Chapter 15: Dungeon III
crack
crack
It has been over a minute since the Snow Leopard started its rampage, striking the defensive barrier heavily each time with its sharp, pointy claws. Due to its persistent onslaught, several cracks had appeared on the barrier, spreading like spider webs.
Inside, Cassian gritted his teeth, struggling to keep the barrier intact. He had already consumed several mana-recovery potions, but they merely delayed the inevitable.
Thankfully, he had thought of a proper strategy to defeat this vile creature during his seclusion inside the barrier.
His bright sun-like eyes shone with newfound determination, erasing the previous fear.
'Leon, your time has come.' Contacting Leon through the shared mental link provided by the Shadowbound contract, he ordered him to quietly sneak inside the leopard's shadow.
Yes, he planned to ambush the leopard using Leon's overpowered stealth ability. His third ability called [Shadow Merge] allowed him to merge other creature's shadows, perfect for assassination and information gathering. This ability merged with his exceptional affinity with darkness, made him almost undetectable.
Almost as in, powerful individuals could still sense his presence but this too will be solved eventually after his strength increases.
Cassian's shadow swirled faintly under the sunlight, hidden behind his tall figure. It detached itself from his shadow and quietly approached the leopard's shadow, merging with it successfully.
'Sucess.' A smile slowly formed on his face after getting a positive response from Leon. Although Leon was still mute, he could send basic signals through the mental link.
The ambush was ready, now he just needed the right time to signal him.
The leopard continued the assault, oblivious to the hidden enemy right under it. Although its senses were sharp, they couldn't detect Leon who was traveling through shadows.
grr
Sensing the weakening of the barrier, the leopard growled loudly and backed off. It was preparing a final move to destroy the barrier completely without any possibility of regeneration.
Cassian sensed faint traces of mana around the leopard's sharp claws. Its claws were shimmering lightly with white light, reflecting the snow beneath it. A cold, white glow engulfed them, the intensity enough to send chills down Cassian's spine. The beast lunged forward, slamming its claws into the barrier with devastating force.
slam
With a powerful slam, the barrier completely shattered, vanishing into thin air. The final line of defense that separated Cassain from the Leopard's assault was gone, leaving him at its mercy.
He however instead of panicking just had a massive grin plastered on his face.
'Now!'
The shadow beneath the leopard swirled intensely, transforming itself into a humanoid figure.
Leon emerging from the shadow clenched his fist tightly, surrounding it with his dark mana.
[Dark Fist]
Before the startled leopard could react, Leon delivered a devastating blow to its chest, knocking it off balance. The impact sent the beast skidding backward, its claws gouging deep furrows into the snow as it fought to stabilize.
Cassian wasted no time. He already understood that with their current strength, harming the Leopard's sturdy body was extremely difficult so, he opted for a different approach.
The defensive amulet disappeared from his palm and a small mirror appeared in its stead.
Facing the mirror towards the Leopard, he swiftly channeled his mana inside it, almost emptying his entire mana reserve. The mirror greedily absorbed his mana, filling itself completely with it.
flash
After absorbing the mana completely, it emitted a blinding white light. The mirror reflected the leopard's image within it, locking its target completely.
[Serenity Slash]
Cassian slowly whispered, holding the mirror tightly.
swish
A massive crescent-shaped slash descended from within the mirror, rushing toward the snow leopard. The power emitted by the slash was formidable, destroying everything within its path.
Sensing an overwhelming sense of dread from behind, the leopard swiftly balanced its body and turned back.
'Leon, return.' Cassian ordered, allowing Leon to merge with the shadows. He didn't want Leon to vanish alongside the Leopard.
Leon bowed lightly and vanished, leaving Cassian and the leopard all alone.
However, the situation from before had reversed completely.
The leopard growled loudly, attempting to hide within the forest. It twisted its massive body and rushed toward the dense trees.
Cassian shook his head upon sensing the leopard's movements. The Phantom Mirror was a powerful artifact, capable of reflecting an attack after capturing it through the reflection.
In simple terms, The mirror can capture other individual's attacks and store it inside them. The stored attack can be launched anytime after certain conditions are fulfilled.
To launch the attack, you need to face the mirror toward the enemy and reflect its whole body within it. The key point here was the whole body, not just a single part. It might sound simple but in reality, it was far from it. Capturing the reflection of a creature like a snow leopard was a daunting task considering its extraordinary mobility.
Once, the target was properly locked, then you could launch the attack anytime.
[Serenity Slash] was one such attack that Leon had stored within the mirror for emergencies. It was a powerful attack more than enough to care for the snow leopard. The attack after being released from the mirror becomes a targeted attack. It will pursue you indefinitely until it hits you.
Yes, just like the previous attack from the Bloodeye wolf.
The energy slash pursued its target relentlessly, its path unwavering. The Snow Leopard let out a desperate roar as it twisted its body mid-air, but it was futile. The crescent slash struck true, severing its head in a single, clean motion.
thud
The leopard's lifeless body landed on the pristine white floor, dying it crimson red with its blood. The poor guy messed with the wrong person this time and died without being able to land a single hit on Cassian.
"The blood's scent might attract more powerful beasts. I should get out of here," he muttered, glancing around warily.
Downing a mana-recovery potion, he took a step forward and continued his journey. As he resumed his journey, Cassian's thoughts turned inward.
"I was careless this time and almost lost my life. I should remind myself that I'm not Luke Garrison anymore and this isn't the Earth that I used to live in. It's a hell hole filled with monstrous beings capable of destroying me with a mere gaze. I can't forget my goal—become strong enough to uncover the mysteries surrounding me."
He repeated the mantra silently, his steps growing steadier as the resolve in his heart burned brighter.