In the third hermitage, the cadets decided to form an alliance for the time being and arrange an impromptu plan for the Ifrit, as they knew that facing an S-Class monster without a strategy would lead to certain doom. To tackle the situation, Lucius needed at least two people to fight alongside him against Ifrit's fiery attacks. Despite his high ego, Lucius understood the sensitivity of the situation and wouldn't risk going forward alone. Aina and Thanistor, who also recognized the urgency, responded by walking beside the Dark Elf. Meanwhile, Mashive preferred to face the Cursed Dragon alone, while Gantala volunteered to compete with the Dark Bishop's intellect, and Vanatos helped clear out the Demons and Djinns that were causing trouble to others.
Ifrit's mouth gaped open, ready to release a fiery attack. Thanistor stepped in front of Lucius and Aina, determined to block the attack with his technique. He twirled his lance like a whirlwind, and as Ifrit unleashed his flames, the wind split them in half, protecting the two behind him.
Aina chanted "Song of Sin... Ice Path..." while touching the ground with the tip of her scythe.
As the flames began to subside, Aina stepped onto the slowly freezing ground and slid toward Ifrit, deftly slashing at the towering inferno with her scythe. With a quick stance and a series of swift attacks, she sent blades of wind shooting toward Ifrit's right leg, causing the creature to waver and almost collapse. However, its other leg managed to maintain its balance.
Aina's successful distraction allowed Lucius to run freely and leap high above the monster's head. Clenching his red fists, he brought them down upon Ifrit's skull from top to bottom, causing the ground to tremble and the cracks to widen. Still in mid-air, Lucius continued his downward strike with the heel of his foot on Ifrit's body, roaring, "Die, you bastard!"
The impact forced Ifrit's body further into the ground, and Lucius pressed his advantage with a flurry of attacks. Flames engulfed him, devouring half of his body and causing him to bite his lip in agony. Despite being burned alive, Lucius refused to relent and pushed forward as if submerged in a pool of molten lava. As Ifrit's fire defense burned through Lucius' gaiters, he jumped back in surprise. He had never expected an S-tier monster to fall with a single blow.
The Ifrit slowly stood up, holding its head, which was now dizzy. Up until that point, the monster had considered the cadets' attacks to be like ant bites, but the recent attack had changed its mindset to a more serious one. Ifrit's fighting style changed, and the flames from its body expanded, indicating its rising anger. Its sharp eyes focused on Lucius, who it deemed the most annoying cadet in its fiery gaze.
Lucius' gaiters from the knees down were charred, and his feet were starting to burn. Despite this, he could still walk, thanks to his rare white robe's ability to withstand magic attacks. He was sacrificing himself in the front for the sake of the two, hoping that his experimental attack would reveal a weakness they could exploit.
Thanistor noticed Ifrit's new demeanor, which had made it increase its fire defenses. The monster had become more cautious and was no longer in a rush. Thani had underestimated the impact of Lucius' sacrifice, and the reckless attack had actually increased Ifrit's alertness. Thanks to Lucius, the situation had now become very difficult, with finding opportunities and weak points becoming a challenge. The knight knew that he needed a diversion for his plan to work!
"Aina, can you freeze its legs for a moment?" asked Thanistor for another try. "I'll try throwing my lance at its body; it'll startle it."
Aina slashed her scythe lightly into the air to increase her sharpness while stretching her arms. "So my job is just to immobilize it so you can aim your lance straight at its heart?"
"Exactly, I'm counting on you. And Lucius, you're going to hit its head again by jumping over my lance. After that, don't forget to bring my lance back!"
"Tch!" Lucius's gaze showed an expression of disliking orders, but what could he do because he felt that Thanistor's idea (who had been observing him) wasn't bad either...
Ifrit let out a jarring roar, causing the surrounding rocks to almost shatter. The three cadets braced themselves against the wind wave that nearly lifted them off their feet. The monster enveloped one of its arms with scorching flames before violently slamming it into the ground, unleashing a seismic force that sent fiery geysers shooting up as tall as towering pillars.
Aina quickly sped toward Ifrit, using Ice Path to glide over the flames erupting from the ground. As she got closer to the monster, the air grew hotter and her vision began to blur. Ignoring Thani's occasional orders to stop, Aina closed her eyes, and her hands made a prayer gesture as she called out "Miracle, Holy Light..."
Bright balls of light appeared around Aina, temporarily blinding Ifrit. Taking advantage of the monster's momentary confusion, Aina slashed at Ifrit's legs with her scythe, freezing the ground beneath it. However, the monster's fiery feet remained unaffected by the ice.
Thani quickly instructed Aina to move out of the way as it was his turn. However, as Aina retreated, the tip of her veil caught fire, singeing her face a little as it passed through Ifrit's body. Despite this setback, Aina felt that her contribution had been worth it and left the rest to the two boys.
Thanistor had already charged up his soul energy and was getting ready to throw his lance. He remembered the times when he had made similar throws to defeat a sand bear in the Baron's arena and a griffin in the sky. After gathering momentum, he threw his lance into the monster's chest, causing it to groan in pain as the weapon pierced through the waves of flames that surrounded it.
Lucius then joined the fray, splitting the fire and jumping over Thanistor's lance, which was still lodged in Ifrit's body. He grabbed the monster's horns and delivered a powerful knee strike to its chin. As Ifrit slowly fell to the ground, Lucius' gauntlet glowed with a vermilion aura as he smashed the monster's head until its body collapsed. However, the force of the attack caused Lucius' own body to catch fire. Despite this, he managed to retrieve the lance from Ifrit's body and threw it at Thanistor, who was a little worried.
Thani wanted to ask Lucius about his condition, but he chose to remain silent, sensing that his question might offend him. Lucius could tell what Thani was thinking from his constant glances and responded, "Don't worry about me, idiot! I think two more attacks will do the job."
The Ifrit stood up slowly, and its eyes shone as brightly as the sun. Its hollow chest was now regenerating again, and the flames on its body flared up, doubling in size until they melted rocks and pebbles, giving the three cadets goosebumps.
Thanistor cursed in annoyance as their combination attack still couldn't defeat the Ifrit. Lucius glared in disbelief, realizing that if this was only the first phase, the fight was likely to get even more difficult as it progressed. Aina's head was still spinning, and she kept chanting healing magic to keep herself from succumbing to drowsiness. One of her eyes was also slightly blurred due to a burn, prompting her to signal Thani to stop for a moment. The knight had run out of plans and didn't want Lucius and Aina to risk their lives any further.
After Aina healed herself, she stepped forward again to stand beside the two cadets. "I'll try to immobilize it again," she said.
"No, Aina," Thanistor denied with a hand thrust forward. "Your attacks won't work against the flames."
"Hey, knight, scythe girl, back off!" commanded Lucius, walking to the front like a protagonist, leaving them like side characters. "This is my time. Let me show you my true power!" Lucius released his soul-charge energy from his body, and his vermilion aura blazed even brighter and grew larger than before. "Berserk Mode!"
Mason, who was engaged in a one-on-one battle with the Cursed Dragon, suddenly sensed a bright red aura behind him. It distracted him for a moment and he thought to himself, ("So, you've used all your strength? Lucius...") as his eyes glanced to the side.
The Cursed Dragon then shot a fierce black beam straight at the ground, which cracked and shattered, throwing a rain of white stones. The beam then aimed at Mason, but he quickly jumped out of the way while surveying the scalded ground and streaks of black liquid. After landing, he knew that if he had been hit by that attack, he would have ended up badly hurt.
Mason dashed forward while releasing his Soul Charge as if challenging the dragon to a mighty fight. When the dragon's claws came at him, Mason countered with his Phantom Dive, a technique in which he dives through space and time, leaving behind only a trail of afterimages. Essentially, he moves at a speed beyond his limits while remaining invulnerable. The Demon Regalia pierced the monster's chest as purple blood splattered on Mason's cheeks. In reaction to its cries of pain, the Cursed Dragon shot black light into the sky.
Apparently, Mason had found its weakness! He grimaced as he absorbed the creature's soul energy, unable to contain his laughter when he imagined the process ahead. Mason tightened his grip on the dragon's chest and broke through its heart. The spurting purple blood blocked one of his visions, but he could still see the Cursed Dragon attempting to bite him with its fangs. Mason responded with an upward smack of his left hand, hitting the dragon's chin with a confident smile.
Mason was one of millions; his strength was far from ordinary. The texture of his skin, from his bandaged hands to his feet, was extremely rough and strong, and his punches were like concrete that could destroy any building. Seeing the overwhelmed dragon, he pulled his sword from the creature's body and began slashing blindly. His slashes became more and more ferocious as he channeled his pain, hatred, and the suffering of this world he had suppressed until now. He was reluctant to stop, and the Demon Regalia in his hands was like a whirlwind blade that sliced through giant flesh every second.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Unfortunately for Mason, his relentless slashes were delayed by just a second as his mental illness recurred, causing him to laugh again. This allowed the dragon to find an opening, clawing at the ground as it crawled and limped while trying to flap its wings. It then flew into the air to avoid a ground fight, as its scratched body couldn't hold back the pain any longer.
"Tch, I shouldn't have let the dragon fly freely," Mason muttered, regretting his actions as he looked at the creature hovering above him.
The man waited for the perfect moment, but the dragon persisted in unleashing black light from a distance. Despite this setback, Mason was aware that the dragon was becoming exhausted, and it was only a matter of seconds before its energy would be depleted. He devised a plan to utilize his final attack, bringing the dragon down and launching a series of consecutive attacks. It was crucial for Mason to act quickly before the undead creature could regenerate if given enough time to recover.
"Sounds like a good plan," Mason smiled, but first, he had to dodge the burst of light with a mighty leap. "Interesting! Ha ha!" he laughed with joy as if his blood danced impatiently within him. As soon as he landed, he emitted a fiery blue aura, tightly gripping the Demon Regalia sword with both hands. He took aim at the Cursed Dragon soaring in the sky, fully prepared to bring the battle to an instant end!
As Mason struggled with the airborne monster, Gantala also encountered a similarly severe challenge, engaging in a fierce battle with the Dark Bishop who floated in the air. They exchanged a continuous barrage of magic attacks, with the Dark Bishop using dark elements while Gantala utilized light ones. While the undead Bishop could keep going all day, Gantala couldn't afford to play a game that wasn't in his favor, and his chakra was nearly depleted. He had to bring the Bishop ashore and finish him off.
The Dark Bishop prepared to launch a spell in the form of a large sphere of darkness, gathering all his energy. The winds were slowly drawn into it, and the energy was so powerful that it nearly pulled Gantala in, making him difficult to breathe. From the Dark Bishop's mana expenditure, it was evident that this was the final blow. Gantala closed his eyes to concentrate, his face streaked with exertion as he struggled to cast a high-level spell. When he opened his shining eyes, his glowing green hand aimed at the Dark Bishop, ready to unleash his spell.
"Divya Mudra!" chanted Gantala as a circle of green runes locked onto the Dark Bishop's body, preventing his darkness attack from launching. Using his telekinesis ability, Gantala attached the Dark Bishop with the seal and knocked him to the ground. He then extended a sword of light from his palms, shifting his left hand. "Divya Prakashastra!" shouted the Monk, cutting the Dark Bishop's body in two, which then vanished in the wind.
Gantala was taken aback as he watched the wind dust slowly reform into a single entity. He quickly realized that the Dark Bishop had been resurrected and was now able to withstand even the most powerful hybrid attacks. Fueled by anger, Gantala tore the Dark Bishop back into pieces with his Lightsword, determined to defeat him once and for all. He couldn't help but wonder if there was anything left that could kill his enemy, now that both physical and magical attacks had failed.
Vanatos was busy fending off the demons and djinns attacking her fellow cadets. However, with Aida's unusual aura, she was able to surprise many of the demons and jinns who came into contact with her and became infected with the Aida virus. When they were completely corrupted and went insane, Vanatos paid no attention to them and freely attacked the others.
The corruption from the Aida Virus was like a jet-colored mist that bubbled over Vanatos' body. The Aida virus was an anomaly for which there was still no cure. Even the Dark Bishop, who was preoccupied with Gantala, could not use his healing magic to cure it. In fact, the Dark Bishop hoped that his troops would die so that he could resurrect them rather than be in a state of limbo forever.
Vanatos tied the demon's head with her whip and then decapitated it with her axe. She repeated this without stopping, seeming to enjoy whipping the monsters and knocking down those who tried to fly, before finishing them off with her axe.
She tied the demon's head with her whip, then cut off his head with an axe. She kept repeating this without stopping once. The girl seemed to be happily whipping the monsters and thwarting those who tried to fly until they fell back to the ground, then whacked their prey with her axe.
Vanatos was one of the most active cadets in the hermitage, but her task became even more challenging when her opponents roamed to other cadets. However, the cheerful-looking girl persisted, throwing her axe with precision to bring down the demons and swiftly finishing them off one by one. Although she may not have realized it, she contributed the most to the team effort, tirelessly moving behind everyone in the background without them noticing.
Thanks to Vanatos's intervention, the five cadets were able to ignore the demon and djinn attacks and focus on their respective opponents as the battle raged on in the third hermitage. Despite the chaos, Lucius, Aina, and Thanistor managed to take down Ifrit thrice, while Mashive continued to aim at the Cursed Dragon. Gantala relentlessly slashed at the Dark Bishop in frustration to prevent him from floating up.
***
"Mark! Hold on, dawn is coming soon!" pleaded Karanzo, peering down at his classmate lying motionless on the ground of the fourth hermitage.
Mark's vision blurred as he gazed up at Karanzo, blood streaming from his severed hands, unable to withstand the powerful charge of the Minotaur's horns. Yet, in his final moments, he found solace in knowing that he had endured alongside his fellow cadets for a decade, finally catching up to those who had been summoned by the gods before him.
With a faint smile, Mark whispered, "Ka... ran... zo..." His labored breathing gradually ceased.
"No, no... Wait, you must hold on, Mark. Dawn has arrived," Karanzo pleaded desperately.
Karanzo fell silent when he realized that Mark's gaze was fixed on something beyond his own sight, and his breath ceased along with his heartbeat. Anguish consumed Karanzo, swearing to avenge Mark against the accursed Minotaur!
The Minotaur swung its iron mace, shattering pillars and causing stones to rain down on the cadets in the northern cave. Towering and muscular, this A-level monster was covered in thick, black shaggy fur, with broad shoulders and a strong body. Its long arms wielded claws that could tear through cadets' armor, while its hoof stomp momentarily halted time and distorted gravity for those who dared to attack it. With each swift movement, its destructive horns laid waste to sturdy buildings. Meanwhile, Karanzo, Rin, and Joel devised a plan to confront this formidable foe head-on.
In the south, other A-level monsters wreaked havoc. Baphomet, a giant goat-headed creature with menacing horns, hooves, and a beard, posed a significant challenge for Ray, Sarah, and Valder. Baphomet swung an axe adorned with impaled cadavers and unleashed fiery magic from its mouth, engulfing buildings in flames.
Karanzo and Ray's group took on the task of handling the A-tier monsters, while the remaining cadets engaged in combat against the Death Knights and Banshees, ensuring they drew these adversaries away from the central battlefield.
Karanzo hurled a knife that found its mark, piercing the Minotaur's body. The monstrous creature reacted swiftly to the ninja cadet's attempt, immediately retaliating by smashing its iron club into the ground. Scraping its feet against the surface repeatedly, the Minotaur prepared to charge at anyone in its path, especially Karanzo, who had been provoking it. Sensing the imminent danger, the shinobi activated his special ability—the seven illusory signs.
Swiftly sprinting several kilometers away, Karanzo created a safe distance while the Minotaur's murderous gaze remained fixed upon him. Once he reached a suitable spot, he firmly pressed his right hand, marked with a distinctive symbol, onto the ground.
Rin, astonished by the intricate sign Karanzo had left, exclaimed, "Karanzo! That sign will deplete your spiritual energy!"
Meanwhile, Joel, slow to realize Karanzo's strategy, positioned himself at a safe distance, preparing to take aim and patiently await the Minotaur's entrapment in Karanzo's cunning plan.
"Just remember, once it slows down, unleash your full force!" Karanzo commanded Rin and Joel.
The Minotaur charged forward, demolishing everything in its path, shattering the armor of the Death Knights and dispersing the Banshees. The powerful force of the bull's ramming overwhelmed the sounds of battle within the hermitage, reducing the walls to mere dust.
In the aftermath, the scattered remnants of the Death Knights' armor lay strewn across the area, some with only helmets and bodies, desperately crawling in search of their lost limbs. The Minotaur trampled over the lifeless bodies of the cadets, leaving a grim trail of blood that transformed the ground into a desolate wasteland.
"Illusory-Sign Feint!" Karanzo bellowed.
As soon as the Minotaur stepped on the sign Karanzo had placed on the ground, it detonated with tremendous force. The resulting explosion created a temporal distortion, ensnaring the Minotaur's body in slow motion, causing even the smallest stones and pebbles to descend with excruciating slowness. Meanwhile, Karanzo deftly evaded the charging horns of the Minotaur, which propelled him high into the air.
"Yes!" exclaimed Karanzo, swiftly drawing two Karambit Blades named Virtue and Vile from his waist. Rin wielded her katana, while Joel readied his arrows, and together they lunged at the Minotaur with flawless coordination.
Karanzo raised his right hand, displaying yet another sign. "Illusory-Sign Dark Clone!" he declared. A black shadow materialized beside him, seamlessly joining the relentless assault on the Minotaur with its dual blades.
As Karanzo's attacks intensified, the Minotaur's body was mercilessly torn apart. With each successive strike, his movements grew swifter, accompanied by an expanding legion of shadowy assailants. Meanwhile, Joel continued to shoot while on the move, and his poison arrows rained down upon the Minotaur's defensive stance, their tips impeding its movements.
Rin swiftly hurled a handful of needles from her pocket, each finding its mark in the monster's vital body. Then, with a leap into the air, she shouted, "Tuneful Melody Style, Rainbow Strike!" Her swift slash traced a vibrant rainbow from top to bottom, shattering one of the Minotaur's horns.
"Rin, unleash your Sign! We must press on with the attack!" commanded Karanzo, fully immersed in the battle against the Minotaur alongside his shadowy technique.
Rin closed her eyes, focusing her concentration. In a swift motion, her right hand flashed a glowing sign. "Secret-Sign Rainbow Clone!" she invoked.
Rainbow-colored shadows materialized, joining Karanzo and his shadowy counterparts in inflicting endless torment upon the Minotaur. The beast groaned in pain as the combined attacks overwhelmed its battered and bloodied body, inflicting countless fresh wounds with each passing minute.
Observing from a distance, Joel muttered, "A formidable combination. So this is the power of the Shinra ninjas..."
Having endured a barrage of hurricane blades, the Minotaur took a deep breath, gathering its strength. It then stomped its feet upon the ground, unleashing a shockwave that momentarily halted the onslaught of Karanzo and Rin. With a vigorous swing of its massive iron club, the Minotaur created a violent gust of wind that sent both individuals flying and obliterated their shadows.
Rin dragged her sword along the ground, creating friction to slow its momentum. Karanzo somersaulted backward, landing safely, but then sneezed in a puff of smoke.
"Impossible! Despite being covered in wounds, can that monster still fight?" Karanzo exclaimed.
"I don't think so, Karanzo. Some of the needles I threw contained paralytic poison, and Joel's poison arrows also contributed. Soon, the monster will be defeated," Rin replied confidently.
The Minotaur approached them slowly, and as Rin had predicted, its movements became sluggish. One of its broken horns disoriented its head, causing the world to spin around it, and the monster coughed, blood seeping from its mouth. The poison had taken effect. Overwhelmed with pain, its legs trembled as if they could no longer support its massive body. Before long, the exhausted Minotaur collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
"This is for Mark," Karanzo whispered, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.