LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 42 – Powers Awakened
It’s alright Inari— Just, keep, focused! Remember, we’re setup for an extended siege battle against a powerful boss, so there’s little room for error in your mana weaving!
While I was originally distraught when our battle first began at having failed to protect some of the elite guards, I was determined to not let any more mistakes happen under my watch! They’re counting on me to be their supporter and overwatch expert, so I have to do my best! With my internal words of encouragement, and my thoughts refocused, I gradually started getting accustomed to the minotaur’s attack patterns. By utilizing boss siege battle plan #3, a technique that Ko and I had discussed from his world, we were finally stating to take control of the situation. My role during all of this, was to ensure our entire backline remained healthy, while Ko and the frontline, slowly depleted the minotaur’s HP. Now that I think about it, this situation created the perfect opportunity to utilize a new magic concept we had developed together, “User Interface”!
Using this new spell from a concept Ko had described to me from his “video games”, I was able to transform the mana signatures of our entire party and enemies, into status bars that I could easily monitor within my peripheral vision! While the ability was handy in helping me keep track of our allies HP and status, I still needed to remember to focus on the actual battle. Ko had said that focusing too much on these status bars, could potentially lead to a condition called “tunnel vision”, which meant I might easily miss something my eyes would have noticed naturally by observing the actual battlefield, and not just the 2D representation. Something like failing to move out of the way of a fireball heading straight towards me, or something like that! Regardless, I was happy the situation was now starting to feel under control.
...
Roughly 15 minutes had passed since we had settled into our siege battle plan. My MP was still doing well, thanks to efficiently weaving the mana particles around and within us, but the other sorcerers and heroes were struggling, based on my quick assessment of their mana reserves. It seems they didn’t have the endurance, or innate understanding to really minimize their energy consumption for long drawn-out battles. But don’t worry, Inari is here! I’ll make sure to show all of them just what I’m capable of!
*Schreen*
Perfect! Haru’s spear finally managed to bring the minotaur’s health below the 50% threshold! So long as things continue like this, I think we’ll be able to win!
Did... Did I just... Raise a red flag? One of those funny things Ko mentioned about saying specific comments at inopportune times??!
*ROAR!!!!!*
Ouch!!! That was really loud Mr. Minotaur!!! My... My ears are ringing now from that horrible shout of yours!
Still recovering from the vicious roar of the minotaur, my ears suddenly twitched, as they identified a new sound that wasn’t from the enraged bovine in front of us. This sound... It seemed more like jagged metal being lifted high above us. Additionally, my enemy detection radar was frantically sounding alarm bells to a whole new swarm of threats entering the battlefield! Based on their mana signature profile, they appeared to be the same species of giant bats from the 10th floor! This... This isn’t good! We’re already struggling with this boss, and now we have to contend with over 100 bats joining as reinforcements?!?!
That’s probably what you wanted me to say!
Calmly readjusting the grip on my staff, and, with a confident smirk across my face, I found myself uttering “challenge accepted!” to the unfortunate change in our “controlled” siege battle. Swiftly, I gathered a whole slew of mana particles around my paws, making sure to include a wide variety of elements so I could quickly unleash any spell I might need for the upcoming situation! The bats were just about to reach our positions, and I needed to be ready to react to anything at a moment’s notice!
“Shit!”
I heard Ko call out after being hit by one of the bats. The pesky things had managed to knock him off balance, causing him to fall prone onto the ground. It looks like the minotaur is going crush him with it’s hooves. Hehe, you wish you oversized cow! Take this! Earthen Pillar!
Nailed it!
The sudden column of rocks caught the beast off guard, just long enough for him to roll out of the way. Thankfully he was able to get on his feet after that. Hmmm, it looks like the giant bats are leaving the frontline, and heading towards our direction now. Chances are, they realized we are supporting them, and see us as the bigger threat. This... This is going to get complicated. Quickly, I added all of the incoming bat’s health bars to my peripheral vision so I could keep track of them. While this added a lot of extra status bars to my vision, I needed to make sure I had the most information available to me as possible. Finally, with some of the remaining mana still gathered around me, I quickly reapplied our status buffs which had expired, along with erecting new barriers to protect us from the incoming batty assault.
*SMASH*
*SHREEK!!!*
Geez these things are loud! Not to mention their violent impacts into the barriers are quite damaging as well. I’m going to really need to focus on watching the various barrier’s durability bars. Thankfully, Miles and Kyle are doing a fantastic job at eliminating the bats as they get close, giving me some time to reinforce our defenses.
...
“I... I really hate all of these stupid bats!!! Just... Just die already you stupid flying things!!!— Take this! My most powerful fireball spell yet!!! Ultra Mega Flare!”
Suddenly, Miles unexpectedly shouted out in anger towards the bats that were continuing to harass us. Next, I felt a sudden surge of mana from within him, well beyond his maximum MP value! Oh no! He... He doesn’t have enough mana reserves to prevent losing consciousness from this! If he casts a spell that powerful, he’s going to end up suffering from mana shock!!! Quick Inari, you have to warn him!
“Miles! Stop!!!! Don’t... Don’t gather your mana for that spell! Your reserves are too low to handle the amount of power you’re inscribing into—”
“I don’t care, you lousy fox! I’m the magic hero, the person who’s suppose to be the strongest when it comes to casting spells. I don’t need you telling me what to do!”
Uggghh! Why do you have to be like this Miles?!? Things would have been fine if you just kept focusing on eliminating the bats with your already overpowered firebolt spell! I quickly tried to convert some typeless particles in the area into the fire element to help reduce his excessive spell’s burden, but it wasn’t enough.
*BOOM!*
Intense heat rolled past my whiskers, as Miles unleashed his excessive fireball spell at the giant bats swarming above us. While he had managed to eliminate at least 20 of them with his attack, most of the annoying shriek wings were out of range near the ceiling! That was just a colossal waste of MP, “magic hero”!
*Thud*
“Damnit”. I muttered to myself again. Now that the magic hero was unconscious, we were starting to get overwhelmed by bats, seeking to capitalize on our new vulnerability.
*Smash*
Oh no!!! I... I totally missed keeping track of that barrier’s durability! The guards to my right are completely unprotected from the incoming bats! Quick Inari, you have t—
“GAH!!!! MY ARM!!!”
“Keep holding the line! Don’t let th- AHHH”
No!!! I... I wasn’t fast enough!! I... I promised that I would protect you guys... I... I failed again!!! This... This wasn’t supposed to happen! Not after I...
...
Frantically trying to assess the situation around me, my carefully laid out plans and contingencies, were falling apart. The remaining royal guard had fully depleted their mana reserves, leaving me the only one maintaining a barrier spell across the entire backline. With each passing second, the situation was only getting more and more chaotic. Come on Inari, think! Ko, along with the spear and sword hero, are already doing their best keeping the minotaur distracted! There must be something you can—
“GA!!!!!! HELP M—” *SHREE*
I... I need to call for help! I just need a little bit— Anything to help recover the situation. As the supporter, there’s nothing wrong with admitting you need assistance.
So, gathering what little strength I could for my voice, I managed to call out towards Ko, hopeful, that they could think of something.
“Ko! We... We need some help back here! Miles... He— He used up all of his MP and he can’t protect us anymore! We’re being overwhelmed!!! I can’t... I can’t protect everyone with my barrier!!”
Thankfully, Ko noticed my calls for help, glancing back towards my direction. It also looked like they managed to find a break in between the minotaur’s attacks to assist us!
*SMASH*
Gah! These stupid bats!!! Quickly, I brought my attention back to maintaining the barriers. Some more of the guards had fallen as I made the call to reduce the protective sphere’s coverage in order to increase it’s potency. Furthermore, my peripheral vision was now completely filled with the oppressive health bars of the giant bats! Smash after smash aggressively rang out as the beasts continued to relentlessly throw their bodies into my barrier spell. Fortunately, just when my barrier was on the verge of collapsing, I felt a powerful surge of mana gathering around Ko. He... He was going to use his flaming spear attack again! But, this time, it felt like he’s making sure to target all of their pesky mana signatures! This is exactly what I needed!!!
*Schroon*BOOM*
Yes!!! I was overcome with relief as I anxiously stared, watching all of the bat’s health bars rapidly deplete before my eyes! One after one, each bar rapidly fell to a satisfying 0, followed by an accompanying absence from their mana signature, signifying they had been eliminated!!! Perfect! Now I can get back t—
Suddenly, my mind was overcome with an intense feeling of fear, as my chest became painfully constricted. Raising my face to look up at Ko while they were still completing their arcing beam attack, my pupils quickly locked onto the source of my sudden anxiety. My mind, in a frantic, yet desperate attempt to process reality, had seemingly brought the flow of time to a crawl. Mere feet away from him, already completing a vicious horizontal slash through his torso, was the minotaur.
How... Why did I fail to notice something so obvious? Wasn’t I the supporter you trusted to always keep you safe? So why did I... How did this...
The... The status bars!! I... I had been so focused on watching the silly bars in my peripheral vision, that I... I had failed to see the boss charge towards him!!! I’m... I’m always prepared. How did... I definitely would have seen it!
Feelings of dread started to fill my mind, as it frantically clawed in a panicked search for some reason, some rational explanation, as to how I had managed to miss something so obvious before me. This... No... It couldn’t be... Was... Was this...
Tunnel... Vision?
The very condition Ko warned me about during our magic lessons? The same one he said could affect even the most experienced “gamers” when they got so focused!?! I... I thought I would be different, that I could be different. That I couldn’t... Couldn’t possibly...
Desperately, I forced what mana I could into my paws as I fought against the invisible resistance of a slowed reality, but it wasn’t enough. My barriers... My debuffs, they wouldn’t make it in time. No matter how I looked at it, my magic couldn’t change what had already happened. Fear swelled within me.
I had failed.
...
Time started flowing again, leaving me both speechless, and mortified, as to what my eyes were forced to see. While my multi-condensed barrier had almost managed to make it in time, its attempt at preventing the fatal blow, was futile. Ko’s armor ripped and teared, as his body was catapulted with unimaginable speeds towards the rocky perimeter of the floor. Barrier after barrier, shattered like glass, as each of them attempted to slow and cushion his body to no avail. Tears, formed in the corner of my eyes, as I desperately called out to him, my voice cracking from the intensity my lungs managed to produce.
“KO!!!!!”
Without thinking, my body had already started to turn, in a vain attempt to chase after him. My feet, moving on their own, as I quickly lost sight of him, along with his mana signature.
However, before I could truly start running towards him, I heard Raya angrily calling to me, in a panicked, and ferocious voice.
“CHAMPION!!! Your comrade, they’re already dead!! No human could possibly survive an attack from this thing, but you must stay focused! Your duty is to hold the line as we protect the heroes!!! YOU CAN’T ABANDON YOUR ROLE!!!!”
I hesitated after hearing the commander’s words. As much as I hated to admit it, Raya was right. My role... We... We were selected to protect the heroes in the labyrinth, and abandoning our formation, would almost certainly lead to their, along with our remaining forces, deaths. I was truly torn, my mind a chaotic symphony, unable to think clearly, as emotion and logic, battled against one another in ruthless agony for dominance of my conscious.
No.
The heroes—
Why did I have to protect them? All of the individuals the kingdom had praised as the summoned heroes, the nation’s treasure, were all horrid, and uninspiring beings. The spear hero was rude, and obsessed with power, a pure narcissist. The magic hero was much the same, an arrogant snob, that only thought about his own wants and desires. The bow and sword hero, none of them seemed important, or heroic, just “existing” alongside the other summoned individuals. Ko... He’s... He’s more of a hero than any of them!! And, after your kingdom threw him away for their errors, refusing to even acknowledge his existence, I’m expected to continue supporting them, over the one person who’s recognized me for who I am? Who sees me not just as some stupid beast, but as another, living person?
...
Resolved, and, with my heart tightly pounding against my chest, I glanced back towards Raya, before defiantly responding to her orders to continue holding our faltering formation.
“You’re right Raya, my duty is to protect the heroes. I’m not abandoning my role by leaving you!!”
Fully turning my body to chase after my friend, I felt my ears completely pinned back, as they were assaulted by the harsh words Raya began shouting towards me for fleeing the formation and abandoning the heroes. Ducking my head, the salty water was blurring my vision, as I hurriedly sprinted across the rocky terrain, as fast as my paws could carry me. My chest was filled with a tightness I never knew possible, in painful opposition to my calculating mind, which was screaming to me the truth I didn’t want to acknowledge. I continued running, ignoring the pleas from my lungs, as breath after breath frantically left my mouth, with tears, violently rolling down my face and into my fur.
My mind, the tool I had trained with Felice for all my logical decisions in magic. The tool that paved each and every choice I would make on the battlefield. The endless, infinite possibilities I could see with the mana present, along with how each and every spell would shape my current situation. I already knew the answer based on the mana signature. The frightening absence I was already painfully aware of.
But please, just this once, I wanted the pain in my chest to be right.
For the pain in my heart, to triumph over the indisputable logic I would base each and every decision on. That shaped how I saw the world, and drove my countless decisions. Please, just let them be wrong!!!
Once again, my ears twitched at having identified the sound of the minotaur’s stone barrage attack flying towards me. Unconcerned, and, with my mind focused on reaching Ko, I effortlessly dodged the haphazard rocks flung my direction with a simple jump to the left, while twisting my body. Next, I covered myself in my usual shimmering vale of light to conceal my presence, while leaving behind several images to distract the beast. I didn’t need to look back, because I already knew they would work.
Finally, after my agonizing sprint across the battlefield, I reached the estimated impact zone. I couldn’t visually see his body, but knew from the degrading mana signature that it was currently buried underneath the rubble nearby. There were no signs from him attempting to free himself, which only validated my fears. Violently inscribing my will into the mana particles around me, I quickly removed the cruel rubble to reveal his mangled body. Then, I frantically began my medical assessment.
Blood loss, approximately 3 litres, expected hypovolemic shock.
Severance at the 11 thoracic vertebrae, paralysis guaranteed due to depth observed.
Zygomatic and maxilla bones completely crushed; clear obstruction of nasial passage ways.
Mana signature...— Mana signature non-existence. Patient’s clinically dead.
...
Everything was as my mind had already told me. Ko, was dead, and there was nothing I could do. As much as I wanted the answer to be different, I couldn’t change the facts before me. My breathing became laboured as I struggled to accept the scene I had already anticipated, but desperately wanted to be an illusion. Frantically remembering some of our earlier conversations and contingency plans, I wiped the tears staining my vision, while removing one of the mythical healing items he had given me from my spatial storage. The bandages.
My paws were trembling, and my heart was throbbing, as I struggled to tear the delicate, protective covering of the brown bandage. If anything could defy this situation, then it had to be the otherworldly magic contained within these strange things! Finally freeing the mythical healing item, I quickly applied it to his crushed face, roughly where the forehead should be located. While I didn’t know why he always applied them there, it had to be for a reason... Right?
Agonizingly waiting in anticipation for the mana particles to gather, I noticed the minotaur’s presence was starting to get closer, my images having already been eliminated by it’s attacks. My ears, once again picked up the familiar sound of it’s rock barrage being lobbed towards my direction. Unconcerned with their futile attempts to harm me, I activated a powerful barrier spell encasing the makeshift “clinic”, followed by sounds of the rocky shrapnel deflecting off the translucent surface. As the cruel seconds continued to pass, I failed to detect the usual surge of mana gathering for the full body restoration spell. Why.... Why wasn’t it working?!?!? These... These bandages always worked!! So why... Why won’t you heal him!?!?! Why!??!?
Angry at myself, I felt my nails dig deep into my palms, lightly drawing some of my blood as tears, once again, swelled within my eyes. The salty, stinging sensation aggravating them, as emotions poured out from me, causing me to turn towards the minotaur. This creature, with it’s smug, arrogant smile, reveled in the fact I was suffering, feeding off my emotions as it continued calmly marching towards me.
This was the being, that robbed me of the feelings I had finally found for a normal life. The being that took away my only friend, the person I could actually be myself around, and not just some “illusion” of Inari. The only human, who accepted me for who I was, that could understand my desires to learn, and challenge me to always improve! Feelings of happiness, joy, and excitement, that I never got to experience due to my “curse”. The “blessing” from Vixen, forcing me to constantly seek out knowledge, to always be driven to learn, the blessing that made me a freak, an outcast, and someone despised by my village.
Anxiety turned to anger, as my mana raged within me. I was unconsciously gathering a multitude of mana particles around me, oblivious to any efficiency I was so accustomed to using. This creature... No. This monster, had no right to relish in my suffering!
Releasing the mana I had gathered, I forcefully shot staggering spikes from the ground below, a modified form of earthen pillar, followed up by my most powerful kitsunebi, fuelled purely by my feelings of rage and mana. The minotaur recoiled, clutching it’s face in agony, as some of the skin turned to boiling liquid under the ethereal flame’s might, charring, and exposing it’s facial bones in the process. Noticing it had been staggered, I promptly turned my attention back to Ko, after creating another powerful barrier. I still had plenty of MP left, and I was going to use all of it in bringing him back, efficiency be damned!
Once again, I began gathering all of the mana particles around me, my head suffering a splitting headache from trying to amass them all in the process. I knew it was pointless, that no amount of healing magic could already change reality, but I had to try! Then, placing my paws across his chest, I shouted with all my might, hopefully that it would make some kind of difference in this situation.
“Heal!”
Light particles, burst forth at my cries for help, for making the impossible, possible, but nothing happened.
“HEAL!”
Nothing. No response, or indication the particles were interacting with his body.
“HIGH HEAL! GREATER HEAL!!! RESTORATION! ANYTHING!!—
Please... Just... Just... Say something!! Why???! Why won’t... You can’t be... Not when I haven’t... Told you how...”
Tears poured from my eyes with a fury I never knew possible, as I continued to call out spells and words, berating myself for having failed as a supporter. I could hardly see, as the warm, salty water, dripped from my face onto Ko’s body. I really thought I had gotten stronger, that I wouldn’t let something like this happen again.
My mind, felt like it had finally shattered in this moment, like the fragile glass it already was, barely holding my sanity together from these tormenting, grueling, series of events. It knew that recovery magic wouldn’t work, and that trying was pointless, that none of my battle plans or ideas, were working. Everything I had done up until this moment, felt pointless. No, it was pointless. Once again, my mind was flooded with images from my life at the village, from my peers berating me, telling me I would never be happy, that I should just accept my fate as the “speaker”. Their taunting laughs, filled my head with their horrid chorus, as I continued crying tears of agony at this nightmare. My chest felt tight, painfully bound in its prison, leaving me gasping, and unable to breath.
Why was I meant to suffer? Why couldn’t I help the people I truly cared about!?! Why would Vixen, the goddess of knowledge and curiosity, allow such horrid, and cruel acts, to always happen to me!?!? I just... I just wanted to live a normal life!!! So why?!?!?
Vixen!!! If you gave me this title, bestowed it upon me from birth, etched it into my very existence, forcing me to seek out knowledge each and everyday, then why won’t you help me??!?! Why won’t you help your speaker?!?!? Why would you allow me to suffer, to lose the person I care about, that can help me meet your own selfish desires! If you’ve chosen me as your speaker, then I command you to speak to me! Tell my why I’m forced to continue suffering!!!
As I continued crying, my eyes, almost unable to find the energy to produce anymore suffering, I felt a warm, gentle hand and light, touch my shoulders and heart. There was no one around me, but my body definitely felt its embrace. Gathering what little strength I could, I wiped my eyes as my vision began to wane from using too much of my mana reserves. Focusing where I could, I looked at Ko, now shimmering from the puddle of tears I had inadvertently poured onto his face. Were you... Even in a moment like this... Trying to comfort me?
...
Ruining the miserable, and comforting moment, my enemy detection radar, once again, sounded its usual alarm bells. The minotaur, clearly it had recovered from my pitiful spells, and was now charging towards me, ready to end our “battle”. Distraught, yet calm, I closed my eyes, ready to accept my fate.
If... If I’m to die here, then I hope our souls, our spirits, that they may find each other, in the next life.
*Cadoon*Cheen!*Boom*
Finally, my sensitive ears were once again, filled with a thunderous sound, as the minotaur’s axe undoubtably parted through my skull with ease, ending my suffering.
I’m sorry Ko, sorry that I couldn’t do more for you, that I couldn’t be a useful party member, that we couldn’t go on more adventures together, and that I couldn’t tell you... How you made me feel...
I guess in the end, I really was just a stupid, useless fox...
Strangely, my mind, felt calm. A surge of warmth, rushing all around me, as mana particles disbursed in an absolute frenzy. I knew this was something that could happen when immense mana particles were gathered around a caster, and they were killed before their spell could activate, but I was clearly dead. Why... Or how was I feeling this? Everything stopped when you died, didn’t it?
I could still hear sounds, and feel the tears stained across my face, along with the endless array of mana particles all around me. No... It couldn’t be—
Opening my eyes, I was left absolutely speechless, as a familiar, yet peculiar mana signature, once again alerted myself to its presence. Straining my body, I managed to find the strength to turn around, as my mind and heart, were overcome with a surge of joy and relief, at what my emerald eyes were currently witnessing. Standing behind me, protecting me from the minotaur’s axe, was Ko. Somehow, they were alive, and currently fighting against the monster’s brutal strength, just barely holding the tormenting metal at bay, locked in a deadly battle, with his shield.
Ko... He... He’s alive!!!
I... I could hardly believe my eyes as they continued to shed tears, except this time, ones of happiness, in complete opposition to the painful water from earlier. The horrid slash though his lower back, was fully healed, only made visible by the obvious gash through his armor. Then, with a strength and swiftness I didn’t know he was capable of, shot a powerful gust of wind from his right hand, sending the minotaur flying 50ft back. I was awestruck, yet confused, as I finally heard his voice, fill my ears, as he offered an outstretched hand towards me.
“I’m sorry I kept you waiting, Inari.”
...
Seriously?!?! I... You were dead!?!? How the... Why is this... And a cheesy one liner?!?!
---
But, as I continued looking up at him, I smiled, realizing, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Finally, remembering that we were still locked in an impossible struggle to survive, I refocused my thoughts, as I happily took his hand, rising to my feet. Mustering a smile, it was time to initiate Inari battle plan #327 – Giant Bovine’s Annihilation! However, that’s when my brain realized that something was very abnormal about this whole situation, as it once again, started working at a rapid pace.
As I looked at Ko, I noticed that his right eye, had completely changed into a thin-slitted, crimson red colour, far from the usual brown they typically were. There was also an incredible amount of mana gathered around it, producing a dreadful, oppressive glow. Then, I finally noticed his mana signature, the alarming abnormality it was producing, defying all known laws of magic and identification. Ko’s mana signature... It... It seemed like it was split? Divided? No, being shared with something else, oscillating rapidly back and forth between his own, and some other mysterious presence, spinning around in an endless vortex of unknown identity. Next, I noticed the shield and sword he had always used. The... The designed had completely changed! The shield was no longer a set of twin serpents entangled with one another, but instead, replaced by a single, giant snake, tightly coiled onto itself, with 3 circular disks along the edge. The serpent was coloured in brilliant white and black scales, with raised ridges over it’s piercing red eyes. A dreadful, chilling sensation, filled my body as I glanced into it's pupils. Finally, the sword was now a more traditional shape, instead of the weird fang-like curve from earlier. Its hilt was adorned with blacks and white scales, twisting and swirling around the intricate handle, with the blade tapering off into a fine point towards the end, a proper, pure silvery colour.
While I was still taking in Ko’s sudden change in appearance and mana signature, he flicked the shield on his arm, causing the disks to dislodge, and begin spinning around in the air above us. Then, he dashed towards the bewildered minotaur with blinding speed, cleanly slashing through it’s axe in the process. Finally, Ko shouted an order towards me in a voice that didn’t seem natural, or his own.
“Inari! Target one of the disks with your kitsunebi spell, the same one you used earlier to incinerate it’s face! Quickly!”
Target one of the disks with my magic? Wait a minute— The kitsunebi I used when I was trying to revive him?!?! How did he know I...
Confused, and, looking up at the disks, I could see they were rapidly swirling around the battlefield, orbiting close to where Ko was, but keeping a clearly defined distance away, almost as if they were sentient, or some ancient artifact with a singular purpose. I hesitated slightly, but eventually started gathering mana all around me for another powerful kitsunebi. One filled with hope, and my pure desires to survive our deadly encounter!
While I was weaving the particles in the ethereal plane, I was enthralled at Ko’s manoeuvrability and assault. The minotaur was taken completely off guard, forced on the defensive, struggling to hold it’s composure from the repeated slashes and stabs launched it’s direction. Additionally, the flying disks appeared to be shooting powerful fire-beam attacks alongside his assault as well, interfering with any attempt the beast was making to challenge the relentless momentum. However, I couldn’t let him have all the fun now, could I?
Satisfied, and, with the will of my spell materialized, I shot fourth the ferocious kitsunebi, filled with brilliant flames of the purest purples, blues, and whites. The ghostly flames flickered and danced through the air, rapidly spiraling around as they were hurled towards one of the floating disks to my left. Then, almost as if the strange artifact was aware of my spell, it enlarged itself to reveal an empty void in reality. Next, the disk appeared to... Absorb my spell?!? Somehow, all traces of my kitsunebi had completely vanished, leaving the disk a floating conduit in the air! Mana, rapidly began gathering around the disk, as a blinding, white light, gathered within the centre, followed by the disk’s circumference rotational speed rapidly increasing. The amount of power this thing was producing, was incredible!!! Curiously trying to analyze what was happening, it appeared the disk was absorbing my spell, and amplifying it by a magnitude of 10! No, 100 times! This... This was unbelievable!!!
Then, noticing that one of the disks appeared to be “charged” Ko swiftly disengaged from the minotaur, while raising his right hand high into the air, tightly clasping his fists. Suddenly, I felt a surge of mana gather around the distraught bovine, as powerful, oppressive black chains, burst forth from the ground, wrapping themselves around it’s limbs, constraining it’s movements, and painfully pinning it to the ground. The beast, was shocked and confused, with panic clearly etched across it’s ugly mug, as it desperately struggled against the chains in a vain attempt to free itself. That’s when I noticed the charged disk, unleash all of the mana and energy it had gathered, in a brilliant flash of blinding light.
The light, happy to have left the disk that was so calmly keeping it restrained, was launched not at the minotaur, but at one of the other floating disks instead! Heat, mana, and energy, rolled past my face, as my eyes flinched from the blinding light that assaulted them. The 2nd disk, having received its payload, began absorbing the spell while rapidly spinning around in the air, just like the first disk had. And, just like with the first instance, also started magnifying the spell’s potency! This was... This was a chain reaction, turning a simple combat spell, into a cataclysmic event!!!! Finally, finishing the process with one more shot and absorb combo, the last mysterious disk, calmly floated itself to be directly above the still bound and struggling minotaur. Then, signaling the end of the spell’s excessive potency, Ko sliced his right hand through the air, forcing the disk to release all of the pent-up energy in a single, dominating blast!
I, was left speechless, as a gargantuan pillar of pure and potent mana, unleashed itself in a breathtakingly white column of light, completely obliterating the minotaur’s body! Horrifying shrieks and a thunderous death bellow from the minotaur could be heard, but were quickly drowned out by the sound of the ground shaking beneath us. This spell, it appeared as if the heavens themselves had personally rained judgment down on the unnatural monster!
As the effects of the spell began to fade, I saw that absolutely nothing remained of the minotaur, not even the faintest trace of it’s mana signature, which had been completely erased from reality itself. The only remaining evidence, was the unharmed metallic chains, and an ominous crater now present along the labyrinth’s floor, oblivious to the humbling pillar of judgment from earlier. Then, utilizing some of the bountiful particles still present after the pillar of light, Ko calmly collected them to cast a full body restoration across the entire floor, healing mine, along with Raya and the heroes’ wounds.
Still awestruck at the whole scenario, and, releasing a breath I didn’t even know I was holding, I was filled with the sudden realization that somehow, after one of the most traumatizing and exhilarating moments in my life, we had just managed to survive, our impossible encounter.