Chapter 31
This is a fictional story by realTensai
Unmeasurable killing intent lay in the atmosphere as Alvis and the boss were about to face off.
"Hehahahah, show me what you got, human!"
After saying those words, the lion man stood up from his golden throne, shaking the ground just by getting up. He picked up a spiked war club that was next to him; it being at least as big as Alvis.
One hit would be fatal.
But Alvis didn't show any signs of worry while facing off against a three-meter tall lion man. He had spent countless loops training, preparing for this moment. There was no way he would be afraid now!
Alvis activated his mastermind skill, which boosted his intelligence by 20 stat points for three minutes. Getting this skill to level 8 was crucial for his plans. Only with this skill activated did Alvis stand a chance against the boss.
It took Alvis one more deep breath before he could start. With a flick of his hand, an earthen spear erupted from the ground, aiming straight for the beast's heart. However, before it could impale him, the lion man simply shattered it into dust using his war club.
"They told me you could use mana, but I didn't believe it. But I guess it was true after all. No wonder they wanted to see you dead, human!"
The beast-man said something that aroused Alvis' interest. He hinted at the reason they had sent an assassin to kill him. Even though Alvis wanted to know it, he couldn't get distracted. He shook his head, focusing on his sole mission.
Alvis gathered his mana, not wanting to be on the defensive, and attacked again. This time, he created several marble-sized fireballs and enhanced them using wind magic. Those fireballs he then sent flying at the boss.
However, to Alvis' surprise, the lion man didn't move. He simply stood still, not caring about the fireballs. They all hit him, though when Alvis saw he was unscathed, he bit his lips.
I've underestimated him.
"Is this all you've got?"
Suddenly, insane pressure made Alvis' knees shake and his instincts told him if he were to stand in the same place for one more second, he would die. One mana-enhanced jump to the side, saved Alvis from the lion-man's attack. A small crater replaced Alvis after the boss had swung his war club to the place he just was. It was so fast that Alvis barely saw it coming.
A spine-tingling chill seized Alvis, as cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
One mistake and I'm dead!
Alvis took a deep breath in and out again before he could continue.
I will have to use advanced spells just so I can injure him.
He clicked his tongue, calculating how much mana they would cost. Though he quickly stopped, having no choice but to use them, anyway.
I can't lose because I was too cautious!
Alvis started by circulating the mana through his body. Just like his blood, he made sure his mana circulated through every vein. Its flow strengthened every cell of his, making his physical abilities reach a new level. His mana-enhanced body would allow him to do inhuman things. However, constantly circulating mana throughout his body had his brain burning already. Only with Mastermind activated could he do it while still casting spells.
Without wasting more time, Alvis wanted to attack again, yet he didn't see the boss.
Where is he?
"You better keep your eyes on the enemy!"
The spiked war club hammered down on Alvis from behind.
Shit!
He couldn't evade it anymore, so he created a gust of wind to blow away the club. However, with brute force, the lion man hit through the wind and got him.
"Alvis!"
Blood stained his body red as several bones broke. His vision had darkened for a second, consciousness being a thread he had to hold on to with all his might. Only because he created wind in the last second was he still alive. Yet the agonizing pain had his mind spinning.
The beast-man raised his war club, wanting to hit Alvis once more. Upon seeing that, Alvis tapped at the ground with both of his hands, two gigantic earth spears erupting as a result. They hit the beast man and made him fly to the end of the room.
Alvis had put quite a bit of mana into them, so this was the least he expected. He stood up, suppressing all the pain. His body wasn't in the best shape anymore, with his health now at 93/130. But him circulating mana made him able to move, regardless.
The boss stood up with only a few scratches on his body. Until now, Alvis had done no damage to him.
This will change now!
"Powers of fire, hear my will. Make the heavens bring down its strongest creature. Fire dragon!"
After reciting this incantation, fire molded into the form of a fierce dragon. It was multiple times bigger than the lion man, so even he had knitted his eyebrows upon seeing it. The dragon's heat raised the temperature within the room, making it difficult to breathe. When its heat was at its peak, Alvis sent it flying with a battle cry.
"ROOOAARR!"
The lion man shouted as he swung his war club like a batter who tried to hit a home run. Alvis' fire dragon clashed with his club and Alvis held his breath, awaiting the outcome.
The enormous size of the dragon overwhelmed the boss' strength, ending with him being hit by the attack. Like a candle, he lit up, his body engulfed in fire.
Yes!
After using an advanced spell, Alvis was finally able to injure the boss. He knew that wasn't enough to kill him, but it was the first step.
"This is how a fight should look like," the boss said, tossing away his burning top.
Alvis instinctively took a step back upon seeing his revealed upper body. It was packed with dangerous-looking scars. They were like tattoos on his muscular body, showing how many battles he had already fought.
And even after being hit by Alvis' fire dragon, the boss just laughed. His body had visible brand marks, though it seemed like he didn't care.
Doesn't he feel pain?
His wide grin and his intense glare clearly displayed insanity. Alvis' body trembled, fear rippling up his spine. But he just exhaled, forcing himself to stay calm and to ignore his body's reaction.
Alvis clenched his fist, preparing another advanced spell. However, before he could, the boss sprinted towards him, like a lion hunting down its prey.
He started swinging down his war club like a madman, and Alvis could only do his best to dodge. The lion man kept hammering down his war club as if he were playing Whac-A-Mole with Alvis. And every single hit of his created a loud bang and a crater. If Alvis would only once be too slow to react, it would mean his sure end.
However, being on the defensive wouldn't win him this battle. Alvis couldn't just keep dodging while wasting his energy, mana, and time. Mastermind would soon lose its effects, and without it, Alvis wouldn't even stand a chance.
I have to risk it!
The boss swung down his war club again, but instead of dodging, Alvis created an earth spear. However, he aimed it at the boss' wrist, which made him slightly lose control over his war club. To evade his attack, Alvis only had to step to the side. And then he saw an opening.
"Powers of earth, grant me your strength. Earth Cannon!"
A massive earth ball with the explosive power of a cannon flew straight at the boss' head. Being too close, he couldn't dodge and got hit.
Alvis exhaled, relieved his risky tactic worked. However, when he saw the boss' face after having hit him with such an attack, his heart shook. The lion man was only slightly bleeding, even though Alvis' attack had the power of a cannon. His insane grin didn't vanish, and the fear now reached Alvis' heart capturing it in its mighty grasp. Every cell of his body told him to get away as fast as possible.
But before Alvis could distance himself from the lion man, his foot got grabbed by his long tail, making Alvis fall to the ground. Alvis hurriedly wanted to get up, though his tail kept clinging to him, not letting him go. And it was at this moment Alvis realized he was trapped.
"ROOOAAARR!"
Alvis' eyes widened, as he could only see the war club about to hammer down on him. He tried to cast a wind spell to lessen the damage, but he was too late. The war club hit him with its full might.
"AHHHHHH!"
Alvis' brain couldn't process all the pain signals the nerves sent upon the impact. His pupils vanished, showing how Alvis fell in and out of consciousness. The blood he coughed was nothing compared to the blood that leaked from every body part of his. Several bones were broken and Alvis could only partially see his health bar blinking.
Critical Condition: Health 3/130!
It was a wonder Alvis had even survived this attack. Yet he knew he was done for. Alvis could barely move his body, and the pain he felt was about to knock him unconscious. He had barely dealt damage to the boss and Mastermind was about to run out.
Shit!
"Oh, you are still alive?" the boss said upon raising his war club. "You are tougher than I thought. But it's over now! You couldn't protect her!"
His words hit him harder than any attack could ever do. Alvis gritted his teeth, having not even enough power left to close his eyes. He knew he would die and that he would have to try again. Yet his heart pained knowing he couldn't save Lia. Again.
Though before the war club hammered down on him, it stopped.
No, someone stopped it!
"Lia? How dare you attack me?!"
The one who stopped the boss' attack was no other than Lia. Her plants were holding back the boss' arms so he couldn't swing down at Alvis.
Alvis turned his eyes, only to see Lia standing up again, her green eyes full of resolve. Even Alvis couldn't understand why she attacked the boss. He was sure Lia couldn't attack him because of her immense feeling of guilt. That was why Alvis knew he had to be the one to take him down. Lia just couldn't kill her lifesaver.
"I'm thankful that you saved my life. I am thankful you took me in and gave me a place to live in," Lia said, standing up even though her knees trembled. "Yet I will end everything now. You are evil, and this organization isn't a place I can be in. I will overcome my fear and fight alongside Alvis. He is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with!"
She stood firm, her emerald eyes filled with resolve as she stared down her boss.
"So even you turn on me now?"
The boss tried to free himself from the plants, yet he couldn't. And Alvis would use this chance.
"T-Thank you Lia, you gave me the time I needed."
He stopped the circulation of his mana, wanting to use every single bit of it he had left. But with him stopping it, the pain he felt abruptly increased, a side effect of him overstraining his body. Yet he would ignore it. He only had to last for a few more seconds. What happened afterward didn't matter!
"P-Powers of nature, hear my will. Bring u--upon me your greatest… creature. — Striking fear into my enemy's bones. Destroying everything in your path. A calamity of nature is what I wish… A calamity of nature is what— I need!…-"
"N-No stop!" the boss said, after noticing what Alvis was about to do.
He shook his arms, trying to break free from Lia's plants, but they also grabbed him at his feet, not letting him escape. The room darkened, massive thunderclouds replacing its ceiling. Alvis was almost done.
"… Rise high with all your might! — Thunder Dragon!"
As soon as Alvis finished the incantation of his master rank spell, a weak smile formed on his face.
"It is over..!"
A thunder dragon appeared from the clouds, striking down on the boss with all its might. It went straight through his body, lighting him up from within. A pain-filled cry could be heard, yet it was drowned out by the massive thunder that followed its powerful companion. And this thunder also acted as a bell that ended their battle.
The once mighty boss lay dead on the ground, his body emitting smoke.
Alvis had won.
Gathering all his strength, Alvis stood up. The adrenaline that rushed through his body was the only reason he could move his broken body. When he was standing, his whole body covered in blood, he let out one brute scream, letting out all of his emotions.
"AAAhhhhhhhhh!"
I did it. Finally.
After everything he had to go through, he had done it. Alvis saved Lia.
"I…It's not over yet…!"
Alvis' eyes widened, and he turned around to face the boss once more.
Shit, this resilient monster!
The boss raised his hand and Alvis somehow forced his broken body into a fighting position.
"Give up, it's over," Alvis said, hoping he would take his bluff.
Yet one look at the boss' golden eyes was enough to strike fear into Alvis' bones once more.
"Boy…," he said, his voice still powerful. "Take care of Lia…"
The life vanished out of his eyes, and his arm dropped. He was dead.
A took Alvis a few seconds to process what had just happened. However, his ears hadn't deceived him.
So even he has some good in him.
"I will," Alvis answered, even though he knew he wouldn't hear him anymore.
"Alvis!" Lia shouted, running to him.
With tears in her eyes, she embraced him. Even though Alvis was covered in blood, she clutched at him with all her love.
A warm smile formed on Alvis' face and he just patted her head.
"Let's go home."
NOTIFICATION
You have saved the girl!
Experience is awarded for saving the girl!
LEVEL 2: A lone girl has been completed!
New skill unlocked!
Level Up!
New stage unlocked!
System update!