Wind whistled in Ethan's ears, ruffling his hair as he flinched from a blue ray of concentrated water that barely missed him. Water droplets hit his bare chest as he descended upon the hungry water monitors. The largest, the one he was aiming for, closed its mouth as the blue glow in the back of its throat faded, and the mighty reptile took a step back, hissing at him, but there was no stopping now.

The lance was glowing with a soft red, but Ethan couldn’t look away from his target just yet.

The tip caught the larger reptile in its flank as it twisted itself to move away from Ethan. The lance cracked through the thick scale and Ethan triggered the explosion just as a layer of even thicker scales materialized over the reptile.

His feet hit the soft soil hard, but it wasn’t as bad as the impact on his shoulders. Even though his grip slipped from his fall and from the violent pulse that ran through his Prime wand, he didn’t let go. The reptile hissed as its red blood spurted out as Ethan pulled hard to dislodge the lance when he noticed the blue glow in the corner of his left eye.

The lance came out just in time for him to launch himself backward. A thick beam of water flashed in front of him and hit the stone cliff. Rocks and dirt geysered out of the wall and Ethan had a realization as he his feet skidded against the wet soil.

If that hits me in the face, it’s taking my eye out.

Ethan tightened his grip on his lance as the lizards began circling. He eyed the one he injured and cursed under his breath when he saw it move as if nothing had happened. The hole he had dug in its back was still bleeding, but that didn’t seem to hamper it much.

It summoned scales too… Is that a Prime wand or a normal one?

If it were a Prime wand, it meant that he could push it hard enough to dissipate and now that he had his own Prime wand, he believed he knew why.

Triggering the lance’s special effect consumed one Essence. Maybe mana too, but I’m not sure. If that’s what a Prime wand needs to function, then it explains why those bone-armors turned off when I pushed them too hard.

Ethan moved to the side and watched the lizard as their yellow-slitted eyes tracked him. He was waiting for the blue glow and as soon as the larger one began preparing another ray, he raised his left hand and shot a [Small Fireball] at the ground between them.

Moss and soil geysered between him and the lizards while another jet of water went wide. Ethan ran toward the left-most reptile and saw it scanning for him in the other direction. The larger reptile saw him and hissed, but it also just missed its shot, so unless his count was off, he was safe from its water-gun for a few seconds.

Red-color inscription snaked down his lance as he primed the explosive effect. He took one more step, jumped, and stabbed downward at the lizard’s neck. Right before his lance impacted, the scales swelled and grew rougher as a darker glow emanated from below them. The lance impacted and detonated, but when the bit of smoke cleared, Ethan saw that his lance barely cut through the reinforced scales.

Shit.

Then a thick scaly tail caught him in the throat.

Ethan fell back, stumbling at first, but quickly regained his balance. The air going through his throat made a worrying whistle as he labored to inhale through the pain. Something seemed to have been damaged by the larger lizard’s attack, but the flames surging out of his left hand were pushing back the pain and slowly helping heal whatever had been damaged in his throat.

In the meantime, Ethan tried to keep calm. Panic would not help him here. He considered retreating for a second, but his mana was full. The lance still had 3 Essence charges, and one of the lizards was already injured. He just had to confirm if the scales were the Prime wand. If they were, then the fight would get a lot easier once they were down.

Just need to push their magic scales hard enough to dissipate. And that raises the question… how would I regain Essence? Question for later.

The lizards prowled forward, each rounding on him at an angle that oddly looked like a pincer. They were holding on to their water attack, believing him to be injured—which he was—but while his throat hurt and his previous offensive attempts had failed, he still had some options. Well. One, really.

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The right-side and smaller monitor lunged, jaw open, and Ethan jumped back and filled its mouth with a thin and concentrated gout of flames. The larger lizard hissed at the fire and sprayed more water at him, but Ethan raised his right arm and lance fast enough to catch the pressurized water on the shoulder and biceps.

It still sent him flying.

Steam filled the air as Ethan picked himself off, flames dancing around both hands, and when the smoke faded, Ethan saw the burnt lizard rolling on the wet mud and clacking its jaw in annoyance. It turned back on its feet and hissed at him, mouth smoking.

He couldn’t let them recover.

Ethan shot another fireball at their feet, expecting it to be countered, but it didn’t. And when he saw how close the spell had gotten to the reptiles before it exploded, he covered his eyes from the wet soil and mud that pelted him and rushed in.

That explosion had been too close. He had to capitalize on it.

Ethan ignored the pain still pulsing in his throat and shoulder, and took in the scene as he approached the lizards. As the dust and smoke cleared, he grinned.

The lower-leveled lizard had lost its summoned scales and seemed woozy. It stood low on its feet, shaking its head as it blinked its half-lidded eyes. It turned to face him, but it was most definitely out of it.

I need to finish it off. But first…

Ethan turned his attention to the second lizard. It was the one he’d gotten the drop on, and it was still manifesting its scales. Its throat was glowing as it watched him approach, but it didn’t shoot it yet. It prowled closer and hissed, trying to intimidate him away from its dazed companion. It slowly raised its head as the blue light in the back of its throat glowed brighter—

—And Ethan jumped to the left, putting the injured lizard between them once more.

Ethan sent a barely controlled gout of flame at the larger monitor as a distraction before he rushed the still stunned lizard as red runes appeared on the lance once more. Ethan took a small running jump and once more aimed at the monster’s neck and stabbed.

The lance’s tip sunk through the tough scales like a toothpick through burnt meat, but it still went deep. Ethan triggered the explosion and grimaced as his whole shoulder and upper body were rocked by the vibrations coming off his weapon.

But the damage was done.

The water monitor thrashed with pain while a gargled hiss came out of its throat. Blood sprayed from its neck and mouth, but it still didn’t fall, so Ethan triggered the wand once more. Blood spurted out of the wound and the reptile shuddered, then it fell.

You have defeated [Water monitor (I) - Level 37]

You have reached Level 32. 1 stat point awarded.

Ethan panted as he crouched behind the dead monitor. The surviving lizard raised its head and screeched, an odd ululating call, and Ethan capitalized on it by sending a [Small Fireball] at it that it snuffed once more with a quick jet of water.

It narrowed its eyes at him. Ethan braced. Ready for anything the beast might throw at him and then—

It did nothing.

Heavy seconds went by while the reptile stared at him. Its forked tongue flicked outward every few seconds to taste the air, and a cold, slimy feeling began sliding down Ethan’s back as he slowly got his breath under control.

That wasn’t just some sort of mourning call. It had called for reinforcement.

Ethan glanced at the surrounding brush. He couldn’t see movement yet, but it was only a matter of time. He had one last shot at ending things quickly, otherwise he needed to make himself scarce and get the heck out of here.

Ethan stepped from behind the dead lizard and opened his offense with another fireball that hit the soil in a geyser of dirt and dust. He ran toward the lizard at an angle, wary and watchful for the jet of pressurized water that might come out at any second, and tried slowing for a second, hoping it would take the bait and shoot, but it didn’t. It only turned its body to face him, jaws open, ready to blast him.

Ethan saw the open jaw and had a terrible idea. But if it worked, he’d be able to kill this thing really fast.

This is really dumb. Even for me. But at least I’ll save the remaining Essence.

Ethan dismissed his Prime wand while flames surged up and around him while he ran straight at the lizard. A jet of pressurized water came at him, but Ethan was ready this time. He angled himself low and took the reptile’s attack over his crossed arms.

The water hit him with the force of a falling wave, threatening to bowl him over, but his Toughness, Might and flames allowed him to resist the impact for the second or two it lasted.

Steam filled the air as the intense flames coming off his claws vaporized the water crashing into them. His feet dug into the soft soil and mud slipped into his boots. As much as he hated the sensation, he couldn’t afford the distraction.

The attack pushed him for a handful of feet but it was soon over. Ethan jumped forward once more, arms numbs while the lizardling hissed at him for a second before Ethan shoved his right hand down its throat.

There was a half second where Ethan thought he saw surprise in the reptile’s predatory gaze, right before he felt the sharp teeth clamp down on his biceps while he burnt every ounce of mana he had in his chest to create a point blank inferno inside the reptile’s throat.