Zane picked through the gloom. The path was surprisingly smooth, and the cave was studded with glowing crystals lighting a dim path. Even from way out here, he could hear the thing's breathing, a groaning, rattling sound utterly filling the space of the tunnel, crowding out the sounds of his footsteps, his breathing, his heartbeat.
Then he made a turn, and the chamber opened up before him. He saw the Boar at the other end, its dim coal-like red eyes narrowed at him. The thing was massive, hulking, and covered in a tortoise shell of giant crystals. Its tusks stood out to him mostโlike those old Japanese curved swords. If one caught him in the belly, he imagined it'd go right through him.
No minions though. Apparently the boss was challenge enough.
It let him take his place in the chamber, just watching, snorting crystal plumes. The chamber was narrow as though it were built for jousting.
โ๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ฃ (๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ)
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐: ๐๐
ย
๐๐๐๐๐๐ค:
โ๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐๐ (โ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐๐๐ โ๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ค, ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ช๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ-๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค.
ย
โ๐ฆ๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐, ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ก๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ฆ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐๐ง๐; ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐๐.
ย
๐พ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐'๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ช, ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐. ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ค.
ย
Its belly lit up red in Zane's eyesโits weak point, a circle right in the middle of it. That was where he would try to landโwhere he'd put a Titan's fist if he could.
Still it stood there, snorting at him. What was it waiting for? Shrugging, Zane went first.
His Chains dropped in air. Instantly, he twirled them, and threw up Chain Cyclone.
Then he dashed straight at the boar, chains swirling.
Only when he got within ten paces did the thing charge him.
It took a step, then another, and each shattered the ground, rippled it as though it were water, not stone. But Zane had seen that Skill. He leaped right over the fiercest of the waves. Man and Boar collided.
And Zane was tossed nearly halfway across the room; his Cyclone sputtered out. The moment it met the boar's Quake Charge, it was like a bubble popping; it lost all integrity, was rent apart. Then Zane was at the mercy of the charging Boar.
It was all he could do to throw his Chains as hard as he could at the thingโthen dive the other way, like a matador. The Boar went barreling past, shedding crystal dust like snowflakes; the ground shattered in its wake, spitting clouds of dust.
Zane sucked in a breath. That thing was strong as hell! He'd just put himself against itโhis chains were an extension of his limbs, an extension of his strength, and it had just blasted him easily.
He considered its build as it wheeled back around. It must be a little like him, but even more extreme: huge strength, huge vitality, but it ponderously slow. Its turning reminded Zane of a cruise ship slowly wheeling around a port.
Didn't matter. Not in this cramped space. It charged him again, and he barely scrambled out of the way; he tried throwing his chains at it, but the full force of them could barely throw the beast off one hoof. The problem wasn't wasn't his Chains. His Chains were heavy as hell, but that thing wore a mountain range on its back.
If he couldn't get it off its feet, how was he meant to get at its belly?
He saw why it had let him get close now. It was so slow that was the only way it could hope to hit him. But he was so weak he couldn't scratch it either. Couldn't even move itโyou just needed a little moreโฆ
Hmm.
This was probably a bad idea. But just the thought of it made his blood run hot.
The next time it charged, he charged too. And this time, when it rammed at him, he punched right backโright up its nose.
Predictably, this did nothing.
Predictably, it gored him clean in the midsection. He was rightโits horns did cut straight through him with a wet squelch. He made a kebab of himself. That had at least three organs going through. The pain was blinding. Its vibrations shivered through him; his bones felt strangely brittle; his teeth chattered intensely. He was so close he could stare it straight in its fist-sized eyes, feel the billowing heat of its breath pouring over him, fluttering his hair, shrieking by his ears.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%.
ย
Well under 75%, he imaginedโ
Then his back struck the wall hard.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%.
ย
And thenโ
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐!
๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
ย
Exactly what he'd been waiting for.
It pulled back, rammed him again, and he shoved himself right off, blood trickling from his grinning lips. Now, let's try again. He lashed it with a chain, and this time he got it off two feetโjust enough for him to whip the other chain underโ
The Boar roared and blocked it with its tusks.
It wasn't enough? Are you kidding?
Don't tell me I'll have toโฆ Zane sighed. Oh, well! He was in this deep already. Might as well go all the way!
It was coming at him with another Quake Charge, but he probably couldn't take another head-on and live. He'd have to soften it some.
He rushed the beast again. This time, as it charged, he ripped at its legs with a Chain, trying to trip it; it leapt right over. He caught its hind legs with the other Chainโagain, he could barely make it stumble. But he'd thrown off its aim; it bulldozed into him.
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
He was flung spinning away; he landed in a coughing, bloody mess. His health was almost, but not quite thereโฆ What if he could justโ
He dug a hand into his open insides, grabbed something squishy, and flung it out. It kind of looked like a sausageโsmall intestine, maybe? Whatever it was, a lot of blood came out after it.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐
ย
There we go.
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐!
๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
ย
Now for the finale, hopefully. This time, when it came at him, he had both chains at the ready. It got within ten meters, eight, five, threeโ
He swept both chains straight up with all the force he could muster.
It was like an on-ramp for its momentum. This time, the big bastard was thrown up, squealing, and at last, Zane got a look at that soft underbelly.
And all his essence gathered in his fist.
Gotcha.
Titan's Fist!
He lunged into it with the coordination of a drunkard, but the hit was clean. Beautiful, even. Right at the weakest point. The boar went tumbling, rolling awkwardly over itself, wedged to a halt by its own rocky back.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐'๐ค ๐ฝ๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ -> ๐๐
ย
โฆDid that mean it was dead?
A heartbeat passed.
Then, groaning, it stumbled to its feet. That thing did not look dead. Not even close to dead. It did look very, very angry.
Just how ungodly high was its vitality?!
It charged again, and he barely had the wherewithal to swallow his Moon Fruit.
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก!
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ -> ๐๐
ย
Not a moment too soon. This time, he lunged a hair too late. The tusk ripped clean through his side.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
ย
Shit.
As it wheeled, he ran to the other side of the chamber, put some distance between them, and tried to think, hunched a little, clutching at the gaping bloody hole in him.
So after all that, nothing had changed. They were still in a weird stalemate. It was too slow; he was too weak. Only now, he'd burned his trump card on a stupid idea.
It was stupid, wasn't it? He was too focused on what his skill told himโon its weak points. It might be weakest there, but its weak point was also its most protected. And he was going at it strikingโbut in a space this cramped, his Chains could hardly build any momentum.
โฆThey were Chains. Why was he using them like whips? Why was he trying to beat his way through stone?
He took in the Boar againโreally looked. With his eyes, not his Skill. And he saw a beast with impenetrable skin, skin clustered with crystal chunks like plates of armor.
But armor had chinks.
Not small enough for a fist to slip through, maybe. Not small enough to target with a whip's lash. Too small to strike atโฆ
It roared at him again, rocking the earth, sending gravel popping off the ground. It seemed a challenge, like it was saying, 'I can go all day. Can you?'
Then it burst at him again. But this time, Zane leapt. He didn't whip at it or punch at it. Instead, he slid his Chains over it almost gently as it passed underneath, slid until he found the place where the plates on its body met the plates on its headโthat little chink in the armor.
A chink you could fit a noose through.
He yanked it tight. It stuck.
Then a monstrous force jerked him forward; jerked him through the Chain. He went flying, struck a wall so hard he nearly blacked out; he blinked black craters out of his vision, but he held on. As the Boar turned, he yankedโhe flew at it and crash-landed painfully on its back. It reared, trying to get him off, but it couldn't, and there he looped another Chain around its neck, and grinned bloodily.
Then he pulled with all his might.
He felt that huge body jerk under him, tense up in a sudden panic. It thrashed, it bucked, but it couldn't get out; the Chains were locked in tight, strangling it.
It went buck mad. It charged straight out of the wall, smashed its head against it, threw itself at the ground, at the ceiling, and it hurt like a motherfucker; huge gashes rose up on his arms, his legs. A spearlike crystal took a chunk out of his belly. But Zane kept his grip through it all.
He rattled in a hacking breath. He tried throwing a Soul Bind at it, but the Skill lasted all of a half-second. It was back to thrashing.
Then the crystals on the boy's back started to glow.
Zane blinked, then the thought flooded back to him, that skillโ
ย
๐พ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐'๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ช, ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐. ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ช๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ค.
ย
He wheezed out a laugh. This is about to get interesting!
And the boar bucked him harder than it ever had, so hard Zane was shocked his arms hadn't been torn clean off. He'd barely fallen back when the crystals surged, shocking yellow, and exploded.
One by one, it felt like he was stuck in a hailstorm, only instead of hail what struck him was scalding hot.
Don't let go. He told himself, gritting his teeth. A simple, stupid, brutally effective strategyโdon't you fucking dare!
Thenโ
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐: โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%.
ย
And new power surged into his limbs. He wrenched hard, laughing, feeling hundreds of rivers of blood gushing off of him.
The boar bucked one last time.
Then it shuddered, and was still.