Boss: Crimson Reaper; https://d.wattpad.com/story_parts/614463735/images/15482f52cd6dbfde673610334968.jpg
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It only took moments for realization to dawn onto Maria. Aside from this one thought within her, there was no other explanation she could think of. Afterall, it was said that the skills within this world could be anything. From simply summoning a blob of water, to summoning a flying battleship. Yes, there was no contest as to what was going on here.
Maria turned and faced the figure before her.
Yet, before she could ask her question, Iu had already answered for her, "Yes, I am reading your mind."
There was a short moment of silence.
"Mind reading…" Shell's voice slowly drew out in wonder.
Her sapphire blue eyes couldn't help but stare at Iu for a bit. Crimson eyes, ash white skin.
'Is she part of the reclusive vampire race?'
Were humans and demons the only humanoid races within this world? The answer was a no. From fairies, to elves, to even vampires, many races existed or had existed at some point in time. Heck, there were even some few demonic beasts that took the overall design or shape of the races classified under the 'humanoid' category. Although quite rare, it was not an impossibility to see a demonic beast like such.
And Vampires, vampires were a race known extremely for their ash white skin and crimson eyes. Any other race could have one or the other, but if they had both, it was usually almost guaranteed to be a vampire.
However…
'Or is it a passive type skill?'
Yes, Shell also thought this far. Aside from being a racial type condition, it could very well be a passive type physical skill. After all, within this expansive world, skills could be anything.
"Not a passive skill," Holding the blackened umbrella, Iu shook her head, her expression unchanged.
"I am indeed a Vampire."
[I do not like her.] Ain's voice spoke.
'I do not care.' Ashe replied, her arms crossed, staring into the crimson eyes of the same-height figure.
Iu smiled lightly, "Why don't you all get to the boss fight?"
"Yes," Shell nodded.
Though, ultimately, she stopped in her track.
"What do you mean by you all?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh?" Iu glanced in their direction, there seemed to be a light smile on her face.
Maria looked on in slight wonder as the figure of this petite figure began to slowly ascend into the air, eventually looking down at the group…
Iu smiled, "I will simply watch."
[Hmm, she is not an OverLord, is she?]
'Why do you say so?' Maria responded with her own question.
[Only an OverLord may fly naturally.]
Maria furrowed her brow. OverLord, that was a realm she had heard about very few times. Not only so, it was also one which seemed glazed in mystery to her--she knew absolutely nothing about that realm of power--only knowing that Mar had reached it before her death.
However…
'Could it be a skill?' Maria was quick to pick up on the world 'naturally'.
[Yes, it very likely is.]
"Why youuuu!!!" Shell looked upwards, her teeth gritted with a bit of force.
"You do realize you won't gain the boss marks if you don't participate, right?"
However, as random as it was certain, a voice traveled to her ears.
"Shell, stop, no one here can stop her even if she wants to kill us all."
The dungeon guide turned towards the man who just stood up, there was a small frown on her face as she watched him looking towards her in plainness before her harsh voice voiced out.
"Even you?"
"Mhmm," Gushin Mao nodded, seemingly disregarding the tone of her voice.
"Even me." He smiled lightly.
"I sparred with her a bit."
Shell's brows furrowed, she briefly glanced at the figure floating within the air, and looked back at the man before her. Although not quite sure of his full abilities, she knew the strength of this man before her well. If he wished to, he could very well stomp her under his feet at a moment's notice—there was simply nothing she could do against him.
She sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly…she was a bit sick of it all in honesty. Every month, taking a new set of noobs to new heights, teaching them a bit about the dungeon. Simply put, most know nothing or bother to learn about the workings of the dungeon before entering. There was no true dungeon guide, after all, the dungeon resented at the beginning of each month, right at sunrise. The layout of each floor changing, bosses spawned at random.
Though, although sick, she was a bit happy that she could keep the dungeon core of Bultak….she smiled slightly.
"Where's Erza? Shouldn't she be with you?" She narrowed her eyes.
Arthur slowly skidded to Ashes side, and whispered: "It looks like the two know each other."
Momentarily, the crimson eyes of the girl turned to face him.
"So?" She asked, her voice containing the tone of someone truly sick of annoyances.
"Do you not find that a bit interesting?" He raised a brow.
"No." She lightly shook her head, her eyes narrowing slightly.
The prince could only sigh and turn to Ais, "What about you?"
"..."
"..."
There was a moment when the royal guard simply stared at him, she was expressionless as always. Almost as if she disregarded him in all his entirety and could give not a single less ounce of a care to whatever he was to say or do.
"Sorry?" Ais finally spoke out, her voice laced with monotone.
Arthur mentally facepalmed, it seemed she might just have been daydreaming and not heard him even one bit.
"It looks like the two know each other." He asked once more, "Do you not find it a bit interesting?"
"No."
"..."
"..."
He sighed, and turned towards his sister.
"What about you?"
"Be quiet, I am busy listening." She shooed him away.
"You mean eavesdropping?"
"Yes, that," Maria replied, not giving a single ounce of a care.
Shell frowned, "What do you mean she went ahead? I thought you two were supposed to be in a party?"
Gushin shook his head, his long locks shaking briefly, "She says she can feel her breakthrough coming and needs to do it as fast as possible before she loses interest once more. You know how she is right? Something can only grab her attention for moments before it loses it, even if that something is herself."
Shell furrowed her brows before finally sighing. A moment later, she nodded to herself. Beginning to walk forwards.
"Everyone, be ready, the dungeon locks the area once the boss is summoned. There will be no escape no matter what skills you use and your space rings will be made null. Ready?" She briefly looked back.
The whole group nodded, including Gushin, while Iu simply floated atop the sky—her crimson eyes overlooking everything as if a queen.
"Good, let's get this over with then!" Shell nodded energetically.
She raised her hand into the air.
"Boss call!"
Maria heard it, there was a sound, as if thunder had struck the earth. The wind hurled for a splitting moment, she seemingly heard the cracks of the marble floor below them. With that, she looked ahead.
'Armament.' She thought, a small radiance shining, her equipment landing upon her body in a low glimmer of an instant. And her weapon appearing at hand.
As the small smog like smoke of the dusted ground cleared, the figure began to reveal itself.
The most striking thing about it was simply its shape and look. Crimson red, and seemingly like the texture of a hard shell, it stood tall. And it was…
'Humanoid!?' Maria could hardly believe herself, were demonic beasts not just that, beasts?
[An humanoid demonic beast is possible.]
Yes, it looked the shape of a tall and lean man that carried himself with bravado. As it fully stood up, it made its presence known to the world.
The second striking feature about it was its head. Bald shiny. It held no nose, and its eyes were nothing more than two oval areas divided from the rest of its body by cracks--no pupils, nothing but its crimson shell-like skin. Its teeth were in full view, no lips, just seemingly smacked onto the face--and seemingly in a perpetual grin-not to mention the jagged spike-like teeth that lined the side of its head.
Finally, was its body…
'Clothes?' Maria became even more dumbfounded.
Yes, this thing that was known as a boss wore clothes. Seeming like black rugs—almost like an empty potato sack—his clothing covered its body in full. Its sleeves were long and covered its arm, only showing its sharp-clawed crimson red hands. Yet, it wore no shoes, showing its feet in full, with 'fingers' that look much more bestial than anything else.
Gushin stepped forward, looking at the boss that had its hand folded behind it as it stood in silence—watching them.
"Stage 3!"
With a low bellow, he kicked forwards, producing a low crack onto the floor of where he had been. Breaking through an even stats range of S, he shot towards the boss.
The world seemed to focus onto a single point with his dauntlessly black eyes.
Reaching striking distance.
Gushin's fist shot forwards.
Yet, there was a light shift in the crimson reaper's posture, his fist blew right past the rightly side of the boss and hit nothing more than air.
He spun in place, his right leg shot out.
Thud
The full force of the crimson hand grasped his leg, for a moment he saw the crimson reaper look towards his direction, those eyeless eyes of it staring into him.
Bang
A brutal force pounded against Gushin's chest as a kick landed against him.
His figure shot sideways across the space of the dungeon hall.
Bang
His body found itself pounded against one of the outreaching wall.
Bringing its right leg down from the horizontal nature, the reaper looked forwards to see the flying figures of ten golden blades headed for it.
Its feet stomped against the ground.
"Impregnable Offense." Those teeth's of it opened into voice.
Its fist punched out.
Maria understood naught of what was happening, but she could see. As if being moved by an unknown force, those ten golden blades flew directly onto that area surrounding its fist till the reached its exact center.
Naturally, the collision brought with it no surprises.
Maria's golden blades were instantly blown back by its right fist. No, not just blown away. They crumbled back into the air, the shards falling amidst the world.
Low angled, Maria's blade arched horizontally upwards. She pulled her full strength into the strike.
However, a moment later, her weapon refused to move. She felt as if she had hit a metal wall.
Maria found her blade stuck between its right hand. She looked up to see the full figure of its face looking down at her in disregard.
Her weapon quivered lightly thanks to two opposing forces.
Finally, those grim teeth lifted apart.
"Weak." Was the only world she heard from its lips.
Its leg shot forth.
The kick locked with Maria's abdomen.
Bang
There was no mystery to be solved.
The air was directly knocked out of her.
"!!"
Maria's body flung into the air as her figure flew backwards.
The crimson reaper crossed its arms in front of itself.
A thud echoed out as Ashe's kick connected with its defense, her figure landed back down, she spun around once.
Her leg shot out again.
This time, she connected cleanly.
The body of the crimson reaper shot rightward.
Looking up, it saw a silver blade with a blue hilt falling down.
Its body flung a bit leftwards before instantly falling down.
Ais's blade did nothing much of impail into the ground.
'What!?!' Shell thought.
What had just happened before her eyes was too similar to her own skill Momentum Control.
It rose.
It's leg shot forwards.
Ais instantly raised her blade to block its attack at her leftward.
However, it was nothing more than a faint, its momentum forcefully canceled, its punch shot forwards.
Her speed may be low, however, Ais's reaction time was one of the fastest thanks to the simple skill she held. Circular View held its own merit. Feint or not, she would cut it down!
Her golden pupils were beyond focused.
Her blade flashed, gently grazing against the arm of the crimson reaper and headed straight for its neck.
Clink
"..."
"..."
The two momentarily stared at the other. Ais's eyes staring at the area her blade had been stopped. Her weapon could move no further. She didn't hold enough force to cut its neck! The hard shell-like skin of the boss served its purpose.
It grinned, yet to attack.
However...
Seeing the ball of flames, Ais had already jumped backwards.
Bang
Yet, reality was still quite a bit different.
Its fist punched through the hazy flames and rocketed towards the royal guard.
Ais raised her blade to block.
Yet, its fist stopped short of Ais's blade. Having been wrapped by what was, in essence, a thin film of iron rope.
It looked rightward.
Shell smiled.
The dagger in her left hand spun into direction and stabbed leftward.
"!!"
Yet, it passed nothing but air.
Narrowly avoiding the dagger, the crimson reaper bent its body fully backwards, its back arching mere inches from the ground.
It looked up.
A leg descended down onto it.
Bang
Gushin felt the force of pounding against a fortified wall.
The ground cracked, the figure of the crimson reaper pounded against the marble floors as a resounding bang echoed into the chamber.
He looked down.
"What!?"
He had entered into stage 4. Its left arm had been shattered, blood continuously spilled from the injury, yet, it still grinned. Those full set of teeth in display to the whole world opened up.
A piercing screech rang into the air, vibrating as if a sonic attack.
Maria shakingly stood up and looked towards the direction of the beast. Her ears ringing, her weapons grasped, her abdomen hurling in pain, she watched as the beast began to rise.
'What!?!'
[Oh, interesting.]
Gushin Mao fell down as if a fly, and Shell Chrome followed right after. Both their bodies falling in a simple thud as if they had been immediately killed.
However...
Ais's blade clicked against the ground. A cough of blood splurged from her lips, staining the marble floor.
'
That skill of hers, although taking her expression away, left her with an increase in mental fortitude. She hadn't fell into slumber like the other two that had been within close proximity. Yet, she had still gained some damage from resisting the call.
Ais looked up momentarily, her lips stained with blood, and her golden eyes in the face of a fist.
Connecting in no surprise, the body of the royal guard immediately flung away.
Maria grasped her blade with an impending force.
She ran forwards once more.
An azure column of flames pierced through and scorched past the world.
She looked to see Ashe standing by Arthur, her body having undergone a partial transformation.
A boom resounded, the flames crashed against the standing crimson reaper.
Its body skidded briefly backwards, it held its stance, the singular right hand was stretched forwards. The pillar blocked within the palms of its hand, refusing to advance further.
The golden blades melded from nothing press and into her weapon.
Maria threw her blade with full force.
Standing still, there was no surprise.
The crimson reaper was immediately impaled, Maira's weapon piercing through the thick shell of its skin, its figure flung backwards.
There was a ping of a crash, the bosses figure found itself stuck against the ground.
Maria blinked.
And simply…
A moment later, she saw nothing.
….it vanished from sight.
Bang
Yet, mere seconds later, a full force of a pound knocked against her head.
Her figure flung sideways. Che skidded against the floor, hopping about in a bid before finally crashing against the wall in a harsh thud.
Crimson blood coughed from her lips.
Her view blurred for moments.
Yet…
[Get up.]
Maria forced herself upwards, shakingly standing with her will.
Looking, her pinkish gem-like eyes traced golden hue.
Yet, the first thing she saw wasn't the beast, but rather, a boy.
A boy of average height, lean and skinny for the most part. Having an attire composed of a red shirt, cotton black shorts, and a coat of black lined with purples at the seams that held a hoodie that fell to his back. His visible hair was short and blackened, with a singular bang covering his right eye. The visible left eye was a ruby sequence of color.
Her eyes met with his, the two briefly interlocked in a staring contest.
His expression remained the same even as she stared at his figure, stoically placed.
"Who are you?" Maria raised a brow.
"Where did you come from?"
The figure remained where he was standing, his hands within the pocket of the coat he wore. He didn't seem to have heard her for even a second.
Finally, he spoke.
"Oh, you can see me, I see. That's a nice skill to have, you don't mind if I mimic it a bit? Right?" His voice was tinged with a hint of surprise, yet, he held a type of superior undertone.
"Wha-!?" Maria's words stopped.
"Hmm," His eyes glazing a golden color, he looked around the area for a moment.
"This does feel a bit better, I can finally see the beast again." He spoke for a moment.
She narrowed her eyes, focusing slightly.
[Name: Magis Imperis
Strength: C
Speed: B
Mana: SS+
Skills: Mimic (Rising), Clarity (U), Crystal Memorize (U)
Overall: SS]
[Mimic: With this skill, one may mimic 1 skill of another if eye contact has been made within the past 10 seconds. Length of skill mimicry is based entirely on mana stat.]
[Clarity: When doing an action, performing magic, or using a skill, it is possible to see the correct way to do so]
[Crystal Memorize: Any magic spell seen can be memorized and stored into a red crystal for later use.
-Maximum crystal able to be made is proportional to mana stat.
Auxiliary;
'This…' Maria could hardly believe her eyes.
[Hmm…]
[He should be able to reach at least the U rank in this lifetime.]
This was cheats beyond cheats! Just the Mimic skill was enough, now added with the Crystal Memorize and a need to not practice his arts brought forth by his Clarity passive type skill~there was no other way but to call this guy a walking cheat!!
'Are we sure he was not the one who reincarnated?'
Yet, that voice traced into her ears...
"I would finish and help your friends as quickly as possible if I was you, I don't think they can hold out against an invisible opponent for long…"
Maria instantly flipped her eyes as she searched for the image of the boss. Her breathing had roughened and her vision blurred, but she could still see the chaos.
Bang
Ashe instantly found her head delved into the ground. There was nothing she could do, the assailant was invisible to her.
It stepped on her head, even as it held a massive gap in its chest covered by the glittering sword sticking out of its other end, even with stained lips, it spoke.
"A beast within a human?" A snarlful voice escaped its teeth.
It kicked out.
Ashe was blown away like a rag doll.
It turned its head to the image of multiple fireballs headed for it.
Its eyes narrowed. Its body moved, dodging the balls of flames in effortless.
"
The orange hue of flames began to descend upon him in a makeshift armor of sorts. Forming a full body armor of flames.
The crimson reaper's right fist shot forth and pounded against the solidified flame armor.
Bang
Arthur took the blow, his figure shaking as he skidded backwards a bit.
He opened his red eyes within the hollow shell of his armor, and couldn't help a low help of fright when he saw a slim hole opened within his armor—clearly, the beast had pierced it.
"Oh?"
Yet, before he could think for a counter attack, a force pounded against him.
The air was knocked out him.
Blood escaped his lips.
His visions shifted.
He was within the air.
Maria's blade provided an arc.
Its head turned, its hand shot forward.
The full force of its hand grasped her neck.
Being dragged upwards.
She couldn't breathe.
Looking at its faceless figure…
She felt.
Her sword fell, her hands grasped and clawed at the crimson reaper's.
….she was gonna die.
"Weak."
Bang
Her body crashed against the ground, cracks formed in an instance, booed splurted from her lips.
Within her mind, Maria managed a thought.
'
A cove of light illuminated her body.
"Oh?" It briefly gained interest.
Bang
'
Bang
With a final slam against the floor...Maria...she was knocked unconscious.
Yet, as the crimson reaper looked up, he saw the pointed tip of a gigantic blade fall upon it.
Its body only held time for a small movement.
The blade fell down and instantly sliced through its right shoulder. Piercing through its hardened shell-like skin, it's bones, and through the muscle fiber within—it effortlessly came down like a judge.
With the blade piercing into it, it collapsed down onto its knees.
Even as the golden radiance began in a disappearance.
Blood splurged from its lips.
It tried to stand, yet, luck was not on its side.
A silver blade, a blue hilt, golden irises, haggard tired breaths, bloodied lips. Ais pushed the blade, tip first, into its knee with both of her shaking hands.
The crimson reaper quivered right back down.
It eyes shot to Ais and delivered a kick with its remaining functional right leg.
She was blown away.
Yet, even still, luck was not on its side.
Blazing wings of flames, fiery hazes that kept his body within the air with each flap of his wings. Blood escaping from his lips, teeth gritted, eyes burning in unending fury, disregarding Iu who stood and watched him in interest, Author smacked his hand down.
"
The crimson reaper looked up.
It grinned.
A sun.
Yes, that was what it was. A glowing orange mini-sun burning in fury instantly bloomed into existence, its heat burning in unmediated anger!!
There was no escape this time.
The sun shot downward.
Boom
A blaze of flames bloomed into the area. The ground collapsed under its impact. The wind howled with might.
Yet, as the flames began to die down, as Arthur looked at the mesh that was the crimson reaper he saw...
It seemed to smile.
"
The body on the brink of collapse began to meld itself as if going back in time.
"Fu*k!" He cursed, blood spouting from his lips in anger.
Iu, at the side, simply floating amidst the air, smiled lightly.
"I fu*king hate this boss!"
Arthur lamented his failure, his mana beginning to run dry, his body limping over as the hazy flame wings at his back blinked.
Yet, as he began to fall, a figure flew towards him.
"Got you." The voice was simply.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked, turning towards the body that now took him at his shoulder.
He gleaned hazy wings of wind at the boy's back. And, likewise, he thought.
'A wind Mage? Where the f was he all this time!?'
"You may call me Magis Imperis, your use is quite something. You can't die on me yet, after all, my own natural talent in Magic is nothing." Magis spoke, and as he did so, a red crystal appeared within his right hand.
His eyes traced towards the regenerating boss. It was already beginning to shakingly stand, a grin of blood plastered upon its face.
Magis shook his head.
"This is probably going to drain my mana but..."
"Eternal Chase Icicle!!"
The air before him seemed to freeze as the temperature dropped. A thin and long icicle took shape amidst his outreach.
When Arthur saw this, his first thought was, 'A witch!?!'
After all, only witches were known to be capable of using more than a single element. However, he had never heard of a male witch.
Watching as the boss stood up shakingly to escape, Magis Imperis smiled.
"Chase."
There was a thin line connecting his mana with that of the icicle as it shot forwards.
No matter what turn or twist the crimson reaper made, he followed to the bitter end-the speed of the icicle increasing each moment as it burned his mana—yet, the power too increased just the same.
It couldn't run forever!
Before it knew what descended upon it, the icicle had already drilled into its head.
Blood flowed.
Clapping ensured.
Arthur turned his head, to see Iu. The umbrella having disappeared from her hand, she clapped lightly.
"Congratulations."
The prince narrowed his eyes, "Why didn't you help?"
"Oh?"
At that instance, Arthur felt as if a force was gripping his throat. There was no real way to describe it, it was almost like the sensation of an invisible hand--minus the warmth.
"What did you ask?" Iu questioned back.
Strangeling to breath, the young prince forced out his voice, "N...oo..thing..."
Immediately after, the strangling at his neck disappeared.
As he looked at the face of Iu, only one thought was on his mind.
'Telepathy!?!'