The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 64: Fight with Lycans

Buji pressed on further into the dungeon. Once again, it’s pathway seemed to be narrowing as he advances. The dungeon also grew darker as he kept venturing deeper, and with each step.

The faint glow of the moss that had strangely sprouted out from the walls barely illuminated his route. But, he felt this unsettling presence around him. He felt that he were being watched.

Then, he looked at his left side and saw them.

Two glimmering eyes stared at him from the looming darkness ahead. The eyes were a piercing, otherworldly blue, glowing with an eerie light.

Buji halted immediately in his track, his heart pounding.

The eyes moved closer, and closer, and soon, a second pair of eyes appeared beside them. Then...a third.

"Their eyes? Their movement? And..." The thought struck Buji. "Woah, are these not supposed to be Lycans?"

Buji reflexively tightened his grip on the Slayer. Or no, should he use his Aetherfang?

He measured the possibility of defeating the new creatures with the Slayer. The sword should be weak now, and needed to rest.

He tossed the sword behind him to vanish, and wavered his hand circularly in the hall. As he did this, the Aetherfang appeared into his hands immediately, gripping onto Buji’s hands with its hilt.

"Not like I’m a mage though," Buji muttered. "Just figured I could control the screen with my mind and actions."

The creatures, however, stepped into the dim light, becoming visible enough to be seen.

"My guess was right," Buji said in disbelief of whether he was going to be successful. At least, the doubt tripped in because they were becoming many of the Lycans in view.

The creatures were towering beasts, and their muscular bodies were covered in matted fur.

They snarled in unison, revealing the rows of their razor-sharp teeth. Buji imagined that a ping of one of these teeth, will surely... Surely cause whatever it will cause.

But he didn’t want to be the experiment for that. So, he must try his very best to complete this quest. Even though, the quest this time was different.

Normally, it should have been—cut off a neck, tag down a target, kill the humans with the murderous intent; kill your enemies, kill the dungeon boss. That was normally the examples of quest he’d seen in Divine books or books he read in the Academy’s library.

But then, the quest had been just for him to extract and recover something from the main chamber of this dungeon.

’But...how long will this have to take.’

"I don’t know," he decided to reply his thought.

"One... Two... Three... Five," he counted. "Five? Five Lycans?"

<Ding!>

<Click... Click... Ting ting!>

The different screens that appeared in their clearly read and notified Buji.

[Lycans Detected!]

[Frontier is....

Name: Alpha

Level: 32

EXP: 600!]

[Ding! Other Lycans evaluated!]

[Name: Pack Members (x4)

Level: 30

EXP! 250 each!]

"Things should go well," Buji whispered with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. "...and should get better as well."

He looked around him to notice that the Lycans has began to circle him. Their movements were coordinated, more like that of predators and a prey.

Buji was the prey, while they were the predators. He knew that he could make a simple silly action that could take his life instantly. He was outmatched; taking on five Lycans all at once was suicide.

And he’s not ready for that. He still wanted to enjoy his youth, no matter what type of life struggle he’s engaged in. A life struggle that clearly placed death on a 50:50 scale with the undertakers.

"Think, Buji, think," he muttered to himself.

Now that he was surrounded by the creatures, he couldn’t just let out to run. There was clearly no where to run to anyway even if he had the chance to run.

Not until he had completed the quest, and within the specified time.

He thought of the skill he was going to use first for escape from this temporarily lock. If he used his Jumper skill, it will surely save him from this dangerous circle, but, he was still going to face them (the creatures) again in confusion.

’So, nah. I’m not using you first.’

Secondly, he thought of his Slayer title, and his burst strike. They weren’t going to do much damage on the lycans.

It will only fuel their energy to lunge at him for his death, and his own energy will be drowned to refill theirs. ’So, nah too.’

What of the Phantom Step...

Judging by the abilities and privileges of the particular skill, especially the distraction and confusion it causes at times, he saw it as a big opportunity for him.

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"Phantom Step!"

[Cling! Activated...!]

Buji immediately, ran around, creating an in-circle inside the big one the Lycans had created as a trap for him. Soon, multiple afterimages seemed to propagate from his speed, performing the same task as him.

The Lycans hesitated for a moment—confused. They tried to refuse the confusion that was created by Buji’s skill. They snarled angrily trying to discern the real Buji but it wasn’t working.

This method, Buji decided to use to generate his Phantom Step looked more of impressive. He took advantage of their confusion and struck one of the pack members, driving his Aetherfang into its side.

The creature howled in notification that it had been struck. Ita hide was tough, so, Buji’s attack barely made a dent.

"Well, bad news," Buji resorted to the statement. His skill had deactivated with that strike, and the Lycans clearly found the real Buji.

They regrouped quickly, locking their glowing eyes onto him.

"This isn’t going to work," Buji realized. He needed a plan—and fast. "I--duly--need--a plan."

His eyes darted around him, scanning his surroundings. He finally made the wrong step, and should correct it as soon as possible.

Dear, dear.

There it was, what he was to be using to set his plan is right there, staring at him. He only hopes the plan will work with precious, and yield quicker result.

Hanging from the ceiling above the Lycans, he noticed a series of jagged stalactites.

’Good enough,’ he thought.

He set out into a devastating run to his heels, taunting the Lycans and luring them toward the center of the chamber. The dummy creatures snarled and lunges at him.

Lucky enough for him, he narrowly missed the claws that waved over to him as he dodged and weaved.

’They are set now,’ Buji thought. A closer look into his eyes would show his bit of excitement. ’They are in position. Now!’

"Jumper!"

[Activated!!!]

Immediately, Buji ran with great speed and leaped high, aiming his Aetherfang at the ceiling.

"Infernal Strike!"

He activated the skill and flinged his sword horizontally.

The sword gave out two forms of energy, almost at the same interval.

First, the in-energy of Aetherfang that clashed against mana objects was sent toward the stalactites. Followed by a wave of fiery energy that was a result of the Infernal strike Buji activated.

Together, their diminutive force hit the stalactites, shattering them. The massive rocks came crashing down, crushing two of the Lycans instantly.

[Ding! You have slain a Lycan Pack Member!]

[EXP: +250]

[You have slain a Lycan Pack Member!]

[EXP: +250]

"Wow, that was much faster than I imagined," Buji uttered, his body still in descent.

Below him, the three remaining Lycans howled in rage. Their eyes now glowed even brighter. The Alpha still backed down, giving way for the pack members to act first.

One of the pack members stepped forward.

"Since you want a piece of me," Buji growled, raising his sword. "You shall get it!"

The creature charged with its claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. It’s movement was just as fast as...as fast as whatever that was very fast.

Buji’s thought went back to when he had made the best decision to weaken their resolve. He once read that Lycans get weakened in strength whenever they begin to lose their members.

He didn’t know if that was the case here. But, if it was really the case. ’TF, this creatures are clearly not weak at all. If they were, just if they are.’

The thought thanked Buji severally for his first line of actions. If he hadn’t taken that step, he wondered how stronger the Lycans would be. If only, they fought with weakness in such a way his current opponent was fighting.

Meanwhile, Buji had actuvated Counter Attacker to meet the beast head-on. The impact that came from their clash was ferocious, sending sparks flying in the air.

The strike from the Lycan came with much power as well as that of Buji. The force after their clash sent both sprawling backwards.

Buji stopped his backward movement with one of his legs pulled behind him, as he shrugged to regain his balance. The impact, of course, had drained him of enough strength, but he wasn’t going to back down now. He summoned enough strength, running toward the Lycan and slashing the air with a powerful strike.

The Aetherfang delivered a beautiful spark of energy that darted toward the Lycan’s chest in an arc formation.

The strike was stealthy and so, affected the Lycan, good enough.

It let out a roar that seemed to be final before collapsing to the ground.

[You have slain the Lycan Pack Member!]

[EXP: +250]

The remaining two Lycans seems extinguished by this performance from Buji. But, the Lycans weren’t ready to give up yet.

The Lycan Pack member lunges at Buji with much agitation and strength, but uselessly, Buji ended its life with a precise strike.

"Infernal Strike!"

Buji had activated this skill, and just like the time when he shattered some stalactites, his sword did the same thing this time. It unleashed the swords energy, followed immediately by the fiery wave.

The wave acted the more on the Lycan but with the help of the Aetherfang:s energy. Their collision upon hitting the Lycan had created a strong magnificating fire that engulfed the Lycan, burning it and reducing it to ash.

"You have slain a Lycan Pack Member!!]

[EXP: +250]

Even though he appeared victorious in the midst of these creatures, he felt his energy was critically reducing. He looked up, and saw the last Lycan in the distance, comfortably lying on the dungeon’s bare floor.

The sight weakened Buji the more. In the human world, being that acted in solitude were the most dangerous. Most times, their next actions can’t be predicted, and most times, their actions were the worst settlers on the body its victims.

Buji sensed solitude in the Lycan, and imagined how dangerous it would be. Besides, that was the Alpha Lycan.

It appeared larger than the others. More like a giant Lycan. But...but why did it suddenly lay down at the chaos that befell its last survivinf pack members.

Buji dropped to his knees, his body trembling into exhaustion. The dungeon was silent once more, save for the next and possibly, the last round of his fight with the Lycan.

He summoned the system screen, noting his updated.

[Level Up!!]

[Level Up!!]

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.

.

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[Level Up!!]

[Level attained: 52]

[Total EXP: Calculating...]

A new notification appeared.

[The Player is currently low in strength. Do you wish to visit shop?]

"Well...yes," Buji replied, and the screen changed its appearance.