Chapter 12: Demise

“You maniac!” Raven’s voice barely reached Lucian. Not because she wasn’t loud, but because he wasn’t listening. His mind was locked in. Focused entirely on taking down the Dan-gow—no matter what.

The beast’s left head roared, electricity crackling through its hulking form. Its blackened hide pulsed with a soft yellow glow. But this time, something was different. The light behind the Dan-gow was brighter than before. More sparks flew wildly from its severed tail stump.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed. I knew it! That tail was regulating its electricity! With it cut open, it’s gonna be way less efficient at generating and using it!

The Dan-gow hummed a low, deep rumble that vibrated the very air. Its glow was slower to build this time. Lucian grinned. He raised his hammer, gripping the handle tight. Devilishly clever, Lucian. You’ve outdone yourself this time. He swung—

CLANG!

Another metallic ring echoed through his ears. His Iron Warhammer struck the Dan-gow’s belly… and nothing happened. The Master Beast’s gaze bore down on him, unfazed. It stretched its arms wide. Lucian’s stomach tightened.

Okay. That’s new. Arcs of lightning burst from the Dan-gow’s fingertips, striking the ground, snaking toward its horns. Lucian braced himself, but the beast just snorted. A hot blast of air hit Lucian in the face, then a flash of yellow light. The Dan-gow was gone.

Lucian froze. He raised his shield, waiting for impact, but nothing came. His grip tightened. He planted his foot behind him, reinforcing his stance. What the—?! His eyes darted left, then right. No lightning bolt. No sudden charge. Then—

A deafening clap of thunder from above. Lucian’s heart sank. Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. He snapped his shield overhead, and a massive bolt of lightning slammed down upon him. The entire battlefield erupted in blinding light. For a split second, there were no shadows, except behind the burning huts and behind Raven.

He collapsed. Every nerve in his body screamed. That… was hell… He tried lifting his arms. Nothing. Tried standing. Nope. His muscles wouldn’t listen.

The Dan-gow reformed, crackling back into existence. Already crouched, already charging. Lucian gritted his teeth. Yet, he grinned. “Hey, what took you so long?”

The Dan-gow’s right head bellowed, and then it slammed into him. Lucian soared through the air, his Master Shield barely absorbing the brunt of the hit. If not for the shield, he’d be skewered like Hugh. He hit the ground hard, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

His arms wouldn’t move. His legs wouldn’t cooperate. He tried pushing himself up. Nope. Lucian sighed internally. Gonna have to take a minute to lie here. He summoned his [Menu].

[Main Menu]

HP: 9/20

Mana: 17/17

Damn. That hit me way harder than I thought it would. Lucian lay there, limbs uncooperative, his breath labored. Hope Raven’s still around. She’d know to keep the Dan-gow occupied while he took a moment to—

“Oh, hey there.” Raven’s scowling face popped into his view.

“I just need a minute,” Lucian muttered.

“You kidding me?!” Raven threw her arms up. “I wanted to run away. I wanted to leave this thing alone. We already cut off its tail, but nooo, we didn’t take that small victory and leave. And now, you expect me to keep it occupied while you have a siesta?!” She groaned. “Ugh, you are unbelievable!”

Lucian let out a long, slow exhale. “Thanks.” That was all he managed to say.

Raven grumbled in frustration as she turned away. “You’re lucky you’re with me. Anyone else would’ve abandoned you by now… probably.” She hesitated. “I won’t, though,” she muttered. “Can’t go back to the guild alone again.”

Lucian’s brow furrowed. Again? Before he could ask, Raven sprinted into the fray.

The Dan-gow’s right head bellowed, swinging a massive fist straight at her. Raven twisted sideways, the attack whistling past her as she spun with the moment, blade flashing. She slashed, aiming for the beast’s arm.

CLANG!

Her sword bounced off, the Dan-gow’s metal-plated hide untouched. She clicked her tongue in disappointment. “Tch.” The Dan-gow retaliated immediately. A sweeping backhand, aimed to send her soaring, but Raven kicked the ground, propelling herself above the beast’s strike.

Lucian noticed the green flecks of energy swirling around her boots. Hugh’s enchantment.

The Dan-gow did not appreciate being looked down upon. Its massive hands dug into the earth, and ripped up a chunk of solid ground. Lucian’s eyes widened. Oh hell. With a grunt, the Dan-gow hurled the boulder straight at Raven. She narrowed her profile, twisting mid-air, her sword arced upward—

SLICE.

The boulder split cleanly in half. Raven smirked. Her magic-enhanced blade still worked on stone. But the Dan-gow’s hide? That was something else entirely.

Lucian’s stomach dropped. Oh, this isn’t good. The two halves of the boulder plummeted right toward him. He gritted his teeth. Come on, damn it! MOVE, you limp noodles for legs! Nothing. He couldn’t move an inch. The two massive chunks hurtled closer. Lucian squeezed his eyes shut. Welp. Hope this isn’t how I go.

THUD.

Silence.

Lucian peeked one eye open. The rocks had landed inches away from his arms. He exhaled slowly. “Hey! Watch it!”

Raven didn’t respond. She was too busy weaving through the Dan-gow’s relentless assault. A swipe. A jab. An uppercut. Each attack missed. Each miss was met with a counter. And yet, every counter-strike still bounced harmlessly off its armor.

Lucian frowned. This was the longest the Dan-gow had fought without using its lightning. Cutting off its tail definitely did something. He sucked in a deep breath. “Hit the joints!” he yelled.

“The what?!” Raven shouted. The Dan-gow stepped in, swinging an uppercut, but Raven flipped away, just barely out of reach.

“The joints!” Lucian yelled. “They’re usually the weakest points in armor!” His neck craned as he tried to emphasize the point. Wait. I can move my neck! Progress.

Raven dodged another swipe, scowling. “Usually?! You give me advice and you’re not even sure if it’ll work?!”

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Before Lucian could argue, both of the Dan-gow’s heads bellowed in unison. A bright yellow glow flared behind it, and it charged Raven, massive fists raised. Raven gritted her teeth. “You better be right about this.” She lowered into a stance, sword at her side. She had one shot. Do it right, or suffer for it.

The ground shook beneath her feet as the Dan-gow’s thundering footsteps closed in. Raven took a deep breath. He grip tightened. The beast swung down. She swung up. A sharp gust of air split the battlefield, then—

A bellow of pure agony.

Raven landed in a crouch. Two heavy thuds behind her. She spun and gawked. The Dan-gow reeled back, stumbling away. Its massive arms ended in cleanly severed stumps. Its hands lay on the ground behind her. “Oh my god! It worked!” She turned, still half-disbelieving. “It really worked!”

Lucian would’ve rolled his eyes if he wasn’t still trying to command his body to function properly. Duh. Of course it worked. My plans always work. He gritted his teeth, willing his numb limbs to move. That’s right. Come on, baby. Lift that finger!

The Dan-gow howled. The light behind it flared—too bright to look at. Raven’s eyes snapped up as electricity surged from the beast’s severed tail stump. It lashed out. A massive arc of lightning shot toward her. She braced, blade raised, ready to absorb the attack. But the bolt shifted. It wasn’t going for her. It was headed straight for Lucian.

The Master Shield yanked itself down and Lucian whipped around involuntarily. The shield propped itself up and took the hit head-on.

BOOM.

Lucian was launched back, crashing straight into the camp’s walls. Raven was beside him in an instant, dusting him off. Lucian gritted his teeth, shaking off the impact. “What did I say about watching it?!”

Raven threw her arms out. “Why do you think I was up in the air?! I was trying to lead the bolt away from you!”

Lucian stared at his shield. Really now? Slowly, he got up, stretching out his limbs. Still sore, but functional. He grinned. “Ready to finish this fight?”

Raven smirked. “More than anything.” She twirled her sword, eyes locked on the Dan-gow. “What’s the play?”

Lucian pointed. “See where the necks diverge?” Her gaze followed—right to where the two massive heads split apart from the beast’s torso. “Stab it. And leave your sword in.”

“What? Are you crazy?”

Lucian grinned. “Just trust me. This’ll be over before you even need to swing again.”

Raven grumbled something under her breath, but whatever insult she muttered was drowned out by the Dan-gow’s left head bellowing. She glanced at Lucian. “Watch yourself. I think it’s angrier at you than me now.”

“No duh.”

Without another word, the pair split up, running in opposite directions to avoid getting caught by the same attack. The Dan-gow’s left head locked onto Raven. Lucian smirked. Looks like it really wants to kill her.

A bellow. A flash of light. And the Dan-gow vanished. Both Lucian and Raven knew what was coming. Their eyes snapped to the dark, night sky. Waiting.

A brilliant flash split the sky. The Master Beast reappeared mid-air, falling like a bolt of judgment. Raven moved first. She dashed aside, just in time to avoid the thunderous crash.

BOOM.

The impact shattered the earth, carving a deep divot where she had stood. Dust swirled. Sparks danced across the beast’s body as it reformed. Lucian called out. “You got this, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Shut up and end this already.”

The Dan-gow finished materializing. Its left head stayed on Raven. The right head turned toward Lucian, and bellowed. With a lurch, the beast charged the Blacksmith, grinding its exposed, severed wrists into the dirt as it clawed forward.

Lucian raised his shield, bracing, when Raven stepped in front of him. “What the hell are you doing?” he growled, ready to shove her aside. Raven didn’t flinch.

“You said we only have one shot at this, right?” She cracked her neck. “The sooner we finish, the sooner you can cut the grass.”

Lucian blinked. “Cut the grass?”

“Yeah. The final blow.”

A beat of silence.

Lucian sighed. “You’re an idiot.” He stepped back, repositioning himself. “Don’t mess it up.”

Raven didn’t answer. Instead, she exhaled slowly. The Dan-gow thundered forward. It lowered its horns, aiming to skewer her. Raven waited. The instant the beast’s massive head entered range, she swung.

CLANG!

Her blade deflected the beast’s head upward. Without missing a beat, she kicked off the ground, her enchanted boots propelling her into the air. The Dan-gow’s heads tracked her. Its tail sparked violently, despite its severed tip.

The beast tried to grab her, but without its hands, all it could do was thrash and splatter blood in her direction. Too late. Raven flipped mid-air, realigning herself. She compelled her boots to send her diving down. Her blade unsheathed, she drove it straight between the beast’s necks. The Dan-gow convulsed. A final, desperate howl before Raven’s boots surged again, blasting her away from the beast. She landed safely on the ground, and watched.

“It’s done!” Raven yelled.

Lucian stood atop a hut, arms hanging at his sides, staring at the Master Beast as it climbed from the crater. It was slower now. Weaker. Even something that big had limits. The light behind it flickered and grew brighter, electricity crackling along the ground.

Raven felt her stomach drop. “Uh… Lucian?!” No response. She backed away, step by step, until her heels hit a charred wall. “Lucian?!?!”

The Dan-gow’s left head bellowed. Electricity coalesced into a single, searing bolt. It whipped its tail and the bolt launched. It didn’t go for Raven. It veered toward Lucian.

Lucian’s grip tightened on his shield. Just like throwing a Frisbee. With all his strength, he hurled the Master Shield straight at the sword embedded in the beast’s neck. The bolt followed. It twisted mid-air, bending backwards, tracking the shield’s path. The Dan-gow’s heads twisted, confused.

CLANG!

The Master Shield struck first, lodging against the sword.

BOOM.

The bolt slammed into the shield, and the electricity traveled down, surging through the blade, straight into the Dan-gow’s body. The Master Beast convulsed. Sparks erupted from its severed tail. Its muscles locked, limbs spasming uncontrollably.

Raven and Lucian stood back, watching as the Dan-gow seized violently, its own power betraying it. The stench of burning flesh filled the air. With a final, shuddering jolt, the beast collapsed, tumbling back into the crater.

Raven stared, stunned. “Oh my gods. We actually killed a Master Beast.” Her breath hitched. “That was you. You should be getting the EXP soon, right?” She turned. Lucian was gone. Her head snapped to the crater. He was already halfway down, hammer raised high.

“TAKE IT! TAKE IT, YOU STUPID COW!”

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Raven’s eye twitched. “Lucian! STOP! It’s already dead!” She felt a deep, deep sense of déjà vu. “Just check your damn menu, please!”

Lucian paused mid-swing, huffing. “Oh, I checked a while ago. Got 80 EXP from it.” He opened his [Menu] again to humor her.

[EXP Gained: 100/100]

[Level up! Choose two attributes to increase!]

“Yup! 80 EXP.” He wiped blood and ash from his hammer. “I was just blowing off some steam.” And getting my well-deserved reward.

Anything to distract from that strange scent in the air—something sharp, bitter, and wrong. He didn’t know how to describe it. So he did what he always did. He tried to ignore it.

Alright, first things first… I don’t see why I shouldn’t keep increasing my Strength. I’ll need to hit harder for whatever the next Master Beast is.

I think my Resilience is good as it is, though. I’ve got the Master Shield to block a lot of the incoming damage, after all. Endurance is looking kinda low. Doesn’t matter if I can block a lot of damage if I can’t take it on.

With his mind made up, Lucian chose to increase his Strength and Endurance.

Blacksmith Lv. 4

HP: 20/20

Mana: 17/17

Attack Power 26

Magic Power 14

Defense 15

Magic Defense 15

Strength 12

Resilience 13

Speed 6

Magic 7

Endurance 7

Just as he finished, something glimmered amid the crushed skull and pulped gore. Lucian’s eyes lit up.

[Acquired Master Core]

There you are, my pretty. He kicked the Dan-gow’s head for good measure, tucked the Master Core into his [Inventory], and climbed back out. “Alright, where’s Mr. Enchanter Man’s body?”

BANG! A gunshot rang out.

Lucian and Raven froze. Another shot. Then two more in quick succession. They dove back into the crater.

“Really?!” Lucian spat. “They waited for us to do all the work just to steal my loot?!”

“I didn’t see anyone else,” Raven muttered, scanning the camp. “Wait.” Her face went pale. “Didn’t Hugh have a gun?”

Lucian stiffened. “Yeah.”

The realization hit both of them at the same time. “HE’S IN THE BURNING HUT!” The pair sprinted, full speed. They tore through the searing wreckage, shovelling dirt onto the flames. Lucian ignored the pain as his hands scorched against charred wood, digging frantically.

Raven coughed through the smoke. “Come on, Hugh—come on—”

They found him. And froze. Lucian’s hands trembled. Raven let out a choked breath. They had found a body. But it was already burnt to a crisp. Lucian stared at what was left of his party member. Of his friend. It wasn’t just ash and bone—it was the silence that hit hardest. The finality. Hugh had laughed with them, planned with them. And now… nothing. Lucian didn’t speak. Couldn’t. He just clenched his fists and turned his gaze away, the sting in his eyes not just from the smoke.