Chapter 18

Eva Lemuria

I woke up the next morning in the inn. I felt refreshed and ready to rank up today. I left all my things here in my room before heading downstairs with only my essentials. I decided that I will have a proper meal in the inn since it has been a while. After eating I begin my way out of town and back towards the forest I had come from yesterday. It's hard to believe there is such a dangerous mana beast like the flame bull ape in this forest when yesterday we had only run into the weak and normal beast. I know I'll probably have to walk around for a while till I find the flame bull ape.

As I'm walking around the forest looking for any signs of my target I have been frequently attacked by lower tier beast the whole time. That in itself is strange because normally these beasts wouldn't be so aggressive and they also wouldn't all be so close to each other. There are different wolves, birds, and other different types of beast all so close to each other. It's too weird because the beast was all very territorial. I can only assume that it's my target that is causing the trouble to appear. It's probably the reason that is was flagged for a subjugation mission. If I had to guess I would say that lower tier adventures had come for a mission and were attacked by my target.

I kept wandering around while defending myself from the crazed beast for what seemed like half a day. Finally, I reached a landmark that was mentioned in the mission request. A small cliff that had a cave on it. I noticed that there were trees leaning against the cliff making a makeshift ramp leading up to the cave. Just this alone tells me that this mana beast has more intelligence than others and is probably close to being a 3rd tier mana beast. It's good that I'm going to take it out now before it can rank up more.

I know this beast will probably be one of the strongest mana beasts that I have ever fought.  I need to take a more safe approach to this fight or else I can seriously mess up. I find a hiding place where I won't be noticed from any direction and I camp out to observe the cave for a while. I watch the cave for a while and try to listen to anything coming from it. After focusing I hear some noise from within the cave. I think it is the flame bull ape inside sleeping from how heavy the breathing is. If it really is sleeping this could be a great chance for me to take it out without having to fight seriously. If I fail to take it out in one shot then it will definitely go on a rampage and its instincts will take over.

I slowly make my way into the cave and notice there are some scorch marks all around the cave walls. As I go down into the cave I notice my surroundings are getting wider and deeper. I keep going down and feel the heat increasing slowly. I finally notice some light coming from the end of this tunnel and slowly approach the opening. I look at the new room and see that there is a large opening with a dome ceiling. I realize you could probably fit half a town in this cave. The cave is completely glowing because there is lava flowing around the edges and a large pool of lava at the very center of the room. The only ground to walk on is the circular ring of stone that is between the pool and outer edge of lava. I had immediately spotted the mana beast when I had walked in because the thing is large. The beat is at least two stories tall and is currently half way in the lava pool. I can't see its lower half, but the upper half of the beast that is sticking out is definitely my target. It has large arms with flames constantly burning on its forearms. Its head is a mixture of an ape and a bull with large horns coming from both sides of its head. It has black and red fur on the parts of its body that aren't covered in lava or fire. The other end of the lava pool I see a bull tail slowly moving side to side. I decide that it's better to do this quickly before it can notice me.

I infuse a destruction edge on my halberd before covering myself with my flame armor. I slowly creep my way toward the upper body that's laying outside of the lava pool. I look at its neck that's wide open and prepare to cut off its head. As I swing my blade down its stopped by the horn of the beast. My blade barely gets halfway through before the force throws me back towards the cave wall. I crash into the wall and have all the air pushed out of my body. I begin to fall towards the outer edge of the lava so I shove my halberd into the cave wall and hang over the lava. As I catch my breath I look towards the mana beast and notice it standing up. It's looking at me with almost a mocking pair of eyes and I realize that I've been too late. This mana beast is definitely now a 3rd tier mana beast with such human characteristics. It must have noticed me outside and set this trap for me.

Before I could even think of escaping it walks over to the entrance and punches the wall next to it. A wall begins to lower over the entrance and I realize that it even has a door to keep me in here. Then I realize it had just used earth magic and I go pale. This is definitely an evolved flame bull ape. I had thought this cave and its lava was natural, but it must have been this mana beast. It must be able to even use the lava element. I am in serious trouble this time. It looks at me as if asking me what I'll do now.

I pull myself up and place my feet against the cavern wall. I begin to channel a new destruction edge into my halberd as I pull it out of the wall and then propel myself forward. I use a flame boost as I fly towards the mana beast. It throws a punch towards me and I use my destruction edge. Our attacks clash and the only thing I manage to do is cut a single finger of its fist before it pulls back its fist and then swats me with its other hand. It’s now pissed off as it looks at its missing finger. I had luckily landed on the ring of solid ground when I was swatted. The mana beast then dips both of its arms in the lava and pulls them out. lava is sticking to its arms like armor, but I know that it doubles as armor and a weapon. The mana beast then charges towards me and swings its fist at me. I can only dodge its strike because it's like a massive wave of lava coming at me. Its fist misses me while the lava from its fist keeps flying and covers the spot I was standing in lava. I realize I can only dodge to the sides or up now. I can't just jump backward or the lava will follow me.

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I am out of its range for a physical attack so it scoops some lava up and throws it at me. I jump straight up but the ball of lava follows me and I send a destruction edge and cut it in half so I pass through it. I charge at the beast because this fight will be too dangerous if I only stay on the defensive. I reach where the mana beast is and point my palm at its face. It crosses its arms as a shield. While it defends its upper body I form a lightning scythe and cut one of its ankles. It cuts through and the mana beast roars in pain as it falls to its side. While it's falling I run towards where I think it will land so I can attack again, but before I can reach it my footing begins to disappear. The only ring of the ground is slowly crumbling away and the lava is rising. I see the mana beast hold its self up with its arms as it looks at me with furious eyes.

I jump up and draw out my dagger. I reach a cave wall and stab my dagger into it to support me. I hang there while watching the mana beast. It's looking really pissed and I can tell his instincts are going to take over soon. It puts one of its arms on the cave wall and the next moment a spike begins to shoot out of the wall where I'm at. I block with my halberd, but it still propelled me off the wall and towards the lava-covered ground. I use a flame boost to keep myself from falling and I form two destruction edges on my halberd and dagger before swinging them at the ceiling. The whole cave shakes and large boulders begin falling from the ceiling.

The mana beast roars in anger as I destroy its home. It starts to send more lava fist at me while I begin jumping from boulder to boulder sending more destruction edges towards the ceiling. I keep dodging lava fist while jumping and attacking the ceiling. The boulders falling into the lava finally starts to stack up and create some footing for me but I keep going with my destruction. I know I am deep down, but I can try to escape and attack the mana beast with falling boulders. While I'm jumping I notice a pause in the lava fist and see the mana beast use both hands to scoop up a large ball of lava. It's at least as big as the mana beast and he then throws it at me. I focus a large amount of mana into my armor and then I focus more mana at the tip of my halberd. A destruction edge forms as a spear point with both flames and lighting coming from the single point. I jump up and then twist my body to face the giant lava ball as I propel myself off a random falling boulder. The boulder rockets into the cave wall as I shoot towards the giant lava ball. As I reach it I can feel the intense heat seeping through my mana armor. I pierce into the lava as I feel parts or my armor burning away and I feel a searing pain burn me. I keep most my attention on my destruction spear as I finally push through the giant lava ball and rocket towards the mana beast. It couldn't see past its own attack so it was surprised to see me come out of its lava ball. The mana beast couldn't defend in time as my destruction spear reaches its chest and pierces through. I could barely see anything myself so my destruction spear point hit the center of the mana beasts chest but it didn't hit anything vital. I keep my halberd in the mana beast and position my feet against its chest. I form plenty of flames on my feet and throw a lighting edge with my dagger at the mana beast eyes. I manage to get one eye before spring boarding off of it. The force pushes the beast on its back and I shoot straight up. I look where I'm going and see the giant lava ball seems to have done more destruction to the ceiling than me. Everything is crumbling down and I see some sunlight pour into the cave as I keep jumping boulder to boulder up while avoiding falling lava. I reach the last boulder and flame boost out of the hole that has been created.

I look down the hole and see boulders falling everywhere and the mana beast is still holding its eye as its buried under the boulders. I take a knee as I watch the hole collapse on itself. I don't let my guard down because I know it's not over yet. As if responding to my thoughts an explosion of lava comes from the ground. Like a volcano exploding lava flies everywhere and I see the completely enraged mana beast crawl out of the hole its created. I can tell its instincts have completely taken over and it's no longer going to attack me with clever plans. It completely charges at me as it spews flames from its mouth. I sheath my dagger and use my free hand to blast my own flames forward while preparing a destruction scythe on my halberd. Our flames are completely equal and when the mana beast reaches my striking distance I send a diagonal slash towards it. The mana beast tries to roll out of the way but my attack cuts of one of its horns and half of its arm. It stands back up with an arm dangling on its side and a horn on the ground. It grabs its horn and throws it at me, but I just jump straight up to dodge. It then does something I wouldn't have expected. It uses its good arm to rip off its bad arm and then it uses it as a whip to attack me. Since I'm in the air I can only cross my arms and take the strike. I focus more mana into my flame armor as I receive the attack. I shoot through the air and smash through two trees before I crash into a cliff. I can feel the damage that attack did to me as I cough out some blood. I feel so tired from that attack but I can't stop here. I also can't run away and leave a rampaging beast like this around. The beast begins to charge towards me again. Although it's slow and awkward because it's missing a foot and arm it can still charge at me with a quick speed.

It's completely engaged so I form a flame edge that I threw towards it. It doesn't dodge and a wall of flames explode in its face. It keeps charging towards me so I take my dagger and form a destruction edge on it and throw my dagger. The mana beast is still blinded from my flames earlier so it doesn't dodge as my dagger pierce its eye. It roars in pain again as I charge towards the beast. Now is my chance to finish this as the mana beast is holding its face. I attack from its side without an arm and form a lightning edge to try and cut its head off. My halberd makes it halfway through the throat and blood puts out of the mana beasts throat. I hold my halberd as I form a flame boost on my leg and kick my halberd to give it that extra boost to cut through the mana beasts neck.

Finally, the beast stops rampaging and its head falls to the ground. The body begins to topple forward so I jump and roll to safety. I get up and walk to the cliff and lean against it. I look around at the destruction we have caused. There's now a hole filled with lava and the forest is on fire. Half the forest has normal flames and the other half has black flames. I know I should get up to put it out, but I'm too tired to even move. I look at the beast and cant help myself and feel proud. I have defeated a 3rd tier mana beast all by myself.

While I'm thinking a storm cloud seems to form overhead and it begins to rain. I feel lucky that the weather has changed so the forest won't burn down. I rest against the cliff as I let the rain wash away the blood I'm covered in. I keep resting for a while to regain my strength while the weather seems to get worst. The wind starts to pick up and lighting starts to fall from the sky. I feel a little shocked because this weather is completely abnormal for this time of the year. I keep watching the sky change for the worst before I get up and make my way towards the mana beasts corpse. I want to get its mana heart before I try to escape this storm. I reach the mana beasts head and remove my dagger before I make my way towards its chest. I was about to cut into the beast when I hear a roar that seemed to pierce the sky. I feel myself begin to sweat and I have some kind of instinctual fear towards whatever let out that roar. I quickly cut into the mana beasts chest and pull out its mana heart. I put it under my arm and begin to run towards the direction the town is. As I'm running I hear crashes behind me and when I try to look back I'm blindsided by something and I crash through a tree only to slam into another. I fall to the ground and look up to see a nightmare.