My Magical Girl System

Chapter 197: Next Stage

The rest area had been quiet for a while. The team had taken the time to recover, drink water, and gather their strength. Andrey sat against the wall, his body still heavy with fatigue but much more stable than before. He opened his palm and summoned the Lucky Box they had received as a reward from the first floor.

A small, ornate golden box materialized in his hand, pulsing with a soft, warm light.

Sarah leaned forward from her spot, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Oh? You’re opening that now?"

Sein glanced over, arms crossed but clearly interested. "About time. I was wondering when you’d use it."

Lisa smiled gently, sitting beside Hope. "I hope you get something good, Andrey."

Andrey nodded and pressed his thumb against the lock. The box clicked open, releasing a soft burst of golden light. Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was a small, translucent crystal that pulsed with a gentle blue glow.

System: Lucky Box opened!

Item obtained: Skill Crystal – Inventory Expansion.

Description: Permanently unlocks a personal inventory space independent of external items. Capacity: 20 slots.

Andrey read the description carefully. A small smile appeared on his face.

"So this is a personal inventory... I won’t need the ring anymore."

He held up his hand and looked at the silver ring on his finger, the one he had been using to store items and weapons. The ring shimmered slightly before Andrey willed the items inside to transfer to his new inventory. One by one, his weapons, potions, and supplies were moved into his personal storage.

When the transfer was complete, he slipped the ring off his finger. It felt light, empty, its purpose fulfilled.

Hope leaned in, examining the ring with an appreciative eye. "That ring is high-quality, Andrey. You could probably sell it for a very good price."

Andrey turned the ring over in his hand. "You think so?"

Hope nodded confidently. "Definitely. With the enchantments already embedded in it, it’s worth quite a bit. If you’re not going to use it anymore, it’d be a waste to just leave it lying around."

Sein shrugged. "Might as well. We could use the extra funds."

Lisa smiled. "It’s a good idea. That ring helped us a lot, but now you have something even better."

Andrey nodded, pocketing the ring. "I’ll look into selling it after we clear this gate."

Sein stretched her arms above her head and stood up. "Alright. Enough resting. I’m ready to see what the next floor has for us."

Sarah stood as well, rolling her shoulders. "Yeah, let’s get moving."

Hope followed, gripping her greatsword. "Stay alert. This gate has already proven it’s dangerous."

Andrey rose to his feet, cracking his neck, and looked at the glowing teleportation circle in the center of the rest area. Its runes pulsed slowly, waiting.

"Alright. Everyone ready?"

The team nodded in unison.

Andrey stepped forward and placed his foot on the circle. The runes flared brightly, and a gentle hum filled the air. One by one, the others stepped onto the circle beside him.

"Let’s go."

The light engulfed them.

When their vision cleared, they found themselves standing at the entrance of a vast underground chamber. The ceiling was high, lined with stalactites that glowed faintly with a blue-green luminescence. The walls were wet and covered in thick moss. In the distance, they could hear the sound of running water and the faint echo of something moving in the dark.

Sarah looked around, her voice low. "This place feels... ancient."

Lisa’s eyes were focused. "The mana density is higher here. We need to be careful."

Andrey scanned the area. "Stay in formation. We don’t know what’s waiting for us."

The team advanced carefully through the damp, underground chamber. The walls glistened with moisture, and the faint blue-green glow from the stalactites cast long, shifting shadows across the uneven floor. The sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere ahead, mixing with an occasional, high-pitched chirp.

Sein paused, tilting her head. "Do you hear that?"

Sarah stopped beside her, straining her ears. "Hear what?"

A sudden screech cut through the air, sharp and piercing, followed by the flapping of hundreds of wings. From the darkness above, a swarm of massive bat-like creatures descended.

They were enormous, each one easily the size of a large dog, with leathery wings that stretched wide and emitted a faint, echoing pulse. Their bodies were covered in coarse, dark fur, and their glowing yellow eyes locked onto the group with predatory hunger.

Hope raised her greatsword. "Giant bats!"

Before anyone could react, the lead bat opened its mouth and released a high-pitched, concentrated screech. The sound wave was visible, a rippling distortion in the air, that slammed into the team.

Lisa’s barrier flickered as the sound wave struck, but it held. "Sound-based attacks! They’re trying to disorient us!"

Sarah winced, covering her ears. "Ugh! That’s even worse than I thought!"

Sein’s eyes narrowed. "Then we take them out before they can screech again!"

The swarm descended, their claws and fangs glinting in the dim light. Sein launched herself forward, flames roaring around her fists as she met the first bat mid-air.

Andrey extended his staff, striking a bat that tried to flank them. "Lisa, reinforce the barrier! The sound waves are bypassing physical defense!"

Lisa’s hands glowed. "Mana Reinforcement!"

The barrier brightened, thickening just as another bat released a screech, the impact rippling across the surface but holding firm.

Hope swung her greatsword in a wide arc, cleaving through two bats that had gotten too close. "They’re fast and coordinated! This isn’t just random hunting, they’re guarding something!"

The swarm pressed on, their screeches growing more frequent. A few bats broke through the frontline, forcing Sarah to fire Pink Rain to drive them back.

Andrey’s eyes stayed focused as the swarm surged around them. "They’re using sound to mask their movements. Don’t rely on hearing, trust your instincts!"

The team tightened their formation, adjusting to the bats’ relentless assault. The cavern echoed with the shrieks and the clash of weapons against claws.