[Your party has entered a Boss fight!]
Zeth pointed his sword at Clyde.
[Boss has used Beckoning challenge! You can only focus on him and him alone.]
Clyde sneered, aimed a hand, unleashing an energy ball. Zeth batted it to the side then charged the young man. Clyde blocked his first strike, then second. Upon the third block, he took a graze to the shoulder.
The Hidden Lotus leader continued to push him back. That pulled anger into the young man. He wouldn't be easy meat.
[Your HP/ MP: 90%]
Clyde roared then swung aggressively. Zeth laughed, easily parrying, easily pushing back.
[You've activated Spirit slash.]
[Zeth activated Lightning evade.]
To Clyde's relief, he didn't have to yell for help. No one could expect him to take on a freaking boss enemy solo. Not yet.
[Dark activated Black scattering strike.]
[Zeth activated Flash step.]
Clyde's eyes widened when the boss was right in front of him, grinning. Dark's spheres of magic hit the ground, dissipating harmlessly.
[Zeth activated Crimson slash.]
[Zeth's passive skill activated Heated boost!]
[Zeth's passive skill activated auto-knockback.]
The bloodred sword slash cracked Clyde's invisible armor and he felt himself on his back, weightless. Pain and sticky warmness on the wound accompanied him on the trip to the ground.
[Your HP: 23%]
[Harumi activated Flash heal!]
[Harumi activated Mass light heal!]
[Your HP: 78%]
Clyde struggled against the remaining pain to stand. Zeth aimed a hand at Dark but didn't bother to attack when the chuuni quickly retreated. Seth, Toru, and Kitome finished off the Lizard guards, putting a smile on Clyde's face. They could take this fucker together.
[Your heart protection has canceled out Beckoning challenge.]
Zeth stepped forward toward Clyde then pointed at Seth.
"Pop."
[Zeth activated Tier 2 magic: Abyss pillar]
[Seth's passive skill activated: Emergency magic shield.]
A geyser of blackness poured on top of Seth, shortly after a greenish bubble surrounded him. It may have saved his life, but judging from his screams, still dealt damage.
[Seth's HP has dropped to 12%.]
Harumi aimed her wand at Zeth's head.
[Harumi activated Lightning blast.]
As it collided with the boss, Toru gave the party a needed buff.
[Toru used Brawl shout!]
"Fuck this guy!"
[Party attack boosted by 15%. Party fighting spirit increased by 20%]
Zeth aimed a finger in the path of Harumi's amazing beam of lightning. It flickered out.
[Zeth used Spell cancel.]
Clyde shook his head, frustrated. How were they going to beat someone like this?
"Alice, we could use a hand here. One-shot him."
"Would if I could," she said, stepping beside the young man, "but he's a lot different than before. You'd better find a way to break his defenses or catch him by surprise."
Zeth started toward Clyde, ignoring the others.
[Toru activated Axis flash!]
Toru rushed forward, bright white light outlining him, only to receive a bitch slap with a single hand. The backhand sent the noble spiraling at least twenty feet.
"Don't mimic that," Alice said.
"To think Toru would turn out to be…so useless," Clyde said.
"Don't count him out yet—his attack succeeded," Alice said.
"Oh rea—"
A glowing white mark in the shape of a tiger appeared on Zeth's arm. The size of a baseball, it quickly duplicated multiple times then froze in a fierce glow. The Hidden Lotus leader tried and failed to get rid of the mark. Abruptly, the lights flickered then exploded.
[Boss HP: 460%]
"Five hundred percent again," Clyde said. "Alright guys, we've got to hit him with every—"
[Zeth activated Sonic Speed.]
Alice blocked the sword block with one she seemingly formed from midair. Zeth laughed.
"You've got to do more than lead, Clyde," Alice said. "Be on guard. He's a tricky one."
[Kitome activated Lovey-lovey spiral.]
[Seth activated Brawler's faith.]
Zeth dodged Kitome's spiral of heart bombs. Seth almost got in a glowing swing from his bat, only to have it parried away. Seth danced out of the way of the demon's blade, while receiving small healing waves from Harumi.
[Activated Scatter shot.]
Two of Clyde's energy balls managed to hit.
[Boss HP: 430%]
Well, at least there's progress, Clyde thought as he prepared to reengage the demon.
"Battle formation two," he shouted.
Everyone obeyed then unleashed skill after skill. Zeth blocked and parried away everything.
[Zeth activated Crimson slash.]
Clyde felt a little guilt at being glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of that attack. Toru seemed to take it in stride, supported by Harumi's healing.
Clyde knew the party needed to do something quickly, as Harumi's MP wouldn't last forever. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the steel dagger Clare gave him the previous week. His felt stupid for not raising the dagger combat level.
"Alright stats, don't fail me now." He placed the dagger in his sword's sheathe, utilizing extra straps to make sure it held.
Alice looked at him with unreadable eyes but nodded.
[Alice activated Radiance!]
[You are the only one in your party compatible enough to receive Radiance. You are surrounded with Radiance. Unknown stat boosts to both you and your weapons.]
Pink aura surrounded Clyde as he walked toward Zeth. The demon noticed him right away, grinning, walking to the challenge.
The two engaged again, sword to sword, steel upon steel. Clyde still stood no chance, but his boosted stats allowed him to keep up with the boss.
Suddenly, a black beam struck Zeth hard enough to knock him to the ground.
[Dark used Getsu Gen Beam! Critical! ATTACK ONCE MORE!]
[Boss HP has dropped to 400%]
"Dark you son of bitch, awesome man," Clyde said as he stabbed his sword into Zeth's neck. He expected death, a boss explosion or something, but the demon only laughed. With a flash of light, Clyde realized he was thrown off him like a used tissue paper. Zeth shrugged and smacked off everyone else's attacks with too much ease.
[Boss HP has dropped to 360%]
[Your HP has dropped to 65%]
Zeth stood up, dusting himself off. A cloud of mist briefly oozed from his mouth as if he let out the thick breath of smoker.
"Enough of this."
He held up a finger. A light formed then began to expand in a familiar giant death sphere. Suddenly, it winked out, causing the demon's eyes to widen in surprise.
[Alice used Raid Canceller. Zeth's Negative Raid ender has been negated!]
Zeth sneered.
"You traitorous bitch! Dammit, what a pain in the ass cooldown."
He charged Clyde. What he didn't know was that the young man stood ready for him. He activated Precise slash at the same time Kitome fired two heart bombs. All of it hit.
[Boss HP has dropped to 315%]
[Alice activated All calm.]
[All party members restore 20% HP , 20% HP, cure of all status effects, including hunger and thirst.]
Zeth jumped backward with a hand aimed at Clyde. The young man dodged the ball of magic as he proceeded to push forward. Radiance continued to empower him.
Seth and Toru fought alongside him like a vanguard, but the demon was just too good. He dodged, parried, and blocked.
Clyde knew the range attackers awaited an opening, but what good would it do?
[Neko used Night shadow.]
A sphere of violent magic suddenly surrounded Zeth then exploded in a display of many colors.
[Critical! Boss HP has dropped to 240% ATTACK ONCE MORE!]
"Nya, I'm not supposed to interfere," Neko said. "Only this once. Now go. You owe me for the risk."
Clyde shook himself to snap away the awe of that attack. What kind of power did she possess? He took aim. So did everyone else, sensing the chance.
[You activated Spirit wave]
[Harumi activated Lightning blast.]
[Kitome activated Lovey-lovey heart spiral.]
[Dark activated Black bolt crash.]
[Alice activated Raid crushing beam]
The combined power hit like a freight train, driving the demon to a stony wall.
[Boss HP has dropped to 100%]
"Are you kidding me," Clyde barked. "How is he not dead?"
[Your party has entered a boss fight, phase 2!]
Mist poured from Zeth's mouth like a smoky fountain. The demon laughed and laughed, then he began to convulse.
"Oh fuck no, let's not stand there and watch him transform," Clyde said too late.
The demon leapt high into the air. Large bat-like wings spouted from his back. He grew at least ten feet tall, several feet wide, rippling with enough muscle to put even intergalactic bodybuilders to shame. His face grew more lizard-like, his head a blue alligator, teeth now large fangs. Mist oozed off him. It reminded Clyde of the fog flow from an industrial-sized freezer.
[Zeth has activated Mist Beast Form.]
[Zeth used Demon Protect! Unaffected by Alice's spells.]
"Well fuck, there goes my plan," Clyde said.
"That glow…sorry Clyde," Alice said. "He's been learning to counter me for years. Guess he found it."
"To think I resort to this for mere humans," Zeth said in a deep voice that sounded like grinding wood. "I grow tired of this."
[Your MP: 23%]
Clyde sighed.
"We've made it this far. Let's finish this shit."
"Indeed," Toru said.
Seth raised his bat. Kitome nodded. Harumi gave Clyde a brief, warm smile
Zeth roared, then inhaled deeply. That intake of air bothered the young man a lot.
"Move people!" Clyde bellowed.
[Zeth activated Shadow fire.]
The group dove! The bluish white fire splashed into a wall, turning it to purple haze and ashes.
[Zeth activated Flash swipe.]
Before anyone could react, giant multiple streaks of light appeared from nowhere as Zeth thrusted forward a claw. The bright white razor-like lines were at least fifteen feet long.
Clyde didn't have to tell the party to run this time, but it did them no good. A burst of intense pain bombarded his side.
The young man collapsed.
[Your HP has dropped to 5% Your heart protection has prevented multiple status effects.]
Everyone else looked like shit, struggling with mass pain, hardly able to move.
[Alice attempted to activate a spell. Zeth's Flash swipe's mass lingering Area of Effect/AOE has canceled it.]
[Warning! Your party is in danger of being wiped!]
No…So… Close, Clyde thought. He forced himself to his feet, though not without stumbling. The pain in his side spread cross entire body. Zeth landed in front of him, laughing. It sounded dark, guttural.
"Did you really think that you stood a chance to begin with?"
He smacked Clyde to the ground.
[Your HP has dropped to 2%]
Clyde laughed. Zeth roared.
"You find something funny, human."
He stormed over to the young man and lifted him. The young man dropped his sword.
[Alice attempts to activate multiple spells but is still inflicted with mute.]
She rushed Zeth but a surprise long blue tail sent the demoness flying.
"Do any of you know who I am?" Zeth barked. "I'm the leader of the Hidden Lotus. Left Eye of the great demon lord of this city. What did you expect?"
Clyde sighed as he slowly pulled the dagger from his sheath. With one impossibly quick movement, he plunged it into Zeth's eye with all the strength he could muster.
Zeth screamed in utter agony as he dropped Clyde, covering his eye with large claws.
[Boss HP has dropped to 60% Critical! ATTACK ONCE MORE!]
[Talent activated: main character stuff. Finishing Aura!]
"Give it all you got!" Clyde ordered as he picked up his blade. He plunged it into Zeth's throat with a good Deep Slash. And as a team, everyone invoked whatever skill or attack they could muster. Even Toru and Seth risked close range engagement to finish off the Mist Beast.
[Zeth's HP has dropped to 0%]
Zeth let out a final wheeze as he fell. Clyde thought he'd turn back to his humanoid shape, but surprisingly didn't. He loomed over the demon.
"You may be strong, but we didn't come here to lose to the first boss."
Alice caught the young man in a hug. The young woman's healing magic was already flowing through the air without so much as a motion of her hand.
"I've got one more thing to do," Clyde said as he released her.
He walked to the giant orb of raw power and called to it. Not with words, but feelings. He wasn't sure how he did it.
The orb flowed into him like a stream of mist, eagerly allowing the young man to engulf it, to become one with it.
[Battle completed. Victory! Reward: 30,000 EXP and $5000.]
[You have reached levels 23, 24, and 25. Stats increased! You have learned Spirit shield! You have learned Quick Mediation!]
[Congratulations, you have absorbed your first line of power! Your reputation has increased to level 2.]
[Let it be known that absorbing an Omen's sphere has flushed you with unknown benefits. Remember, you are the only being capable of learning all elements. The orb has increased the levels of some of your skills by 1. You have learned the special ability, Acrobatics.]
[The number of Omen's orbs you've absorbed will be added to your stat page. The power will continue to flow through you for an eternity.]
[Warning: absorbing too many could change you from human to something else. Keep that in mind.]
[You have found Zeth's Book of Mist. Item class: mysterious. Item added to your inventory.]
Clyde was overwhelmed, but also too tired to give a shit, even about the large amount of money earned. Even Neko seemed to sense his exhaustion. After checking on the others, she led them out of the dungeon.
Clyde didn't want to admit it but pulsing through his veins was a new strength. He wasn't sure if he could even control it.