The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 83: Retrieve that core—failed
Realizing where the Wyrm’s core is, Buji exhaled softly. In his hand, he was twirling the Phantom Fang Blade in between his fingers.
His has found it, finally.
Yes, but locating it wasn’t the same as reaching it.
"It won’t be easy, I swear" he muttered, with a smirk on his lips.
The Wyrm, as impatient as it was, reared back and struck first.
Its tail swipe fast, condescending with agility that cut into the air.
Buji had not the enough time to react as the gust of wind howled through the cavern, its impact sending sharp debris into diffusion.
He lunged back, activating his Phantom Step immediate, a with a blue he narrowly escaped the crushing force of the tail.
"Damn, that was close—"
But before Buji could balance his footing, the Wyrm lunged forward, twisting its enormous body.
"At least, give me time to react before you lunge a second attack," Buji muttered, trying to figure out the creature’s next action.
The monster snapped it’s jaw open, revealing rows of fanged teeth that glistened with venom. Somewhat steam seem to be rising from the gaps.
"Another breath attack? Brace up boy and chest this," he said foolishly.
Buji’s instincts screamed at his speech. He had seconds to react between.
"No, I can’t cheat that. Incoming..."
Boom!
A wave of searing white-hot flames erupted from the monster’s mouth, consuming everything on the ground towards Buji. The cavern ceiling ignited, golden veins flickered wildly as the mana in the air boiled under the heat.
The mages among the hunters in the distance, including Mr. Zin threw up barriers, with motive to shield themselves from the attack.
But Buji didn’t dodge.
He ran into it.
[Infernal Awakeningl: Active.]
His body instinctively hardened. His muscles coiling like steel as he braced himself against the inferno.
The world blurred as he pushed forward, weaving through the flames with precision. The heat was unbearable, his vision warping under the pressure. But he kept moving.
Faster...
...
Closer...
...
The Wyrm ceased its attack, poking its monstrous head forward, as well as swaying it as if searching for Buji through the smoke.
And then—
He was above it. Buji...
A flicker of silver in the darkness. The Phantom Fang Blade descended, the runes along its edge howling with power.
SLASH!
The Wyrm screeched in agony as Buji’s attack connected to it, slicing through the protective scales near its ribcage.
A spurt of dark, molten blood gushed out from the wound, sizzling as it hit the air. The creature reared back, writhing violently in pain. Screeching unceasingly, as its echo filled the cavern hall.
Buji landed smoothly, exhaling sharply as he took in the damage.
Almost.
The wound was there, but not deep enough. He had barely scratched the surface of the Wyrm’s defenses.
The monster recovered quickly. Faster than he expected.
And then it attacked again.
WHOOSH!
A beat from its wing.
A storm of power.
Buji’s eyes widened as the Wyrm launched itself forward, unfurling its wings for the first time and with rapid dash. Despite its massive size, the creature moved with terrifying speed. The talons from its wing were extended towards Buji.
"Too fast."
Buji twisted, attempting to evade the attack when—
But he wasn’t fast enough.
SLASH!
Pain...
Buji hurtled though the air as the Wyrm’s talons raked across his chest, in nearness to his shoulder. The pain, the eruption of a sharp, searing agony recorded.
He crashed into a jagged rock formation, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the stone. Blood dripped from his wound, gradually forming a pool, staining the ground beneath him.
"Not. Yet," Buji grumbled, after which he coughed.
For the first time in this battle, Buji coughed. His breath came in ragged gasps, his vision momentarily blurring.
"Damn it," he muttered, seeing the Wyrm approaching.
The Wyrm didn’t wait.
It pressed the attack.
A downward slam—massive claws aimed to crush him where he lay.
Buji forced his battered body to move. He gathered all his remaining strength.
[Phantom Step: Activated.]
His form flickered into a breath before the impact from the monster’s strike.
BOOM!
The rock he had been rested his body against shattered under the Wyrm’s weight, debris scattered in all directions.
The force from the attack sent shockwaves rippling through the cavern, forcing even the distant hunters to shield their eyes.
"Imagine I had being the victim!" Buji shouted.
His Phantom Step had helped him escape the attack, and now, he reappeared above the Wyrm once again.
His strength had sudden refueled as soon as he activated the skill. He wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression hardening.
"Alright, that hurt."
The Wyrm’s eyes flicked, rotating toward him. It was unmistakably intelligent, for its level though.
It had learned.
Buji grinned, before uttering—
"But you still don’t get it, do you?"
"Moooh," the monster mooed.
The Phantom Fang Blade Buji held in his hand glowed brighter runes, with the intense energy pulsing from it.
He wasn’t just fighting.
He had emulated from the Wyrm. Adaptation to any circumstance during battle, seemed to be one of the best technique to use against someone greater in strength. Of course, with application of due intelligence.
He was adapting too. Thanks to the Wyrm for the idea.
The Wyrm flipped itself continuously, causing Buji to fly off, but landing safely on the ground before it.
Just then, immediately, the creature lunged again—another unpredictable movement. A violent thrash of its body, sending a tremor through the ground.
But Buji was faster this rime. He had already moved.
He had memorized its attack patterns, somehow.
He dodged with fluid movement, shifting his weight mid-air.
"Surprised? It’s just grace anyway."
This time, he didn’t go for a normal strike.
Instead—
He leaped high into the air, and diving later with overrated speed, straight toward the wound he had made earlier.
His blade descended like lightning.
SLASH!
This time—he broke through.
The blade pierced deep, sinking into the Wyrm’s flesh.
And then, he saw it.
The core.
A glowing, pulsating orb, nestled within the ribcage.
Buji’s grin widened.
"Found you."
The Wyrm realized too late.
With all his strength, Buji drove the Phantom Fang Blade into the core.
A blinding explosion of light followed.
The cavern shook violently. The Wyrm screamed, its entire body convulsing.
The glow from its core shattered into fragments, bursting outward like a dying star.
And then—
Silence.
"What happened? Oh"
The Wyrm collapsed.
Its massive form crashed against the cavern floor, sending tremors through the underground labyrinth. Its eyes that once blazed with power now dimmed.
Buji exhaled sharply. His body felt heavy like lead. Exhaustion finally settling in.
And then—
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have defeated the High-Rank Wyrm.]
[Your level has increased by 10.]
[You have obtained Monster Core (Wyrm - Legendary).]
[New Title Unlocked: Slayer of Legends.]
Buji smirked as he dismissed the notifications.
He turned to the other hunters, who stood frozen in shock.
Then, he rolled his shoulders and sighed.
"Alright," he muttered. "Now who’s carrying this thing back to base?"
"There is a team for that," Mr. Zin replied. And still, in his mind, he turned somewhat happy. ’he must have awakened it.’
Meanwhile, Buji received another notification from the system.
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Ding!
[Quest Compl— Failure recorded!]
[Quest: Retrieve that core—failed!]
[You were instructed to retrieve the core and not shatter the core.]
"But, but, I didn’t do anything knowingly."
The system seemed to pay no attention as it still buzzed Buji’s sight with the screen notification.
[Punishment Incurred: Domain of Eternal Engross—acquired!]
[Your survival solely depends on your ability to take down the enemies.]
[Transportation in three minutes...]
[00:02:57 counting down.]
"Wait," Buji prostrated his hands forward in a bid to stop the system, but he turned to his right and noticed the other hunters were watching. Totally hooked to his strange act.
As if everything has come to fast, another screen appeared.
[Disadvantage of Transportation to the Punishment Zone: All surrounding entities are liable to death!]
"Huh."
He turned and assessed his group members for the final time. Happiness set in, sadness followed as well.
’Mr. Zin will be wiped out finally, not by my hands even. Target one down.’
Before he could think of another thing, the system notified him.
[A second remaining.]
[Transportation in progress.]
"At least, spare her." Buji could only find himself mutter, realizing the girl he has crushed on earlier would also be a victim of the death.
The system indeed indirectly showed its hatred towards hunters. It’s expected though, since it’s a monster system.
...
Buji’s environment changed. His mind seemed to transcend, and expand. His horizon somewhat became wide.
This place—
His eyes darted around as he began to take down the description.
