Chapter 14: The Beast emperor brothers
The door creaked open, and Lucian cautiously stepped into the room, only to be greeted by darkness. The silence was so thick, it felt suffocating. For a split second, Lucian thought he might have made a mistake, but before he could turn back, a sudden burst of light illuminated the room.
Lucian squinted, his eyes adjusting to the harsh light. But what he saw made him freeze in terror.
Two enormous figures loomed before him, casting massive shadows that made the room seem even smaller than it already was. Towering before him were two colossal beasts—brothers of unimaginable size and power.
The first was a golden lion with a mane so radiant it seemed to glow like the sun. His muscles rippled with raw strength, and his eyes gleamed with a regal fury that made Lucian feel like a mere speck beneath his gaze. The other was a massive silver tiger, its fur striped with rainbow hues, glimmering like liquid crystal under the light. Both creatures were chained, but their size alone was enough to make Lucian feel like he was staring at a living mountain range.
Lucian could barely breathe, staring up at the two beasts. They seemed so huge, so impossibly massive, that the room seemed to warp around them. His legs trembled, and for a moment, his bladder threatened to betray him.
"System!" Lucian called, his voice shaking. "What the hell is going on?!"
Ding…
"Host has encountered the Beast Emperor Brothers: Emperor of the Jungle and Emperor of the High Mountain. Legendary A-rank beasts with immense power. Defeat them or capture them through battle, but be warned, they are nearly impossible to defeat. The chains binding them will only release after the battle begins. Defeat them in their current state for a chance to capture them, but be careful. Even a single mistake could mean death."
Lucian's eyes widened as the system's words sank in. "Wait, capture them?! What the hell do you mean, capture them?!"
Before he could get an answer, the voice of the golden lion boomed, shaking the very air around him.
"Brother, it seems we have a guest. A tiny little thing," the golden lion's voice rumbled, "So small, I could squash it with a flick of my tail."
The silver-striped tiger's voice followed suit, deep and resonant. "This place is so cramped, don't you think? Let's transform a bit. I can hardly move like this."
With a crack of bones and a terrifying roar, both beast emperors began to shift. The chains rattled violently as their forms grew even larger, their already massive bodies contorting and expanding into towering, semi-humanoid forms. Their once animalistic bodies became semi-human, rippling with more power than Lucian had ever imagined possible. The golden lion's mane turned into fiery, flowing armor as his claws grew into gleaming swords of metal. The silver-striped tiger's body shimmered with energy, and his tail became a whip of pure lightning.
Lucian's heart raced. "Oh no… I've bitten off more than I can chew."
Ding…
"New Quest: Defeat the Beast Emperor Brothers."
"Reward: Ability to summon and bond with the Beast Emperor Brothers as pets. 400 faith points."
"Penalty: Instant death if you fail."
Lucian gulped. "Uh, pets? Really? I can't even handle them right now!"
Just then, the golden lion's deep voice echoed again. "Let's make this interesting, little one. We shall give you an honorable fight, but don't think for a second you'll win."
The silver-striped tiger growled in agreement, and Lucian's legs nearly gave out from fear.
The ground beneath Lucian's feet trembled as the beast emperors moved, ready to strike. Lucian felt a cold sweat run down his spine, but he couldn't back down now. His new skill Patience of the Gods was his only saving grace.
"I… I'll do my best," Lucian muttered under his breath, summoning every ounce of his courage.
Ding…
"Patience of the Gods activated: Your stamina will regenerate, and your composure will remain intact."
Lucian's body hummed with divine power as he gritted his teeth, summoning Mediodis, his battle-worn sword.
The golden lion let out a terrifying roar and charged forward, his claws slashing through the air like blades. Lucian barely had time to react, dodging just in time as the lion's claws cleaved through the ground, sending debris flying.
"Damn!" Lucian shouted, narrowly avoiding a devastating swipe. "What kind of beast is this?!"
The tiger, meanwhile, was no slouch. It darted forward like a bolt of lightning, its tail lashing out and striking Lucian in the chest, sending him flying backward into the stone wall with a sickening thud.
"Ugh!" Lucian coughed up blood, feeling the weight of the strike. "This… this isn't going well."
But the divine patience kicked in, and Lucian gritted his teeth. "I'm not going down that easily," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet, his body aching.
As the battle raged on, Lucian barely had time to think. The Beast Emperor Brothers' attacks were relentless, each blow more devastating than the last. His movements slowed as he took hit after hit, blood staining his armor, but his resolve hardened with each strike.
He barely avoided another slash from the golden lion, rolling out of the way as its clawed fingers gouged deep into the stone floor.
Lucian staggered to his feet, clutching his side, and he whispered, "Alright… enough's enough."
The ground around him began to rumble as he activated his ultimate skill: Divine Wrath. Energy surged through him, and his body burned with divine fury.
The golden lion and silver-striped tiger stopped, sensing the change in the air. The battle had shifted.
Lucian gritted his teeth, eyes flashing with divine power. "Wrath of the Gods."
A massive explosion of energy erupted from Lucian, a wave of holy fire crashing into the two titans. The golden lion roared in pain as the energy engulfed him, and the silver-striped tiger staggered back, his body sizzling from the divine flames.
Lucian, drained and bleeding, stood tall, his body crackling with divine power. "Now… Now we fight for real."
The Beast Emperor Brothers, though injured, grinned. "So you do have some fight in you. This will be fun."
With that, the battle raged on, a clash of titanic power and divine wrath, shaking the very foundations of the castle.
The clash between Lucian and the Beast Emperor Brothers erupted into chaos as the very air seemed to crackle with energy. The golden lion and silver-striped tiger, though wounded, were far from beaten. Each of them roared in defiance, their bodies transforming as they regained their footing, shaking off the divine flames that had scorched their fur.
Lucian, panting heavily, wiped blood from his brow. The Wrath of the Gods had given him a momentary advantage, but it wasn't enough to end this battle. These beasts were legends for a reason.
"Alright, I've had just about enough of you two," Lucian said, his voice hoarse but resolute. "If I go down, I'm dragging you with me!"
The golden lion sneered, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "Such confidence… We'll see how long that lasts, little ant." He lunged, claws gleaming like daggers. His massive paw swung at Lucian with the force of a tidal wave.
Lucian, his body still aching from earlier strikes, managed to roll out of the way just in time, but the lion's claw scraped against his side, tearing through his armor like paper. He hissed in pain but quickly regained his stance.
"Do you ever stop talking?" Lucian grumbled, wiping sweat and blood from his forehead. "Seriously, if I wanted a lecture, I'd go back to my old school."
The silver-striped tiger let out a low growl. "Enough talk. Time to finish this." With lightning speed, it lunged at Lucian, its tail snapping like a whip. Lucian barely dodged, but the tail caught his shoulder, sending him crashing to the floor with a bone-rattling thud.
"Ugh!" Lucian groaned, his body aching from the impact. His vision blurred for a moment, but then he remembered the system's warning: Death is imminent if he didn't finish this quickly. He couldn't afford to let his guard down for even a second.
Shaking off the dizziness, Lucian stood up and swung his sword at the tiger's massive paw, but the tiger's quick reflexes allowed it to swipe at Lucian's sword, knocking it from his hand.
"Really?!" Lucian spat, eyes widening in disbelief. "I can't even land a hit on you two?!"
The golden lion chuckled. "You talk too much, little knight. But I admire your persistence."
The silver-striped tiger smirked. "You're still standing, but not for long."
Lucian, gritting his teeth, cracked his knuckles and sighed dramatically. "You know, you two are like the annoying couple at a party who just won't shut up I'm just trying to get this over with and go home."
With a flick of his wrist, Lucian summoned Divine Wrath again, but this time, he focused it into smaller bursts, creating barriers of divine energy around himself. As the two emperors closed in, he spun, using the divine energy to deflect their blows, redirecting the force away from him.
"Ha! Take that!" Lucian grinned, sending a burst of divine energy straight at the lion's chest. It staggered back, eyes wide with surprise, as the force of the blast left a deep gouge in its fur.
"That's the spirit!" Lucian taunted, moving swiftly to avoid the tiger's claw swipe. "You know, if you two weren't such huge pain in the ass, I'd almost feel bad for you."
The golden lion growled, Its patience thinning. "Enough jokes, human. This ends now!" With a final roar, it summoned a blinding golden light from its mane, transforming it into a massive energy shockwave.
Lucian's eyes widened. "Okay, that's new." Without a moment to waste, he threw up a defensive barrier of Divine Wrath, but the shockwave crashed into it with explosive force, sending him flying across the room.
The floor beneath him cracked as he hit the stone hard. His armor was battered, and his body felt as if it were on fire from the impact.
"Ugh, this is so not what I signed up for," Lucian groaned, dragging himself to his feet. "But if I'm going down, I'm going down with style."
He staggered to his feet, barely able to stand. But then something inside him snapped—this wasn't the end. Not yet.
"Alright," Lucian muttered, "time to stop playing nice."
With a burst of energy, he activated his most powerful move—Wrath of God—one last time. The divine flames erupted from him, surrounding him in a fiery aura as he charged toward the brothers.
"Let's see if you can handle this!" Lucian roared, his voice filled with divine fury.
The golden lion and silver-striped tiger, sensing the overwhelming power, tried to brace themselves, but Lucian was too fast. He slashed with his sword, channeling the divine energy through his blade, each strike landing with precision.
The golden lion roared In agony as the divine sword cut through its massive arm, blood splattering across the room. "You… You little pest!" it snarled, its body shaking with rage.
But Lucian wasn't done. The silver-striped tiger lunged at him, but Lucian rolled and leapt, spinning in midair, and kicked the tiger in the face with a powerful burst of divine energy, sending it crashing into the wall.
"Take that, you oversized tabby!" Lucian taunted, his adrenaline pumping.
The two Beast Emperor Brothers staggered, their bodies bloodied and bruised, but their pride and fury only grew stronger.
"You dare mock us?" The golden lion snarled, his eyes glowing with fury. "We'll crush you, human."
But Lucian, with a half-sarcastic grin on his face, stood tall, defiant. "Oh, please. You two are just mad because you're stuck in chains. And, honestly, I'm just here for the free pets."
"Free pets?!" the tiger howled. "We are emperors! You will pay for your insolence!"
Lucian cracked his neck, his confidence building as the divine power surged through him. "Yeah, yeah, keep talking. You've been doing a lot of that, but you haven't really hit me yet."
And with that, Lucian surged forward, his final attack—a massive Divine Wrath burst of energy, crashing into the golden lion with the force of a thousand storms.
The room erupted in a massive explosion, light, fire, and fury flooding every corner as the two Beast Emperor Brothers roared in pain.
When the smoke cleared, Lucian was on his knees, bloodied but alive, while the two emperors lay unconscious, their massive forms crumpled to the ground. Both brothers were panting, their once-golden and rainbow-striped fur charred and smoking.
Lucian stood, chest heaving, and couldn't help but laugh through his exhaustion. "Well… that wasn't as bad as I thought. Still, I'm never doing that again."
The system chimed In, its voice filled with mockery.
Ding…
"Quest Complete: Beast Emperor Brothers defeated. Rewards granted."
Lucian looked down at his beaten body and sighed in relief. "Alright, I've earned my rest."