Killing and going wild in this sort of setting wasn't looking ideal. That was something Murai more than understood. The walls were far apart, so that left him a lot of space for all sorts of strategies, but the same could be said about the enemy.

This place was its home grounds, so expecting Crowhell Bat to be annoying was an understatement.

He could also fill the space with his mana to notice the enemy. That was a brief idea, but he wasn't sure how effective it would be since he couldn't detect it with his Mana Detection anyway. It would've failed too, he bet. Ha wasn't forgetting the physical limit either, and the bat wasn't a ghost.

If the Crowhell Bat's invisibility worked in a weird, and powerful manner, it was obscuring mana in its fundamental state. His mana wouldn't change it. Perhaps the physical means of some elements would? Smoke or flames?

It was hard to think clearly when the enemy was lurking over his head, ready to strike him at a moment's notice and with power that could wreck his body.

He kept glaring around as he ran, watchful, and careful of any sound. Soundless, the only noise was his steps that he couldn't help to neglect. He kept his senses sharp, hoping to notice anything that was going through the air. He cared for the Mana Detection and Soul Read too, just in case.

Upon arriving at the corner of the corridor, Murai went towards the right side and then stopped. His mind screamed at him again. Was it the Robust Spirit? He heard a subtle flick of the wings above him, but nothing moved nor flickered in terms of mana. Sounds were Crowhell Bat's enemy, he figured.

Conjuring mana for a Proper Mana Blade was quick and easy, and he slashed above him in wide and quick slices.

He hit nothing but the air and his eyes tried to discern any kind of space undulations, or movement when he turned. He didn't see a thing, so he hurried and flipped his blade sideways, which went higher than his swings and created a more layered attack.

He was close in his attempts to make the least optimal space for the enemy to fly through, but the Crowhell Bat noticed his attempts.

It sneered within its invisibility and pounced down lower than before. It went down to the ground, dodging the blades completely. Murai didn't expect that, but he heard its sounds, and the fog dispersed. A thin layer of fog made the bat's outline, but the fog visibly dispersed much further. Probably from the movements of its wings.

The name Crowhell stemmed from the beak of this bat species. It had some Bloodline powers from a Sunless Divine Beast—which was known as King Crow in some parts of this world—but as with many things, the species itself had fixed powers. In this case, the Crowhell Bat had some specific physical changes that one wouldn't see in a bat.

Unlike regular snoot, Crowhell Bat had a sharp and straight pointing beak that was of a crow. It wasn't overly thick, nor it was too large in proportion to its body. One could even call it very thin and it wasn't wrong. Its tip was sharp like the finest dagger, but its sides weren't.

Inside were rows of teeth, while it was a demonic beast in all regards, similar to an Anatidae but lower in quality and power by a significant margin.

Its wings were quite large and at least a meter wide when fully open. Its legs had rather wide fingers, which ended up in sharp, curved talons. It was a strange mixture of a crow, an eagle, and a bat, but in the shape of an invisible beast that one couldn't see. The invisibility aspect of it was most peculiar since it was a rather absurd and often neglected ability.

Not-to-be-seen spells were often questionable since physicality and mana were rather special and clear in their rules.

To not see one's body, it wasn't as if one lacked physicality. One wouldn't be just seen but could be hit and destroyed regardless of some limits. Because of this, mages didn't consider invisibility spells to be anything but second-rate spells and had subjective usages, which were hard to master and learn.

One had to have a space, void, or light affinity, and reach a very advanced level and familiarity. It wasn't often worth learning them, and mages rather focused on more important aspects of the space, or void if they had them.

Of course, many Paths were prone to weird options, and such abilities as invisible were one of many. They could be very powerful depending on the user or luck. But they were in the minority because the truth of power was very straightforward, and being a coward wasn't always fitting.

Crowhell Bat was no mage. It was a beast with an aspect of its body that made it invisible, so it made learning and problems much easier to manage. It had its familiarity integrated into its bloodline and instincts, and it showed. It had no talent of a mage.

Murai wasn't sure of its full appearance, regardless of the fog. He at least saw its rough size, how wide its wingspan was, how those talons tried to slice his neck apart, and how its beak moved toward his chest.

He didn't need to consider it too much. He just needed to kill it and that will be all to his problems. It was a simple solution to a painful and annoying problem, but if anything, this was exactly that sort of situation that had this simple solution.

Bat was ready to strike him again. A screeching sound echoed in front of him, but because of the echo and the size of the place, it sounded everywhere around him.

It was too late to make it feasible to act.

Murai heard its body, and he still had his Proper Mana Blade in the air, ready to strike, and he did. He swung his blade right towards the sound he heard, and cleared fog that remained for a split second. Yet the Crowhell Bat moved from the opening of his swing to the left, dodging it because it had high dexterity and enough distance away from him.

It slid along the ground at a sharp angle, its pointing beak was like a sword ready to pierce its opponent, and it hit him after swinging its wings. One would guess the fog would make it easier to spot it, but the wind from the bat's swings was so wild, that it pushed the fog dozens of meters away. Murai couldn't use it to his advantage as he hoped it could.

And now, he heard the screech surge forward, and terrible momentum went around his blade. Before he had the option to retaliate, or move his body away, a powerful force struck him to his front. Surprisingly, his body took the brunt of this force better than he expected.

Perhaps it was because he expected it, and whatever it was that slammed at him, didn't penetrate even a finger into his flesh.

It just hurt like hell, and it pushed him aside like a ragdoll. He could tell and guess what sort of weapon hit him by feeling Crowhell Bat's body through this hit.

It was obvious that the beak went straight towards his chest again, and he felt some talons scrap around his wings and neck. It all hurt a lot, and he felt his muscles crushed, and a few feathers even disappeared from his body.

What Murai noticed the most was the sharp beak that hit his feathers, and how it slipped past them without any damage. Then, the talons scrapped him across his neck and back, pushing him away.

Crowhell Bat failed with the killing move for the second time, and it was quite pitiful for its cause. Murai felt his body scream at him in demand, and the pain was most prominent. He did feel this sort of pain a lot in the last week, so he didn't think much of it. He always managed to distribute the damage to a passable level. Be it against those Messiahs, the Welcoming Party, or enemies in Gate 1.

He managed them better than he should, and now, he felt the enemy was even less dangerous than all of those meetings. Bat wasn't so strong, but the invisibility was way too crafty. It wasn't even that rich on the levels, yet he felt its threat. This Crowhell Bat was much stronger against him than Wildling Jaguar, or those messiahs, but in a different way.

It was the careful case of a balanced enemy that went against his current prowess.

Murai couldn't help but think that Mindarch did this to him. He got hurt from ending the 2nd attack, and his legs didn't like it again, and so did his wings. His neck was fine, but his insides and bones didn't take it that well either.

2 more attacks like this, and he had no doubts his bones would snap. He refused to feel that again!

Still, Murai felt the force behind the attack and understood a couple of things. Crowhell Bat wasn't as heavy in offense and his body took it better, albeit painfully so. Secondly, the bat was surprised by its failure to slaughter its foe. Going through its opponent and stabbing them like fools was its favorite method of killing, yet it failed.

Again.

Right. The first attack went even better against his body, but back then, he didn't notice it that well. He was shocked because he hadn't been hit in this manner in this life, so he didn't take it that well. He was still thinking of other things, so a successful ambush succeeded and hit him for the first time.

The second time was similar, but he expected it and noticed how it happened. He took this hit against his health rather begrudgingly, and not willingly. But since it happened, he had to reap the damage and get something in return. That was knowledge of the enemy and confirmation that he could take more hits.

Murai fell to his back more than 10 meters away and had no time for any counters. His Proper Mana Blade dissipated away, his body hurting and a flaring mind of pain lingered in his head. His body took enough so he didn't suffer, even though the forceful push went against his bones, and flesh.

It made him uncomfortable, forcing him to recall the memories where Razmund handled him like a stress ball. At least no numbness or inner wounds caused some suffering, and his blood was where it should be.

He refocused on what he had left and stood on his feet, looking around the location he was in a moment ago. There was nothing apart from the fog that was going back into the place, swirling like a small storm, but there it was. A silhouette of a Crowhell Bat that overlapped with the fog.

It was visible for a few moments, before the bat flipped its wide and flexible wings, and went to the space above.

Murai hoped to seek some sense out of his enemy, but there was nothing afterward, but a small hole in the ground, and a couple of gnarly crevices caused by talons, or a beak. The enemy was gone, but at least he saw its silhouette. It was twice his height, and the head was similar to his in mass. Their beaks were of different kinds but weren't far from their meaningful uses.

Once again, the corridor turned to silence. No flip of wings was noticeable around the ceiling, but the bat was there, waiting. A screeching sound scrapped against the polished sandstone of the walls, causing high and eerie noises. Crowhell Bat was right above the hole in the stone, looking at the enemy in surprise, and maybe a bit of fear mixed with unquenchable anger.

It caught the blood of an Anatidae in front of it, but what use was there for fear? It should kill the enemy and not question it because a grand Elder Bloodline was before its eyes.

It was a simple rule of this place to kill and fight for one's freedom. If a prisoner wanted to become free, they needed to kill their foes in a brutal manner and might. That was the notion of being a Guardian of this place, and no prisoner in this place had any say in when, how, or how often they could get this chance.

After all, the opponents weren't always strong or weak, but they were limited in number. Levels meant a general purpose and power level was more important. But it wasn't everything, because level 30s that would come to the Levandis Temple were always low in numbers. Crowhell Bat had almost no chances to be a Guardian.

Every Guardian was individually based on the Challenger, and Mindarch decided on them alone. Usually, it should be as close to the perception of the balancing factors, and each Guardian should be stronger than the Welcoming Party that was under Thar. At least for the 1st and 2nd timers.

It was usually unbiased since the Mindarch can seek through anything and anyone. Murai was no different, and his enemy was particularly strong against him. Perhaps, it was the strongest opponent to date, apart from the moment that he had to survive against Razmund.

Back then, the situation was very different from today, so Murai swallowed it up and moved along with what was before him.

He stood on his feet and looked above to feel the scrapping sounds. Their eyesight met, but Murai saw nothing but the sandstone that was under the pressure of its talons. He couldn't tell anything apart from that. Not even the Mana Detection or Soul Read worked.

It is really annoying. What an invisible motherfucker. Murai complained in his head. Its power lies in speed, ambushes, and power enough to work with that. Sharp beak and talons work for it, but they aren't penetrating my feathers. It is similar to me, but in a different way, and it is stronger in terms of attributes, and its age, I bet.

Well, it makes sense. It's bigger, so it should be older, and stronger, but who am I kidding? My Level is twice less than it, yet I don't feel like losing.

For the start, let's not get hit for the third time and counter it instead. If I am not wrong, from the softness of its feathers I felt when it hit me before, its defenses should be weak. It has to have weak bones for this sort of speed, and its weight shouldn't be higher than mine.

It is just sizable, and fluffy, but its body is actually very hollow and slim. It is a bat, after all. Its wings make up the majority of its appearance but because it is so quick, its pounce is heavy.

Plans were meant to change, and he had no issue with that. On his right, was no statue, but on the left was. He ended up in the corner of two corridors, meaning there weren't as many interferences around him for at least 6 meters. That was about the wideness of this corridor, so Murai put forth his Mana Detection and grit his teeth.

He focused all his Will on his Mana Detection, moving it up, right to the screeching sounds. It revealed nothing, but a shimmering silhouette for a split second cut into his perception. It happened in a blink, and Murai didn't get much out of it than confirmation it was there.

Huh? I felt it. How?

As if detecting it had been seen, Crowhell Bat screeched with its beak and flipped its wings in a wild manner. It stopped scrapping the ceiling and pounced at Murai with its legs facing forward. Talons resembled an eagle, and this attack went for the neck, as sharp as it could get.

Murai didn't see the enemy again. The screech and halting sounds of scratches were gone and the bat attacked but to where?

Towards him?

Back?

To the side?

Once more towards the ground?

The attacks could vary, but if anything, the fog around the ground gave him some answer. It didn't move, so he waited a couple of seconds and the fog didn't move. Then he heard the flap of wings, so he smacked the ground with his leg, and jumped aside, narrowly escaping 6 talons that crushed against the floor.

Crowhell Bat screeched in annoyance and hated how its second prideful means of killing failed. What a humiliation, its instincts told.

Butchering its opponents was a good kill, and since its previous attacks failed twice, it was time to change the strategy. Everything was for the sake of freedom, so any excuses it said in its mind were long forgotten.

Murai once again changed his strategy and made a deeper shot of Mana Detection towards the 6 crevices. A weird thing happened, and it was no fog since it traveled away as the bat landed. A foggy image of a glowy kind revealed the bat for another moment before it disappeared in his Mana Detection. It was a ghostly image, so it wasn't an error on his mind before, nor did his mana fail his spirit.

Detection is improving? That is good, but I don't know how great that is, or why it is happening. Is the Beast Core why? It feels like nothing goes around... Just adrenaline, and my heart is pounding faster. That is normal in any fight, isn't it? My familiarity with the Detection is highest out of anything, and the Beast Core is like having a leashed demon in my heart, and it doesn't listen all the time.

I can borrow its powers, and get mana out with lesser problems now. Is this... because of Core Defining Fusion Technique? I made the Artificial Core next to my Beast Core, and could it become calmer because of it? I don't know how or why it is happening but it sure is welcoming news.

After all, Artificial Core isn't Beast Core. It is under the outside and inner mana, so it is a mix of everything under my eyes. No one ever recorded a Beast Core and Artificial Core together, so this is new even for me. Murai deducted and readied himself for a direct confrontation.

Just now, a single moment was a bit longer than he thought, and at the end, Crowhell Bat turned back at him, reading to fight. Another pounce was coming, and this time, Murai didn't dodge.

He clutched his beak and stood firm as a mountain. A small one, but one the size of a duck. It was the posture of a fighter, and he was fed up with running away and being a scapegoat against this damned fly. It wasn't worth it to be a coward, and at this point, he already had a general perception of what he should expect from this beast.

With 3 direct attacks behind him, he had enough to move up his strategy.

Similar to before, Crowhell Bat went for the head and neck in direct confrontation. It was so direct, that one would question its intellect. It was the exact same move against Murai's front.

Upon hearing the flaring momentum of wings, and the changing fog that wanted to return, Murai knew the incoming foe. It went as he expected, so he shot another use of Mana Detection forward, revealing the attack pattern of his opponent. It went like a blink, and like a flash of a ghost.

He saw enough, and it wasn't too late to do something. Even if Crowhell Bat knew it had been seen through, it was already in mid-air attack and couldn't stop. Murai saw wide-angled talons that aimed straight at his body and a pointed beak aimed at his head.

It wanted to grab him whole, force him onto the ground, where it would strike with its beak, ending his life. A simple thing to do, right? Murai imagined his loss, but that was about it. Just an imagination. A fantasy.

He didn't Conjure any of his mana forward and rather used a direct force of his body. That was to use his beak against the talons, stopping them before they would even come close to his body. That should cease the next beak aimed at him.

As if he were a madman, he charged toward the enemy, brandishing his beak like some kind of sword. He wasn't sure in which direction these talons would come in, because the ghostly flash of the enemy was too crude. He knew the general direction so he swung his beak in all kinds of angles in a maddening rush of Beak's Fury.

Before he knew it, a clash smashes against his body and beak. As he wished, Fury went against the talons, discarding the majority of them away, and even struck the bat two times. A few talons scraped against him, pushing toward his dense and flexed body which was no longer as soft.

He stood his ground and felt his bones and muscles scream, but he prevailed and continued attacking.

Unleashing a series of 15 attacks with his Beak's Fury seemed like a limit. Some of them failed, but others successfully smacked talons away, and others not so much. His power over his beak was already pretty good, even though it wasn't proportionate to his familiarity.

For once, the level of his Beak's Fury or Peak was kind of low, but their power and class weren't as weak as his assumptions. It was significantly better than whatever this bat had.

This was the power of an Anatidae. This was the power of ducks that ruled along the gods at some point in the distant past.

One way or another, brute strength-based abilities should kill or damage unarmored, or glass cannon opponents. Unlike Murai and his species, Crowhell Bat had weak defenses as he predicted, and it had some disadvantages that countered its invisibility and dexterity. It wasn't some overpowered species like Anatidae that were known monstrosities even in the world of demons and devils.

A few strikes that Murai caused were enough to inflict minor injuries on the mysterious flesh and skin of this Crowhell Bat. Those were strange, and the space and some blood bent over its skin, making its body bend in reality, as if space creaked apart.

Crowhell Bat staggered upon meeting an unfathomable wall that was smaller than it. Murai felt much bigger than it ever feared.

It screeched upon falling backward, where it flapped its wings to regain some stability, hoping to give another blow to its foe with its talons. Its beak failed. In all this time, its invisibility remained the same apart from those couple of hits to its skin.

Murai had no worries about fighting like a bloody animal any longer. After noticing those noticeable blood and space ripples before him that depicted his hits, he reached another understanding. His defenses and species were better than this bat's, albeit his own power was lacking in the shape of his Level, so he had to try much harder to hit with everything he had.

Although truth to be said, he accomplished everything so far because of his decisions and body, so what excuses were there? None.

His surprisingly sturdy body took this pouncing Bat's momentum at full speed. He completely stopped the force of about a dozen kilos of strength, while he, himself, wasn't even that heavy. Calling him light was a proper way to describe his weight.

Murai heard the stumbling sounds of his opponent, and the thud it felt down with. The fog ceased away once more, and the Crowhell Bat was right there on the ground, and within the reach of his beak. He did what he should. He channeled his Beak's Peak in hopes of shattering this enemy to pieces.

As he did so, he gambled on his body, as he noticed the bat's balance returned. It attacked him, and its beak slammed against his head, which was a mistake of its life. Attacking an Anatidae in this manner, right when channeling the Peak was a stupid mistake, but an understandable one. A spell could fail, but not the beak.

This Crowhell Bat never met an Anatidae, and that was its fatal flaw.

Murai heard a simple metallic thud and stumbling sounds of the foe's head. He attacked in a moment, tearing a huge hole through the air, revealing blood and gore.

Crowhell Bat struggled on its feet, trying to inflict the last remaining possibilities to retain its life. It forced its beak against Murai's head again, but because of its injuries, it didn't hit straight ahead and only scraped the sides of his head.

Its beak slipped from the bloodied feathers, blood splurged on Murai's head, and he looked dead silent at a failing attempt to take his life. He was yet to be over his Peak, so another stab later, a second gushing wound to its neck ended its life.