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Chapter 333: Second Round set Aflamed. [Release Version]
🕑 Added 2022-07-09 21:48:11 +0000 UTCIn case you guys haven't read my changes to Hestia's opponent, I have made some changes to Chahayat to make him actually a character, and not just a no-face opponent with a bit of information behind him. The original draft of this fight had too little tension to make it feel fun to read. I'm still considering some changes later on, but for now, this is it.
Let me know how you liked it, please.
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Holy eldritch water slime monster!
“By Yeostar’s beard, it looks like the fight is starting out without any breaks! The merfolk bought out his secret weapon! A giant collection of water from the tank on his back!”
Mana Eyes!
<Serpentsapper urchin water: A sticky, gelatinous water created from a [Serpentsapper Urchin] from the depth coast around the sacred underlake of Lecullius. Used to capture evasive sea serpents, drawing them in for the urchin’s spines to pierce the lesser dragonkin’s scales. Weakens Vitality and Wisdom while within the water>
Oh, you gotta be kidding me. Slime, but water slime! All buffs, on!
“There we go! Another display of the ‘Crimson Scale’’s display of magic proficiency! Talk about—”
<[Various Spell Buffs] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]>
“— making normal mages envious there! And they just activated, fully enchanting herself in all those spells!”
Idol! Call me— Wait, hold on, didn’t he call me ‘Crimson Hair’ just a moment ago? Wait, hold on, hold on! He first called me ‘Crimson Scaled’ when I got out of the rumble round, then ‘Crimson-Haired’ during the first round of the bracket stage! This idiot! He can’t remember the stupid nickname he’s been givi— Woah!
“In honor of the Depth Goddess, I shall win!”
The giant water ball Chahayat was swimming in suddenly formed a tentacle from the mucous water and tried to bash me with it, prompting my [Foresight] to warn me of the attack before I got caught. Seconds later, more tentacles began to form, making my nightmare of a water slime actually true!
“Oh come on! Why can’t this thing be as cute as Shoyi!” I shouted, still finding slimes just yucky.
With my head back in the game, I pinpointed Chahayat swimming in his ball like a fish in an aquarium, before shooting out a dragon breath laser at him, intending to knock him out of his protective field. It wasn’t a Territory, like Tehmrayn’s, so I should be able to bulldoze my way right through his tricks!
… And, certainly, I did run my attack right through him. Mostly literally, as his amorphous water blob created a donut hole right where I shot my laser, avoiding it completely. When I tried to drag my laser towards his direction, the slime moved as well to nullify my attack.
With the ground smoked and burned, leaving behind a trail of my laser breath, the merfolk threw out his viking axe at me. Not sensing anything special from it, I deflected it with my glaive without stopping my breath attack. However, surprisingly, the axe didn’t break from my attack, in fact, what was more of a shock was when the axe boomeranged right back at me.
Three more time I blocked, and every single time, the axe would continue trying to attack me. It was at this moment that I noticed how his weapon had a glowing rune glowing in the underside of his handle, only for my attention to turn back to the blob as its body quivered with Chahayat’s water tank suddenly letting out a current of bubbles, accelerating his swimming speed.
What the— I closed my mouth as I saw the blob transformed into something like a maw, trying to bite at me. I flapped my wings, flying away from the attack, only for Chahayat to shoot out of the water like a flying fish. With spear in hand and his axe still tracking me like a heat-seeking rocket, I clicked my tongue.
Water from his tank surrounded his spear, helping it grow in size I used [Spark Crescent] to meet his attack. Water and fire clashed against each other, exploding in a cloud of steam as metal echoed inside the arena. I launched him further into the air before I used my flaming tail to cut off his incoming axe’s head from his handle, finally laying the thing to rest on the ground.
Time to end it!
“Sorry for the axe!” I yelled my apology with a smirk, raising my head in the air. I was fully confident I could take him out right now since he was in the air… only for a tentacle from his blob to fly out and grab him back. “Huh?!”
“One of many spares.” The aloof merfolk answered, before he swam through the tentacle like a kid riding down a waterslide.
Imagining him wanting to return to the blob, I shot out a [Banishment Beam], slicing off the tentacle from the body before shooting out multiple flame bullets towards the merfolk. With nowhere to go, he flew out of the tentacle with his diving tank propelling him forward, creating more of that gel water.
I shot out more bullets at him, only for him to show his ability to redirect his flying trajectory before another water tentacle caught him, retrieving him from the air.
There has to be a catalyst inside that tank! I figured out, seeing as he wasn’t storing water in that scuba tank, but was using it with his catalyst like a rocket propellant. Not only could it probably increase his swimming speed but it even allowed him to fly, in a way.
And it was not only the tank alone, but the water that was granting him an extreme amount of maneuverability. When I suddenly spotted something larger in the corner of my eyes, I looked away from Chahayat, only to see the blob had grown. He was even sucking water from the arena itself!
Even more tentacles were created for the merfolk to use as transport tubes, while enough water was absorbed for it to create something that looked like a claw around the size of a two-floored house. And with this gigantic claw, it rose in the air and tried to smack me.
“ ‘Deepsea Ebony’’s plan is starting to unravel! He bought enough time for him to grow his water blob to a size capable enough of creating that arm! Not even when it seemed like he could lose in the rumble round did he use this ace-in-the-hole! The reason, my flabbergasted audience, why this merfolk is also known as the bane of pirates is here!”
I squinted my eyes before flapping my wings, releasing my scale-dust into the air. As the water hand was about to hit me, I snapped my fingers, detonating the veil of scale-dust around me in a massive explosion.
Consumed by fire, the water instantly turned into steam, spewing a cloud of it around me, blocking my vision and the audience’s as the hand slowly disintegrated from the extreme heat. At the same time, I could see Chahayat springing forth from his waterpark slides with [Mana Eyes]. With his spear, he shot out a beam of water, reminiscent of Tehmrayn’s [Hydro Pump] spell, only this one seemed more like him gathering water to attack.
Thanks, Tehmrayn. Really gave me a chance to reflect on everything. Really made me dumb for not using this earlier.
I raised my hand out in his direction. A purple magic circle appeared before me.
Lightning Bolt.
Electric attacks beat water types. I really shouldn’t have been brute forcing with fire alone.
And this showed when Chahayat had to abandon his spear when the lightning struck the water beam, coursing through and nearly zapping him. On the other hand, unlike using my fire attacks, I didn’t exactly do any damage to the water itself, forcing me to dodge it. However, fully knowing this would happen, my eyes were trained on Chahayat as I [Wind Blast], [Dragoon Jump], and used my scale-dust to boost myself right in front of him.
Panzer!
“Kraaak!” With my purple armor cladding my body, I slammed my elbow right into his stomach, leaving a small crack where I hit him before he was shot towards the ground. Barely before he hit it, the blob of water caught up, allowing him back into the safety of his creation.
However, without letting this affect his assault, tentacles attempted to slam me from my blind spot. [Foresight] activated once again, allowing me to predict these attacks just a few seconds before they hit me, slicing them all with a flame strike from my glaive.
I then turned around, shooting multiple [Lightning Bolt]s at Chahayat, only for him to separate the slime up into different pieces to protect himself from the electrified areas. These pieces could join back, having noticed any tentacles I cut off being reabsorbed.
Separate! Terra Wall! Bedrock Blades!
Tall walls of earth and hardened rock blades surged out of the ground, separating the blobs like in a maze, making it harder for him to retrieve the mass of waters he lost. I then swirled my glaive, reloading it with the scale-dust in my wings.
Charging the catalyst embedded in my weapon’s tip, the flames grew even brighter before I began shooting cannonball-sized fire bullets at Chahayat, exploding the moment they landed. Expecting him to be trapped in my construction while I continued laying down artillery fire, beams of water then shot out from all the smoke, nearly hitting.
“By Yeostar’s beard, this fight might not be exciting from the dragoness’s viewpoint, but from all I can see from the merfolk’s, he seems to be in a dire situation! All the movements just to survive under this hail of flames and spells. The hectic nature of the situation is starting to make me want to cheer for him! Come on! We have an underdog here! Chahayat! Chahayat! CHAHAYAT!”
““Chahayat! Chahayat! Chahayat!””
“““Win, Deepsea Ebony! Win!”””
<Hmm, the crowd seemed to have switched against your favor. A few of them seem to come from merfolk and humans, too. The support is even more fierce from them.>
Jeez, you don’t need to tell me that! Urgh, why does this make me feel so bad? Damn you, announcer!
Still, this was all part of the battle. Being distraught right now wouldn’t do me any good as I needed to win this. Not only to keep my promise to Jethro, but also to prove myself to Tehmrayn that I am worthy of being a Champion! He prepared me for this, and now I would repay his trust!
Levin Core!
A large purple magic circle materialized in the sky with a ball of lightning, and began shooting out lightning from above me to truly trap Chahayat in his small bubble. He kept shooting out water beams, but I took this more like a Hail mary — a last-ditch effort.
There!
I kicked the air with [Dragoon Jump], aiming my glaive forward, and crashed right where Chahayat was about to swim towards. With the maze and rain of fire bullets, it became so easy to predict where he was going.
“Uurrrgh!” He flew out from his blob, reeling from my attack.
I ignited my scale-dust and used [Dragoon Jump] again, throwing myself back in the air where I landed a kick to his chest. With the air knocked out of his lungs, the merfolk shot to the ground from the force of my attack. Crash landing, sand and earth covered the area like a cloud. Once it slowly dissipated, I noticed the merfolk having stood up.
“He stood up, everybody! The pirate hunter is not down yet, but even without using her weapon, he sent the hulk down like any other prey.”
“Kuek!” He grabbed his chest. A dent with shattered pieces of metal could be seen where I kicked him. “You could have ended me there, Princess. Defeat me if you have the chance. Any else would dishonor me!”
I frowned, realizing the truth of what he said. “You could die if I actually did that. I could cleave you in two. I know this after my kick.”
“Tsk! Even if you are dragon, young scale, do not patronize a warrior!” Chahayat scowled at my answer. “Fight to kill!”
With no more weapons in hand, Chahayat pulled his scuba tank from his back and began turning one of the valves on it, causing it to suddenly produce even more water than before. Like a waterfall, it poured enough to turn the small hole he was in into a pond.
Anticipating something bad to happen, I tried to shoot him down with my glaive, but water shot out from that pond while a few tentacles roaming inside the maze tried to swat me. Although focused on dodging everything, my parallel minds kept up the pressure by shooting out [Tornado Bullet]s and [Banishment Beam]s.
Shields of water tried to protect him, but Chahayat was still blown away once again, lowering his current Health to 60%. He was almost down, but his water tank kept on pouring more water.
Do I really have to destroy that thing? Just for a match? It probably is the most expensive part of his equipment so if I were to— Argh, whatever, I’ll just have Tasianna make him a new one! Destroy it!
I activated [Mana Eyes], helping my parallel minds pinpoint the catalyst inside Chahayat’s diving tank. With a single [Banishment Beam], the plan was to destroy the former object to seal any chance for him to fight back. And with a loud “phuuuuu” sound, the sacred laser shot out… only for Chahayat to throw his tank into the air, having guessed what I wanted.
“Face the ocean’s wrath!”
Chahayat shouted as all the water in the area finally reached its destination. Not even the countless walls and rock blades could stop them as they could simply let the sand and earth absorb them to reappear underneath the merfolk. Even the water from this simulated beach came to help him.
With Chahayat as its core, the blob of water formed into a giant creature with the head of a shark and the hands of a human. The gelatinous water glistened within this creature, mixed with the salty water of this arena. With a loud roar, this water golem around the size of the statue of liberty towered over, before curling its hands into fist and slamming me with them.
Urgh! I groaned. Instead of dodging, I decided to use my scales to create a barrier around me.
Due to being weak to water type attacks, my [Draconic Barrier] was having some trouble keeping the scales strong, but I still managed to defend myself from his attack. So this was what he was planning — a giant golem.
“He finally showed it! I bet most of you don’t know about this, but I did some research before today’s match! ‘Deepsea Ebony’’s is known as the best pirate hunter amongst us Elyondians for a good reason. However, rumors go out how he would hunt them with axe and spear in hand, but tanking down vessels takes time!” I heard the announcer as I tried to push this water golem’s attack away. “However, this is how he does it! He sinks those bandits to the ground with this creation of his! Can a dragon even do something against a creation able to destroy even a war ship?”
Ha! Don’t underestimate this! This isn’t even me at full strength!
[“I’m sorry, but I really can’t let you win!”] I voiced my challenge through [Telapathy] to him before forming a wind microphone with [Aerokinesis]. [“So, let me send you out of here with a song!”]
Dreadflare Aura!
Igniting the inner flame inside me, I heated up my scale-dusts and had them explode inside my scale to release a massive burst of heat and fire around myself. The aura exploded, freeing me from this predicament before I flew up in the air.
With the eyes of everybody on me, I took in one deep breath. In the next moment, the sound of an electric violin began to play, followed by an air-booming combo between an electric guitar and drums!
“In my purgatory, I make the devil cry ♫
In Hellfire ♫
All you hear are his screams, begging to be released ♫
It’s Music ♫”
<[Music Resonation (Moderate)] [Stage Fever (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]>
Soaring flames raged around the small battle island, trapping the amorphous blob into this arena of fire, cutting it off from the water at the beach. I had my fun, but it was time to end this battle.
“T-The dragoness is singing! Just like in her royal rumble and her after-battle during the first round, music I’ve never heard before started playing out of nowhere, blasting this-these, weirdly energizing, instruments. Blood enjoyers, I hope you all just received something called [Music Resonation (Minor)], or maybe I’ve gone crazy!” The announcer commented faithfully. “Honestly, is this lass a dragon or a choir shrine maiden?”
“Urgh!” Chahayat’s golem moved back, protecting Chahayat who was swimming around its chest from the fire. Raising one forward, its five fingers twisted like whirlpools before shooting out like beams.
I released my heat aura once again, defending myself easily from the attack as it all turned to steam around me. Chahayat looked surprised, from what I could seem, but that was obvious with the song I was singing.
The violin and drums in my song continued rocking together, creating a heart-pounding harmony. “Everybody! Steel your resolve! Harden your hearts!” I redirected my attention away from Chahayat, focusing on the audience. I raised my hand up, curling my middle and ring finger together with my thumb, showing the audience a rock sign as a drum solo bridged itself to the first chorus!
“I descend on Earth with Wings of Death! ♫
A Storm of Fury ♫
Creating Ash and Dust ♫
I am the Incarnation of the Sun ♫
I shine so brightly, I bring your death ♫
My lineage belongs to the God of Dragons! ♫”
<[Music Resonation (Major)] [Stage Fever (Moderate)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]>
The flames of the arena burned taller and stronger, emulating a lesser version of what I could create with my Territory. However, unlike [Magmakammer], [Dragon Fire] couldn’t raise the heat to the point it could melt earth and rocks into magma. The power creep had settled in, you could say.
“Scales of steel, claws of destruction ♫
The Dragon Fire will scorch the lands ♫
The Idol will never fall ♫
She will bring Absolution! ♫”
Still, what made it still strong was a special effect.
<Dragon Fire: A song created by the Idol [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]. Through the image of becoming the epitome of challenge and opposition, clad in the fiery inferno of a dragon’s lair, this song will create a stage fit for an idol dragon to fight. Through the power of song and fire, enemies must fight against the ruler of this hellfire as the spotlight is shined on this battle between fates. An arena of fire is created while this song is active, preventing every entity from exiting the arena. All enemies affected by [Music Resonation] will receive these effects: Become the target for periodic fire attacks created by this song. Receive 10% more damage from all fire and dragon attacks and abilities. All entities affected by [Music Resonation] will receive these effects: All water spells and abilities will lose 50% of their effectiveness. All ice spells and abilities will lose 50% of their effectiveness>
50% effectiveness loss. Of water and ice attacks.
It doesn’t melt as well nor could it deal as much fire attack. If I have to change the effect of this song, then I have to focus on how it could practically negate my water and ice weakness. Just, how do I integrate [Divine Inferno] with it?
That was a question for later. For now, it was best to win this match. Chahayat had a good reason to win this match. He had to protect the tribes of merfolk. He wasn’t here to destroy all the tradition of this event, but to have it change to accommodate the people he cared for, harmed by the constant pirate attacks on the coast.
But, this was a tournament. And I had a duty to fulfill. Compromises could be solved later.
“Come at me!” I raised my hand up, a large red magic circle forming above it. “Shout! Roar! If you wish to make your goal come true, then come at me now! I shall grant you a warrior’s defeat!”
A ball of concentrated fire materialized from my spell, growing large enough to dwarf the water golem’s head. Chahayat knew this would be his last chance to stay inside this arena. If he couldn’t stop this attack, then he would lose without a doubt.
It was clear to everybody as the golem began to release steam, literally being cooked by the flame arena. As such, Chahayat had his golem ram its hands together, focusing most of the water he had into a focal point. With only a blob of water left to surround him, Chahayat was putting all his remaining strength behind this attack.
“Drown!” The ball twisted like his golem’s fingers from before, before it shot out a beam able to completely consume me if I were to let it touch me.
Scorching Sun.
But against a sun, what hope does water have?
With the steam bursting from the impact of the two attacks, my spell was initially driven back, almost touching me. However, time slowly showed as not only my arena but also my spell were starting to drain away the water beam’s remaining reservoir. My [Scorching Sun] did not move an inch.
Releasing some of my mana out, I pushed the fiery ball forward and therefore, the beam of water. With my victory on the horizon, I took a deep breath before unleashing a dragon breath, driving a miniature sun to break through this clash of attacks, disintegrating Chahayat’s attack, and with a resounding blast, any chance for the merfolk to win.
<Congratulations, you have emerged victorious! May God Yeostar bless your glory!>
As the fire burned everything on this island, a stream of light flew out of it and away from the arena. With that, my flames and everything inside this dungeon disappeared, returning me back to the normal arena grounds of this place.
“AND WE HAVE A WINNER!”
Quarter finals, here we go.
Comments
Diego Rossi
Nice changes. I had to re-read half of the chapter, but it was worth it.
She doesn't need to say it, when everything about her is explosive.
Imp
Fun chapter! Bombastic final boss is best hestia! Larger than life with all the bells and whistles! And explosions! I kinda half wish I could see her pull a Megumin at some point, just go shouting EXPLOSION!!! everywgere, Well, she's no lina inverse, so eh.
The wording of the song is a bit exaggerated. The flames will try to stop you from exiting, but it isn't impossible. I think I showed it happening once.
Diego Rossi
Thanks for the chapter. "An arena of fire is created while this song is active, preventing every entity from exiting the arena." Apparently the safety amulets for the arena can bypass that effect. Hestia should think about that, as it is possible other equipment can do the same.
