I walk sideways in the game world

Chapter 196: Volcano Exploration, Giant Beast Appears

The heat wave, mixed with the thick smell of sulfur, was almost suffocating. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin stood at the foot of the volcano, facing a barren expanse of scorched earth, dark red lava flowing on the ground, and the air was filled with the nauseating smell of sulfur.

"Be careful and follow my steps," Ren Xiaoyao said in a deep voice, a hint of solemnity in his tone. He took Xia Lin's hand and stepped onto this dangerous land step by step.

The ground was scorching hot, and every step felt like stepping on a red-hot iron, sending a burning pain through the soles of her feet. Xia Lin followed Ren Xiaoyao closely, not daring to slack off even for a moment.

"The fire element here is extremely active, you must stay vigilant at all times." Ren Xiaoyao reminded, his eyes scanning the surrounding environment, not daring to relax at all.

"I know." Charlene responded in a low voice. She could feel the violent energy in the air around her, as if it would explode at any time.

They advanced, one foot deep, one foot shallow. The rugged terrain and high temperatures put their physical strength and willpower to the test. Ren Xiaoyao could feel his clothes soaked with sweat, but he didn't slow down, because he knew time was running out and the artifact was inside this volcano.

Suddenly, a bottomless crack appeared in front of him. Lava was roiling in the crack, emitting a heart-pounding heat wave. Ren Xiaoyao stopped and carefully observed the surrounding environment, looking for a way forward.

"We have to go around it." Xia Lin said. She could feel the dangerous aura coming from the crack.

Ren Xiaoyao nodded and was about to change direction when he suddenly felt a movement behind him...

"Wait, Brother Xiaoyao, I'm not feeling well..." The Sirens King, who was following behind, turned pale and his steps became unsteady. The volcanic environment was too hot for him, and even a strong man like him began to feel uncomfortable.

"Hold on, we'll find the artifact soon." Ren Xiaoyao glanced back at the Siren King and handed him a bottle of potion to restore his spiritual power. "Drink it, you'll feel better."

The Siren King took the potion, drank it, took a deep breath, and said while suppressing the discomfort: "I'm fine, let's keep going." He knew that finding the artifact was of vital importance to Ren Xiaoyao, and he had to persevere no matter what.

They continued forward, bypassing a crack emitting billowing smoke, and before them appeared a vast lava lake. Red magma rolled over the lake, and from time to time, it erupted into flames that shot up into the sky. The scene was spectacular.

At this moment, the ground suddenly shook violently, as if something enormous was about to burst forth from the earth! Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin's expressions changed, and they both looked towards the center of the lava lake.

"Roar--"

A deafening roar erupted from the depths of the lava lake, and the entire volcano seemed to tremble at the roar! The surface of the lake churned violently, and magma shot up into the sky like a fountain, forming columns of crimson light.

Then, a gigantic figure slowly emerged from the lava lake. It was an immense monster, covered in dark red scales that gleamed with a metallic sheen. It had a ferocious head, two enormous eyes like copper bells emitting a terrifying light, and from its mouth spewed scorching flames.

Volcano monster!

Ren Xiaoyao's heart sank. He knew that they had encountered a powerful being guarding the divine artifact.

"Prepare for battle!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted in a low voice, and a light flashed in his hand, and a golden sword appeared in his hand.

Charlene also summoned her own staff, staring at the behemoth in front of her with vigilance, ready for battle.

Although the Siren King was feeling unwell, he also felt tremendous pressure. He endured the discomfort, tightly gripped the trident in his hand, and was ready to join the battle at any time.

The volcanic beast slowly crawled out of the lava lake, and every step it took made the earth tremble. It looked down at Ren Xiaoyao and the others from above, with contempt and disdain flashing in its eyes.

"You lowly creature, how dare you trespass into my territory? You're seeking death!" The volcanic beast spoke in human language, and its voice exploded in everyone's ears like thunder.

Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath. He knew that a fierce battle was inevitable...

"Protect yourself," Ren Xiaoyao whispered. Then, in a flash, he transformed into a streak of golden light and rushed toward the volcanic beast. Scorching lava flowed beneath the beast's feet. Even before they got close, the overwhelming heat made it difficult for Ren Xiaoyao and the others to breathe. The beast opened its maw and spewed a column of searing lava, hurtling straight toward Ren Xiaoyao. His eyes glared, and the longsword in his hand glowed with golden light. He swung with a fierce sword energy, splitting the lava column in half.

However, this was only the beginning. The volcanic beast roared, its massive body bearing down like a mountain, leaving cracks in the lava wherever it passed. Ren Xiaoyao dodged nimbly, but was still knocked back several steps by the shockwave unleashed by the beast.

"Brother Xiaoyao, be careful!" Xia Lin shouted anxiously, waving her staff and bombarding the beast with water spells, trying to slow it down. However, these attacks hit the beast's hard scales like a stone sinking into the sea, only sparking a few sparks.

The volcanic beast roared again, and slammed its huge front claws towards Xia Lin. Ren Xiaoyao's pupils suddenly shrank, and he rushed forward without thinking, blocking the fatal blow with his body.

"Brother Xiaoyao!" Xia Lin exclaimed, watching Ren Xiaoyao being knocked away by the giant beast and falling heavily on the hard rock ground.

"Ahem..." Ren Xiaoyao struggled to get up, but felt a sharp pain in his chest and a mouthful of blood spurted out. He looked down and saw a charred claw mark on his chest, deep enough to see the bone.

"Damn it..." Ren Xiaoyao gritted his teeth, endured the severe pain, and wanted to stand up again, but found that his body was no longer under his control.

The volcanic monster approached Ren Xiaoyao step by step, and every step seemed to step on his heart, making him feel suffocating and desperate.

"Is it...about to end..."