roar angrily outside.
Eric made his way forward with difficulty along the crack. After an unknown amount of time, a glimmer of light finally appeared ahead. When he emerged from the crack, he found himself in a strange and beautiful valley. Flowers were in full bloom in the valley, and butterflies were dancing gracefully, forming a sharp contrast to the dangerous passage just now.
Eric let out a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground. However, he knew that his adventure was far from over. He had to rely on the guidance of the crystal ball to find a way to leave this fantasy world and return to his hometown. After taking a short rest, Eric stood up and looked at the crystal ball in his hand again. The crystal ball trembled slightly, and its light pointed towards the depths of the valley. Eric took a deep breath, filled with both worry and anticipation for the unknown, and walked towards the depths of the valley. What kind of adventures and challenges would await him in the depths of that valley?