The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 52: Showdown with the dungeon boss

If the monster, or rather, the object that stood before Buji was the dungeon boss, then nature has in every way cheated them. Before them is a deceptively small bat, that just broke out from a thin opening in the wall they hadn’t noticed.

Except the energy it possessed.

Though diminutive in size, the energy that radiated from the bat could be lethal. Its aura sent chills down their spines. But, if luck was on their side, this dungeon boss is a cup of tea to deal with, right?

The bat seemed to understand that the duo were already estimating what it can do. He glared at them, with its crimson eyes glowing like embers in the dark. Its wing, taut and sharp-edged, pulsed with mana.

Each time it flapped its wings, the air crackled. It sent shockwaves that made the duo step back at each flap.

The small object. The thin bat happens to appear very powerful.

Buji stared at Instructor Jean in an ’are you ready’ form and like expected, he got a positive nod.

But then, he had no weapon. His sword was still stuck in the orb of light. How can he forget?

’The aetherfang?’

Even, it will be a bad idea to pull the knife out now that Instructor Jean watched him with every curiosity. The reason for the stare, Buji couldn’t tell but good enough, Instructor Jean signaled his hands with his head.

Understanding what the sign was about, Buji in return pointed at the orb of light affixed to the staff on the other side.

"I will handle it," Instructor Jean said. "You, find a way to get the sword."

The bat flapped its wings and let out a high-pitched screech that reverberated through the enclosure, deafening their ears for the moment. Then, without a single warning, it launched itself at Buji who made his way to the staff.

Buji sidestepped at the last moment, his instincts were better used during battles.

Still, the bat was quick enough. It launched its razor-sharp claws as they grazed the air where Buji once stood. A spear appeared from his side, hitting the claws in counterattack.

"So fast," Buji muttered under his breath and continued with his course to get his sword.

At the moment, he is useless without the sword. Thankfully, Instructor Jean was just in time to distract the bat.

The bat veered to the side with unnatural agility, avoiding a second strike from Instructor Jean. Luckily enough, the spear had two sharp edges, and Jean was a master of spear in action.

He changed the direction of the spear to the position the bat had taken, this time pointing the second mouth edge. But the bat was too fast. It spun mid-air, balancing itself with its wings before diving toward Instructor Jean.

"Watch out," Buji shouted, leaping between Instructor Jean and the bat. He raised his long sword to parry the attack, sparks flying as the bat’s claws clashed with his blade.

"An aetherfang?" Instructor Jean asked, surprised.

"A gift," Buji replied.

For a moment, Buji had approached the staff with his short sword stuck in it. He tried with his whole strength to pull it out but all his efforts yielded no result. Due to this, he resolved to make use of the sword in his system’s acquisition. It won’t matter how he got it, or what Instructor Jean might think.

What matters at the moment is that they should be done before time elapses.

He was not ready to die. He was not ready to share any dungeon takings with outside hunters. And he wanted that reward, at least, he knew there would be a reward if he managed to accomplish the system’s quest.

That being said, he must be the one to kill the boss.

The force of the collision with the bat had sent Buji skidding backward. He managed to regain balance by scraping his sword against the cavern floor.

"This thing’s insane," he grunted, shaking off the impact.

Instructor Jean could care less too about the new sword Buji was with, just as Buji had expected. He had launched himself forward to the bat, which seemed unshaken from the impact earlier.

He executed a flurry of precise strikes. Each movement was calculated, aiming for the creature’s weak points.

"Of course, he’s an Instructor," Buji muttered with sincerity and amazement as he watched the Instructor’s moves.

The bat on its own part was a small witch, devil if to say. It had recovered quickly from Buji’s strike, dodging most of Instructor Jean’s attacks and countering with a rapid flurry of wing slashes.

One of the slashes caught Instructor Jean on his side, tearing through his tunic and leaving a shallow gash.

"Ouch… aagh!" Instructor Jean howled in pain.

Just as it seems, he won’t be getting healed anytime soon. They couldn’t leave the enclosure due to the barrier.

With instinct, Buji covered immediately. He went after the bat which was on the orb of light, and halted.

"What is it doing?"

"It’s reviving the energy back, stop it!"

But it was late.

Instead of stopping it, Buji was slowed.

His short sword shot out from the orb with a rapid speed, heading towards him. He managed to sidestep to prevent its stab, but he narrowly missed it. The sword had slashed his right hand, and went straight to stab Instructor Jean who still lay on the ground on the shoulder.

The bat’s slash had been severe and would only take any man some time to regain composure after being a victim.

One thing the duo didn’t know was that the bat had seen what was happening outside the barrier. His guard, the massive bats were beaten mercilessly and most of their dead bodies now lay on the floor.

That was only possible because they were comparatively weak without the energy from earlier. And that was why, it had seized the opportunity to revive the orb of light to continue doing its job on the massive bats.

It had worked.

The massive bats were regaining control over the hunters out there, and that was a good thing for the boss.

Just then, Buji as well as Instructor Jean understood what was going on.

Before Buji could think, the bat had ascended with its wings glowing ominously.

"What now—"

The bat had executive a powerful flap of its glowing wings, causing it to unleash a barrage of sharp mana shards that rained down like a storm of daggers.

Buji ran off to nowhere. All he did was run around, dodging each shard that came his way, leaving them to shatter on the floor.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Instructor Jean on his own part had managed to get up from the ground. The sword was no longer on his shoulder, which meant he had pulled it out.

’But from where did the strength come?’ Buji wondered.

Upon his injuries, Instructor Jean handled the spear with his left hand judiciously and perfectly in manner. He swung it like the blades of an electric fan, spinning around with it, all in quick precision.

With that, each shard that fell on his side was destroyed, and he continued that way.

’Just… what am I even contributing in this fight?’

The worst thing Buji thought of doing was to imitate Instructor Jean’s attack format. At the count of three into the game, he should have left for his ancestors.

But at least he could do something now.

The orb.

He was closer to it than he expected. If only he could totally destroy it, that would be luck on their side. Destroying it will turn the tide of the battle.

"Yes."

He clutched onto his sword tightly with both hands and gave out a precise swing that sent the orb separating itself from the staff and shattering immediately after contact with the ground.

"Done."

The orb flickered at intervals before going off entirely. That was when Buji and Instructor Jean noticed the sound.

Arrows with different speeds whacked at them but ended up falling off after coming in contact with the barrier.

The barrier had been their protector.

Instructor Jean smiled to see what had happened.

"She used the gift."

"What gift?" Buji asked

But he was answered with the change in energy in the chamber. The air was dense, and it pressed on his chest making it hard for him to breathe. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, and he saw it.

The bat, as small as it was possessed this energy.

They were distracted by what had happened outside the barrier, now, Instructor Jean is lifted off the floor, with the claws of the bat pierced into his stomach from the back.

"Urgh," Instructor Jean growled in pain.

"Buj-i-i…" Instructor Jean called out, showcasing his bloody teeth.

Buji stood with the swords by his side.

Here he was, with aetherfang, nothing to do came to his mind. But then, he reasoned, from the way Instructor Jean had called the sword’s name in shock, it meant there was an ability it had. But he is ignorant of that fact.

"Huh..."