The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 958 Attacking the Monster's Lair

Turgard Cave was huge. The entrance alone was seven meters high, with tree branches and vines covering the area around it.

"So, this is the place, huh?"

Ayakami stared at the cave, her gaze sharp.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind blew out of the cave and hit everyone in the face.

"It's s-so cold!"

Keyn shivered as she hugged herself.

"For some reason, the atmosphere here makes me feel uneasy," Tony added with a click of his tongue.

"Ayakami, are you sure we should attack now?"

Kleith's sudden question left everyone confused.

"What do you mean?" Ayakami asked, puzzled.

"No, it's nothing. It's just that I have a bad feeling about this."

Kleith scratched his head sheepishly.

Ayakami rolled her eyes.

"Don't overthink it. This is our only chance. We don't know if another team will strike first tomorrow. Either way, we're running out of time."

Kleith let out a long sigh and said nothing more. What Ayakami said was entirely true.

"Let's not drag this out any longer. I want to get this over with as soon as possible," Mike said irritably.

His gaze occasionally drifted toward Nolan behind them.

Nolan noticed the look but was too lazy to respond, so he ignored it completely.

This made Mike even more annoyed. But when he saw Ayakami in front of him, he held himself back and looked away.

The group of seven walked into the cave.

Ayakami snapped her fingers, and five fireballs appeared around them.

The dark cave was finally bright enough for them to see around them.

"Wow! This cave is huge!" Mary exclaimed. "Judging by how it looks, I think that monster built it."

Tony burst out laughing at that.

"How could a monster do that? You're overthinking it, Mary."

"No, Mary's right. This cave was built by that ape monster itself."

The voice startled everyone. They turned toward Nolan in confusion.

"How can you be so sure?" Keyn asked curiously.

"Tch! He's just looking for attention," Mike spat.

"Mike!" Ayakami scolded coldly.

Mike's face flushed with anger. He truly hated Nolan, especially since Nolan had managed to steal Ayakami's attention as well.

He desperately wanted to kill him with his own hands, but he knew that would be difficult, if not nearly impossible.

At the very least, he had to lure Nolan somewhere secluded, far from prying eyes.

Nolan merely glanced at him before ignoring him completely.

"This cave was definitely made by that monster. Just look at the surface of the walls. They're too neat and smooth, almost as if they were carved by a living creature."

Everyone was surprised and instinctively moved closer to the wall.

When they touched it, they could feel just how smooth it was.

"You're right!"

Mary's eyes widened in amazement.

"The walls are so smooth! Wow, Nolan! You're amazing!"

"I didn't expect that either," Tony said admiringly.

Kleith and Keyn joined in, praising Nolan as well, which made Mike even angrier and more dissatisfied.

Ayakami smiled as she watched her friends praise him.

They kept walking, occasionally chatting with each other. Eventually, they reached the deepest part of the cave—a huge, open chamber.

In the middle of the room, they spotted a giant ape monster lying on the ground.

It had thick black fur that almost disappeared into the darkness. Its massive body was over five meters tall.

Its chest and abdominal muscles were clearly visible, while its fangs occasionally showed as it breathed.

"T-That's the monster!" Keyn exclaimed.

"Shh!"

Mary quickly covered her mouth.

"Don't make a sound!"

Keyn flinched, realizing her carelessness, then nodded weakly.

"S-Sorry," she whispered sheepishly.

"Everyone, be careful."

Ayakami raised her magic staff.

"Get into position. I'll wake it up with a powerful attack."

Everyone nodded in unison and quickly stepped back, forming a battle formation.

"Nolan, stay in the back. Don't go anywhere. Got it?" Ayakami warned.

Nolan said nothing and stepped farther away from the battlefield.

Ayakami closed her eyes and began chanting two spells simultaneously.

"Veyra Nox, Sileth Arcan."

"Pyra Nox, Veyr Ignis!"

Whoosh!

Two magic circles appeared on the cave ceiling.

The first was dark gray, while the second was dark red.

Buzz!

The dark gray magic circle slowly began to emit a faint light that enveloped the entire cave.

"Oh?" Nolan's eyebrows rose slightly. "Ancient magic?"

He hadn't expected Ayakami to be able to cast ancient magic, even if it was only a weak spell.

Buzz!

The red magic circle also lit up brightly. Then, a three-meter-wide fireball burst forth from it.

Unlike a typical fireball, it was a deep red, with black specks scattered across its surface.

The temperature around them suddenly spiked. Fortunately, a gray barrier protected Ayakami and the others from the intense heat.

"T-That's crazy…" Kleith took a few frightened steps back.

He knew Ayakami was incredibly strong.

Otherwise, how could she possibly be considered on par with Sharon Lorian at the academy?

Even so, the power she displayed was still terrifying.

It wasn't just Kleith. Everyone was both amazed and frightened by what they saw.

Their admiration for Ayakami reached its peak.

Only one person's expression turned grim. It was none other than Mike.

"How can she be that strong?" he muttered in frustration.

He turned toward the entrance, worry clearly visible on his face.

Nolan naturally noticed the change in his expression and smiled meaningfully.

"Fall!"

Ayakami's firm voice boomed throughout the cave.

Boom!

The fireball exploded and struck the giant monster's body.

Everyone quickly covered their faces with their arms.

A few minutes later, the light faded, and they lowered their arms.

When they saw what was left of the ape-like monster, they froze. Its body had completely disappeared, leaving only one of its massive legs behind.

"I-It worked!?" Keyn exclaimed excitedly.

"No, not yet!" Ayakami replied coldly. "Stay in position!"

Just as she said that, the leg suddenly began to shake violently.

Then, right before their eyes, the monster's body slowly began to regenerate.

"W-What!? What incredible regenerative abilities!" Tony shouted in horror.

Everyone except Ayakami was shocked by this. No one had told them that the ape monster possessed such an astonishing ability.

"Hey, don't just stand there! Hurry up and attack it!"

Kleith's shout snapped everyone out of their stupor, but Ayakami immediately stopped them.

"Wait, don't move!"

Everyone froze and looked at Ayakami in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked in a panic.

"Wait for my signal."

Ayakami raised her left hand.

Everyone was puzzled by her intention, but no one objected.

Second by second, the ape monster's body recovered until it was ninety percent restored.

Only its head remained to be reformed.

"Now!"

Ayakami slammed the tip of her magic staff into the ground.

A magic circle appeared beneath the monster's feet.

Slazh!

Dozens of golden chains shot out and wrapped around the ape's legs, arms, and body.

Nolan was stunned by the sight.

"This woman is truly clever!" he murmured in awe.

The ape monster had incredible regenerative abilities. Destroying its body was pointless because it would simply heal itself.

So, the only way was to restrain it while launching a relentless barrage of attacks.

Even if its healing ability was formidable, there was no way it could keep up with the sheer force of everyone's attacks.

At Ayakami's command, everyone began launching their attacks at the monster.

The cave, which had been silent moments ago, was instantly filled with the sound of explosion after explosion.

But suddenly, footsteps echoed from the entrance, followed by the playful voice of a young man.

"Hahaha! It's so crowded in here. Did I miss the party?"