Giving Ascalon no time to warn the others, the chimera suddenly sprang to its full height, both of its jaws opening simultaneously to let out the most earth-shattering roar as of yet.

The dungeon trembled violently, the intensity making pillars crumble and the earth to crack. Escarlata’s afterimages flickered and vanished under the sheer power of the creature’s booming cry, a shockwave so powerful that even her real form staggered back. She bit her lips in annoyance as she leapt away while avoiding the crumbling debris, fleeing from the chimera’s fierce display of anger.

Lilithra and Selorien were both repelled back, their figures flying through the air before crashing against the ground and rolling a few times, while a pulsating pain assaulted their eardrums thanks to the chimera’s roar. They both struggled against the throbbing agony, but slowly rose up to their feet.

Lyra’s binding spell was completely neutralized, the water around the creature being effortlessly blown back and vaporizing. In response, she stopped concentrating on her skills and shielded her ears instead, a pained expression showing on her face. Ascalon stood still, his sole eye focused on the enemy.

The monstrosity, under its unending scream, started to glow slightly. The amulet on Ascalon’s pocket stirred once more, a slight warm spreading across him. Taken aback, he clutched it against his chest, wondering if it was reacting to the creature’s growing power. Just what was going on with his emblem? As that fleeting thought crossed his mind, he witnessed a strange change in his foe’s demeanor.

To everyone’s shock, the chimera’s body convulsed violently, the sound of snapping bones and tearing muscles reaching their ears. The horrifying sight escalated, as a hideous, viscous protuberance began to slowly grow between its two heads.

The lump swelled and shifted, its form changing rapidly to a reddish hue. Glistening scales dripping with mucus began to cover its flesh, as the end of it took the shape of a new creature. A draconic head emerged from the chimera, its yellow, newly-born eyes brimming with life. It slowly appraised its surroundings with curiosity, its other two heads screeching as if to welcome it into the world.

The group’s morale plummeted as they took in the grotesque scene. A dragon head—just the notion sent a chill down their spines. Dragons were among the most powerful beings in existence; and it showed, as even a mere head was making their resolve waver. The ominous presence it exuded was so strong, that it almost overcame the passive fear resistance provided by Ascalon’s skill.

Lilithra gulped loudly, gripping her banner tightly. She had only heard of such creatures in fiction. From tales of their greed, cunning, and intelligence, to being portrayed as formidable foes in games. The thing she could be sure of, was that they were always, and without a doubt, a challenge worthy of the mightiest heroes.

But there it was, a dragon in front of them. The reality of facing such a legendary creature, even if it was only a head, was both thrilling and terrifying. Her face showed a nervous expression, as her eyes darted from the creature to each one of her friends, her thoughts of concern overwhelming her other thoughts.

Selorien looked amazed, a small grin plastered on his face, likely thinking about games too. He held his daggers in a firm grip, his stance low but a bit unsteady, as the pulsating pain in their eardrums had barely subsided.

Lyra, on the other hand, appeared terrified, her small figure crouching in place as she held both hands to her ears. Despite the current situation, Lilithra couldn’t help but think she looked adorable, like a small animal cowering after being scolded. She shook her head to disperse the intrusive thoughts, her eyes focusing on Escarlata.

As expected, the maid was standing tall and composed, her sight firmly focused on the chimera. Just what was going on through her ruthless mind? As Lilithra wondered about that, her eyes reached the last member of the group.

Ah, there it was, Ascalon—the sole reason they were still in place and not running away, thanks to his passive aura. She didn’t know if that was entirely a good thing, but she had the utmost confidence that things would be okay, that the knight would lead them to victory.

Her firm belief in Ascalon made her resolution flare, easing up some of her nervousness. In contrast with her growing calmness, the chimera’s dragon head cried. Although it wasn’t as strong of a roar as that of the other heads, what followed was way more alarming.

The draconic being opened its mouth wide, and its neck began to swell as something slowly surged up from deep within. In the next moment, a fierce stream of fire erupted from the dragon’s maw, illuminating the surroundings and clashing with the ceiling, flames spreading in all directions.

The group, aside from Ascalon, was caught off guard. Despite the attack not being aimed at them, they could feel the danger it posed as the temperature began to rise around them. It was up to him to stand up and face the beast. Ascalon tightened the grip on his lance and shield, while stepping forward with unwavering courage.

“Come, let us continue!” Ascalon declared, his voice booming with authority. He planned to taunt the creature once more, but oddly enough, his skill didn’t activate. In its place appeared another blue screen, and he peered at it with a raised eyebrow.

The skill -Heroic Challenge- has failed to taunt Draconic Head.

The Boss monster can’t be taunted while in its enraged state.

The screen left him astonished, as he had never encountered this ‘enraged state’ thing before—though, well, he didn’t have the network interface back in Excadia. Even so, the creature seemed to be struggling, the snake head hissing furiously in his direction, though still eye-less. The other lion head growled at it, while the dragon one peered around curiously.

The chimera’s paws scratched the ground, its body twitching and behaving erratically. Could the taunt have worked on the snake head? Ascalon recalled how the lion had been taunted before, but the serpent remained in control of its free will. Perhaps every head was considered a separate monster, meaning they had their own resistances and whatnot.

It was no surprise that it hadn’t affected the draconic head, as even in an infant state these creatures had an absurdly imposing will of their own. “Hmmm…” Ascalon pondered as he walked forward, appraising the chimera as its heads fought for control.

If he couldn’t taunt them with his ‘skill’, then he simply had to force their attention by engaging in combat! In a flash, he burst forth, his spear cutting through the air like an unstoppable projectile—though being severely limited in strength due to him deliberately holding back.

The rest watched in awe as the knight advanced, and decided it was time to act as well! Lilithra ran forward with all her might, charging with the spear pointed at the chimera just like she had done before. “I’m going!” She exclaimed with confidence. She was steadily getting the hang of that kind of attack, and the network rewarded her efforts in response.

Charge Forth.

—Skill info—

Thrusting skill.

Rank: D - Level 52.

Potential: A.

Attribute: None.

Effects:

The user charges forward with the weapon aimed ahead, carrying the momentum into a piercing thrust.

Additional effects:

* Damage depends on the user's stats and level.

* Gains a boost to attack depending on distance traveled and how much momentum is maintained.

Lilithra’s eyes widened as she saw a new skill appearing before her, a gleeful grin spreading across her face. With her motivation renewed, she put more strength into her dash. Selorien smiled boldly at his friend, and dashed alongside her as he entered the shadows.

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Before anyone else could react, Ascalon had reached the beast, and his trusty Exemplaris pierced its torso. The creature wailed in agony, their earlier confusion being replaced by anger once more as the three heads focused on him.

Seeing the chimera recoil, Lyra clenched her fists in determination before placing both hands on the ground, directing a flow of water toward the beast once again. She knew it wasn’t doing much, but she wanted to be of help!

At the same time, Ascalon raised his shield preemptively, just as the lion’s maw snapped shut on it, biting at the steel. The snake did the same—though in its blindness, it had trouble aiming at the knight, relying solely on its tongue to feel around. It snapped its maw at the air multiple times, with Ascalon barely avoiding some of the bites.

While Aegis kept the lion at bay, Ascalon withdrew his spear, only to thrust it back into the chimera’s body with a series of powerful and precise thrusts. “Have at you!” Ascalon declared as the barrage forced the creature to stagger, its cries growing as pain and desperation assailed it. Then, the dragon let out a piercing screech, its maw aiming right at the knight’s face as a glowing fire could be seen building up within its throat.

Ascalon braced for the impact, confident in his ability to withstand the elements. He recalled the day he was defeated—a colossal fireball raining down from above. If he could endure that kind of hellish fire, an infant dragon’s breath would be no issue! Still, he realized the draconic head was growing by the minute, and letting it fully manifest would turn the tide of battle against them.

Unaware of both Ascalon’s fire resistance and the impending danger of the dragon’s growth, his friends acted on his behalf. Selorien emerged from the shadows, his figure now reflected in the eye of the dragon, who appraised it with curiosity. Without the slightest hesitation, the elf struck the dragon head on its side with a piercing stab.

The scales were tough as steel, and although Selorien had carefully aimed his dagger at a space in-between, the creature had barely flinched. It was at that moment that a voice cut through the air, startling him.

“Young master, let go of the dagger!” Escarlata ordered with a commanding voice. Selorien, slightly taken aback, stepped back and released the dagger from his grip just as a black stiletto darted past his face.

Escarlata lunged forward with a flying kick, her dress fluttering behind her and revealing a pair of sophisticated garters over her trained legs, which kept her long stockings in place. She felt it was indecorous, but had no time to care about that!

The sole of her stiletto struck the dagger’s hilt with great force, pushing the blade further and finally piercing through it’s scaled hide. The strength of her attack diverted the dragon head to the side, away from Ascalon, and Escarlata smiled with relief at her own actions as she swiftly landed a couple of steps away.

The creature wailed slightly, as a relenting torrent of flames erupted from inside its jaws, muffling its sounds of protest. Replacing the dragon’s cry, the lion roared as flames engulfed it, the unending stream of fire searing through its fur. The snake head hissed in pain, while the dragon head flailed in a panic, the fire cascading around the room from above.

Selorien and Escarlata quickly retreated with careful backsteps, realizing being close to the panicked beast was too dangerous. Ascalon remained in place, his shield raised high as he watched the lion head. It moved furiously as the fire receded, though the burning pain lingered.

Amidst the fiery rain, Lilithra stomped on the ground in a decisive leap, her banner piercing the air as it met its mark: the disconcerted lion head. Her cross-shaped spear penetrated the creature’s head, its cry of anguish making the other heads twitch in response.

As the banner pierced deep, she used the momentum of her jump to place both her feets on the chimera’s body, and using it as a foothold, she jumped back. As the spear was removed from the beast, it let out another, weaker cry, a stream of blood following in Lilithra’s wake.

She landed gracefully at a safe distance, her deft movements surprising even herself. Just as she began to process her feats, a fireball struck the floor beside her, startling her into a panicked yelp.

“Nicely done, Lilithra!” Ascalon exclaimed with clear elation. “The lion has been vanquished!” He added, and a surge of excitement swept from the room. Everyone focused on the chimera, and saw how the lion head was hanging limp, completely still. Lilithra’s eyes sparkled, encouraged by her growing strength, though a bit saddened by the sight.

Even if they had been aided by the very same creature’s attack, they had managed to defeat one of its heads. “Let us push further!” Ascalon declared, urging his friends to not relent.

As if answering his call, a wall of water erupted in front of the beast. “I-I will help, too!” Lyra suddenly screamed in a surprisingly bold voice as she concentrated on her spell. She wanted to try something new, an idea she had considered but had never put into action. And fueled by her rising confidence, her thoughts became a reality.

The water wall started to grow and bend, enveloping the creature. In its pain and confusion, the chimera watched helplessly as it was confined by an enormous, shimmering water bubble. A screen appeared before Lyra, who smiled with glee at the sight.

Hydro Sphere.

—Skill info—

Defensive skill.

Rank: B - Level 71.

Potential: B.

Attribute: Water.

Effects:

An advanced application of Cascade Barrier.

Envelops an area with a spherical barrier of water capable of defending against both magical and physical attacks, including projectiles.

The strength of the barrier depends on the user skill’s rank and level, and the attribute of the shielded attack.

Additional effects:

* Can be maintained for as long as the user stays in contact with the water.

* Has a 40% chance of repelling attacks with a burst of water.

* Enemies confined within suffer a 2% penalty to their stats.

* Decreases lightning-related affinities by 60% for both allies and enemies confined within.

As she read the skill, she tightened her focus, hoping to maintain the creature restrained for as long as she could. Ascalon watched in awe, admiring the girl's water sphere as his amulet stirred once more, though with greater, increasing force—it was as if it wanted to get his attention, somehow.

⌠ “Go fo~th.” ⌡

Amidst curious stares, Ascalon vanished his shield and brought the emblem out, feeling strangely compelled to advance. Without hesitation, he pushed through the water barrier effortlessly, and stepped into the chimera’s confinement.

The dragon head regarded him with an impassive stare, its features having grown more regal and imposing—it had reached a mature state. Its intelligent eyes made Ascalon feel uneasy, but, at the same time, the water around him began to glow in a golden, soothing light.

The rest watched in confusion, Lyra most of all, as strange sigils and glyphs started to envelop the barrier—mystical words willed itselves into existence, its ethereal glow making for an enchanting and mysterious view. Ascalon was taken aback, but felt a familiar presence. “This is…?” He muttered, reading ancient but familiar writing.

It was a protective spell, one of divine nature, and that could withstand his might. As he pieced together the meaning behind it, he smiled at the unexpected, but favorable event. Ascalon then began to radiate an incandescent light, his overwhelming presence propagating through the sphere and making the dragon flinch.

As his blessing activated, Ascalon drew Exemplaris back, and then pierced forth, a most powerful sound echoing against the barrier walls. The dungeon trembled very slightly, even when his power was being contained.

Blessed be the knight.

He carries the weightiest burden, a celestial might to vanquish evil!

—Skill info—

Ascalon Rendland’s unique passive skill.

Rank: Not applicable - Not applicable.

Potential: Not applicable.

Attribute: Celestial.

Effects:

Ascalon Rendland calls forth divine aid to bolster his stats immensely and add the celestial attribute to all of his skills.

-Celestial- Realm Piercer.

Evil shall be split asunder, for this knight of knights wills it so!

—Skill info—

Ascalon Rendland’s unique skill.

Rank: SSS - Level 100.

Potential: SSS.

Attribute: Holy Celestial.

Effects:

Ascalon Rendland pierces forward in a powerful strike.

Without needing to hold back, Ascalon’s unrestrained attack devastated the weakened beast in an instant, and without allowing the dragon to fully manifest. The golden, protective sphere cracked under his overwhelming force, showing that it had barely held on.

But the amulet stirred, as if overcome with joy, and Ascalon sighed as he peered at it, wondering just what kind of being dwelled within.