An ominous air filled the room while the creature’s heavy steps made the earth tremble on its wake. It was a beast from another era—a mighty yet horrendous creation of both alchemy and necromancy. Ascalon recognized its twisted features, as a kind of foe he had battled more than once in his time: A chimera.
But even with the weight of experience on his side, Ascalon admitted to himself that he had never seen one quite like this. This alone was enough for him to be wary of whatever kind of tricks the monster could be hiding.
Adding to that, Ascalon wasn’t alone, so he couldn’t simply risk vanquishing the beast with all his might, due to the possibility of the dungeon collapsing on their heads. Still, the room was more spacious than the corridors they had traveled earlier, so perhaps he could use his armament now.
As the humongous being sized them up with his snake head hissing, Ascalon glanced at his friends, who seemed tense but prepared.
With a confident smile, he raised his voice. “Courage, my friends!” He declared, his fist high in the air. His words startled the group momentarily, but they all nodded in acknowledgment, renewed enthusiasm surging within as a blue screen appeared in front of each of them.
Under his Watchful Gaze.
The knight of knights watches over you; fear not the dark nor the evil.
—Skill info—
Ascalon Rendland’s unique skill.
Rank: S - Level 91.
Potential: S.
Attribute: Holy.
Effects: All units considered an ‘ally’ by Ascalon Rendland have a 40% chance of ignoring fear debuffs.
Additional effects:
Has a 30% chance of rousing up morale.
Has a 10% chance of granting -lesser blessing of light-.
Has a 8% chance of doubling all effects percentages.
For Lilithra it was a familiar sight, as she had seen the same skill back at the colosseum, though this time she could finally feel the effects! Her body relaxed as her morale increased, her grip on the battle banner tighter. Lilithra beamed with joy, feeling Ascalon close.
As for the rest, it was a surprising event. Lyra gasped in awe, feeling her fearfulness vanish in an instant, a soothing warmth filling her chest. Selorien, on the other hand, looked at the screen with a raised eyebrow in an incredulous look, his body feeling more nimble all of a sudden. Just then, a new notification showed up in front of him.
Lesser Blessing of Light.
—Skill info—
Holy skill.
Rank: Not applicable - Level: Not applicable.
Potential: Not applicable.
Attribute: Holy.
Effects:
Raises all stats by 10%.
Additional effects:
* Enhances resistances against dark and evil attributes by 30%.
* Has a 2% chance of upgrading to -moderate blessing of light-.
“Ooh~ I lucked out!” Selorien exclaimed as a smile spread across his face. The rest were slightly confused for a second, but quickly pieced together what he meant. “Not fair!” Lilithra complained, puffing out her cheeks, her eyes focused on the enemy ahead.
Escarlata remained impassive, but was extremely interested. Leaving aside her fixation with Ascalon as a person, the skills and feats he was showing as a warrior were something she had to ingrain in her memory. Both to analyze and learn, and also to try and find ways to counter their effects—in case the knight turned his spear toward the L’adariels, for whatever reason.
She was a disciplined and loyal maid, and was proud of it! Still, in the back of her mind, she squealed and rejoiced to be considered an ally by him.
The chimera itself seemed very curious about them, biding its time before making a move, which was good fortune for sure. Even so, the more time it waited, the more the dread would creep again, fighting against Ascalon’s passive aura. The knight himself realized this, to an extent, so he decided to push things along.
“Come forth, foul beast!” Ascalon declared, taking a step forward as Exemplaris and Aegis appeared in his hands. Once more, a screen materialized in front of the group.
The personal skill - Heroic Challenge - Has been activated in the surrounding zone.
Calling forth honor and unwavering resolve, he dares the wicked to test their might against his valor!
—Skill info—
Ascalon Rendland’s unique skill.
Rank: S - Level 93.
Potential: S
Attribute: Holy.
Effects:
Those considered as enemies by Ascalon Rendland are forced to engage in combat with him.
Additional effects:
* Has a 50% chance to bypass all mental protections.
* Has a 55% chance to boost the effect, allowing for ‘boss’ monster taunting.
* The effect’s efficacy depends on the enemy’s stats and level.
It was a skill Selorien and Lilithra had seen before—but it was a bit different this time, since it now showed all of the information instead of having question marks all over.
Before they could fully read the skill description, a thunderous roar shook the entire room, small pebbles dropping from the roof as a sign of its magnitude. The creature suddenly burst into a dash, its enormous paws striking the floor with a powerful rhythm, having Ascalon as its objective.
Lilithra took the chance to act, raising her banner high and letting her voice be heard. “Be brave!” Her courageous rally resounded through the room, and his friends received her blessings. Selorien, especially, felt more stronger than ever, with both his friends passively increasing his stats!
The personal skill - Be Brave - Has been activated in the surrounding zone.
Her resolution shines on the battlefield, her demonic heart a beacon of hope!
—Skill info—
Lilithra Vexeria’s unique skill.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Rank: E - Level 39.
Potential: SSS.
Attribute: Holy.
Effects: All units considered an ‘ally’ by Lilithra Vexeria will get a 14% increase in all stats.
Additional effects:
* Has a 10% chance of shaking off fear debuffs.
* Has a 15% chance of rousing up morale.
* Has a 0.2% chance of doubling all effects percentages.
Then, as the beast charged toward its prey, compelled by the mighty taunt skill, it shrieked once more atop its lungs.
Lyra struggled to maintain her posture, wobbling in place as the scream’s shockwaves hit against her. “S-so strong…!” The cat girl exclaimed, getting on her knees and placing her hands on the floor, both for balance and to activate her own skill.
“Rising tide!” She chanted, her voice echoing with a mystical tone.
Rising Tide.
—Skill info—
Field type skill
Rank: B - Level 72.
Potential: A.
Attribute: Water.
Effects:
The user floods the surroundings with water. The amount of water produced depends on the user skill’s rank and level.
Additional effects:
* Boosts other water attribute skills’ power and spellcasting speed by 28%.
* Can be maintained for as long as the user stays in contact with the water
* Decreases the user’s lightning-related affinities by 40%.
Just like when they fought the guards, a stream of water started to manifest from her palms, rushing through the room. This time, however, she exerted her full concentration to manipulate its course, guiding it away from her friends and directing it toward the creature instead.
It was clear that she had taken notice of the issues in their previous fight, and applied a change in strategy in order to avoid getting in her companion’s way. Selorien was the first to notice, being the one that had cursed at her for ruining his stealth, and felt a shred of regret mixed with gratitude as he witnessed the girl do her best. Lilithra, on the other hand, was ecstatic to see Lyra in action again!
Ascalon, raising his shield at the incoming beast, glanced at Lyra to observe her powers for the first time. She seemed to be an elemental mage—a type of wizard he was quite familiar with, as he had fought side by side with many of them back in Excadia. They were, to say the least, most reliable allies!
He wanted to commend her, a nostalgic feeling welling up inside of him, but the chimera’s looming presence forced him to focus. Just mere steps away from him, the beast pounced, both its front claws descending from above with overwhelming force.
Ascalon braced himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground and crouching slightly, his shield rapidly raising to intercept the attack. The clash echoed through the room with a resounding boom, the resulting shockwave dispersing not only dirt and dust in all directions, but also repelling the water that Lyra had conjured.
Startled, Lyra’s ears twitched. She frowned, determined to concentrate her energy even further and guide her power once more. Meanwhile, the beast pressed down on Ascalon with all its strength, the knight’s legs tensing up at its colossal weight. While he kept the beast at bay, its lion head took bites at the air, trying to maul a piece off him.
The serpent’s head, having a will of its own, scanned the room with a vicious stare, in high alert and seemingly unaffected by Ascalon’s taunt skill.
“I shall keep it distracted!” Ascalon exclaimed as he assessed the situation, knowing that even if the snake remained unfazed, the other head was fully focused on attacking him. It was the perfect time for his friends to act!
Lyra, who had been manipulating the water beforehand, was the first to assist the knight as her spell finally reached the beast’s rear paws. “Ocean’s shackles!” She mystically chanted, her voice catching the snake’s attention.
Ocean’s Shackles.
—Skill info—
Miscellaneous water skill.
Rank: C - Level 56.
Potential: B.
Attribute: Water.
Effects:
The user sends forth a current of water that wraps around and ensnares their target, limiting its movement. The restraining effect depends on the length to be restrained, the user skill’s rank and level, and the target’s resistances and level.
Additional effects:
* Has a 10% chance to immobilize the target.
* Has a 18% chance to boost the restraining length.
* Has a 3% chance to ignore all resistances.
In a moment, the water climbed the chimera’s legs, coiling around them to try and bind its movements. Lilithra, in awe of yet another of Lyra’s skills, rushed ahead with her spear end pointing toward the beast, her charge steadily increasing in speed as she swiftly darted through the room.
Selorien, urged by both his friend and the power surging through his body, vanished into the shadows in order to flank the enemy easier. He advanced fearlessly, a smug grin plastered on his face, though an ominous feeling gnawed at the back of his mind.
“Careful, Selorien!” Ascalon’s voice resounded as he grappled with the beast, forcing the elf to focus on the chimera. Selorien suddenly stopped as he noticed the snake’s eyes firmly fixed on him. “Fuck!” He complained with clear irritation, feeling like he had been at a disadvantage at every one of his recent fights.
But his frustration didn’t stop there, as his body abruptly froze and alarm bells rang in his mind. “Huh?” He muttered, locked into the serpent’s gaze and unable to even blink.
Basilisk Stare.
Hisss!
—Skill info—
Creature Skill
Rank: A - Level none.
Potential: None.
Attribute: None.
Effects:
Paralyzes the target by forcefully maintaining eye contact.
Additional effects:
* Has a 25% chance of turning the target to stone.
* The effect doesn’t end until the Basilisk loses its concentration.
* Can be resisted by having a higher combination of stats and level than the Basilisk.
As the information poured in his mind, Selorien’s disappointment and annoyance reached its limits, while his recent encounters flashed in his mind.
Back at the colosseum, he suffered a resounding defeat against that crazy glyph girl. Afterward, he was mostly useless when they faced Loren’s goons, who didn’t even use skills against him. And now, the serpent could bloody see through his stealth, the one thing he tried to specialize in—and it could even lock him in place.
“This is such a pain!” He growled in a powerful voice, his usual laid-back demeanor stepping down as a bubbling anger welled up. Alongside it, another feeling surfaced—a bit of jealousy, as he caught his friend rushing ahead in the corner of his eye.
Selorien wasn’t one to dwell on such matters, but at this moment, he felt like he was lagging behind Lilithra. Since Ascalon’s arrival, the timid girl had shown incredible growth, and while he would always be the first to be happy about that, he couldn’t help but think he was stagnating.
He, who once thought the entire world was a drag, he who hated troublesome things, was now feeling desperate. As much as he longed to spend his days lazily lounging around, he wanted to remain at his friends’ side—and as things were, Selorien feared he wouldn’t be able to.
His spiraling thoughts were halted abruptly as the serpent wailed in pain. Regaining control of his body, Selorien focused on the creature. Ascalon was still engaged in a relentless struggle with the beast, the powerful bout unending. But the snake head, on the other hand, was flailing around as it hissed in fury and pain.
Both its eyes had been pierced through—one by a thin, long blade wielded by Escarlata, the other by a sharp, golden spear in the hands of his best friend, Lilithra. Looking back with clear concern, the girl raised her voice.
“Selly! Are you okay?!” Lilithra called out as she pulled out the banner’s blade from the beast, feeling a bit fearful of its intense presence, even from a distance. At the same time, Escarlata looked at him with a firm stare, her red eyes betraying a hint of relief.
Selorien smiled softly, and exhaled deeply as conflicting emotions swirled within him, as he felt both grateful and frustrated at the same time. It was a good wake-up call for him, letting him realize that he needed to take things a bit more seriously. It was time to step up his game!
Unbeknownst to him, something was being carefully forged within, shaped by his conviction.
As Selorien’s resolution steadily grew, the situation turned for the worse. The beast suddenly snapped out of Ascalon’s taunt, catching the knight momentarily off guard. With a powerful push on his shield, the chimera leaped back to gain some distance. Not even Lyra’s watery grasp managed to stop it, as it easily freed itself from the restraints.
Then, the lion’s head appraised its wounded companion, trembling in place as its fury welled up. Its anger surged into an ear-splitting roar that made the entire dungeon quake under its might.
Everyone promptly dropped their weapons and covered their ears, the powerful sound causing a pulsating pain in their heads as it reverberated through the room. Without letting its prey react, the beast pounced, but this time toward its nearest target: Lilithra.
The girl, unaware of the impending threat with her hands firmly pressed to her ears, looked up in horror as her eyes caught a glimpse of something. The gigantic chimera was falling upon her, its razor sharp claws aiming to take revenge for its wounded head.
Ascalon felt a rush of adrenaline, and leaped toward her with all his might, but feared he wouldn’t reach in time. Lyra, for her part, tried desperately to redirect the water to her friend, in hopes of erecting a wall to protect her.
But the claws inched ever closer, an inevitable doom permeating the air.