I made sure to keep my eyes open as I slipped into meditation. I wasn't too worried, knowing that the Shaman was likely close to no mana and was using his regen to fuel the ritual. Time passed slowly as the Shaman and I watched each other.
-Time:-00:03:49-
Health: 302/420
Stamina: 293/315
Mana: 270/270
My mana was finally full once again. I guessed I had enough time that if I cast Minor Self-heal three times, I'd be mostly full on my mana by the time the boss fight would start. I'd still be short of full health, but I'd feel better having full mana over full health since my armor seems to be holding up to everything.
-Time:-00:00:40-
Health: 379/420
Stamina: 315/315
Mana: 270/270
I finally slipped out of meditation and stood up, happy that my guess was right. Unfortunately, I didn't think I had enough time to go through my notifications, which, judging by the golden light blinking, I'd be going into the fight a level short. Grumbling, I bounced from one leg to the other, shaking my arms out as I watched the last of the ritual, making sure to stay out of the circle until the ritual finished.
The shaman went on about the strength of their god, singing its praise before begging for a champion from the twelfth plain to strike down their enemy. The last second ticked down as the Shaman plunged into the heart of the tribute.
Space ripped apart above the dead goblin. A red panda, the size of a poney, strode out of the portal, a minotaur atop its back, wearing a thick leather trench coat and wielding a massive cleaver in its right hand. The shaman stared slack-jaded at the summoned champion as I shot off a round of Analyze.
-Tychon-
Sangen Ailurus Fulgens Level:7
-Asterion The Minute Minotaur-
Marauder Level:8
I winced, stepping back as Tychon stood on his back paws before slamming them down. The Shaman raised its staff in a futile attempt to block the panda's attack, only to be crushed under its weight. More blood than I would have thought burst out from under Tychon's paws, only to freeze mid-flight before being pulled back. The blood ran up his paws before crystallizing into armor.
‘Well fuck that's not good.’
I quickly pulled my khopesh to hand as I dumped mana into Overflow. Mana and adrenaline hammered in my veins as I burned stamina charging forward. The tip of my sword blurred toward Tychon's eye, only for lightning-coated steel to meet the crystallized blood as Tychon lowered his head. My blade skirted across, deflecting up at Asterion only for him to bat it away.
Danger Sense blared its warning just before Tychon's paw slammed into my left side. I rolled with the blow, letting it create distance between us. I popped back to my feet only to find Tychon's jaws open wide, inches away. I slammed my tail down as my feet shoved off the ground, pushing me back, dirt exploding under me.
Screeeeeech
Crimson fangs scraped across my breastplate before snapping shut. A glint in the dust cloud and Danger Sense hand me ducking low. Asterion's blade screamed through the air before deflecting off the tusks of my helm. I burned stamina as I flooded mana into Bolt. My body slammed into Tychon, forcing the massive beast back while lightning pumped into him.
I groaned from the impact before stepping back. Tychon and Asterion shook in place as arcs of electricity rolled down them and arced into the ground. I pumped the maximum mana into my mouth as my arms blurred. Sparks and blood flew before flames bathed the mini-bosses. I thrust my left fist forward, dumping three more Bolts into Tychon, stunning him again as the built-up lightning busted. Asterion reeled back from the flames.
“ENOUGH!”
Asterion bellowed. The force from his powerful lungs, combined with an odd skill, blasted away my flames and shattered my spell. I staggered back as the cleaver sang through the air. The steel boar squealed as the cleaver rammed into my helm, ripping it off my head and sending it flying out of the clearing.
Dazed, I backed away, taking in my opponents. Tychon's crystallized armor had kept the flames off him but did little to stop the intense heat they carried. Parts of the armor seemed to have been boiled while others had been blacked by lightning hammering into it. Asterion, on the other hand, had most of his fur burnt but only looked as if he only had a light sunburn.
Tychon hissed before his paw was sent hurtling towards my unprotected head. I backpedaled, bringing my khopesh around, deflecting Tychon's swiping paws and Asterion's flashing blade. I grit my teeth as I back up. My arms ached from deflecting their blows. My eyes darted around as I did my best to gauge how close to the treeline we were, only for my tail to brush against a tree.
I dropped my khopesh into my inventory as I dove under Tychon's massive paw, as he had aimed once more for my head, and landed on all fours. Not bothering with standing back up, I Charged forward on all fours before pivoting and rushing into the woods. I darted between trees, making a wide circle back to the clearing, doing my best to put one tree after the other between myself and Tychon as he tore through the woods, trees shattering against his armor and bulk.
Stamina burned away as I Charged into the clearing, Tychon and Asterion just seconds behind me. I slid to a halt, turning around and pulling my bow from my inventory. I readied an arrow, taking deep breaths as I pulled the string back, holding the bow at full draw. Instantly, I could tell it was a mistake. I had to fight to keep my arms from trembling. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold for long, and luckily, I wouldn't have to.
Tychon erupted from the tree line, sending wooden shrapnel in every direction. I jumped at the forceful entrance, shards of wood cutting past me and grazing my armor, my ears going flat against my head as I accidentally loosed the arrow. Cursing, I didn't bother to watch the arrow miss horribly as I quickly readied and loosed another. Through luck or my fledgling skill, the arrow sparked against Tychon's sangen armor, guiding the arrow into his left eye.
Tychon twisted to the left. His body tried to continue forward, causing him to trip over his bulk, rolling as his momentum carried him toward me. Asterion jumped free of his mount, rolling as he hit the ground. I tossed my bow back into my inventory, but before I could so much as twitch, the familiar feeling of Overflow coming to an end, and with it, a chunk of my Stamina.
My teeth chattered against each other as I pushed forward. Burning stamina, I blurred forward, pulling my Khopesh free. The tip of my sword ground against Tychon's armor before punching through the momentum of my Charge, driving my blade hilt deep into the panda's ribs.
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“I'll make you suffer for that!”
Asterion bellowed as his bloodlust hit me like the truck that sent me here. Danger Sense screamed louder than ever before. Leaving my sword where it was, I spun to my right, catching sight of Asterion's lowered head as he blurred toward me.
I pushed hard off the ground, barely able to dodge the minotaur's horn before his wide shoulder slammed into my breastplate. The impact drove the air out of me as Asterion's massive arms wrapped around me, pinning my arms to my chest. The minotaur quickly lifted me off the ground, arcing his back and tightening his grip. My armor groaned in protest as my clawed feet kicked blindly in my trashing back and forth.
My heart hammered in my ears. My armor groaned in protest as I flooded my body with mana. I flexed my core, bringing my legs up into my chest and planting my feet firmly against Asterion's chest. Claws sank deep into his abdomen as I kicked out once, twice, thrice, ripping open Asterion's stomach and drenching the dungeon floor in his blood.
Asterion's arms slacked, allowing me to break away from his titanic grip. Rage flicked to life in the minotaur's eyes, a red haze built around him. His cleaver dropped into his hand. I darted over to Tychon's body and ripped my khopesh free, spinning around in time to catch the cleaver on the flat of my blade, knocking the strike wide.
My arms ached from the force behind Asterion's blow. I pushed my Agility and Dexterity for all their worth, ducking and slipping between Asterion's mad onslaught before I darted in, my left hand dropping to my dirk, catching his blow on a hanging guard. His blade hacked into my blade's hook. I let the force of the blow pull me to the right, pivoting on my right foot.
I yanked my dirk up, the blade meeting Asterion's wrist as our blades carried past me. The cleaver slammed into the ground, Asterion's severed hand still wrapped around its handle. Danger Sense's warning came too late as the minotaur's fat fist slammed into the side of my head.
I stumbled back, my teeth feeling loose, as I blindly swung my dagger around to ward off further attacks, only to catch a cloven hoof to the chest, throwing me away. I let go of my weapons as I flew back. I hit the ground hard, sliding another few feet before I came to a rest and could get back up to my feet.
Asterion slammed his feet into the ground before falling into a three-point stance, his bleeding grinding into the ground. Dirt erupted behind him as he blurred toward me. I hurled myself to the right, my tail flicking up behind me. Asterion's horns passed inches from my foot, my tail hitting his eyes and blinding him as he rushed past.
My teeth chattered against each other as I spun around to face Asterion. The minotaur had plowed through a tree before coming to a rest. I darted forward, my khopesh returning to my inventory as it got too far away. Asterion wrapped his arms around the fallen tree. His muscles strained against his coat as he lifted the mighty oak off the ground.
Asterion bellowed out as he swung the tree around and hurled it at me. My fur stood on end as the tree sailed through the air. My clawed feet dug into the ground as I jerked to the right before burning stamina and Charging. I ducked low as my body raced across the ground, almost reaching safety when a branch as thick as my wrist clipped my hip. A snapping sound hung in the air as my feet were knocked out from under me. I came down hard on my left shoulder, knocking the wind out of me. I flopped onto my back, gasping for air, my left side throbbing in pain.
The sound of hooves approaching brought me back from the pulsing pain that radiated from my left side. I groaned as I rolled to my right, flopping onto my stomach before forcing myself back to my feet. I turned to face Asterion, taking in his battered form. Blood bathed Asterion's lower half as it ran free from his tattered stomach. Blood and sweat drenched his half-burnt fur, yet his royal blue coat still looked flawless. The red aura around him flickered before sputtering out. We locked eyes just feet apart.
I grabbed my khopesh, resting it on my right shoulder. Asterion ground his hooves into the ground, lowering into a three-point stance, hot steam bellowing from his nose. I leaned forward, pushing my left side back. My heart hammered in my ears as the world fell away and time ground to a halt.
Asterion flexed, blurring forward horns aimed at my chest. I slammed more mana through my body, pushing the red pop-up away. I bent my whole body to one action, swinging my sword. My muscles screamed, a chunk of my health disappearing as my blade tore through the air, hammering into Asterion's skull.
A bloody grin spread across my lips as I looked deep into the minotaur's glassy eyes. His dead body thumped to the ground, pulling his horns from my chest. My health flashed red as blood poured from my chest. I scraped the bottom of my reserves and cast Minor Self-heal the healing, doing just enough to stop the major bleed debuff. I fell back, landing heavily on the ground before letting my notifications wash over me.
-Congratulations-
Your skills: Heavy Armor, Natural Weapons, and Basic Greatsword have leveled up.
+2 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution.
-Congratulations-
You have learned skill: Intimidation.
EXP has been awarded for learning a skill without a trainer.
-Congratulations-
Your Abilities: Danger Sense, and Charge have leveled up.
+1 Strength and +1 Wisdom.
-Congratulations-
Your spells have leveled up.
Overflow, and Bolt.
+2 Intelligence
-Congratulations-
You have defeated Goblin Beast Tamers levels 2, 3, 3, and 2, Canis Umbra level 3, Canis Tonitrua level 2, Canis Aqua level 4, and Canis Aeneus Level 1.
EXP has been awarded for defeating your enemies.
★leveled up!★
+2 physical stat points, +2 Free stat points, +1 Ability Point.
-Warning-
Your Mana infused body is tearing itself apart. Refrain from sudden movements.
-50 health.
-Congratulations-
Your Ability: Armored Skin has leveled up.
+1 Constitution.
-CONGRATULATIONS-
You have defeated the paired mini-bosses Tychon, the level 7 Sangen Ailurus Fulgens, and his rider Asterion, the level 8 Marauder.
EXP has been incressed for defeating a mini-boss type enemy.
EXP has been increased for defeating a paired type mini-bosses.
★Level Up!★
+2 physical stat points, +2 Free stat points, +1 Ability Point.
•Status (Truncated)•
Theseus Level 5 Fighter
Health: 28/540
Stamina: 62/405
Mana: 14/290
Strength: 25
Agility: 24->28
Dexterity: 26
Constitution: 23->27
Intelligence: 29
Wisdom: 28
★Quest complete★