Mountain Apes are rare magical beasts often found dwelling in the lofty peaks of mountains. They boast a high bloodline and typically do not undergo evolution until they have reached a specific tier in their development.
What sets them apart is their awe-inspiring prowess in combat and their remarkable command over the earth element. These remarkable abilities have rightfully earned them the title of the Kings of the Mountain.
To Gilgamel's surprise, the one the Tier-2 abyssal creature that he and his team would face would be a Mountain Ape.
"Attention, everyone!" Gilgamel's voice echoed through the air, commanding the immediate focus of his teammates.
Without delay, he proceeded to divulge detailed information about the Mountain Ape: its level, bloodline, attributes, and magical abilities.
As his words sank in, a range of reactions rippled through the group.
"So, it's a Mountain Ape..." Collin murmured, casting an astonished gaze at the colossal ape below.
Everyone here is not an ignorant rookie. Among the many magical beasts in this world, the Mountain Ape is a type of magical beast that is often introduced in the Classroom that they used to attend.
They also naturally know how powerful Mountain Apes are compared to other magical beasts they have ever faced.
"Let's stick to the plan! Farad and Magnus will take the lead in the attack, while Collin, Medelien, and I will provide support from a distance," Gilgamel announced.
"Got it!" Magnus responded with determination.
With those words, Farad and Magnus leapt from the magical flying carpet and landed gracefully in the heart of the Coliseum, directly in front of the Mountain Ape.
Confronted by the imposing figure of the Mountain Ape, bristling with aggression, they swiftly drew their magic staffs.
Without hesitation, they charged towards the Mountain Ape, unleashing their distinct and powerful magic spells.
Meanwhile, on the magical flying carpet, Gilgamel turned to Collin with a determined look and inquired: "Can you conjure up this Mountain Ape again using your picture magic?"
Collin hesitated, pondering the toll it would take on his mana before responding: "I can do it, but using Tier-2 magic spells drains a lot of mana, and I won't be able to sustain it for too long."
Gilgamel reassured him, "Don't worry about mana. I've prepared an ample supply of Mana Potions for such situations."
With that, Gilgamel produced three bottles of potions and handed them to Collin. He then turned to Medelien and instructed her, "Mel, you also learn Levitate. I'm putting you in charge of controlling this flying carpet."
Medelien expressed her doubts, "I'll try my best, but I may not be able to handle it as skillfully as you do."
Gilgamel offered her words of encouragement, saying, "Your job is to maintain a safe distance and protect Collin as he works his magic."
Medelien nodded with determination and affirmed, "I understand. You can count on me."
With their plans laid out, Gilgamel leapt off the flying carpet, landing a considerable distance from where Magnus, Farad, and the Mountain Ape were engaged in combat.
Gilgamel's entrance into the area did not go unnoticed by the Mountain Ape.
It was highly attuned to sounds and immediately detected his arrival.
Despite this, the ape did not regard Gilgamel as a significant threat compared to the two humans it was currently confronting and, therefore, did not pay him much attention.
Magnus and Farad moved with uncanny synchronization as they engaged in close combat against the formidable Mountain Ape.
Their coordinated movements indicated a week of fighting together had honed their ability to work as a formidable team.
Despite their synchronized attack, the Mountain Ape effortlessly deflected their blows, showcasing its own exceptional close combat skills, matching the prowess of both Magnus and Farad.
Recognizing the need for a change in tactics, Magnus leapt backward. With a single chant of "Melting Stone," a dozen fiery rocks materialized behind him and hurtled towards the Mountain Ape.
Reacting swiftly, Farad employed his "Flash" ability to evade the incoming barrage of fiery rocks, successfully leaving the Mountain Ape to receive them alone.
Anticipating the imminent attack, the Mountain Ape swiftly encased its body in earth-based armour.
Magnus couldn't help but smirk momentarily at witnessing this defensive maneuver.
Regrettably, the Mountain Ape remained unaware of Magnus's expression, failing to realize the imminent danger. If it had noticed Magnus's smirk, it may have opted to shield itself using its own body.
As expected, when the fiery rocks made contact with the Mountain Ape, the earth armour enveloping its body swiftly liquefied without the slightest resistance.
The magma element is a powerful fusion of the earth and fire elements. The intense heat generated by magma surpasses that of regular fire and has the ability to liquefy even the hardest materials, including solid rock.
Even though the Mountain Ape's Earth Armor is a formidable Tier-2 magical ability, its resilience proves insufficient in the face of the scorching heat emitted by magma.
This illustrates the overwhelming nature of the magma element's intense heat.
The Mountain Ape was taken by complete surprise when it encountered this strange phenomenon. It struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events and, in a panic, it leapt backward to evade the fiery rocks hurtling towards it.
However, as it prepared to leap, it was unexpectedly propelled forward by a massive explosion of flames that materialized behind it without warning.
Unbeknownst to the Mountain Ape, this fiery blast was the result of Gilgamel's magic spell.
He waited until the Mountain Monkey was off guard before he released this "Ignition" magic spell from a distance.
"Ignition" is an elusive and formidable spell, characterized by its lack of auditory cues and the subtle but unmistakable fluctuations of mana it generates.
Unfortunately for the Mountain Ape, which heavily relies on its acute sense of hearing, this spell creates the perfect conditions for an ambush, leaving it vulnerable and bewildered by the sudden assault.
The Mountain Ape lay sprawled on the ground, grimacing in agony. Before it could even recover, a sudden noise from above caught its attention. As it gazed upward, it spotted four crackling lightning blades hurtling down towards it.
In a swift reaction, the Mountain Ape unleashed a deafening roar, generating a powerful sonic wave that shattered the four lightning blades before they could reach it.
After successfully fending off the attack, the Mountain Ape prepared to rise from the ground when it detected faint movements ahead. Suddenly, a large, fiery staff began to whirl and soar toward it.
Recognizing the resemblance of this attack to the earlier fire rocks, the Mountain Ape decided against trying to block it with its body. Instead, it sought to evade by burrowing into the ground.
To its dismay, its magical ability inexplicably failed to activate, leaving it baffled.
Before the Mountain Ape could contemplate this further, the massive flaming staff surged forward and struck it squarely in the face.
"Gahh!!"
Once more, the Mountain Ape was dealt a punishing blow, causing it to be flung backwards and collapse on the ground.
At that moment, Farad suddenly appeared above the Mountain Ape, wielding his spear-like magic staff and plunging it into the creature's body.
In the midst of the crisis, the imposing Mountain Ape unleashed a deafening roar, causing the closest, Farad, to be stunned, paralyzed and disoriented on the spot.
Taking advantage of Farad's vulnerable state, the Mountain Ape delivered a devastating blow, sending him crashing into the arena wall.
Filled with rage, the Mountain Ape attempted to pursue its injured foe, only to be met with a blinding red light that erupted in front of its eyes, throwing it backward once again and thwarting its assault on Farad.
"Farad, are you done for?" Magnus shouted in a certain direction.
Farad coughed, his hand trembling as he wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. With a cold expression, he responded: "Shut up!"
Farad slowly rose to his feet, his clothes coated in dust and small rock fragments. With an unfeeling look on his face, he raised his spear-like magic staff once more, murmuring, "Thunderbolt."
In an instant, a crackling electric sound filled the air as golden electricity fused at the tip of the staff, rapidly taking shape into a searing ball of lightning.
With a decisive motion, Farad hurled the electrified sphere toward the Mountain Ape, which was just recovering from Gilgamel's onslaught.
However, the Mountain Ape failed to react in time as the thunderous bolt raced through the air and struck its body. The impact triggered a violent explosion that instantly engulfed the creature.
"Have we defeated it?" Magnus asked, gazing at the Mountain Ape shrouded in smoke from the explosion.
"You fool, don't raise the flag!" admonished Gilgamel from a distance, his voice filled with urgency.