Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 82: Sudden Attack

Episode 90: Sudden Attack

Fisu was sleeping soundly on a wooden shield. Since sleeping on rocks for a whole night would be quite painful, I had modified the shield to be soft and wide enough for her to lie down on. Though it wasn’t as comfortable as a cotton bed, I hoped it was adequate given it was made from materials found in the mine.

Without blankets, the advantage of this Scorching Zone was that she wouldn’t catch a cold.

“(…..)” 

With nothing to do, I gazed up at the sky. The night sky was filled with countless stars, completely different from what I’d seen on Earth, with streaks of white smoke covering it. Despite the fantastical sight, I stayed alert.

Since I had become immune to sleeplessness for several days as a magical beast, I volunteered for the night watch. In this mine, bat-like magical beasts become active at night. While it’s unlikely any would approach me due to my size, it’s best to stay cautious.

“(Well, if something does happen, it might be a good distraction.)” 

Staying awake through the night was unexpectedly long. I needed something to pass the time. But I realized it was inappropriate given my role as a guard. Maintaining peace was the priority. 

Still, boredom was inevitable. Maybe I could train some [Skills]. Since using |Mana|-consuming [Skills] might make noise and attract attention, I needed to choose something quieter. 

Among the options, a [Skill] that could be useful in combat came to mi—a sensation of electricity suddenly coursed through my entire body.

“—Oooohhhh!!”

“What the!?”

A roar that shook the earth echoed through the mine. The sound seemed to vibrate not only the air but also the creatures’ hearts. I could sense that beings with low resistance would likely suffer some Status Ailment just from hearing it.

Fortunately, Fisu remained asleep. 

“(The sound came from the east… Could it be!?)” 

I focused on the direction of the noise and noticed a dazzling red light drifting through the gaps in the volcanoes. It was lava suspended in the air, moving towards us at considerable speed. 

Also, though it was hard to discern from this distance, there was a massive magical beast riding the lava. It was so large that it was comparable to me as a magical beast. 

Given these conditions, it was almost certain that this was the “Sea of Flames”, the Sovereign Beast in the Scorching Zone that Fisu had mentioned.

“Wake up, Fisu!”

“What’s wrong…?”

“Looks like the ‘Sea of Flames’ is coming!”

“!? “

The girl sprang up like a spring-loaded puppet. She quickly scanned the sky and spotted the red mass flying east.

“Wh-why…!?”

“I don’t know! But if things stay like this, it’s going to be bad! We need to escape!”

While speaking, I stored the wooden bed shield and headed towards the entrance of the Ant nest, keeping an eye on the approaching “Sea of Flames.”

“Huh…?”

I noticed something during the escape. The red-scaled, reptilian-type magical beast flying through the sky had some of its shimmering scales falling off and bleeding.

“Could it be that… it’s running away?”

Its frantic speed resembled that of prey fleeing from a predator. No, but is that even possible?

An opponent that would make a Sovereign Beast run away…

“(Could it have been attacked by another Sovereign Beast?)” 

I quickly dismissed that possibility. The “Sea of Flames” was said to be the strongest in this mine, and the Scorching Zone was quite far from other Sovereign Beasts’ habitats. 

In addition, there is no sign of the Sovereign Beast chasing the “Sea of ​​Flames.” It would be impossible to overlook something as large as a Sovereign Beast.

The reason was unknown, but if it was weakened, it was an opportunity.

“Sorry, change of plans.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Hide inside the Ant nest. I’ll confront it. [Replicant Form]!”

I transformed into a form mimicking eight forest chains and sprang into action. Encouraging Fisu to hide again, I leaped powerfully, crossing a medium-sized valley to land on the volcano’s cliff.

As I adeptly maneuvered the forest chains, I could see the enemy more clearly. Its form resembled a lizard but was a mix of a lizard and an axolotl. It had a third eye vertically on its forehead, bulging organs around its neck, and four legs with spines growing from the joints. Its burning scales didn’t seem to burn even when in contact with lava; instead, they appeared to absorb the heat, glowing even brighter.

“(First, long-range attacks.)” 

I aimed my bow at the Red Lizard flying near the mountain top, drawing it up to a similar altitude. Nocked on the Hydra poisonous bow was an explosive arrow that I had created since arriving at the Grand Beast Region.

The choice was based on the idea that, while the heat might be a concern, the explosive force should still cause damage.

“(Take this!)”

At the moment of impact, a flash of light burst forth. 

Perhaps due to the effect of the [Concealment] skill, the Red Lizard didn’t detect the attack until the very moment it hit.

“Kyuooohhh!?”

A high-pitched scream erupted. When the smoke cleared, the Red Lizard was seen with one of its legs severely injured.

I had aimed for its head, but it seemed to have instinctively blocked with its front legs.

“([Challenge], [Bewitching Gleam])”

“Kiiiiiieeee!”

The Red Lizard, after letting out a cry, changed direction and headed towards me. It seemed I had successfully drawn it into combat. Its three eyes glowed with hostility.

Ignoring the Status Ailment [Skill]-like gaze, I began preparing for battle myself.

“(It might feel unfair to target its wounded area, but I’d prefer it not be taken by someone else. Don’t take it the wrong way. Cancel ‘Convergence’!)”

The restriction was lifted, expanding my [Dominion], and it collided with the ‘Sea of Flames’ [Dominion].

The resulting shockwave ignited the conflict.