"Can you get up?"
Ezekiel's body shook as he felt a hand grip his shoulder. Turning, he realized the boy had somehow avoided the Bristleback's attack.
Is he that fast? Ezekiel wondered.
There seemed to be no explanation for how or when the boy had reached his side.
But one thing was clear: this person was seemingly as skilled as Ezekiel himself.
"Ah... yes," Ezekiel nodded, getting up and dusting himself off.
"Sorry, I pushed you earlier."
"No, it's fine, we should just get—"
Ezekiel quickly looked around for an exit, but it seemed that even within the area of the pond, all the spirits and spirit beasts within the forest had surrounded them.
Could it be... a test?
"Fight."
Eurus's voice echoed throughout the forest, and although the boy couldn't perceive spirits, he felt his body shake.
Ezekiel felt afraid to fight the massive beast but knew that if Eurus was testing them both, he had no choice.
Haah...
"Let's fight that thing," Ezekiel said.
"Let's fight it," the boy agreed.
The two shared the same thought, and Ezekiel couldn't help but admire the boy's courage.
GROOOARRR!
The Bristleback turned towards the two, having recovered a bit of its energy.
"Hey, what can you do?" Ezekiel turned towards the boy.
"Uh...um—" The boy fidgeted, losing his composure at the question.
Don't tell me... He doesn't know what his main role is?! Ezekiel practically screamed inside his head, feeling doomed.
"I'll just use my fist," the boy replied, pumping his hand in a gesture of determination.
Ezekiel frowned at the thought.
"Okay then... I'll cover you. Ready?"
"Yeah..."
"Good, Let's go-"
Within the flash of an eye, the boy dashed towards the boar.
"HEY WHY ARE YOU CHARGING?!"
Ezekiel screamed at the boy running but he didn't listen.
"Haah... Are kids my age really like this?" Ezekiel sighed, shaking his head.
Then, with a focused expression, he began to chant.
"Through the living embrace, breathe and conjure... what is forever moving remains unchanged."
SWAMMM!!
With both of Ezekiel's hands, he summoned a portal.
***
The ground trembled as Bristleback, the Earth Eater, saw the tiny figure charging towards him.
With a snort of disdain, the beast stomped its massive hoof, sending a shockwave through the earth.
Massive earthen spikes erupted from the ground, their jagged edges aimed directly at Julian.
But Julian only smiled. A primal thrill coursed through his veins as he leaped into the air, his small body soaring effortlessly over the deadly spikes.
The wind whipped through his hair, and for a fleeting moment, he felt a sense of weightlessness, of pure exhilaration.
"This is amazing!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind.
VAHHHHH!!!
But his joy was short-lived. As he reached the apex of his jump, he saw Bristleback's jaws open wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth and a swirling vortex of mana gathering in its throat.
A cold dread gripped Julian's heart.
He had miscalculated and underestimated the power of the beast.
He was about to become a mid-air snack.
Then, just as the boar unleashed a devastating blast of wind, a blinding light erupted behind him.
"Gale Blast!" a voice boomed.
WHOOOOSH!
A Torrent of wind slammed into the boar's face, knocking it off balance.
Julian, falling back to earth, saw the creature stumble backwards, its eyes wide with surprise.
He twisted his body, using the momentum to angle himself towards the beast.
As he fell, he felt a strange warmth spreading through his limbs, a surge of power he had never experienced before.
[Essence of God's Gift (LV. 1) Has Reacted!]
The System's notification flashed across his vision, but Julian barely had time to process it.
He channelled the newfound energy into his fist, his muscles bulging as he prepared to strike.
RAHHH!
With a primal scream that echoed through the woods, Julian slammed his fist into the boar's snout.
BANGGGG!
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, the force of the blow shattering the earthen spikes and leaving a crater in the ground.
Blue sparks of mana crackled around Julian's fist, leaving a glowing imprint on the boar's tough hide.
The beast let out a deafening squeal as it was launched backwards, its massive body tumbling through the air before crashing into the pond with a tremendous splash.
The surrounding spirit beasts watched in stunned silence as the dust settled, revealing Julian standing triumphantly over the dazed and wounded Bristleback.
A grin split Ezekiel's face as he watched the smaller boy charge fearlessly towards the towering Bristleback.
"You're not that bad," he shouted, a note of genuine admiration in his voice.
"Let's keep it going!"
Julian didn't reply, but his determined nod was enough.
GRROOOOARRR
Bristleback enraged and singed, let out a furious roar and charged towards Julian.
RUMBLE...RUMBLE...RUMBLE...
The ground trembled with each heavy step, and the air crackled with the boar's agitated mana.
Ezekiel didn't hesitate. "Form of creation, feel the purity of warmth..." he chanted, his voice ringing with confidence.
"...sanction of that towards the light and embrace the flame."
Julian understood immediately what he was doing.
"I guess I'm..." he muttered as he sprinted towards the charging beast.
SLIDEEE!
With a burst of speed, he slid between the charging Bristleback's legs, his small body barely scraping the beast's underbelly.
"...a decoy!" he shouted, emerging on the other side, a wide grin on his face.
SHAAAAA...
"...A Blazed Flame!" Ezekiel finished his incantation, a massive arrow formed entirely of flickering fire materializing in his outstretched hand.
SHAAAAAAM!!!
He loosed the arrow, and it streaked towards the Bristleback, trailing a fiery tail.
BANG!
The Bristleback caught off guard, was engulfed in flames, its roars of pain echoing through the forest.
Seizing the opportunity, Julian leapt high into the air once more.
As he reached the peak of his jump, he gathered the energy within him, feeling a surge of power coursing through his veins.
His hands clasped together above his head, crackling with blue energy.
"I remember a guy did this to me back then," he muttered under his breath, a memory from his past life flashing through his mind.
With a mighty roar, Julian brought his clasped hands down in a devastating hammer fist, striking the Bristleback's skull with a resounding BANGG!
The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and the beast's head slammed into the ground, momentarily stunned.
Ezekiel, seeing his opening, dashed forward, his hand outstretched.
Mana swirled around his fingertips, coalescing into a razor-sharp blade of wind.
"...!"
Julian's eyes widened as he sensed the surge of mana from Ezekiel.
He rolled out of the way just as the young prince unleashed his attack.
"Wind Cutter!" Ezekiel shouted, his voice echoing through the clearing.
SLAAAASH!
A massive, blade of wind sliced through the air, cleaving the Bristleback in two.
The beast's body collapsed to the ground, its life force extinguished.
Silence descended upon the clearing, broken only by the crackling of the dying flames and the gentle rustling of leaves.
The two boys stood side by side, chests heaving, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and disbelief.
They had done it.
They had defeated a Low-Class Boss Monster.