A big thank you to everyone who left comments and coupons. Chapter 222!
69. The Magical Beast and the Quest
221 – Magical Beast and Quest #3
Whewwwww!
After taking a big gulp of air, I felt like my body was so full of air, I might just pop like a balloon.
—Pfft! BOOM!
A sound akin to a giant hot air balloon exploding rang out, threatening to tear my eardrums apart.
At the same time, the highly pressurized air in my mouth and body shot out like a cannonball, heading straight toward Nemea’s lion.
This, ladies and gentlemen, was none other than the skill I had recently acquired: The Lion’s Roar.
—Oooohhhhh…!
Nemea’s lion, upon receiving a direct hit from my devastating attack, floated into the air like a leaf carried by the wind, twirling around in the breeze.
However, it seemed my simple breath blast wasn’t enough to pierce through the lion’s tough muscles or the scaly feathers covering its body.
—Playing with strange wind tricks, eh? My ears are ringing! But THIS is how winds should be handled!
Flap!
Nemea’s lion, hovering in mid-air, flapped its mighty wings. Razor-sharp gusts of wind surged toward me like cutting blades.
‘This is similar to the energy slashes from my claws…’
I deflected all the incoming wind currents with ease using my Front Claw technique, scattering them in all directions. Then, I couldn’t help but smile.
—Hey, Azidahaka! Could you handle Leaf and Yingyi for a second?
“Leaving me out of the fight?”
—Yeah, they said these guys are about the same level as the World Tree Forest Owner. I kinda wanna test myself against them.
—Try stopping this!
Flap!
Swishhssh.
Nemea’s lion flapped its wings downward again, this time not just sending wind blades but also launching countless steel feathers from its wings, like a barrage of shrapnel.
Each of those feathers was razor-sharp and would pierce straight through even my thick hide if I got hit.
“Surely, they’re living up to the Forest Owner level with their damaging potential.”
But let’s not forget—I’ve long surpassed the Forest Owner level. After becoming an adult, I’ve accumulated battle experience, and even in the face of terrifying attacks, I don’t panic. So, I simply dodged by tumbling out of the way.
Pop-pop-pop!
Where I had been standing, the steel feathers dug into the ground like bullets. Seeing his attack miss, the lion snarled with rage, showing its sharp fangs.
—You’re quicker than you look. Fine, I’ll deal with you directly!
Flap!
Like a falcon diving into a river, Nemea’s lion dove toward me from above with its massive body, creating a shockwave that felt like a runaway steel truck screaming toward me at full throttle.
This body slam would surely turn any regular beast into smithereens.
‘Not as intimidating as the front paw of that Giant Behemoth, though.’
But after countless battles, I’ve developed a calmness, a courage in the face of fear—or as some might call it, sheer stupidity.
—d*e, you! Tonight, I’ll strip your skin and eat your flesh!
Clangclangclang!
Metallic impact sounds rang out as the lion crashed into the sandy hill like a cannonball, throwing up debris.
Through the swirling dust, Nemea’s lion emerged, swinging its front paws left and right in wild punches and slashes.
Hooooooo!
—Where are you hitting? That’s just my afterimage though!
—Why! Why doesn’t it hit! Just take one punch!
—Nope.
—Rrrrrggghhh!
Enraged, Nemea’s lion launched into a wild, reckless assault. Its punches were massive power moves, where it pulled its front paws back and thrust them forward with all its strength—so-called telegraphed punches.
Sure, for any normal beast, these strikes would snap bones and shred flesh, but I’m the legendary Magical Beast Behemoth, who has invested everything into speed and agility.
—Haha, slow.
Without even needing my Roll or Bounce Back skills, I danced gracefully around its swipes, dodging like it was a choreographed dance routine.
—This sc*m! You dare mock me?!
Ssss.
Nemea’s lion opened its massive mouth wide, revealing those blindingly sharp fangs.
Whoosh!
As if reading my mind, it lunged straight at me. Intent to bite and rip me apart was clear.
I leaned back to narrowly avoid its chomping jaw—a move known in boxing as a sway.
Crunch!
Its teeth clamped down on thin air with a forceful snap.
In the split second that followed,
I lunged forward, driving my massive front paw like a hammer into its skull and slammed it forcefully to the sandy ground.
BOOM!
Just that impact created a small crater in the sand hill.
—Kreeeeekk!
“You know, griffins and dragons don’t typically squeal like pigs.”
I smirked as I watched the lion collapse, twitching on the ground.
My counter punch landed perfectly. Regardless of its tough bone structure and armored scales, there’s no way it could withstand this kind of impact.
‘That’s it, it’s over.’
Nemea’s lion, its head shaking violently, was clearly in a bad state. But looking at it, I knew I had won.
—Calling me a hybrid? How dare you…!
But among the words I said, there was something that triggered it.
Despite the cracked skull and bleeding, Nemea’s lion roared towards the sky with what looked like ghostly energy.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, its body was enveloped in blazing red flames. Its steel feathers turned red-hot, glowing fiercely.
—Looks just like a Fire Dragon. Is this phase two?
—No one survives seeing this form and lives to tell the tale!
The lion spread its wings wide, like a fan pulling air upward, and launched itself high into the sky.
Below it, a violent wind vortex formed. It wasn’t just wind—it was a swirling, destructive force, picking up sand, rocks, and gravel, growing more fearsome by the second.
Pop-pop-pop!
Sharp gusts strong enough to shred flesh swept across the ground.
—Watch out! All the hunters who came for Nemea’s lion fell victim to this technique!
Behind me, Leaf screamed loudly, watching from afar.
—Not yet!
With a crack of thunder, Nemea’s lion sucked the flames from its throat and neck into its mouth, then spat it directly at the wind vortex it had created.
Whooosh!
The flames merged with the wind vortex, turning it into something akin to a natural disaster.
—Split apart! Burn! Disintegrate into dust!
Roaring into the sky, the lion exuded total confidence. This flaming vortex was clearly its ultimate technique, brimming with faith in its destructive power.
—Yaaa! I’m being sucked in!
—Gueeee!
Leaf, overcome by the powerful currents from the vortex, collapsed and clawed into the sand with her front paws, flailing like clothes in a typhoon. Yingyi clung tightly to her leg, seemingly putting all her strength into staying grounded.
“Grghhh… The sand!”
Even Azidahaka wasn’t faring well. Buffeted by fierce winds and flying sand and rocks, she crouched low, using her palms to shield her face.
At this, Nemea’s lion laughed maniacally.
—Hahahaha! Calling me a hybrid?! Never! I possess the powers of the storm and sun! With these powers, I’ll force all arrogant dragons and hypocritical griffins to grovel at my feet! This is MY Kingdom!
Flap, flap.
Continuously flapping its wings, the lion fueled the vortex and flames, making both stronger.
—Scream!
—Gueeee!
Unable to withstand the force, Leaf and Yingyi were lifted into the air, spinning helplessly.
—I’m spinning! Spinning around!
—Yingying! Help!
Clearly, the situation was dire. If I could just take down Nemea’s lion, would the vortex disappear?
‘Probably not. This vortex is already formed; it’s unlikely to vanish just by defeating him…’
As I watched the spiraling inferno, I quickly thought about how I might stop it.
‘Bounce Back? No, I can’t figure out how to deflect something like this. And if I sh**t fire back… it might make things worse.’
Running through my options, I eventually settled on a solution typical of novels, movies, or games.
‘Counterspin!’
The idea was to spin in the opposite direction to cancel out the vortex’s rotation. It’s a ridiculous solution, but there didn’t seem to be any other choice.
‘I can do this. With my fast legs…!’
Struggling to stay upright, I charged toward the vortex with every ounce of strength.
—What are you trying to do? You’re charging straight into flames? Are you so full of pride you’ve lost your mind?
Nemea’s lion mocked me.
But I just gritted my teeth, pushing every muscle in my body to spin in the opposite direction to the vortex.
—What, what?! Impossible! You’re trying to counter-spin it? Hahahaha! You think you can disrupt this powerful wind with some absurd notion? Laughable! You’d need to move faster than light!
—d*mn. No way.
As Nemea’s lion suggested, no matter how fast I am, matching the vortex’s rotation in the opposite direction is beyond me.
Standing there, I was at a loss for what to do.
Thump-thump.
Then, the bag at my waist began to shake violently. Pulling it open, I saw Satan’s Inner Pearl glowing brightly, pulsing with immense energy.
Thump-thump.
It seemed to be urging me to use it.
I grabbed it with my front paw, pulling it out, and a vivid image flashed through my mind.
‘This might work.’
Holding the pearl like some ancient talisman, I thrust it forward toward the vortex and roared with all my might.
—Open, Wind Rift!
My piercing shout created a powerful draft that surged toward the pearl.
Ssswooshhhhh.
Like a starving whale gulping down a massive quantity of water and plankton, the pearl began voraciously sucking in air.
—Wh-What is that…?!
Nemea’s lion screamed in shock as its vortex began to weaken and eventually disappeared entirely.
—Kyaaaaaa… I’m dizzy. The sky’s spinning…!
—Yingyingyyaaahh…
Leaf and Yingyi, finally free from the vortex, collapsed onto the sandy ground.
Huff-huff.
The pearl, now fully charged like a battery after sipping all that wind, stopped pulsing.
‘So, it was recharging?’
This pearl, used shortly before to escape from Dias’ tomb, was filled with this magical energy.
When I visited Olympus Palace, I tried using it for a scrying spell but found it empty. Now, it feels so heavy, full of power.
‘It seems magical objects need to be recharged like this.’
I recalled how even Satan had used Ra to recharge his sacred artifact. Magical tools clearly depend on external energy to function fully.
—Impossible! My technique… the same technique that shredded even dragons, griffins, and wicked human hunters…
Shocked and enraged that his technique had been countered, Nemea’s lion flapped about aimlessly, his mouth flapping open and closed like a fish out of water.
With a powerful leap, I launched myself into the air, twirled once, and delivered a devastating tail slam to his torso.
Boom!
Nemea’s lion crashed into the sand, his eyes wide with fear, confusion, and pain.
Psssh.
In the end, it peed itself.
[Author’s Note] If you enjoyed this chapter, please click recommend at the top of your mobile screen. Just a two-second click can bring a smile to a writer’s day! @[emailprotected]
