“Hahahahah!”
I couldn’t help but laugh seeing the massive amounts of mana nearly about to be fired towards us. Damn, this monster really awakened unpleasant memories.
“Are you okay, Poyraz?”
Ama asked. I guess seeing your comrade laugh like crazy in the face of death was concerning.
“It is just that this is very familiar to my last moments.”
The expression on her face was priceless.
“That doesn’t sound very comforting.”
I let out another laugh.
“I was alone that time. This time I have you guys.”
I gripped my sword tighter. Ama blinked in surprise before her expression turned into a resolute smile.
“Thank you. I will answer your trust with all of my power!”
I gripped my sword with my two hands and raised it to my head level like a knight. Using Armor Collapsing Claw and Frost Booster again, I started to load all of my mana on my sword. I was planning on launching it after gathering 90 percent of my mana.
“Growl?”
“No. I need your mana to fight after we block its attack.”
Gökbörü asked if he should give his mana to me with a soft growl. I rejected it. If I wanted to be able to fight after using most of my mana, I had to borrow his. I felt strength slowly leave my body and my head spun as I put more and more mana on my sword.
Purple snowflakes started to fall all around me. Purple mana leaked off my sword, turning my sword into a roaring waterfall. Energy waves spun around my sword.
“That can’t happen!”
I had to focus more. I had to compress it. If I let it spread and flow to everywhere it wouldn’t be enough. I did it to the best of my ability by first stopping my arms from shaking. Then I reached for my sword to keep wild waves from spinning out of my control.
“Fifth Tail: Pyroclasmic Surge.”
Even with most of my attention on controlling my mana, Ama’s voice was loud and clear. I looked at her with one eye. She was dancing? No, it wasn’t a dance. It was something akin to a ritual. Her graceful movements were for what magic she was casting.
“Oh, my wise and ancient father.”
"I call upon your mighty flames, embrace me with your grandeur."
"Grant me the strength of our ancestors, let their spirits guide my blaze."
"In the spirit of the kitsune's dance, let my flames twist and twirl."
"May your flame burn eternal, a testament to our enduring spirit."
Embers flew all around us, clashing with the snowflakes I created. Even someone as ignorant to matters of mana and magic could sense the massive amounts of mana and force Amaterasu was gathering. Heat rose from her. If it wasn’t for my Frost Booster cooling the area around me, I would be feeling warm.
However, what made me gulp wasn’t the power of Amaterasu. It was the massive nine-tailed shadow on her back. It was… Looking at me?
No. It was looking at my sword. Its gaze was piercing what solid material made up my sword and aiming for… The souls stored at my sword? For some reason that was the conclusion I came.
“Poyraz, now!”
Amaterasu’s shout woke me up from irrelevant thoughts I was having. I looked back at the massive beetle and saw it release the mana it was gathering. A devastating wave of mana, aiming for us and what was behind us was shot.
I heard a loud clap as Amaterasu opened her arms wide and clapped her hands. A fiery maelstrom gathered around as she absorbed all the embers and heat around her. Unlike the flame magic she showed before, this fire was pure white. Even with my high fire resistance and ice growing out of my sword, I felt an unbearable wave of heat hit my body before she shot a storm toward the beetle.
The flame burned what was in front of it to ash. Even the things it didn’t touch directly were burned. White flame clashed with red ominous mana and shockwaves spread all around us. With my Enhanced Senses, I could see that Amaterasu’s attack was just barely weaker.
“My turn.”
I raised my sword overhead and swung it, releasing a crescent wave of mana that looked like ice. Yet it kept moving like water. It destroyed what remained of the beetle’s attack and hit it. The creature let out an unholy roar before stumbling to the side.
(Mana Erupt ranked up to D rank. You can now release more mana.)
(Armor Collapsing Claw ranked up to C rank. Your attacks now ignore 20 percent of enemies' Defense stat.)
I heard all of my joints crack under the massive pressure. I fell down on my knees. My nose was bleeding. I tried to look at the creature but the world around me turned a mess of shapes and colors. Damn, I couldn’t even look at the Amaterasu’s condition. I tried to lift my head but with how blurry my vision was that only made my nausea increase. I coughed and threw up my stomach acid.
My Enhanced Senses betrayed me again. I cut the connection. With how overloaded my brain was, I couldn’t take more information. Gökbörü gave me some of his mana.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
I opened my eyes. My vision was still blurry and my head still spun. However, the massive creature was gaining its footing. We had to kill it.
I looked at Amaterasu. She was covered with sweat and breathed rapidly.
“Are you okay?”
She asked.
“Never… Been… Better.”
I stopped between words to cough and gag.
“What’s up! You guys look horrible!”
An annoying creature jumped to our side. By annoying creature I of course mean Lily.
“Why are you here? What happened to monsters?”
I inquired.
“Relax. Most of them fell and died by themselves. Seeing the huge creature I came to help you. Damn, this thing looks like a Behemoth. I hate those things.”
I looked at Ama for a possible explanation.
“He must have sacrificed them to summon that.”
She said as she wiped her forehead.
“He must be desperate to sacrifice that large of number.”
He was truly on his last legs. At least I hope so. However, so was Morrigan. We had to get rid of this beetle quickly.
“I am at 40 percent mana. Dizziness also stopped.”
I lied about my condition. My eyes met with Lily’s. I knew he saw through my lie but he didn’t say anything. I cracked my neck.
“Just like good old days.”
Lily imitated me and cracked his neck.
“Old yeah, good; no.”
I let out a chuckle.
“The last one to arrive pays for the drinks!”
Lily shouted as he rushed to beetle.
“Ah, that bastard!”
I followed behind him, leaving Amaterasu behind. The creature looked even bigger up close. Half of its legs were bound to the ground with my ice. So that’s why it didn’t move.
“Hah, I won!”
Lily swung his swords, creating wind blades to hit the beetle. Half of its carapace was heavily damaged thanks to our previous attacks. Good. We had a weak point.
I raised my hand into the air.
“Let’s try this.”
I manifested a dozen of Cruel King’s Longsword. It might have looked like a waste of mana but I didn’t manifest them with all of their durability or power. The only thing I focused on replicating was its option. That way I was able to save my mana and mental power. Using my cloak as a sling I launched them to the weak point.
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your agility increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your agility increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your strength increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your strength increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your strength increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
(Tyranny of King is activated. Your strength increases by 5 for 1 minute.)
Only half of them had their option activated. Considering it was only a 20 percent chance, I got lucky. With power filling back to my body I climbed to its head. Its body was covered with a black disgusting liquid.
(Your partner wants to share “Abnormal Status Resistance” with you.)
(You resisted the effects of corruption.)
As I ran along its huge body, black liquid stuck on my boots.
“I am getting tired of status effects. Why everything has a gimmick!”
As if to annoy me more, a cloud of small insects came out of its body and flew toward me.
“Woof!”
Gökbörü froze them with a howl and I kicked them to the side and arrived at its head. I stopped just in front of one of its eyes. Seeing me, the creature let out a booming noise. I lifted my sword high and launched my mana with it. The creature’s eye exploded, showering me with black liquid.
“Disgusting. At least it is not acid.”
The creature let out a pained moan. Before it could finish its moan, I was in its other eye.
“Begone.”
I destroyed its remaining eye, blinding it. The creature shook and started to move. The pain it felt must give it enough strength to move. I stabbed my sword to its eye socket to ground myself and not fall off it. I was able to see Lily and the progress he made. He was able to destroy a big chunk of the weakened part. If this thing was a human or beastkin it was already dead. But instead of dying it moved to the barrier!
“Solar Flare.”
Its movement was stopped by Amaterasu’s magic hitting it. The sudden stop nearly made me fall but I was able to regain my footing by stabbing my sword deeper. Several more attacks hit just several inches apart from me and I decided to get the fuck out here before I got roasted by Ama’s magic.
I ran toward the weakened side. Lily was flying with his wings. I should learn how to fly too. His attacks were able to tear a very big part of it. Cuts even appeared on the armored parts. I joined him and started to smash my sword against its massive body.
Hitting and tearing its body constantly as Ama’s and Lily’s attacks also hit it.
“Grhhh!”
My body hurt. My muscles were damaged while they healed with my Rapid Healing and Regeneration. My hands were torn and repaired. Until the creature let out a horrifying noise and fell.
I stood on top of it, breathing heavily.
“It smells disgusting.”
I was covered with its body parts.
“I really had enough with him. No more fucking surprises, please.”