Amber | Chapter 77. (Patreon)

Chapter 77.

“The tides of battle have shifted,” Sid'fril said, his voice a mere whisper. 

He stared at the blue flames through the screen, there he saw the two warriors battling for their life. To see who came out victorious, while at first there was a large disparity between their strengths, now both were tired. Now, both were even. And yet, he was rooting for only one of them. 

His eyes narrowed, he couldn’t remember the last time he cheered for someone like that, and perhaps he never did. But now, his heart was beating, invested in the development of this being⁠— of this mortal. 

“Do it Amber.”

He urged. 

“Win.” 

And he paused, he paused as he fractionally craned his head only to see a red flash of light. Then, from the light she emerged, a red Primordial Spirit, a god just like him.

“Val’leri,” he said threatingingly. “What do you want?”

“What, can’t I see my friend ascend? I did send her after you,” she pointed out. 

Sid'fril frowned, but said nothing. Instead, she allowed the Primordial Spirit he despised to join his side, because this time they had something in common. 

They both wanted to see Amber triumph. 

So, the two Primordial Spirits watched. 

  * 

For a moment, its consciousness faded. All he remembered were blue flames, a rocking explosion and when he awoke, all he felt was pain. It was all because of the blue arrow the adventurer had unleashed upon him and all of the curses she had used upon him. 

The first thing he saw as he scrambled out of the powerful blue flames was the human ⁠— his target. She was the cause of all his pain, and she was spent. For a moment, he tried to rush at her given how weak she was but his body failed to respond to the command. However, he forced himself to move, he exerted himself to do so, unleashing a roar as a notification echoed. 

[Momentum within the space shifts.]

It was all to get rid of the human. 

The Abyssal Briroar headbutted, teleporting in an instant, only to miss the woman, however he knew she had been slippery so he didn’t mind. Instead, he gave chase to her, knowing there was no way for the human to fight back anymore. He was still rampaging, she was still being suppressed, however, deep down he felt anger and also humiliation. 

[Warrior. Lvl. 150]

A mere 150 human had been the cause of all his suffering, such a weak being had put him in such a state. It was an unacceptable thing for her to damage him to this extent. Was he so weak? A Grand Dungeon boss like him was that weak? That was a ridiculous notion, and yet, he was truly damaged and injured. While he attacked, he felt nothing but pain, but he didn’t dare back down. 

The Abyssal Briroar continued to relentlessly attack the human, but it was slippery, like a worm. A worm that had damaged him to such an extent. The mere thought made him angry as he pulled back. So far, nothing he had done was able to kill the human, however, that wouldn’t go on for much longer. 

Perhaps he was weak, perhaps he was damaged, but he was still a Grand Dungeon boss. 

The Abyssal Briroar pulled back and gathered its mana, coalescing it deep within his chest. And then, before the human could react. He fired⁠—

A beam of white engulfed everything, however, the Abyssal Briroar didn’t stop there, no⁠— it continued his breath. This time he spun around the cave, cutting the ground apart and leaving a trail of explosions. The main hit would never strike such a slippery human, but this was a different story. While he struggled with the spinning movement, he didn’t give up. Even if his body was battered beyond belief, even if he was much weaker than ever before, he pushed forward. 

The explosions consumed the cave, destroying and tearing it all apart. And he continued to breathe, destroying everything in his path, until he couldn’t anymore. It was an attack that was bound to hit, but as he watched the human appear in the air with a hardened gaze, he couldn’t help but momentarily be stunned. 

The human stabbed its sword into him, and then⁠— burned his insides. The Abyssal Briroar blew fire into her, sending her back and away from him. However, all he could feel was disbelief. 

She still carried the same resolute gaze, it was a stark contrast from all the adventurers he had fought over centuries. In comparison to them, she didn’t show fear, she didn’t show despair, all she showed were her pearly whites with a wide and crazed smile. 

It was an impossible notion, someone fighting back like that, it was something that he never thought would happen before this day. 

In the past, those that faced him would tremble in fear of his might. They would despair upon seeing him, and they would avoid him at all costs. It was a source of pride, and what made him a Grand Dungeon boss. 

And a few days ago, this human was no different. Her attacks merely stung, she hadn’t been able to do much damage and had barely escaped with her life. And if hadn’t been by the nigh indestructible rock that separated her from him, he would have ended her back then. 

Now, not too long ago, she had returned, and even though she was back somewhat stronger, he thought the result would be the same. He thought that he could continue living the life of an undefeatable tyrant, the life that his ancestors had too lived. 

He thought that once he killed enough humans and grew strong enough he would be free of this prison, of this place. That he would serve his true purpose of fighting demons, just like his predecessors and just like his progenitors to come. It was a chain process that he was aware of and very much wanted to be a part of. 

But he was wrong⁠— he thought wrong. 

The human had come back much different, having changed fundamentally. She was resilient, she was strong, much stronger than her level indicated. And yet, she was also still a human, a fleeting existence that he believed he would easily crush. In fact, to some extent, he believed she would beg for mercy, and that perhaps then he would spare her. 

She was a Demonkiller, she was someone who shared his fate. 

However, none of that was happening. No, this very same human had somehow become a threat, and now he ran the very real risk of death. Something that made him feel an emotion that he had never felt before in its entire life. 

Fear. 

For the first time, he understood he could die here. For the first time, he was made aware of his own mortality, a possibility that he didn’t dare to entertain before he fulfilled his fate. However, he was also fearful of something else⁠— 

What this human could become. 

The thought scared him, terrified him. And yet, every fiber of its being was beginning to tell him to serve her growth, to allow her to become stronger so she can vanquish all of the demons in this world. But he wasn’t going to do that, he didn’t want to do that. Even if he respected the human’s power, he too wanted to live. He wanted to live in spite of what some of his instincts were telling him, because fundamentally⁠— he was afraid of death. 

The Abyssal Briroar clashed with Amber, striking with his claws and for the first time she didn’t dodge. No, she slashed back and this time⁠— both were pushed back. This time, he had lost a battle of strength, and the Curse of Weakness coursing through his body was to blame. It was something that had affected him from the start of the battle, and now after receiving so much damage it had become debilitating. 

With his powers and strength, he had burned and destroyed numerous adventurers. But now, his current state was a shadow of his former self, now everything that had transcurred impeded him, only allowing him to display a fraction of his true strength. He should have ended her with his everything from the beginning, but he never thought she would become such a threat. 

Or perhaps, it wouldn’t have made a difference. The Abyssal Briroar roared, not daring to entertain that thought.

He used his ability to increase his speed ten-fold, whipping with his tail as the sound barrier was broken with a loud boom. And yet, the human had been able to dodge it. Something that in the past, she wouldn’t have been able to do. 

It was something that didn’t quite make sense, even now he remained stronger and faster than her, and yet no matter how many times he struck, or how many times he surprised her. She remained standing, and she was quickly growing stronger. And that was because of who she was. She was more than a simple adventurer, more than just a Demonkiller, she was more. 

The Abyssal Briroar continued on fighting the human⁠— no, the mighty adventurer that had challenged him. 

That’s what she was.

In his long life he had never seen someone as resilient at her, as strong as her, and as brave as her. And that, had earned his respect, but also motivated him to fight more. Both of their lives were at stake, and he would:

Win. 

The Abyssal Briroar, continued on clashing with the human, using his claws and tail, breathing fire upon her. While he wished he could have used his special area of effect fire skill, he was now too weak for that. But he still fought relentlessly, even as the human traded blows back with it and came out on top most times. 

He continued fighting until he ran out of breath, and when he took a pause, the human used the opportunity to jump on top of him. Somehow, she never seemed to be truly tired, and that was her edge⁠— her advantage. 

The human stuck her hand and burned. The Abyssal Briroar tried to fight back but was unable to get her off even as he jumped against the ceiling and scraped her against the walls. He also felt poison, poison coming from her blood? She was injured, in fact⁠— she was bleeding a lot into his own wound. 

The Abyssal Briroar fired a beam of white flames into the ceiling and made the explosion hit her, but all she did in response was⁠—

A scream, “Battery!” 

In a single moment, an explosion engulfed him. 

His consciousness momentarily rocked as his body was lit ablaze by the explosion, more cuts than ever appeared around him injuring him further. Such were the power of the warrior’s curses. They were strong, and unrelenting. Parts of the cave blew up from the explosion, and the human⁠— he didn’t know where she was. 

The Abyssal Briroar stumbled, he could feel the grasp of death around his neck. His eyes were trembling and yet his eyelids were heavy. He was going to faint. 

Is this how it ends? he asked himself. Unable to fulfill my legacy, my duty? Felled at the hands of this great warrior? 

It couldn’t end like that, he didn’t want to end like that. He had a lot left to fulfill, duties he wanted to take care of, and more importantly, more than anything: 

He did not want to die. 

The Abyssal Briroar screamed at himself to get up as his vision became darkness, he told himself to move, urged his body to do something⁠—

And finally, it did. 

He barely avoided falling as his consciousness jolted awake, shaking his head as he awoke from his stupor. However, as he did, all he felt was pain. It was more pain than ever before⁠— than anything he had felt, and now he was weaker than ever. Now, he was truly at the gates of death. 

Meanwhile, the human was…

He turned only to see her looking at him with a frown⁠— she was still very much alive. 

If this continued, she’d be the only thing alive in this room. He had to end this, he had to use everything in one final attack. The Abyssal Briroar, roared in defiance, he knew what he had to do, and he knew the attack that he wanted to unleash. It was something the woman couldn’t⁠— wouldn’t survive. He used his skill to exert his strength. 

[Momentum within the space shifts.]

The woman tensed, and he in turn, dashed back with all his strength, putting as much distance as possible with a mere movement. In a single moment, he was at the other side of the extremely large cavernous room, leaving the warrior to be a mere speck in the distance. Something that immediately triggered danger within the adventurer’s instincts and caused her to act. 

But it didn’t matter, not for this, because this attack wouldn’t fail. And while the price was great to pay in order to use it, requiring him to enter a long slumber after and leaving him vulnerable to other beasts, right now it his last resort. 

The Abyssal Briroar gathered all of its mana at its throat as white flames began to sparkle from its maw, but he continued injecting mana into them as they turned pink. And while the human warrior was coming at him, the distance was too great for her to reach him in time. 

With this, I’ll put an end to everything. 

The Abyssal Briroar channeled his mana along his throat, using a separate skill along with his breath. One that guaranteed the attack wouldn’t miss. 

With this, you shall be no more. 

The pink flames became a deep purple, with glittering white particles. 

Die! 

And he fired, destroying everything in his path. 

  *

Sid'fril closed his eyes as the purple flames were shot. 

And Val’leri spoke simply. “It’s over.” 

Hearing that, he nodded in response. 

The battle was truly over, and the victor had already been decided. 

  * 

A purple blast engulfed the cave before him, taking everything in sight and the adventurer was hit as well, unable to use her dash to get out of the way. In a single moment, a purple explosion rocked the cave with comparable strength to the blue fire the woman had used⁠— no, it was stronger, melting everything that came in contact with its head. 

The Abysal Briroar wobbled from his spot as the smoke cleared, he had put everything⁠— all his remained strength and mana into that. 

And now, the warrior was dead. 

He stared with glee, struggling to maintain his consciousness as he saw the smoke dispersing as nothing was left. He had survived and she⁠ had died⁠—

Then, he saw her. She was protected by her sword⁠— or part of her was protected along with the ground behind her. Her armor was entirely melted, only having pieces dangling from her melted flesh, in fact she didn’t look like a human at this point. But her flesh was healing and soon, she was back to peak condition, all while she slowly made an arrow of fire to finish him off. 

And that’s when he realized, that he had failed. 

He had lost, in spite of everything he did, she triumphed. 

His exhaustion settled in, the pain that engulfed his body was too overwhelming. It came like a sudden rush. A sensation that gripped his entire being. But the realization that even his best efforts weren’t enough had… broken his will.

It had been a battle of willpower. And he had lost.

Even though he desired to live, his body gave out and before the woman could even fire her flickering arrow, and he collapsed. 

Dead. 

  * 

Amber paused as the Abyssal Briroar collapsed on the ground, she was a sweating mess and her fire⁠— sputtered. Unable to maintain it any longer with her meager Essence⁠— having already used a large majority of it to survive the Abyssal Briroar’s attack instead. For a moment she was confused, but as the monster didn’t so much as twitch and began to emanate Essence, she realized⁠—

It had died. 

And then, the notification came. 

[You have defeated a [Abyssal Briroar. Lvl. 202].] 

For defeating an enemy 50 levels above your own, you have received bonus experience!

Over level 200… Amber stared, that was a whole two advancements over her. But the notifications didn’t stop there. 

[Level ups delayed due to pending advancements.] 

…

There were some skill level ups too, including some that happened in battle, but Amber ignored all of that as she turned to the last notifications. 

[Class Advancement is now Available!

You may now evolve your class.]

[Legacy Branch advancement is now Available!

You may now specialize your Legacy Branch.] 

And then, the Essence from the corpse rushed instantly to her without even touching it, making her absorb it and her core ignited⁠— it exploded with power as she felt her being change. She stumbled for a moment, feeling the warmth within her chest, and then, she saw the attribute change. 

[All your attributes have increased by 50.] 

More attribute points than all of my previous advancements… Amber paused.

However, it didn’t stop there, because Amber felt fractures forming along the walls of her core as Essence kept coming. And when it finished she felt something different, her core had changed⁠, and it felt uncomfortable⁠— her core felt restricted, but also eager to become bigger and stronger. And remembering Asil’s words about needing to manually shatter one’s core, she had a realization. 

Her Core Advancement was also available.