“…Haxks and Zephyr may be stronger,” Amara began with a troubled expression, “but the goblins outnumber them.”
“This is bad,” uttered Morgana in a critical tone. “They’re both going to need healing if this keeps up.”
Gloria’s expression shifted to one of horror. “I’ve exhausted all my mana treating your wounds earlier,” she confessed with regret.
“I’ve run out of mana too,” Amara admitted reluctantly.
“…Then we have no choice but to resort to that.”
At Morgana’s suggestion, Amara’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You can’t mean…”
“Mana Conversion.”
“Dammit!” Daisuke cursed under his breath. “To think I’d feel this frustrated so soon after fighting Volturax and the golems. It’s becoming painfully clear that I lack certain skills, especially AoE and CC skills.
And not being able to benefit from the Dual Blader passive because I’m missing another weapon is just adding insult to injury. Plus, Intimidate doesn’t even work on the goblins anymore. Could it have something to do with these two?”
Daisuke cast a glance at the shaman and the demihuman who controlled the goblins like indispensable pawns. “Divide and conquer,” he muttered with visible irritation. “These bastards are far more cunning than they appear. That strange goblin might only be at level 26, but its unique rank implies that its stats are leagues beyond those of your typical level 26 monster. And to top it all off, it’s wearing armor. Zephyr’s clearly at a disadvantage.”
As the pup’s breaths grew labored and its stamina waned, it found itself unable to mount any meaningful counterattacks, relegated to a purely defensive stance. With each passing moment, its mana dwindled further, leaving it without the means to turn the tide of battle.
The skill Extreme Speed required breathing room to build momentum, but the relentless flood of goblins made that nearly impossible. And while Berserk offered increased power, it came at the cost of defense and stability—and he needed all the stability he could muster right now to refrain from being torn asunder. Falling unconscious once the skill’s activation time elapsed would also spell certain doom.
Moreover, Zephyr hesitated to use Divine Armament for his own benefit, reserving it instead for Daisuke’s protection given the skill’s extensive recovery time. If anything were to happen to Daisuke, he would have utterly failed his given—
WHAMM!
The demihuman swung its club in a wide arc, crashing it into a group of unsuspecting goblins. Like bowling pins, the creatures were sent flying, one of them colliding with Zephyr and hurling them both into the cavern wall. A pained howl escaped the canine as they crashed to the ground, the impact leaving them dazed and vulnerable.
Daisuke’s heart sank, rage and apprehension combining to form a dark and turbulent cocktail that coursed through his veins. The Lipanthyer’s Fang danced through the air like a frenzied beast, cleaving and skewering any goblin that dared to draw near. Realizing he wouldn’t reach Zephyr in time to administer a potion, Daisuke poured all his efforts into his last remaining option.
[Name: Zephyr
Level: 29 | EXP: 131,370/131,406 (99.97%)
Race: Divine Beast
Species: Wolf
HP: 372/5831 | MP: 147/1237 | Attack: 255 | Defense: 149 | Satiety: 31/100 | Loyalty: 44/100
Strength: 191 (+34) | Constitution: 90 (+30) | Agility: 112 (+30) | Intelligence: 168 (+30) | Dexterity: 74 (+30) | Courage: 39 (+30)
Stat Points: 0]
Daisuke’s focus narrowed onto Zephyr’s Experience Points that were three digits shy of reaching one hundred percent. It was a risky gambit, but if he could dispatch just a few more goblins in time, Zephyr would level up, instantly replenishing his HP and MP.
“Kieekeeh!”
The goblins cried out as the Lipanthyer’s Fang feasted with swift and unrelenting fury.
(99.97%)
“Kiiiieeehhhk!”
(99.98%)
“Kyeeeh!”
(99.99%)
But the gods were cruel.
Daisuke’s eyes widened in horror as the demihuman closed in on the motionless pup, its expression devoid of any emotion as it raised the hefty club overhead.
BOOOOM!
The ground trembled beneath the force of the club’s descent, sending rocks and debris scattering like startled birds.
“ZEPHYR!” Daisuke’s frantic cry cut through the chaos like a blade.
The goblin raised his club with mild anticipation, expecting to find it slick with blood and gore. Yet, to his surprise, there was only the familiar wear and tear etched into the sturdy wood.
All eyes turned to the edge of the plateau as flickers of golden electricity danced in the air. There stood Zephyr, his small form bathed in the lingering glow of a warm, white light. Behind him, Amara and Morgana stood with weary smiles, their bodies exhausted and faces worn. They had successfully executed the Mana Conversion spell, a delicate technique allowing the caster to siphon a portion of an individual’s mana for their own use.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Precision was paramount as extracting too much mana could mean a fatal case of mana deficiency for the donor, while too little left the caster waiting through an agonizingly long cooldown period to recast the spell.
After Zephyr used Extreme Speed to withdraw, Amara swiftly attended to his wounds. Now, the Divine Beast peered down upon the lowly monsters that dared to bare their teeth, its oceanic eyes swirling like a storm, hellfire swelling in its jaws.
“K-Keekieh?!”
The goblins glanced up at the lupine deity they had unwittingly angered, but found no sympathy in his glowing eyes.
WHOOSHH!
Daisuke soared upward, his figure silhouetted against the merciless blaze that consumed the cavern with its raging fury. The goblin’s agonized cries faded beneath the thunderous roar of the inferno. When the flames finally subsided, only the shaman and the demihuman remained, shielded by their protective barrier amidst the charred remnants of their fallen brethren.
“I suppose this means… we did alright?” muttered Amara with a relieved smile as she eased down to the ground.
“Make sure to… make him pay for taking my leg,” Morgana declared, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the shaman. Then, with a weary sigh, she sank beside the healer, both girls slipping into unconsciousness.
“Don’t worry,” said Gloria, her voice steady and reassuring as she huddled beside them. “I’ll watch over them.”
DING!
[Zephyr’s level has risen!]
[Zephyr has learnt the skill «Razor Fang».]
[Zephyr has learnt the skill «Razor Claw».]
[Razor Fang]
[Rank: Epic
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Manifests large blade-like fangs through condensed mana to bolster biting attacks. The more mana and physical force invested into the skill, the deadlier the fangs become.
Razor Fang and Razor Claw share a distinctive synergy—based on the order of their utilization, they can trigger either a counter shield or a counter attack.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ When activated after Razor Claw, there’s a 15% chance of triggering a counter shield lasting 3 seconds. If the counter shield is struck, damage equivalent to 450% of Zephyr’s total mana is absorbed.
▪︎ Each strike carries a 25% chance of activating the «Lifesteal» skill.
Mana Cost: 20
Skill Duration: 30 Seconds
Skill Cooldown: None]
[Lifesteal]
[Restores health equivalent to 15% of the damage dealt to enemies. Critical strikes recover 45% of the damage dealt as health.]
[Razor Claw]
[Rank: Epic
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Manifests large blade-like claws through condensed mana to bolster scratching, slashing, and piercing attacks. The more mana and physical force invested into the skill, the deadlier the claws become.
Razor Fang and Razor Claw share a distinctive synergy—based on the order of their utilization, they can trigger either a counter shield or a counter attack.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ When activated after Razor Fang, there’s a 15% chance of unleashing «Cerulean Blue», an offensive counter attack.
▪︎ Each strike carries a 25% chance of activating the «Magicsteal» skill.
Mana Cost: 20
Skill Duration: 30 Seconds
Skill Cooldown: None]
[Cerulean Blue]
[A bolt of blue lightning descends from the heavens, dealing damage equal to 350% of Zephyr’s total mana. Enemies within a one-meter radius are also subjected to 150% of this damage.
There’s a 10% chance of paralyzing enemies. Those inflicted by the «Paralysis» Status suffer 50% more damage from electrical type-attacks.]
[Magicsteal]
[Restores mana equivalent to 5% of the damage dealt to enemies. Critical strikes recover 15% of the damage dealt as mana.]
The two remaining goblins seethed with fury at the loss of their kin. As they leered at the oddly revitalized wolf pup, Daisuke kicked off the ceiling with all his might, hurling downward like a tractor beam.
SWHISHH!
Before the shaman could retaliate with a protective barrier, its arm, clutching the staff, was sent flying to the side.
“Keeeriiick!” the bastard howled in agony.
“That’s payback for taking that girl’s leg,” Daisuke muttered, purple blood staining the Lipanthyer’s Fang.
Zephyr peered down at the demihuman over the bridge of his snout, returning the creature’s contemptuous gaze. Suddenly, the pup vanished from his lofty perch, leaving the creature bewildered. Switching to its olfactory senses, the demihuman attempted to track Zephyr’s movements by scent, but the pup was too fast to follow.
WHOOOSH!
Zephyr streaked past the demihuman like a blur, fangs forged of condensed mana effortlessly peeling off a section of its leather armor that was once seemingly indestructible.
For the first time since their duel began, the creature’s expression twisted in disbelief and frustration. It had clearly underestimated Zephyr’s agility, and now with the hordes of goblins gone, there was nothing to hinder the canine’s speed.
As Zephyr darted off again, the goblin braced itself for the attack, planning to shift from defense to offense the moment the wolf’s momentum waned after his assault.
The creature’s breath caught in its throat as four streaks of light, reminiscent of claw marks, glinted in its widened eyes. A pained roar tore from its lungs as mana hardened and sharpened like steel, etched a bloody path across its eye, down its face, and along its torso.
In a sudden shift, the goblin swallowed its cry, tightened its grasp on the club, and with all its might, swung the weapon in a tight arc.
CLANGG!
The creature’s eye dilated in shock as its wooden club collided with a translucent wall of energy. The counter shield tolled like a bell, sending ripples across its surface in a honeycomb pattern before dissipating. Though the goblin’s attack had landed, Zephyr merely staggered back a few steps, completely unscathed.
Before the goblin’s hairless eyebrows could pull down into a tight scowl, it glimpsed a curious flicker of electricity. In an instant, its body was ensnared by a paralyzing current, coiling around it like a serpent.
PISHH!
The shaman’s bloodied and swollen face snapped to the side with each blow, purple blood staining the cave floor with every strike. In addition to depleting its mana from repetitive use of barriers and offensive spells, it had also lost a significant amount of blood along with its precious staff.
Daisuke’s fists hammered into the creature, driven by a cocktail of righteous fury and the need to release pent-up tension. His fists found their mark again and again. With every strike, he felt a measure of relief, but above all, he longed for this harrowing ordeal to come to an end.
Summoning a Magic Chain, Daisuke callously looped it around the shaman’s neck before delivering a swift kick that sent the creature careening into the paralyzed demihuman. With a display of his own remarkable agility, he circled the struggling goblins, binding them both in the chains.
“Zephyr!” he called out tellingly.
The pup didn’t need another word to comprehend his comrade’s meaning. The air crackled with energy as the canine tapped into the depths of his power. Golden wisps of electricity danced around his legs as he called upon Extreme Speed, his oceanic eyes stirring with an eerie storm.
Without hesitation or remorse, Zephyr surrendered himself to his predatory instincts and descended upon the goblins like a twister. Reinforced fangs and claws flashed in the dim light as he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, each strike leaving behind a trail of shimmering golden sparks.
The goblins howled in agony as the onslaught intensified. Bolts of blue lightning arced through the chamber, searing through flesh and bone with unstoppable force. In mere moments, the once formidable foes were reduced to smoldering husks, their cries silenced by the wings of justice.
DING!
[Haxks has slain the Hidden Boss «Demihuman Goblin».]