Chapter 5: Going Bananas

A cacophony of shouts and screams filled the clearing. One voice howled in grief, wailing over the remains of its splattered offspring. Another cried out in panic, begging for retreat. The third, however, heard none of it. Because Lucian was screaming too, but for entirely different reasons.

His screams were ones of triumph. Premature triumph, perhaps, but triumph nonetheless. In his mind, the victory was already won, the Master Core practically in his hands. You might be bigger, but you’re still just a banana. And I have a Master Shield.

With zero hesitation, he charged, his hammer raised high above his head. Each step dented the ground beneath him as he prepared to bring it down on the beast. You’ll be mush in no time. But just as he reached striking distance—

The ground shattered beneath him. Before he could react, two massive vines erupted from below. His Master Shield angled itself downward on its own, intercepting just in time to keep him from getting impaled.

“What the—”

The next thing he knew, he was hurtling through the air. For a brief moment, everything slowed. Alright. Mid-air. No control. But I’ve got time to think. Lucian curled into a ball, bracing his back. Minimize impact. He landed hard—pain flared in his shoulders—but it wasn’t crippling. Using the momentum, he rolled, came up onto his feet, and raised his shield in a defensive stance.

For the first time since making it, he really looked at the Master Shield. So that’s what a 300% success rate in blocking physical and magical attacks means. It had tilted on its own to deflect the vines. If it keeps working like this, I can focus purely on attacking. Nice.

His gaze shifted to the Abananamination. It looked just like the smaller one had—a plump, overly ripe banana with what appeared to be googly eyes stuck onto it. Completely harmless-looking… If not for the towering vine-tentacles ripping down trees around them.

Lucian grinned. The longer this fight takes, the more likely those things will land a hit. He took a quick tally. One… two… three… four tentacles. Not eight. Not that fast, either. I can work with this. The creature let out a deep, reverberating roar as two of its tentacle-like arms came whipping toward him from opposite sides.

Lucian rolled forward, narrowly dodging both strikes. Now! As soon as he was clear, he swung his hammer down onto one of the tentacles. The impact sent shockwaves up his arm—barely any damage. Lucian’s grin faded. Need to hit it where it’ll hurt.

He shifted his focus. Forget the vines—go for the body. Darting forward, he closed the distance between him and the creature’s main body. The Abananamination reacted instantly. Another two vines lashed out, but this time their timing was staggered.

Lucian jumped over the first, rolled under the second. Smooth. But before he could capitalize, something massive loomed overhead. Lucian barely had time to glance up before the biggest vine of them all came crashing down.

His stomach dropped. Welp. This is going to hurt.

Instinct kicked in. He raised his Master Shield overhead and braced for impact. The strike hit like a landslide, the sheer weight of it forcing him down to one knee. Pain exploded through his body, but not as much as he expected.

[Main Menu]

HP: 17/20

Mana: 17/17

Just three points of damage? Thank you, 69.99% damage resistance!

Lucian shoved the tentacle aside and broke into a full sprint. Within seconds, he reached the beast’s main body, and that’s when he finally registered just how massive this thing truly was. Standing before it, Lucian found himself level with where the belly of any other creature would be. Even at his full height, he wouldn’t even reach the halfway point of its gargantuan form.

Doesn’t matter. I’ll bring you down.

He swung his Iron Warhammer to the side, winding it up like a baseball pitch—

And brought it crashing down onto the beast. The moment it connected, Lucian felt the resistance. Thick skin. Just as I thought. The hammer lodged deep, refusing to come free.

Before he could yank it out, two tentacles lashed toward him. Luckily, his Master Shield was still up—

CLANG!

The impact sent him flying, but he barely felt it. Instead, he grinned, eyes locking onto the creature’s massive face as he sailed through the air. All according to plan. Lucian gripped his hammer as tightly as he could. Hold on, Lucian. No matter what—don’t let go.

By all logic, the force of the blow should have sent him clear across the battlefield. But because his hammer was still lodged inside the beast’s hide, instead of being thrown away, he was swung around.

The creature let out a pained, guttural roar as the gash beneath its body ripped open, a deep wound extending all the way to its back—where Lucian now landed. A clear substance oozed from the wound, loosening the hammer’s grip. With one strong pull, Lucian yanked it free.

He rolled both shoulders, cracked his neck, and smirked as he took in the unprotected, vulnerable back of the beast. You’re big. But that just makes it harder for you to defend against attacks from behind.

Lucian twirled his hammer, rolling his wrists as he lined up his next attack. I’m going to enjoy wailing on you. He swung down with full force—

But the blow never landed. His hammer stopped mid-swing. Lucian snapped his gaze to the weapon. Vines. Thick, twisting vines wrapped around the hammer’s handle, completely stopping its momentum.

“Tch.” He tried to pull free, but the vines held firm. Then, more of them coiled around his shield. Lucian turned his head just in time to see additional vines sprouting from the ground, snaking their way up and entangling the Master Shield.

No! The restraining grip turned aggressive, and in a single, violent yank, the vines ripped both his shield and hammer from his grasp.

“Hey!” he shouted, scrambling to retrieve them. But before he could make a move, even more vines erupted from the earth. In an instant, they coiled around his arms, legs, and torso. Completely restraining him. Lucian gritted his teeth, struggling against the binds, and then he looked up at the beast. And for the first time, the Abananamination stared back.

“Oh…” That was all Lucian could say as the beast’s bulging eyes slowly emerged from within its flesh. Then, a slit formed beneath them, peeling open into a new mouth on the side of its body. An explosive roar erupted from its maw, shaking the air around him.

Maybe I was a little too cocky, he thought, wincing. Without the Master Shield, I'm nothing. Sure I beat the monsters in the Tutorial section, but this creature is different...

Lucian could do nothing but listen, every second of it ringing in his ears. Then, two more vines erupted before the creature. The same ones it had been using to swipe at him earlier.

Lucian’s breath hitched. “Crap.” The beast reared back its extensions, and then brought them crashing down on him. With no shield and no hammer in hand, Lucian did the only thing he could do. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. The impact landed, but Lucian felt no pain. Is this it? Is this what dying feels like? … Kinda like it, actually.

Slowly, hesitantly, he opened his eyes. He half-expected to see himself floating in the air, disembodied, watching his flattened corpse on the ground below. Instead, he saw something far more unexpected.

Raven stood before him. One hand gripping a longsword, its pommel shaped like a metal snake’s head, looming over Lucian as he knelt on the ground. But it was the blade that caught his breath. It had no solid form—a sword in shape only. The weapon glowed intensely, radiating a red-hot light, its edges dancing and shifting, writhing like living flames.

Raven barely spared him a glance. She was already pivoting, swinging it again. “Don’t move,” she ordered, voice firm. With one swift, searing arc, she cleaved through both vines holding Lucian in place. “And don’t you dare say another word,” she added. “Just listen to me, and we’ll get out of this alive.”

Lucian shut up. Raven turned her back to him again, meeting the beast’s gaze without fear. “Your hammer and shield are behind you,” she said. “Grab them, gear up, and run in the opposite direction of where I’m going.”

Lucian hesitated only for a second before turning around. Sure enough, his gear was lying right next to the severed tentacles that were supposed to crush him. Did she cut these too? He sniffed the air—a burnt smell lingered around the clean cuts.

Lucian wasted no time. He strapped on his Master Shield, tightened his grip on his Iron Warhammer, and turned back toward the fight. More vines erupted from the ground. Raven was already darting between them, bobbing and weaving like a ghost. “Get behind it!” she shouted.

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“I already tried that!” Lucian shot back.

“What did I just tell you?!” Raven snapped.

Lucian groaned. Fair point. He didn’t see the value in repeating a failed maneuver, but Raven was quick with a counterargument. “You’ve got me this time,” she called out, sidestepping another vine. “Plus, I’ve got a plan!”

Lucian shrugged. Can’t argue with that. He pivoted left, circling around. Smaller vines sprouted around him, flailing wildly. But they were aimless. Blind. He merely stepped aside—easily staying out of reach.

Soon enough, Lucian found himself in a familiar situation—staring down the bare back of the gigantic beast. Just like before, almost nothing was happening here. But on the other side of the creature? A war zone.

Raven suddenly flashed into view, dashing sideways as vines lashed at her from behind. Three more shot toward her from the front, ready to cut off her escape. She’s in too deep. She can’t get out of range.

Lucian was about to sprint in to help, but then Raven stopped. She planted her foot forward, lowered her writhing, glowing blade, and waited. The vines closed in. Lucian held his breath. Then—

With one swift motion, Raven’s blade sliced upward in a perfect arc, passing over her head and carving through the air behind her. A split second later, the vines that had threatened her were gone. All that remained was a faint, smoldering ash where they had been.

Damn. She's better than expected. I wonder what level she is?

“Go up!” Raven shouted, pointing towards the beast’s peak. “The skin’s too thick to do any real damage, but it’s got a weak spot on top!”

Before Lucian could respond, the ground beneath Raven exploded as more vines burst forth, aiming to entangle her. She reacted instantly—somersaulting high into the air to avoid their grasp. “And be quick about it!” she yelled mid-flip. “I don’t know how long I can keep this thing busy!”

Lucian clenched his jaw. The battlefield had completely changed. There were now more vines thrashing around than before. Easily triple—no, quadruple—the number.

He needed to move. Now.

Lucian’s gaze swept over the creature’s back, searching for a way up. His [Menu] flickered open, and he tapped [Crafting], scanning for anything that could help.

Grappling hook. Perfect. Except, I don’t have any rope.

The Makeshift Rope option flashed, but—

The vines around me are burning too fast. He could gather some from the forest, but there was no time.

Lucian turned toward Raven. She was still dodging, weaving, cutting down vines in rapid succession, but he could already see the shift. She was losing ground. Ah, screw it. Here goes nothing. He gritted his teeth, braced his legs, and jumped.

The moment his boots made contact with the beast, he slammed his Master Shield into its flesh, using it as a makeshift anchor. It held. It worked?! Lucian found himself dangling on the creature’s back, his fingers white-knuckled around the shield handle. He planted his feet, pried the shield loose, and jumped again. This time, he drove his hammer deep into the hide, using it to keep himself from falling.

He took a shaky breath. Not even a week in this world and I’m scaling a giant banana just to find its weak spot... Lucian let out a sharp exhale and kept climbing. In less than a minute, he’d reached the beast’s peak. From this vantage point, the battle below raged on—the vines thrashing violently, trying their best to eliminate Raven.

But the Abananamination itself? Perfectly still. That made it easier to spot what Raven had seen—a small point on its head where the peel was coming undone. Lucian sprinted toward it, eyes widening as he saw the yellowish insides of the creature for the first time. The sweet aroma that wafted up immediately made his stomach growl.

God, that smells good. The beast shouldn’t smell like dessert. He was in mortal danger, and now all he wanted was a smoothie. But more importantly, now that he was up close, he could see just how thick the beast’s rind actually was. At least half the length of his arm. He frowned. No way I’m hammering through that. It’d take ages.

With no other option, Lucian dropped his shield and gripped his hammer with both hands. He raised it above his head, and brought it down on the fruit’s exposed flesh. The results were immediate. The vines chasing Raven suddenly stalled, hesitating for a brief moment—just long enough for her to slide beneath one before they snapped back into motion.

Big momma can take a hit, huh? Lucian exhaled and swung again. This time, the vines paused for longer, their movements delayed. Encouraged, he bucked down and kept wailing on the weak spot. Blow after blow, he caved in more of the creature’s flesh, turning the once-solid surface into a gooey mess.

Soon, his hammer became more of a liability than a tool. He let it fall aside, grabbed his shield, and dived straight into the divot he’d created. Then, without pause, he dug deeper. Handful after handful, he shoveled out the monster’s liquefied insides, clearing a path further into the beast.

It was only when he heard Raven’s voice calling out that he finally stopped.

“Lucian! Lucian, you can stop! It’s dead!”

A familiar chime echoed in his ears.

[EXP Gained: 20/100]

Lucian frowned. Huh. Not enough to level up. He let out a deep breath, glancing around at the yellow pit he’d carved into the creature. Then, with a smirk, he wiped banana goo from his face. I knew I’d enjoy wailing on this thing.

Now came the real prize. He dug around inside the beast, feeling for something solid. Nothing. His smirk faded slightly. Maybe the core is somewhere else? This thing is gigantic. Before he could continue searching, a pop-up appeared on his interface. His excitement returned instantly.

[Banana-Mama Lv. 4]

[Loot?] [Yes/No]

He jabbed [Yes] without hesitation. Another soft chime rang out, and Lucian opened his [Inventory] eagerly.

… Only to feel crushing disappointment.

[Items Gained]

[Banana Mush 42]

“That’s it?” With a deep sigh, he climbed out of the monster’s remains, emerging through the massive wound along its side. It took Raven a moment to spot him, but as soon as she did, she stormed toward him, her expression unreadable.

Lucian wiped more goo from his arms, gathering it in his hands before noticing her stare. “What have I done?” he asked.

Raven wordlessly opened her [Menu], tapping the [World Map] before flipping to the [Quests] tab. Lucian raised an eyebrow. “I’ll tell you what you’ve done,” Raven said, her tone sharp. “You just cost me 50 more potential pieces of Gold by killing that Banana-Mama!”

Lucian blinked. Confusion flashed across his face. “What?”

“I’ve been holding onto an extermination request for that thing for three days now,” Raven grumbled, furiously tapping through her [Menu]. “The reward started at 30 Gold, then jumped by 10 Gold the very next day.”

Lucian’s brain clicked. Wait a minute… quest rewards! “Was a Master Core listed as a reward for that request?” he cut in abruptly.

Raven stumbled mid-scroll, caught off-guard by the random question. “What the—? Master Core?” She blinked. “N-No. You can only get those from Master Beasts.”

Lucian slowly turned and pointed his hammer toward the mangled fruit-corpse behind him. “And that’s not a Master Beast?”

Raven nearly choked on her own breath. “Dear gods, no.” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “And thank the gods it’s not! We would’ve been dead before we even knew we were in a fight!”

Lucian frowned. No Master Core. Just banana pulp and a bruised ego. “But it was huge.”

Raven scoffed. “Huge doesn’t mean jack. Master Beasts aren't just regular monsters, they're beings of legend!” Then, as if flipping a switch, she launched into a full lecture mode. “Master Beasts are immensely powerful, capable of wiping out entire parties of high-level adventurers in a single swipe! Not that you’d even get a chance to fight them—they’re either constantly on the move or hidden away in their natural habitats. More like gods than monsters. The ones that do roam freely? They’ve got entire cults and religions built around them! And trust me, those people will gladly die before letting anyone harm their ‘gods’!”

There's no way that's true. If it were, it meant I killed a 'god' in the Tutorial section. But there's no way... right? There must be some other explanation. Still, probably best to keep it to myself for now...

“Damn it,” Lucian muttered, trying not to let Raven in on his thoughts. “I thought that was too easy.”

"Too easy?" Raven huffed, her annoyance resurfacing. "You nearly died at least twice!"

"Yeah, but I've nearly died plenty of more times in battle before."

"Easy," she repeated, shaking her head. "It was worth too much Gold to be easy. And it could have been worth even more!" She suddenly marched toward him, flipping her [Menu] screen around. “See for yourself! Look at the reward for the quest now—and then double it! That’s how much you just cost me.”

Lucian squinted, reading over the request displayed on Raven’s screen. “Extermination request. Local Folves and Grandles are causing a ruckus close to the village. Reward 8 Gold. Hang on…”

Raven’s eyes widened and they slowly turned to stare at each other. Raven was the first to break—yanking her [Menu] away and laughing nervously. “Uh, wait a minute, that’s not the right quest!” she blurted out.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed. “I knew it.” His finger shot up, accusing. “I knew you weren’t showing me the ropes out of the goodness of your heart! You were using me!” Lucian braced himself for a storm of excuses and yelling, expecting Raven to hurl some half-baked argument at him.

Instead, she collapsed to her knees, gripping both hands to her head like a guilty criminal. Lucian blinked in surprise. “Wait, really?”

“I know,” she groaned, her voice muffled by shame. “And it was a horrible thing to do!”

Lucian stared. Raven sighed. “I really did want to help you,” she admitted, lifting her gaze. “Especially after I heard you talking by the Quest Boards. You saw the injustices in the system. You wanted to do something about how the wealthy could just pay for stronger adventurers.”

Lucian hesitated. That was true. But that didn’t change the fact that she’d just admitted to using him. “Huh,” Lucian said flatly. “So you’re a scammer with a conscience.”

Raven groaned. “Just—shut up.”

Lucian paused, thinking back to what Raven was talking about. Right… I had said something about money talking. But if he was being honest? He’d been lamenting the fact that he couldn’t even access the better-paying quests.

Raven sighed. “Then I saw the way you smiled when you looked at the people of Provera,” she murmured. “The way you just watched them enjoy their lives. Even asking for some Gold to give to that Bard at the square.”

Lucian blinked. That guy just reminded me of a monkey video I like.

“Just,” Raven exhaled, “such selflessness exuding from you.” She turned her gaze toward the fruits of their first hunt together—the still, mangled remains of the Banana-Mama. “You reminded me of myself, back when I was new,” she admitted. “But then new opportunities came up. And I just—I needed the payouts, okay?” Her voice lowered. “Now I’m withholding requests just to increase their rewards.” She glanced at him hesitantly. “You must think I’m a horrible person.”

Lucian met her gaze. I don’t really care. Raven hesitated. “Could you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for doing this to you?” She squared her shoulders, forcing herself to look him in the eye. “And,” she added, voice more steady, “could you find it in your heart to party up with someone like me?”

Lucian arched a brow. Raven pressed on. “I know I did you wrong. And… I might do it again.” Lucian’s brow rose higher. Raven winced. “Okay, that sounded bad, but listen—I do think this is the right thing to do.” She took a deep breath. “The first step in my redemption story. Don’t you think?”

Lucian tilted his head, considering. I liked how she handled herself in the fight. Her ability, whatever it was, had been damn useful. And honestly? She might come in handy.

“You know what?” Lucian smirked. “Sure. I’ll give ya a second shot.”

Raven’s eyes lit up, a grin spreading across her face as Lucian extended his hand. Without hesitation, she shook it, sealing their newfound partnership. Then—

“You actually have to add me to your party to make it official,” she blurted out.

Lucian froze mid-shake. “Oh.”

Raven stared expectantly. Lucian awkwardly opened his [Menu], fumbling through the tabs. A few seconds passed. Then a few more. Lucian scratched the back of his head. “So… uh…” He glanced at her. “How do I do that, exactly?”