"[Aerial Pin!]"
I quickly threw my arm at the lion's muzzle and pinned his down to the ground as the kids escaped. If I thought he wouldn't surprise me further, he proved me wrong no matter what kind of situation we were in. Lowry, the [Insignis] player...
Gah! Why am I thinking about that right now?! If this monster is loose to the village, then it's bye-bye [Lycan] village! There are consequences if I let it happen and there's no way I'm making it a reality! While I'm not proud of having an unfair advantage for having a beta test character in the official release, it is still enough to kill it. But if I do that, the lion's second phase will cause to rampage around the forest and might unintentionally sniff out the village to release its rage further. I have to avoid that at all costs and do that, I have to avoid putting its [HP] in red and lure it as far away enough for me to finish it off. With that thought out...
"[Low Blow]!" I jump behind it and quickly kick it's...uh...sensitive area. I don't know what the hell the devs were thinking about putting this move in a game for T, but it's a good skill to stun it for a while. "[Combo Strike]!" I follow it up with a flurry of punches as you see in that old anime with macho men with "ho-cho-cho" fight scenes until the last hit pushes it a few feet away. "And finally..." I spin around before I raise my fist to throw an upward punch to the lion's jaw. "[Rising Dragon Punch]!"
I watch the [Invisible Lion] fly up after a few hits and I quickly roll away just as it falls back on the ground. To my surprise, it managed to stand up after a few seconds. Despite all of the powerful skills at my disposal and its [HP] at the yellow, it doesn't seem to back down at all. I know they were unfairly powerful back in the beta, but it seemed like the devs haven't nerfed it during the initial release despite their promises on the previous patch notes. Either way, it's going down before it can get to its final phase.
[RAAAAAWWWWRRRRR!!!]
To my shock, the lion suddenly bit its left front leg. I'm confused at its sudden self-harm, but it only took me a while until I noticed it's [HP] started to go down. Is it trying to get to its final phase immediately?! Not on my watch!
[You have succumbed to the will of the wolf.]
I let out my own roar as I let my body transform. At first, it's very painful as my body shifts around forming my hind legs and muzzle. But it grew into a pleasurable feeling as foreign instincts began to invade my mind, which I embraced with the intention of stopping this beast. Once I open my eyes, my transformation is complete and I howl with a burst of energy within me.
[The [Invisible Lion] is now [Stunned] for 10 seconds.]
Perfect! 10 seconds is enough for me! I charge towards the lion and grab its muzzle with my clawed hand.
"YOU ARE DONE!!!"
I screamed to what remaining air I had in my lungs left. I pushed the monster further and further away from the path to the village. Once I gained enough distance, I threw it into the air and charged my claws with a mix of aura and [Mana].
"[LUNAR...]" Once the lion comes down, I thrust my charged arm to its chest. "[BUUUUURST!!!!!!]"
With a single stab, my arm goes through its chest...
[CRITICAL HIT!]
...and the lion's [HP] goes down to 0. I didn't expect the quick defeat, but I guess my luck says otherwise for once. At least the village is safe...
[You have defeated one-half of the lion couple.]
Wait... Couple?!
Now that I took a closer look before its body disintegrated in items and [Lapi], it looked like a male. If the notification is true, then where is his wife?!
----------------------------------------
[RAAAAWWWRRRRR!!!]
Damn, I should have realized this sooner! I know they are lions by nature, but I didn't expect the concept of both male and female [Invisible Lions] to exist here in [Isekai]! Other than the lack of wounds and bruises around its body, I somehow realized this was a different lion from the first one after seeing the lack of mane around its neck. And because of this, I have no idea how can I deal with the female lion since there's a possibility she's a bit stronger than the male. But that's the least of my problems as the second lion is now eyeing the trainees right in front of me.
"Don't. Move," I quietly ordered. "Do that and we'll be the lion's last meal."
[Then what do you suggest?! Even if we can escape, it will just follow us to the village and endanger everyone else,] Claw reminded me. [We need to take care of it before it becomes a problem for all of us!]
[But I thought Mr. Lowry said it's too strong for us to take on an [Invisible Lion] alone...] Christa called out.
[If we do, all of the [Lycans] will die!]
That's a bit of an exaggeration considering who Claw's father is. But I do agree there will be casualties if we don't act fast.
"Then we'll just lure it away to the village," I suggested. "Follow my lead and once we're far enough, two of us will split off and head there to warn the others."
[Are you sure that's a good idea, Mr. Lowry?] Kai asked.
"Not exactly. But what other options do we have than sacrificing ourselves to stop the [Invisible Lion]?"
Everyone grew silent after a few seconds of waiting.
"Though so. Claw, want to join me with the distraction?"
He grins with his fangs bare. [Do you want me to say no? If it's for the village, then I'll do it!]
Glad to hear he's agreeing to my plans. "Alright. Noooooow..." I draw out the word long enough for us to back away from the lion slowly. Step by step... Slow breathing... But as soon as the lion notices us, I scream, "BREAK!!!!"
We turn around and dash away without turning around to check if the lion is chasing us. Not that it matters since the point is to lure it away from the v-
[RAWWWWWRRRRR!!!]
Before I could notice the sudden roar, I suddenly crashed into an obstacle. I thought I accidentally ran into a tree. But I back away and gasp to see a large stone wall obscuring my path. What's worse is that the NPCs are on the other side of it.
[Mr. Lowry!]
Dammit! I never heard of an [Invisible Lion] using [Earth] attacks from the forums! I guess this is one of the differences between a male and a female. On the bright side, at least Claw and the others are safe. Me, on the other hand... This might spell a big penalty for me, but it might be enough risk for me to keep them safe.
"I'll try to find my way around it! Just focus on getting some help!" I call out to the NPCs.
[B-But...]
"Just go!"
I'm not gonna repeat myself. I don't care if this is part of my [Hidden Quest] or not. I don't like to see reckless kids killing themselves for me even if they are merely NPCs in a video game. I rather take the penalty than let that worst-case scenario play in this T-rated VRMMO.
Taking a deep breath, I took out my dagger and turned to the female lion. "Alright, you bastard. If you want my fellow trainees, then you have to go through me."
This was a bad idea. But what other choice do I have? All I can do is divert its attention to me while everyone else escapes.
“Spirits of life, hear my call. Give my ally the strength from your power. [Gift of Strength]!”
It's not enough to even the playing field. But it should increase my [ATK] a bit. Next...
“Spirits of flames, show yourselves! Bring the fire from my heart and help me gather it into my hand! [Fire Ball]!"
I tossed the spell right to the lion's face and started charging towards it with my dagger up front. Then I thrust it to its chest and push it further to chip its [HP].
At least that was the plan until I heard a "CLUNK" sound nearby.
[WARNING] [Your [Starter Dagger] broke... It has been unequipped and discarded from the inventory.]
...Crap.
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Losing my dagger is bad enough. But losing it while fighting against a high level is overkill! My low-level [TML] aside, just how thick that female lion's skin was?! Not even my [Gift of Strength] buff is enough to penetrate its high defenses. At this rate, I will get penalized minutes before it reaches Claw, Christa, Kai, and the village! But that doesn't mean I have to give up so soon. I took out my staff as my backup weapon next and rolled away from the lion before it could lay its claws on me.
“Spirits of flames, show yourselves! Erect the shield of flames to deter my enemies! [Fire Wall]!”
I backed away as a wall of flames erected between me and the lion. Of course, being a spell I earned recently from a level-up means it's a bit weaker than I imagined. Regardless, I quickly shoot another set of [Fire Balls] between cooldowns at it while running around in my attempt to find an opening for my escape. But just when I found it, the lion roared after being pelted by fire and several more stones popped out in front of me. This stubborn cat... She somehow sees me as its personal cat toy and I hate it! Just then, the lion swipes its claws on my chest. I quickly roll away from her, but barely as I feel a graze on my left shoulder.
[HP: 148/350]
If that attack hit me head-on, I would have died by now. But I can't keep dodging forever! Without a dagger, I wouldn't be able to distract her any longer away from the [Lycans] and the village and I would run out of [MP] by that time! Dammit! I wish I could have picked another weapon [Mastery] than [Magecrafting]!
Hang on a second... Another [Mastery]... I've been working my ass off practicing and training my fists and legs with Lupus and Fenrir. I still haven't got the [Mastery] from them, but why not use them now? It's too reckless in this situation, but I don't have any other choice. I place my right fist and foot forward and my left arm straight at the back with my gaze now focused on the lion.
"Alright, kitty-cat..." I take a deep breath. "Bring it."
The lion roars and pounces with her claws bare. Guess she didn't like my taunt, but that doesn't matter. I inhaled as I raised my left arm and exhaled before I thrust it into her smug face. I don't care if it's little damage. As long as I chip her [HP] down and keep the aggro to me, I'm willing to risk...
SMACK!
[RAWOWWWW!!!]
[HP: 972/1090]
...Huh? That's a bit more damage than I expected even with my fist. And I know fighting barehanded cuts the damage down to half unless I have a right [Mastery]. I would have figured out why or how, but just looking at the [Invisible Lion] recovering from my attack makes me realize that I have no time to play 20/20 questions to myself. Still in my first form after that punch, I continue my attack by switching arms for another punch. Then another back on my left fist, an elbow to her face, and finishing it off with a roundhouse kick.
[RAWOWOWOWOW!!!]
[HP: 863/1090]
Strange winces aside, I can't believe my attacks are starting to get through! Sure, I only got about 100 damage in with only a few seconds left of my [Gift of Strength], but I never expected the turnaround like that! I'm still lost at this sudden Deux Ex Machina moment, but I don't care! I might have a chance to beat this bitch!
[ROAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!]
Those thoughts are the last thing I make as I find myself being pushed back by her roar.
[HP: 102/350]
Damn... It's only a roar and it already took another chunk of my [HP]! I almost got overconfident and paid the price for it! With the [Gift of Strength] already expired, I guess this is it for me...
"Don't tell me you're giving up too soon, kid?!"
Just as I can turn to see the source of the familiar, but gruff voice, a brown blur tackled the female [Invisible Lion] and scratched her face. As soon as it landed next to me, I gasped to see a familiar brown werewolf beside me.
"Lawrence?! B-But the lion..."
"I took care of it, so not to worry about it," he answered quickly. "The bigger question is what the hell are you thinking?! You do realize fighting against an [Invisible Lion] in single digits meant a painful penalty."
I chuckle sheepishly. "It's either this or the trainees' deaths. And I'm not the type to make that a reality. Think you can handle it with me around?"
Lawrence growled under his breath while shaking his lupine head. "Only if you promise not to be recklessly stupid."
I nod with a smile. "Deal." I turn to the lion next. "This female lion seems to be much stronger than a male. Yet I can smack her despite the weapon penalty and my low level."
Just then, he stared at me for a while before turning to the lion. "It's only a theory, but I'm guessing she has an abysmal [DEF] in exchange for power and [SPD] in contrast to the male's [STR] and [DEF]. Think you can buff me with one of your [Life] spells and throw a [Fire Ball] to blind it?"
"Just so you know, my [Gift of Strength] is a bit weaker at the moment," I remind him.
"That's enough for me. Punch it!"
I'm still worried about the handicap. But considering he's playing the game since the beta, I won't complain about it. I cast the [Gift of Strength] to Lawrence and still following his orders, I cast another [Fire Ball] on her eyes. After that, I'll leave everything else to Lawrence.
"Aim below her jaws, sir!" I call out after recalling my attempt.
"Got it!" I backed away while watching Lawrence throw a punch at the part I suggested. "[Rising Dragon Punch]!"
I gasped when I saw the lion fly up with a single uppercut skill. When he said he converted most of his character data from the beta, he wasn't kidding. If he could make a monster fly with a single punch, I wonder if it's the same with his other skills. This begs the question of how he managed to keep his character since the official release without breaking the game.
Back at the battle, Lawrence jumps at a great height thanks to his hindlegs and proceeds to throw every punch, scratch, and kick at the poor lion. What's more shocking is that he charges a large amount of red aura in his right paw just as the lion starts to fall back to the ground.
"[FLYING KICK]!!!"
My jaw almost dropped as Lawrence's said kick connected with the lion's gut before the crashed back down to the ground. Dust quickly spread around the forest battlefield as I covered my eyes from it. After a while, I open them and gasp to see the werewolf player standing above the monster seemingly triumphantly. He seemed to growl from exhaustion, yet he was still frowning for some reason. Besides, it looked like she only has a few [HP] currently on red right now.
"Should you finish it?" I asked.
"Yeah. That skill has an annoying lag time after that. Too bad I didn't trigger a critical again." Lawrence flashes his claws and raises them at the monster. "Either way, it's the end for you, la-"
[ROOOOAAAAAARRRRR!!!]
I covered my ears as her ear-splitting roar echoed through the forest. This is so sudden. The [Invisible Lion] I know didn't have that attack from the players' statements from the forums. Is this an ability that only the female ones can use?
"Heads up, kid!"
I gasp as I turn around and see the lion charging towards me. Her body is now covered in a red aura and her claws are enveloped in a black aura. Despite the aggro Lawrence gathered for himself, it suddenly shifts her attention to me and I doubt I can dodge or block it in time from its increased speed. I don't know if it's the heat of the moment or out of desperation, but just as she got closer to attack me, I twisted my body and threw my right foot to her muzzle in a roundhouse kick. My counterattack hits and while I feel an intense pain in my leg, the strength from my current level seems to be enough to barely break her jaw.
[HP: 204/1090]
I'm surprised at the changes in her [HP]. While it's still weak, the damage I dealt before has doubled, and not only that...
[You have [Stunned] the [Invisible Lady Lion] for 10 seconds.]
I didn't expect that a basic attack was enough to incapacitate her for a few seconds. Even so, it's enough to turn things around. But I'm not the one who will finish it.
"Mr. Lawrence!" I call out before I back away from the monster.
"You're finished!" He raises his clawed hand in a position similar to a lance with his eyes aimed at its neck. "Say hello to your hubby for me. [LUNAR BURST]!!!"
With a small explosion of a white aura and a quick thrust, his claws went through the lion's chest and I watched her eyes grow lifeless while her [HP] went down to 0.
[You and
As soon as the notice appears, the carcass explodes in items and [Lapi]. I let out a big sigh as I collapsed on the ground while still reeling at the recoil from my kick.
"Nice job, kid. A bit reckless, but I'm impressed at your bravery."
"Yeah, yeah." I take a few breaths to regain my composure. "But I am never facing a higher-level monster like that again. I might get a worse penalty than the previous ones."
Lawrence chuckled. "At least you're self-aware. Still, if it wasn't for you, the village lives for another day. Speaking of which, where's..."
[LOWRY!!!]
We turn as soon we hear Claw's voice. Alongside him were not only the guards from the village but also Fenrir.
[We heard about the [Invisible Lion] from the trainees. Is the young marked safe?] Fenrir asked.
"Yep. Though barely in one piece." I frown at his slightly snarky remark. "But if it wasn't for him, the village would have faced a bigger threat than one lion. I would explain more, but we need to give this kid a well-deserved first-aid."
Fenrir approached me and took a closer look at my body. [I understand. We'll talk about this once we get the details sorted out. Guards, help the two adventurers back to the villagers!]
[Yes, sir!]
I let the guards help me up and escort them back with some of them helping Lawrence. After everything we endured from that unexpected encounter, a bit of rest sounds nice. But just as I could close my eyes to do that, I noticed some new notifications that would give me some gray hairs afterward.
[NOTICE]
[Because you chose to rely on strength rather than magic to protect, the moon has granted you the power and knowledge of the wolf.]
[You have gained the [Martial Arts Mastery]. Please replace a [Mastery] to obtain it.]
[You also gained the [Physical Enhancement Mastery].]
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[4 days until the full moon...]