The deafening roar of the monstrous creature echoed through the dark hallways of the castle as it lunged towards us. Its massive, frost-covered body glistened in the dim light, and its red eyes burned with an unnatural fire.

 

"Dungeon bear?" I stammered, my voice trembling with disbelief.

 

“What the hell is that Ice Bear doing here?”

 

Fidèle's answer came swiftly as he intercepted the beast, using his tremendous strength to push Eveline out of harm's way. The ice bear's colossal claws swiped through the air, narrowly missing her, but its sheer force sent her sprawling to the ground.

 

Nico, agile and quick, made a series of graceful jumps, attempting to land precise strikes on the bear's vital spots. His daggers glinted in the eerie light, but before he could execute his plan, the bear's razor-sharp claws caught him off-guard. Nico's face twisted in agony as he was wounded, blood spilling from the deep gashes inflicted by the bear.

 

Fidèle, still locked in combat with the relentless creature, saw Nico's predicament but was unable to offer immediate assistance. His massive frame strained under the pressure of the bear's relentless assault, and every ounce of his strength was dedicated to holding the creature back.

 

Eveline, her initial shock subsiding, quickly sprang into action. She approached the wounded Nico and focused her energy on healing magic. Her delicate hands glowed with an ethereal light as she chanted incantations, mending Nico's wounds.

 

But healing alone wouldn't suffice. Nico's injuries were severe, and Eveline needed to take drastic measures to save him. With determination in her eyes, she summoned her [Fire Magic] skill, creating controlled flames to cauterize the gash marks left by the bear, preventing further blood loss.

 

As Fidèle continued his struggle with the ice bear, I felt a creeping sense of fear wash over me. The sight of Nico's bloody mess filled me with dread, and I desperately searched through my limited knowledge of magic, swiping through my magic tab for any spell that could potentially damage the bear.

 

Desperation grew within me as I realized my magic tab held only one "unlocked" element skill—[Water Magic: Healing Stream Level 1]. I had no specific combat spells at my disposal to assist in this dire situation.

 

In a last-ditch effort, I activated my [Magic Eye]'s ability, <Insightful Gaze>, to peer into the bear's weaknesses. My vision shifted, and I saw the creature's strengths and vulnerabilities.

 

[Inspecting]

<Ice Bear>

Level: 60

HP: 868/882

Stamina: 1023/1058

Mana: 1130/1130

Weaknesses: Fire, Water

Resistances: Wind, Earth

 

The revelation of its weaknesses was a small glimmer of hope, despite the fact that its stats were in the amounts I couldn’t even possibly comprehend. However, I needed to act quickly. I quickly tapped into my limited magical abilities, combining basic [Water Magic] and [Fire Magic] to create a unique spell known as [Steam Magic] (I’m probably the first one to do this. Maybe). This blend of elements produced a lethal form of attack, and I decided to experiment with a potentially devastating move which I called [Steam Burst].

 

I concentrated my energy, forming a sphere of scalding water infused with fiery essence. With a thrust of my hand, I released the pressurized steam in a focused burst, aiming directly at the ice bear's chest.

 

The scorching steam pierced through the bear's icy hide, causing it to howl in agony. Steam erupted from the wound, enveloping the creature in a cloud of scalding vapor. Its roars of pain filled the air as it thrashed about, disoriented and injured.

 

Fidèle seized the opportunity, his massive sword gleaming in the dim light. With a flurry of precise slices, he attacked the bear relentlessly, determined to exploit its weakened state. But the bear, though wounded, was far from defeated. It roared once more, its rage intensifying as it faced the combined fury of fire and water.

 

Fidèle, seizing the opportunity, shouted, "Ferdinand! Do it one more time!" He urged me to continue assaulting the ice bear.

 

Eveline, having partially healed Nico, stepped back into the fray. Nico had fallen unconscious from the combined damage and shock of the battle. Fidèle, his massive frame deftly moving to avoid the bear's sharp attacks, managed to grab the creature's paw, preventing it from delivering another devastating blow.

 

Responding to Fidèle's request, I prepared another [Steam Burst], channeling my energy into a scalding sphere of water and fire. With determination, I released the burst once more, directing it at the ice bear's wounded chest.

 

As the steam enveloped the bear once more, Eveline couldn't help but notice the peculiarity of this attack. Her curiosity piqued, she whispered to herself over the deafening roars of the bear.

 

"Ferdinand, what kind of magic is that?"

 

The ice bear, showing signs of weakness, roared in pain. It seemed that our relentless assault was finally taking its toll on the formidable creature. However, the bear had a surprise in store for us. With a sudden surge of power, it unleashed a previously hidden ability — God-level Healing Magic.

 

A notification bar appeared above the bear; its contents visible only to me.

 

[Level 1 God-Class Health Regeneration: +100HP/s]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

[+100HP]

 

My heart sank as I witnessed the bear's injuries rapidly healing. The bear's HP began to climb back to full health, its wounds closing before our eyes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It had regenerated itself with a considerable amount of mana.

 

In shock, I activated my [Magic Eye]'s ability, <Insightful Gaze>, to confirm my suspicions. The bear had indeed used its extraordinary healing magic to recover, leaving us in a perilous situation.

 

[Inspecting]

<Ice Bear>

Level: 60

HP: 882/882

Stamina: 612/1058

Mana: 170/1130

Weaknesses: Fire Magic, Water Magic

Resistances: Wind, Earth

I urgently warned Fidèle, "Fidèle, the bear has fully healed itself!"

 

Fidèle, sarcasm lacing his words, replied, "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed." He couldn't hide his frustration as he realized the gravity of the situation.

 

Suddenly, without warning, Eveline conjured a powerful spell—[Fire Magic III], [Fire Ball VI].With visible effort, she hurled the blazing sphere of fire magic at the ice bear. The spell left her visibly fatigued, with white streaks appearing in her orange hair.

 

Seizing the opportunity, Fidèle skillfully dodged the incoming fireball, leaving the ice bear to take the full brunt of the fiery assault. The creature writhed in agony, its icy form melting and steam billowing around it.

 

In a final, desperate attempt, the bear lunged at Eveline, who lay weak on the ground from her previous exertion. Fidèle, recognizing the imminent threat, dashed towards the bear and shoved it with all his might. However, the massive creature barely budged. Fidèle, realizing he had no other choice, summoned his immense strength and unleashed a powerful shove that sent the ice bear hurtling several yards back, through the hall.

 

The bear crashed into the dungeon wall, its flaming body smashing through the stone and revealing an opening beyond. As the creature burned and writhed across the room, we finally saw light streaming in from the opening, illuminating the previously dark chamber.

 

We turned our attention to the newfound opening, and to our astonishment, we realized that it was already daytime outside.

 

Fidèle rushes over to Eveline, who has fallen unconscious.

 

“Eve”.