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 84: Red Lizard 2

Episode 84: Red Lizard 2

“([Conduction])”

I held two ant spears on either side of my body, channeling lightning through them. These spears, crafted from the Queen of Steel Ants, gleamed with the power of the earth’s reinforcement. Upon seeing the new weapons, the Red Lizard grew more cautious. Without hesitation, I pointed the spear tips at it, pouring my |Mana| into them.

──In an instant, two powerful streams shot forth.

The acidic laser pierced through the distance of several dozen meters in one breath. Thanks to the accuracy boost from [Precision Shooting], both beams hit their mark, rushing toward the wide-eyed Red Lizard. Realizing it couldn’t dodge in time, it tried to survive by turning its body into magma, but—

“Gyurro!?”

The moment its body was pierced by the streams, it let out a pained cry. When I had struck it with normal spears, it didn’t make a single sound.

“(So, liquid seems to mix with it, huh?)”

The strong acid that had mixed with the magma body rapidly evaporated, but at the same time, the magma itself was being eroded. Whether it was dissolved by the acid or the heat was consumed by the evaporation process, I wasn’t sure. Perhaps the earth-attribute effectiveness of the ant spears was also contributing. Smirking inwardly, I took aim at the Red Lizard as it squirmed and tried to escape.

It hopped around wildly, trying to flee from the line of fire. But each time it dodged, I readjusted my aim, steadily wearing down its stamina.

“(Alright, as long as I keep my guard up, I should be able to finish this…)”

Just as I was thinking that, I sensed a massive pulse of |Mana| from beneath my feet.

“(!?)”

“Gyuraaah!”

Suddenly, magma erupted from the ground, engulfing me. I managed to barely stay in place using [On the Edge of the Ring], but the ant spears were knocked off their mark. This attack must have been prepared during that earlier standoff. While I was strategizing, it had been setting its own trap.

“(Guh, [Jump]!)”

I instinctively leaped to the side, aided by [Instant Shift], escaping the magma’s range in one go. I immediately aimed the ant spears at the Red Lizard, but… it wasn’t there.

I looked around, front, back, left, right—even in the air. No sign of the Red Lizard.

“(It disappeared… Did it run away? …No, the [Dominion] is still active.)”

Trusting my intuition, I activated [Clairvoyance]. I peered through the ground, through the magma… and there it was! The Red Lizard, now in magma form, was launching itself from the base of the geyser where I had stood just moments ago. It seemed its attack missed—since I wasn’t there—but it had its defenses fully prepared.

“(A magma armor, huh?)”

The magma erupted around the solidified Red Lizard, encasing it and causing its body to grow nearly twice as large.

“(A skill that controls lava… so it was flying using that power earlier?)”

As if to answer my question, the Red Lizard leaped into the air. Part of the magma encasing it transformed into a whip, striking at me with a shifting, unpredictable trajectory.

“(Acid Blast!)”

I countered by shooting down the magma whip with a stream of acid. At the same time, I aimed the other ant spear at the Red Lizard itself, but it dodged. It seemed to be using the manipulated magma to push its body, propelling itself through the air. Gradually, it was climbing higher into the sky.

“(I can’t let it gain altitude…!)”

I hurriedly leaped after it, enduring the lashing of the magma whip. I flew straight toward it, using [Aerial Jump] twice to close the distance. I swung the poison hammer in a horizontal slash. From the earlier exchanges, I knew the [Skill] that controlled the lava couldn’t manipulate its magma-fied body. If I could cleave off part of its body, it would be forced to return to the ground to retrieve it.

“([Compact Swing]!)”

“Kyuroro!”

But it dodged again. The Red Lizard, which had been ascending steadily, suddenly dove downward to avoid the swing. My hammer swipe missed its torso.

“([Powerful Throw]!)”

Without missing a beat, I threw a second spear. By now, I had fully understood the Red Lizard’s tricky nature, and I was prepared for it to dodge the poison hammer. Yet, the spear didn’t reach its target. It wasn’t blocked by the surrounding magma… but rather, it self-detonated from the stress of [Powerful Throw].

“Kyuooo!”

“[Slash]!”

──BOOOOM!

Our voices were drowned out by the explosive roar of the detonation arrow. The attack was nearly identical to the one I used at the beginning of the fight. But thanks to the enhancements from [Storm Strike], this one packed a much bigger punch. The wall of magma that had shielded the Red Lizard was scattered by the blast, and the lizard itself plummeted down as its molten platform crumbled. It wasn’t fast enough to fully magma-fy its body, so it took the explosion directly.

“([Aerial Jump], [Frenzied Charge]!)”

Now was my chance. I launched myself into a rapid descent, intent on smashing it with my hammer. Using the momentum from [Impact], I closed in just fractions of a second before hitting the ground. This time, I’m going to crush it!

“([Heavy Swing]—whoa!?)”

──Kyuuin!!

A heat ray pierced through, turning the poison hammer into necrotic tissue. In the moment of shock, the Red Lizard transformed into magma, nullifying the fall damage and quickly distancing itself.

“(So, those eyes were for shooting beams, huh?)”

I muttered in disbelief while looking at the crater left on the ground. That heat ray had been fired from the third eye on its forehead. However, that eye was now bloodshot. It likely couldn’t use that technique repeatedly.

“(But this situation is pretty bad.)”

What’s bad, you ask? The fact that I’ve gained an unintended advantage. Up until now, the Red Lizard had been fighting due to the explosion arrow’s anger and the effects of [Bewitching Gleam]. But in truth, it has no real reason to keep fighting me. Having already used its trump card— the heat ray— it’s possible that its mindset has shifted to fleeing. If it focuses solely on escape with that ability, it’ll be a nightmare. I need to finish this quickly.

“([Replicant Form])”

I mimicked hydra poison bow. It seems the Red Lizard has resistance to Poison, but the best bow I have is still the poison one, so there’s no other option. I notched an arrow and locked eyes with the Red Lizard. The ant spears on both sides of my body also gleamed, their tips aimed.

For the third time, a tense standoff.

The Red Lizard was likely moving magma beneath the ground again.

“(In that case, it’s better if I make the first move. [Heavy Shoot]!)”

I fired a high-power shot, which required time to charge. Almost as if it had been waiting for this, magma erupted between me and the Red Lizard. It seemed to have learned that my arrows explode from our previous encounters.

Unfortunately, that was a miscalculation.

“Gyua!?”

The mana-draining arrow I shot pierced through the pillar of magma and struck the Red Lizard behind it.

“([Jump], [Replicant Form]!)”

Without missing a beat, I sprinted forward to prevent it from escaping. I passed just beside the magma pillar. Soon enough, I saw the Red Lizard, which had just melted the mana-draining arrow. If it presses magma against something, it can melt most things.

“([Quake Swing]!)”

As I approached, the Red Lizard tried to flee. Anticipating this, I had prepared myself to attack at any moment. I slammed my hammer into the ground, causing a violent tremor in the area. The Red Lizard, losing its footing from the quake, was within my reach in no time. I fired acid from my ant spear. Although it nullified the tremor by turning into magma and skillfully dodged the acid, I had gotten close enough to the ground.

I was now within about 10 meters of its range.

I readied both ant spears for a slashing attack.

“(Acid Blast, [Slash], Double!)”

I took a sharp step forward and swung both spears, adding a stream of strong acid as a bonus. My goal was to slice through its torso, but the Red Lizard skillfully twisted its body and leaped away from the acidic slashes. It was a great leap, like a high jump, attempting to vault over me.

The Red Lizard had seen the long reach of my ant spears many times by now. If it tried to escape in a normal way, I’d obviously target its back. Instead, it aimed to get behind me and buy itself a little time.

──It was all within my expectations.

“([Aerial Jump]. Go, chain shovel!)”

I blocked its escape route with my hind legs—two pairs of chain shovels. Slimes don’t have a clear front or back, but I had mimicked a rear position difficult for the Red Lizard to see. Just before it landed, the sharp, wide blades of the chain shovels gouged into its body. Thanks to the [Perforation] enhancement, there was hardly any resistance.

“Gyuaaaa!?”

I had already known that the chain shovels were effective against the Red Lizard’s molten body. But if I used them head-on, it would naturally be on guard. That’s why I had been actively using the ant spears instead, making it think they were my trump card and giving the impression that it would be targeted if it simply ran away.

“(Limiter Removal, [Lightning Strike]!)”

I delivered a final blow of lightning to the Red Lizard, who was stunned from losing a large portion of its body. Lightning coursed through its form, and the molten transformation unraveled. Whether it was from the shock of being electrocuted for the first time or the sheer pain of the attack, the result was clear.

For a relatively weak lightning strike, it had an overwhelming effect.

“([Thrust]!)”

With the Red Lizard now missing its hind legs, I quickly thrust my ant spear into its head. The molten transformation didn’t happen in time, and the massive spear pierced through its skull.

―――Non-Notification Information Recording Zone―――――――――――――

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>> The Weapon Born from the Fire of War, Fuwa Katsu’s Soul Accumulation Level has increased to 201.

>> The Weapon Born from the Fire of War, Fuwa Katsu’s [Dominion] has grown. New ‘Additional Effects’ and ‘Effect Slots’ have been acquired.

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“(Phew, that was quite the struggle.)”

I muttered my thoughts on the battle while feeling the significant rise in my <Level>. I had been a bit too optimistic, thinking this fight would be easy since I had easily overpowered the Queen Ant. But I ended up having a tough time.

“(Well, at least I feel refreshed now.)”

To be honest, the fight with the Queen Ant left me feeling unsatisfied. But this time, I had fought at full power and really enjoyed it. Plus, I gained <Level> and some new materials.

“(But still, at the beginning, what was that Red Lizard running from—)”

“Magnificent…! Such magnificent power! To think you could defeat the one hailed as the strongest in the Goronomea Mountains, the great ‘Sea of Flames’! I was worried when “Sea of Flames’ escaped, but what a stroke of luck this is…! All thanks to the guidance of the Demon God!”

A voice, filled with intoxicated admiration, suddenly rang out. But more than that voice, what caught my attention was…

“(…!)”

A sinister |Mana| presence, as if a thousand eyes were watching me.