Tiny has become very still for some reason. I shuffle forward a little so I get a good look at his face.
[You okay there, buddy?]
His face has gone completely slack while his eyes drink in the scenes of glorious carnage before him as if he were dying of thirst and staring at the freshest of pure mountain streams.
The infatuation, the adoration… He looks like a giant bat-faced ape in love!
Are you that desperate to fight things? Really!
Fine! You stand there and take in the sights. I’ll jump in and steal your experience.
Bwahahahaha!
With my two passengers clutching on tightly, I leap down into the main tunnel, mandibles ablaze with energy as I channel Mana into them.
Shattering Bite!
The illusory jaws of energy extend from my mandibles and crunch down on the nearest monster who, refreshingly, doesn’t collapse from the first attack.
The blood is starting to pump through my body as the excitement rises in my chest. Finally, a good battle. I can stretch out and move at last.
I can test out my new techniques!
As I feint forward and back against my opponent—a battered Tyrant Bear who rumbles and slashes at the air in response to my provocation, bearing its tremendous fangs—I begin to craft my new magic within myself.
I hope you’re ready for some of this flava. Taste my Gravity Bolt!
My practice has certainly paid off! It only takes me a few seconds to shape the magic and pump it full of energy until it’s ready to launch. I lunge to once side, causing the bear to rear back out of my range as it prepares a retaliatory attack. At this precise moment, I fire the Gravity Bolt. The foe has no time to react before the spell impacts it in the side. Right on target! Immediately the magic takes effect and starts to drag the bear down.
Gweheheh.
I’m impressed though. The raw physical strength of this monster has allowed it to remain on its feet as opposed to being pressed flat against the ground like the weaker beasts I’d practiced on. The powerful gravity is still having an effect, however. The bear is using so much strength to battle against the pull, its legs are practically shaking, eyes still fierce but a tinge of fear has appeared.
How are you going to fight in that sort of condition, Mr Bear?
You can’t!
Shattering Bite!
Trying not to get cocky, I keep an eye on my surroundings as I circle around the bear and begin my assault on its tremendous defences. In order to puncture that insanely tough hide I need to close the distance and use my physical mandibles. This is made fairly trivially easy since I’m quite nimble. But the bear is struggling to turn and keep me in its sights.
Shattering Bite!
Shattering Bite!
More Mana into the mandibles!
Shattering Bite!
[You have defeated Level 8 Earth Bear Tyrant]
[You have gained XP.]
Behold my power!
As I’m glorying in my triumph, a shattering screech echoes down the tunnel. Tiny is ready to fight!
23. Brawlin’
The ear shattering screech out of Tiny has only gotten stronger over time. As the sonic waves roll over me, the stunning effect slams into my soft brain—brains—like a sledgehammer.
Thanks to my sturdy Willpower, I can shake it off after a second and see how the rest of the monsters are doing.
Generally, not great.
There are plenty of beasts reeling or stunned completely from that vocal blast, while a few larger creatures seem to have managed to resist almost as well as I did. Having announced his mighty presence, Tiny leaps into the cavern, landing with a boom, the rocks cracking under him.
The long hair on his arms and back is starting to rise into the air as he glares hungrily at the monsters, who can only shrink back from this intimidating beast. I can only imagine that seeing such a beefy, strong looking monster land in their midst is not exactly what they expected or hoped for. Tiny’s hands and body are starting to spark in earnest now, little zaps of electricity rippling over him and swimming across his fingers.
ROAR!
Not intimidated by the fearsome display, one of the armoured lizards bellows a challenge from across the tunnel. Tiny’s bat ears twitch in outrage and he screeches back, the sonic blast physically impacting some smaller monsters and knocking them right off their feet.
Crunch! Crunch!
As the two monsters stomp toward each other, their heavy tread shatters the stones beneath their feet. Not willing to be caught in the fray, the smaller monsters back the hell up, desperate to get out of the way of what is about to take place. Even I can follow their logic. If these two big fellas want to fight each other, that is a hell of lot better than them picking on us! Let’s move to the side and eat each other while they do their thing.
I have to admit I feel like a proud dad as my once little ape stomps toward a fiendish armour beast in preparation for a no holds barred battle to the death.
Should I cast a sneaky Gravity Bolt in there to help Tiny out? Asides from the risk of hitting my own pet accidentally, I’m not sure he’d be ok with me interfering in his long-awaited battle. I might just have to keep an eye on things and play it by ear.
As the monsters draw closer to each, the pressure in the air increases to unbearable levels. Two monsters enter, only one will leave!
Swinging his fists in wide arcs, Tiny is the first to act. Electricity crackles in the air as he raises both massive hands before leaping forward and crashing them down like a thunderbolt!
Reading his move, the massive lizard fearlessly dives forward. By shifting the point of impact, the blow will fall on its back where thick bony plates will absorb the damage, rather than straight onto its head.
CRASH!
The feet of the lizard are forced three inches into the cavern floor as that titanic blow, with all the weight of an angry bat-ape behind it, shudders through its body. It isn’t the physical damage that troubles the beast though. Bright rippling arcs of electricity discharge from Tiny’s fists as they impact, piercing straight through that hard shell to roast the tender flesh beneath.
Gasp! Is this the legendary Ape Thunder Strike?
Though absorbed in watching this clash, my peripheral vision picks up movement. A second of the large shell lizards is positioning itself for a charge. The monster is obviously planning to intrude on what is clearly a thrilling one-versus-one battle. How rude!
Sneakily I begin to form a spell. Let’s see how you like this tasty little dish!
After being damaged by Tiny’s strike, the lizard shakes itself vigorously before turning its large body with deceptive speed. The clubbed tail behind it whips through the air so quick it almost can’t be followed by the eye!
[Look out, Tiny!]
The big ape appears to see it coming, hardly needing any warning from me! He rotates his body and flashes out a clean right hook, connecting flush with that bony tail and smashing it away!
Holy hell! That was so fast!
Punching in such a way isn’t without cost however. A crunch resonates from Tiny’s fist in the moment of impact. He must have broken some fingers!
With his back turned, the interloping lizard has found its moment to charge! Unleashing a furious roar, it pounds the rocky floor with its mighty four-legged tread, its incredible mass and hard armour shattering any stone pillars or monsters unfortunate enough to be in the way.