[MGM]: 90 - Inferno

Arcane Arts—or Magic, as some would call it—is said to be the lost art of civilization, dating back hundreds of thousands of years to a time when even the System hadn't existed. Was there any truth to this statement? I didn't know. Did I care? Not one bit.

Before leaving the Inn, I had voiced my concerns to Cassia and suggested that we help me level up a couple more times so I could increase my summoning capacity. With expanded personnel, our journey would progress much more smoothly. Cassia agreed. The only problem remaining was how exactly to help me level up.

The answer was, of course, monsters. But the problem was that we were far from the borders, and changing our course at this junction would only serve to harm us. Then, Magic answered our plight.

Cassia was by far the most knowledgeable summon I had—not just in terms of what she knew about the world, but also because of her proficiency with the Arcane Arts. Most of her talents were the result of her own study and effort, something she recalled as distinctly as Tania remembered forging her armor. The point was, she could modify her talents at any time to suit her needs.

She was, indeed, the most versatile summon I had.

Thanks to Spirit Ascension, she could pierce through space over a long distance, and by using my Void Step, we could travel through the channel created by her Dark Rift. It was risky, and I had initially expressed hesitation, but the Foxkin had managed to convince me otherwise.

Fortunately, the gamble paid off, and we dropped on the other side of our impromptu portal.

"Well, that wasn't the least bit nerve-wracking," I said, with a sarcastic flair.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Cassia replied, her tone flat.

I frowned but opted to look around instead of trading remarks. "Where are we?" I asked.

"Somewhere deep," she replied. "Hopefully."

Having had extensive training from Amara—though I wouldn’t consider myself a master of all the abilities—I had enough control to use them properly. Blood Monarch offered a passive life sense that could be actively enhanced several times over.

Motes of light bloomed in my consciousness—first nearby, then at a distance. The range would normally depend on my Mana levels and skill. With my current level...

I smiled as I felt a moderately sized mote moving toward us and walking steadily. In the distance, a giant one remained rooted, idle.

An A-Rank monster.

Cassia and I decided to split up. By moving separately, we could cover more ground and annihilate as many of these sick entities as possible, maximizing our XP gain. I went toward the A-Rank monster, while she took off in another direction.

Previously, I had slain a Level 170+ monster, and all I’d received in return was a measly four levels. I sincerely hoped that at least this time I would receive five. Between the two of us, that much was attainable.

This part of End Forest was brimming with monsters. I hadn’t even taken a couple of steps in my target’s direction when a snake sprang from the ground, fangs bared and dripping with toxic venom. With speedy reflexes, I batted it aside and, using a blood blade, decapitated it.

The XP gain was barely worth mentioning, so I pressed forward. During that time, I noted a constant rise in my XP—small but steady. It meant Cassia was killing things on her end too.

It took me nearly half an hour to reach my target, which rested in an empty glade atop a smooth piece of rock. It was a Sun-Spotted Lion.

The monster was big, but nothing compared to the chimera I had faced. It had a sleek body, with smooth yellow—almost golden—fur. A flaming mane covered its neck, ran down its back, and extended outward as a tail, flaring at the tip like a torch. Its eyes—like miniature stars in the night sky—stared at me intensely. All in all, the creature was a glorious sight to behold.

Sun-Spotted Lion.

I had read about it back when I was still in the guild. One party had been nearly annihilated by this one flaming monster. Even among A-Rank monsters, this one definitely ranked near the top.

This is going to be difficult, I thought, frowning. Looking around, there was nothing but trees. Luring the beast into the woodland would only work against me—I had to finish it here and now.

Given my repertoire, Blood Monarch was my best offense. Some skills were support-based, like Runic Empowerment and Shadowflare. Void Step would serve as my primary mobility talent. Thanks to my Dragon Heart and being partly of Draconic heritage, my vast Mana wellspring ensured I wouldn't be impaired.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at the monster with steely resolve.

I can do it.

I had tried using different weapons throughout my life, but nothing resonated with me more than my fists. Blood spun around my arms as I crouched. It wove like thick bands of mystic might, wrapping around my fists. Runes lit up like constellations on these bands, and the ground buckled beneath my feet. Shadowy tendrils mixed with the blood, forming a gauntlet that could only be called a masterpiece.

Red and black fused to give the scaly gauntlet a terrifying look. Bands of golden runes ran along its length—between the scales of the arm and the joints of my fingers. The open maw of a dragon, fangs bared, served as the final decorative touch.

Then the ground exploded.

The world blurred. The lion roared in challenge—and I was gone. An instant later, I was atop it. The monster exploded in a burst of radiant light, like a star. The impact sent me reeling, arms crossed to shield myself from the searing flames. Yet, the fabric burned—and so did the flesh.

I groaned, spinning in the air before landing hard on the ground. Looking ahead—the monster was gone. To my left—the monster was charging.

It left a trail of golden flames in its wake, running with explosive rhythm. Its speed was impressive, but still not a match for mine. I leaned to the side just as it approached, then disappeared—only to reappear at its flank.

My armored fist exploded with momentum, enhanced by Runic Empowerment, and struck its abdomen. The monster folded under the force of my punch and was launched sideways into the treeline. It tore through the trees like dry twigs, sending a cloud of dust and debris flying.

I didn’t follow—waiting patiently instead. It paid off, as a column of flame soon erupted from where the beast had landed, exploding outward in a wave of furious vengeance. I raised my hand and summoned a shield of blood.

The next instant, the shield shattered into a thousand shards—like tiny pieces of glass flying in every direction. The Lion bore down on me, maw wide open, a ball of condensed fire spinning with promised death. I had an instant before it exploded in my face, and in that instant, I was nowhere—then everywhere—then above the beast.

The fire burned, and the blood dyed the skies.

My fist tore through muscle and bone to seize its beating heart. It looked at me with a disturbingly human expression—it looked at me with horror.

And then I crushed it.

And then the world exploded like a star.

I had knowledge about the Sun-Spotted Lion, but that only pertained to some of its known abilities. It hadn’t included the event that followed its death, which had caught me off-guard.

I groaned on the ground, coughing up dust and mud. My skin was scorched and raw, burning like a piece of meat on a fiery pan. Using Blood Monarch, I managed to repair my damaged body, albeit slowly.

Had I not heard the sound of rustling grass and the snap of dry twigs, I would’ve continued on ignorantly. As it was, I grew alert—and though severely impaired, I could still manage a short range of motion. Thanks to that, I identified the presence of my new neighbors.

I cursed and hurried to fix my injuries. The wolves circled the clearing, sniffing and growling. In my current state, let alone fighting, I couldn’t even ward off a single one of them.

Just as I was growing anxious, shadowy tentacles sprang into existence. They rose from the ground and bound the wolves with a firm grip. Out of the shadows, a figure stepped forward, her cloak fluttering behind her as she emerged, wearing a sensual and tight-fitting robe.

She smiled at me, baring her sharp fangs.

“Looks like you nearly got cooked alive,” she remarked, glancing between me and the corpse of the monster on the ground. “Though thanks to that, you should’ve leveled up quite a bit, right?”

I raised a brow, called forth the newest messages, and smiled pleasantly. Indeed, our efforts had paid off.