Chapter 11: The Dan-gow

“I know it’s a damn cow!”

Lucian turned his head to yell back, and that one second cost him. Before he could react, the Dan-gow closed the distance. One moment, he was staring at Raven. The next, the world flipped upside down.

Crap! How did it move so fast?! I didn’t even hear it stomp! The realization barely registered before gravity took over. He was plummeting headfirst toward the ground. Can’t afford a concussion. Need to shift my weight—land on my feet—

Lucian twisted mid-air, attempting to correct his fall. His feet swung forward and missed the ground entirely. Instead, he slammed into the dirt with a bone-rattling impact. Landing on my body works, too. He grunted, forcing himself up just in time to see a gray, sleek tail whipping toward him like a harpoon.

Lucian braced, but before it could skewer him like it did Hugh, the Master Shield intervened, materializing between them at the last second. The tail collided against it with a thunderous CRACK!

Even with the shield absorbing most of the impact, the sheer force launched Lucian backward. He crashed through the charred remains of a burning hut, bursting through one wall and slamming into another.

[Main Menu]

HP: 17/20

Mana: 17/17

Not a lot of damage, but still a chunk of my HP. Gotta raise that when I get the chance.

A shadow loomed over him. “You good?” Lucian looked up to see Raven crouching beside him.

“Oh, just a little boo-boo,” he muttered dryly. Raven rolled her eyes. With a groan, Lucian pushed himself up, rolling his shoulders. “Damn, that thing hits hard. Did you see what happened?”

“Only barely.” Raven frowned. “The Dan-gow bellowed, and then its body turned into lightning. That’s what hit you—well, your shield—before it turned back into the Dan-gow.”

Lucian glanced at his Master Shield. Sure enough, a black scorch mark marred its surface where the lightning had struck. So that’s why I didn’t hear it move. It hit me hard and fast. Damn thing teleports.

“You keep saying Dan-gow,” Lucian muttered, shaking the soreness from his limbs. “Just what the hell is a Dan-gow?”

“Not a Dan-gow.” Raven jabbed a finger toward the beast lurking beyond the ruined hut. “THE Dan-gow.”

Lucian followed her gaze. The hulking, two-headed beast loomed just past the wreckage, its massive frame partially obscured by the glowing embers of the burning camp. “We must be in its territory,” Raven said. “Or maybe it’s looking to expand?” She sighed. “Ugh, why now?”

The Dan-gow lumbered around aimlessly, as if it had already forgotten it was in the middle of a fight mere moments ago. “Looks like it lost interest. Let’s stay quiet and grab Hugh’s body. You still have the Reviving Stone he gave you, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it right here,” Lucian said. Hugh had given them each a Reviving Stone when they went back to the guild for the second time—so they’d always have one in case someone went down.

Just as Lucian was about to move, a thought struck him. “Wait a second.” He turned to Raven. “Didn’t he give you one too?”

“What? No, he didn’t,” Raven said, far too casually.

Lucian’s brow twitched. “I distinctly remember him saying he gave one to each of us.”

Raven groaned. “Ugh, if you don’t want to use yours, just say so! We’ll just use the one on Hugh’s body—I’m sure he won’t mind.”

Lucian deadpanned. “Why go through the trouble of looting him? Just use the one he gave you.”

“I’m telling you, I don’t have one!” Raven whisper-shouted.

Lucian folded his arms. “You sold yours already, didn’t you?”

“NO!” Raven’s voice shot up in volume.

A low rumble came from the Dan-gow nearby. Both of them froze.

Raven immediately dropped her voice to a whisper. “How could you even say something like that?”

Lucian sighed and opened his [Inventory]. “We knew you would. Soldier boy out there owes me 10 Gold now.”

“What?” Raven hissed. “You guys bet on me selling it?! That’s rude!”

Lucian smirked. “Relax. It’s just how you are.” With a few taps through his [Menu], he materialized his Reviving Stone, holding it up. “Here. If you’re that adamant about using mine. Good thing that Dan-gow didn’t hear you yelling just now.”

Raven’s gaze locked onto the glowing stone, an odd spark in her eyes. “It’s THE Dan-gow,” she corrected. “We’re lucky—it’s one of the least intelligent Master Beasts. More instinct than actual thought.”

Lucian’s grip tightened around his shield. His gaze flickered back to the Dan-gow, now idly using the horns of one head to scratch the ear of the other. “Did you say Master Beast?” he asked, voice low.

“Yeah,” Raven confirmed. “But if we stay quiet and get a little lucky, I think we can get out of this without a scratch.” She turned toward Lucian—only to pause when she saw the fresh cuts and bruises littering his arms. “Well, without any more scratches, at least.”

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, Lucian dematerialized the Reviving Stone, shot to his feet, and sprinted straight toward the breach. Raven blinked. “Wait—what about the Reviving Stone?” she called after him.

Lucian didn’t respond. He couldn’t. Every thought, every instinct, every ounce of focus was locked onto one goal. Taking down the Dan-gow. Without. Dying.

Come to me, my Master Core! Lucian charged, shield raised, closing the distance between him and the Dan-gow.

The beast had settled on its haunches, kicking up a cloud of dust around itself. Its left head snapped toward Lucian and immediately let out a deep, resonant bellow. Then, its black, armor-like hide began to glow, a yellowish light flickering across its body.

Here it comes. The glow brightened, and in an instant, the Dan-gow vanished.

Lucian skidded to a stop, bracing himself just as a bolt of yellow lightning struck his shield dead center. The impact sent him skidding back several feet, but he held his ground, and grinned as the Dan-gow reformed before him.

“What’s wrong? Can’t knock me down?!” Lucian taunted the beast as it rose back to its feet. Yellow sparks rained from its hulking frame as it crouched, muscles tensing.

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It charged. The right head growled, roaring as it swung its massive fists in a brutal flurry. Lucian didn’t even need his Master Shield. Much too slow! He ducked. Bobbed. Weaved. Dodged every strike. Then, the Dan-gow raised both arms high, ready to slam the ground.

Lucian rolled forward, narrowly escaping the thunderous impact behind him. Up on his feet in a heartbeat, he gripped his Iron Warhammer tight, and swung with all his strength, aiming for the beast’s exposed side.

CLANG!

The moment his hammer made contact, Lucian’s hopes of a quick fight crumbled. The Dan-gow’s hide wasn’t just blackened armor-like plates—it was as hard as actual armor. Great. Just great. Before he could react, his Master Shield suddenly propped itself up, blocking a whipping tail strike from between the beast’s legs. The impact triggered a shockwave, exploding outward and launching Lucian off his feet. He crashed back into the hut where he’d started, debris tumbling around him.

Raven stepped out just in time to see the mess. “Quick!” she hissed. “If we hide, it might forget we exist!”

Lucian pushed himself to his feet, brushing off the hit like an afterthought. “No way,” he muttered, flipping open his [Menu].

[Main Menu]

HP: 16/20

Mana: 17/17

Damn. That tail strike took off 1 HP, even with the shield blocking it. Gotta be more careful. No idea how much worse it could get if I slip up. Lucian shook off the nerves creeping in and refocused. Just one more go.

“You idiot!” Raven yelled.

Lucian charged again. The Dan-gow’s left head bellowed, and once more, its body began glowing with that same yellowish light. Lucian stood his ground. Come on, you stupid cow. He banged his shield, provoking the beast, which roared even louder in return.

A bright flash of yellow light. The Dan-gow disappeared. Lucian planted his foot, pivoting mid-turn to evade, but this time, the bolt of lightning followed him. Directly into his shield. Dead center.

Lucian lost his footing as the Dan-gow materialized in front of him. The right head growled, lifting both massive hands high, ready to pummel him into the dirt.

Like I’m gonna let that happen! Lucian rolled backward, barely escaping as the beast’s fleshy hammers came crashing down. The ground trembled violently from the impact—just as Lucian planted a knee to push himself up. He staggered, momentarily thrown off balance.

Instinctively, he jammed his Master Shield into the ground to steady himself. And immediately regretted it. The shield had wedged itself between two buried rocks.

Damn it! He tugged, but it was stuck. It’d take too long to free, and in a fight against a Master Beast, a single moment could mean the difference between life and death. This was one of those moments.

Sparks rained down like a miniature pyrotechnic show. Lucian’s breath hitched. He snapped his head up, just in time to see the Dan-gow’s tail rearing back for a strike. The tip bloomed open, revealing two sharp metallic prongs, glowing red-hot with crackling electricity.

Lucian’s stomach dropped. Ah, crap. With no time to free his shield, he raised his Iron Warhammer, bracing for the worst. Then—

A blur of motion. Raven descended from above, landing between him and the strike. Her sword glowed with a soft blue light as she swung, meeting the beast’s tail head-on.

CLANG!

She parried the first attack—then another, and another. Each deflection sent blue sparks flashing against the Dan-gow’s furious red.

“Why do you always end up in these situations?” she quipped, smoothly sidestepping another tail thrust.

Lucian—for once—held back a snarky comeback. Instead, he yanked his shield free with a grunt, finally getting back on his feet. But Raven was too focused on the tail, missing the right head’s bellowing roar. Lucian saw it coming. The Master Beast’s right fist reeled back—aimed directly at Raven’s exposed side.

Lucian moved without thinking, positioning himself in front of her. The Dan-gow struck. A hit with the full force of a hulking, two-headed Minotaur. Lucian took the impact head-on, and was launched off his feet, dragging Raven with him. They slammed into the eastern wall of the camp with a brutal CRASH!

[Main Menu]

HP: 13/20

Mana: 17/17

Damn. Couldn’t get my stance right with Raven behind me. Lucian groaned, rolling his shoulder. That was a good hit. Too bad you’re not getting another one like that.

He was getting better at this. Not just the dodging or the hits, but the reading. The rhythm of monsters. The way each beast telegraphed its power like a language he was only now starting to understand. Maybe that was the Blacksmith’s real strength—adapting under pressure. Reinforcing the cracks mid-battle.

“Get your ass off my face!” Lucian blinked, then glanced down. Raven was trapped beneath him, tapping furiously at his back.

“Oh. My bad.” Lucian pushed himself off, immediately locking eyes with the Dan-gow again.

Behind him, Raven struggled through the rubble, muttering curses under her breath. “Thanks,” she grumbled, finally getting to her feet. “I can get up myself, by the way.” She dusted off her sleeves, shooting him a glare. “Thanks for the hand, though.”

Lucian ignored Raven’s sarcasm and focused on what mattered. “You said that thing bellows before it turns into lightning, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Then I’ve got its pattern down pat.” Lucian smirked. “The left head bellows whenever it’s about to use electricity—whether it’s charging up or pulling that lightning rush. Then, the right head takes over and attacks us directly.”

“Psh, as if it’s that simple.”

As if on cue, the Dan-gow’s left head let out a deep reverberating bellow. The beast’s body glowed, that familiar yellow light flickering brighter and brighter as it stepped closer toward them.

Raven blinked. “Okay, it’s that simple.” She raised her sword, and Lucian noticed the soft blue glow emanating from its blade.

“What’s on the sword?” he asked.

“I couldn’t think of anything useful to use against this thing, so I just slapped on Elemental Absorption.”

Lucian frowned. “That’s it?”

“It doesn’t add damage, but it makes the sword way sharper,” she clarified.

Lucian’s smirk returned. “Perfect.” He nodded toward the Dan-gow, which was still charging up. “Listen—right after the lightning, when it switches to melee, its tail gets supercharged. Leftover energy from overloading itself.”

Raven tilted her head. “Okay… and what exactly do you want me to do about it?”

Lucian didn’t answer. Instead, he bolted. “Hey—HEY!” Raven yelled after him. Lucian ignored her.

He sprinted toward the center of the camp, planting himself firmly in place. Can’t let myself get pinned. Gotta keep my footing—no getting backed into a corner.

A flash of light snapped him out of his thoughts. A bolt of lightning illuminated the entire camp, crashing down straight toward him. Lucian braced. The Master Shield absorbed the impact, but the force still shoved him back a few feet.

The Dan-gow materialized again, right on cue. Its right head let out a guttural roar, kicking up dirt as it charged full force. Lucian met it head-on. His Master Shield held strong, absorbing the beast’s brute force. With a grunt, he shoved back, forcing the Dan-gow away.

But then a fist flew straight for his face. Lucian barely had time to react before his Master Shield instinctively shifted, blocking the attack. And then another. And another. Lucian ducked, weaved, and parried each blow, dodging a particularly heavy hit… except that’s exactly what it wanted.

The Dan-gow lunged forward, fists raised high, and slammed both down at once. Lucian had no choice. He raised his shield, absorbing the full force of the overhead strike, but the impact drove him to his knees. The Dan-gow leaned in, pinning him down. Lucian gritted his teeth. You clever cow…

Behind the Dan-gow, something glowed. Lucian’s eyes flicked toward its tail, which was slowly unfurling. The two metallic prongs emerged, sparking wildly. Here we go.

Now where the hell is Raven?

The Master Beast’s tail reared back for the final strike. Every warning bell in Lucian’s mind blared at once. This was it—the kill move. The kind you didn’t get back up from. His heart pounded like a war drum as he dug in, ready to die standing. If this thing was going to take him out, it’d have to earn it. Then—

A shadow soared through the air. Raven vaulted over the Dan-gow, landing right behind it. Her sword gleamed, and in one precise, downward arc, she cleaved straight through the tail’s tip. The Dan-gow howled, jerking back in agony. Lucian seized the opening, rolling out from under the beast and springing to his feet.

He smirked as he regrouped with Raven. “Took you long enough. Thought I was gonna have to solo this thing.”

“You didn’t tell me what the plan was!” she snapped.

Lucian shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. We just cut off its most dangerous weapon.”

Raven exhaled sharply, watching as the Dan-gow twitched, snarling in pure fury. “Yeah, but in case you haven’t noticed, it’s still alive.”

Lucian tilted his head. “So?”

Raven stared at him. “You’re crazy.” Then, a slow grin spread across her face. “But I gotta admit, this is getting exciting.” She turned back to the furious Master Beast. “I mean, this is a Master Beast. A freaking Master Beast. And we just cut off its tail. Imagine the look on people’s faces when we show them that thing.”

Lucian shot her a blank look. “Why stop at the tail?” he said simply. “We’re taking down the entire thing.”

Raven’s expression dropped. “Are you deaf?” she blurted. “I just said that thing’s a Master Beast! Cutting off its tail is one thing, but killing it?!” She gestured wildly. “I know you have your aspirations, but you gotta learn when something is impossible! Especially for low-levels like us!”

Lucian didn’t respond. His eyes locked onto the Dan-gow’s. The beast’s body began to glow again—that bright yellow light growing stronger, brighter—and Lucian ran straight toward it. If killing a Master Beast is impossible, then I’ve been doing the impossible since Level 1.