An Unbreakable Will – Rozena Imprisoned by Bluebeard

Rozena, subdued and imprisoned by Bluebeard, was locked in a jail cell meant for holding wrongdoers. But it was little more than a temporary holding room for a handful of prisoners, so she was the only one inside right now. Even though she had an entire six-person cell to herself, the space was far from comfortable.

Rozena, the strongest warrior of the Red Anvil Mine. With her long-accumulated mana and muscles like forged steel, it was only natural that mere iron bars couldn't hold her. So the dwarves had used special restraints. Her left and right hands were bound behind her back. Crafted from specially refined white steel, the shackles wouldn't break no matter how much strength she put into them.

In this uncomfortable position, Rozena had gone days without food or water. To eat the meals the guards provided, she'd have to shove her face into the bowl like a dog. She refused to do it. Flies buzzed over the rotting food. Rozena sat with her head bowed, as still as if she were asleep.

Kuwoong!

The explosive roar echoed all the way to where Rozena was confined.

"Wh-what is that?!"

"Water from the ceiling...!"

The guards' panicked voices rang out. They too were enthralled by the fire, spinning in confusion like souls possessed.

Rozena rose to her feet and peered out the window. Streams of water were indeed pouring from the ceiling. And amid them, a white snake plummeted down—then suddenly ballooned to gigantic size.

Kwaaang!

A spectacular crash.

"Haha!" Rozena burst into laughter despite herself. She'd thought all hope was lost. Even she felt like she'd lose her mind staring at those orange flames. But now water was flooding the depths. Her eyes gleamed. With her hands bound behind her, she plucked a strand of her hair. Using just her index and thumb, she began twisting it—with the precision of a spinning wheel drawing out thread.

Her coarse hair was tough to begin with. Twisted tight, it stiffened like wire. Using only her thumb and middle finger, she shoved it into the keyhole of her shackles. Yes, she was trying to pick the lock with nothing but her dexterous fingers. An impossible feat—but Rozena was none other than the master artisan of accessories. In this Red Anvil Mine, that meant her hands were the most skilled.

Click!

Incredibly, the shackles fell away. The guards saw it too.

"Eek! Stay put!"

"Don't come any closer!"

But why should she listen? Instead of discarding the white steel shackles, Rozena gripped them like a hook. She hooked them onto the bars—

Kkigikigik!

—and bent them like taffy, slipping through the gap. The guards neither fled nor fought back.

"Heh." Rozena commanded the trembling dwarves. "Got a hammer or axe around here?"

"Y-yes."

"Bring it."

"Uh..."

Rozena drew a deep breath and bellowed.

"Right now!"

That lion's roar snapped the fire-enthralled dwarves back to their senses, if only for a moment. Not so strange, really.

* * *

It felt like riding a waterslide. Flowing along with the torrent of underground water—and the dizzying plunge. Old man Helmuth's calculations were spot-on; right below was the door to the deepest level, guarded by dwarves.

I had to control my mana carefully. If I grew too big like in the Shadow Forest, I wouldn't be able to handle my own body. Durability seemed to drop the larger I got. I expanded to about 9 meters long. Then dropped right onto Bluebeard's minions.

Kwaaaang!

I had no idea what happened to the crushed dwarves! They flew off like bowling pins. Perfect strike.

What I hadn't accounted for was the impact of the fall. I hope my scream sounded like a roar.

"Saaak!"

It hurt! So much. But I couldn't just lie there. I thrashed around, shoving the dwarves aside.

"Close the door!"

Even in the chaos, Bluebeard gave the right order. Water still poured ferociously from the gaping hole in the ceiling. By gravity, it flowed straight down the stairs to the depths. At his command, dwarves rushed to seal the deepest door.

I couldn't let that happen.

"Aaak!"

A dwarf yanking the chain on the pulley screamed and let go. Losing balance, he toppled and was swept helplessly down the stairs. That was one reason I'd used Giantification. The flood rose to the short dwarves' thighs. With the current so swift, they couldn't stand properly. Normally I'd be swept away too, but now enlarged, I had more freedom than they did.

The dwarves had somehow repaired the pulley I'd once destroyed.

Pakak!

This time, hurling my body at it shattered it outright. With water flowing, closing the door to the depths was impossible.

'Dungkel! Manjin!'

They came running as if waiting. Let's go! Dungkel and Manjin clambered onto me. Before jumping, I'd stored everything on my body in the subspace. All they had to grab was the crown on my head. With a roar, I plunged down the stairs.

"Y-you vermin!"

Then Bluebeard leaped at me too. Brazenly, he clawed at my body and clung on. Ack! A few scales flipped. Bare hands couldn't normally damage them, but Giantification must've weakened my durability. Blood seeped from the torn spots.

Water cascaded down the stairs. I slid with it.

"Die!"

Bluebeard, still clinging, drew his axe. He raised his arm high to swing. I whipped my tail, thrashing. The spot where he hung flew up and smashed into the ceiling. His head cracked against it, and he dropped the axe.

"Kraaak!"

Yet he clung stubbornly, even crawling toward my head.

"B-brother Dungkel!"

Manjin panicked. Dungkel calmly hurled his gear at Bluebeard. A hand hammer spun and smacked his face. Blood poured from his nose, but he endured. This guy wouldn't snap out of it no matter how many lemons you shoved down his throat.

Seeing that, Manjin and Dungkel threw everything they had. But Bluebeard pressed on, inching toward my head. Sliding down the stairs at waterslide speed—and he was still advancing. Impressive.

In the end, they even flung their shoes.

"Euk!"

Luckily, Manjin's work boot smashed Bluebeard's fingers. One hand slipped, and he couldn't hold on. He tumbled to the floor with a crash. Dungkel and Manjin grinned brightly. But it was too early to celebrate.

"Saaak!"

I warned of the rock ahead. Of course, they didn't understand until we hit it.

Kwaaaang!

My head didn't split open. But my body flipped like a car wreck in midair. Dungkel and Manjin lost their grip and flew off. Momentum from the rush kept me rolling along the floor. The fast current made stopping hard. Surprisingly, the once-cold groundwater was now lukewarm. The geothermal heat here was no joke. The lava lake was right ahead.

Tsss!

Steam erupted massively ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from up front.

'Hup!'

I tail-slammed the ground. Not enough—I sank my teeth in too.

Geugeuk!

Barely, just before the lava lake, I stopped. Dungkel and Manjin? Nowhere in sight. They survived on their own, no doubt! Instead, I met an unwelcome dwarf.

"Uwaaaah!"

Bluebeard, head cracked and bleeding, roared in fury. Water poured ceaselessly into the lava lake. So hot that even massive volumes barely dimmed the orange glow reaching here. But no matter how fierce the fire, douse it with enough water and it'll go out. Pokémon proved elemental matchups.

'Come ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at me, Bluebeard!'

Even with the fire extinguished, Bluebeard didn't regain sanity. Or maybe he was too far gone already.

"Y-you...! A mere snake! A lowly beast!"

He spat rage like fire from his mouth. No—actual flames burst from Bluebeard's mouth. His pitch-black pupils blazed like infernos.

-The fire demon senses the threat and thrashes wildly.

Even without Pellelian's commentary, it was obvious. Flames spewed from every hole in his face, spreading to his beard and hair. Time to call him Redbeard.

"Die—!"

You first! I charged at the oncoming Bluebeard. His flaming fist unleashed a blazing punch. Too huge to dodge. But releasing Giantification made it easy.

Whoosh!

His fist sliced empty air.

Lighter body, faster speed. I shot like an arrow—to devour his heart.

Kaduk!

But my teeth nearly shattered. Cowardly Bluebeard wore dwarf chainmail under his clothes. He reached with burning hands to grab me. I didn't want handprints on my scales, so I burrowed into his side. For close quarters, I had a trump card.

-You idiot.

'Oh no!'

Underground! As I berated my stupidity—

Pajijijik!

A pathetic sound compared to my usual zzzjjeong! But blue lightning shocked both me and Bluebeard. My higher resistance let me recover first.

Wajak!

I crunched his ankle successfully. Bluebeard screamed. Yeah, I was stronger after all.

* * *

Tsss!

Massive steam billowed up. Water hitting the lava lake vaporized instantly, filling the air with scalding fog far exceeding 100 degrees. Dungkel grasped the danger immediately. If this steam filled the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mine, it was massacre time. Lungs would cook on the first breath.

Pouring water on lava would produce steam—that was predictable. Normally, no worry. Mines prioritize ventilation, especially dwarf ones digging deeper than humans, with elaborate systems. If maintained, the steam should've vented straight to the surface.

But no sign of it. The space filled with steam instead.

"At this rate... everyone's dead."

Dungkel knew, so he decided. Manjin sensed the ominous vibe.

"Brother, what're you thinking?"

"Help the snake."

"Brother Dungkel!"

Manjin wailed as Dungkel plunged into the hot steam. His flesh reddened instantly. Agonizing. But he couldn't breathe. Holding his breath, Dungkel scrambled up the wall stairs to the vents and equipment. Neglected, rusted everywhere. Impossible without the fire's thrall.

'Valve! The valve!'

A large manual vent valve—thankfully. Lungs burning, he dashed to it. Nearly screamed touching it: scorching hot. But Dungkel gritted his teeth and gripped again. Palms might peel, but he had to turn it. Veins bulged on his forearms—yet it barely budged.

Kkik, kkeuk.

Should've trained harder. Regret or steam—tears flowed. Then thick hands overlaid his on the valve. Turning, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he saw Rozena. She grinned and poured strength into her grip.

Kkiririk!

The stiff valve spun. Massive fans whirred to life.

Whoooong!

Steam sucking skyward. Finally breathable. Rozena smacked Dungkel's back. His burns stung sharply.

"Good job."

Her voice was hoarse. She'd inhaled some steam.

"Y-yes... th-thank you."

Why the tears? Dungkel disliked his own soft heart. Now they could look down.

The snake? The demon-lurking lava lake? And father—no, Bluebeard?

The orange-flame-licking lake was extinguished. Steam lingered, but water pooled. One flame persisted, though.

Rozena muttered, "Zenzer..."

Fire clung to Bluebeard's body. The snake was a bit away. The burning Bluebeard staggered toward the lake—and plunged in like a lie made truth.

* * *

····· Definitely!