Chapter 138: Clash Between Titans
The gigantic stone fist finally settled. Dust continued rolling across the battlefield. Silence followed.
Then the dust slowly parted.
Standing atop an enormous mountain of collapsed rubble was the largest Behemoth anyone had ever seen. Its body was almost twice the size of every other Titan Boulder Ape, layer after layer of dark stone armor covering its chest, shoulders, and arms. Every movement sounded like mountains grinding together.
Its shoulders barely fit through the city broken wall.
Hunters froze. "Impossible," one whispered.
One veteran Hunter murmured, "That’s not a Titan Boulder Ape. That’s a fortress."
One step. Boom. The entire battlefield shook.
Another step. Buildings cracked.
The remaining Beasts immediately retreated behind it. Not because they were ordered. Because instinct told them to. This was their true commander.
The Behemoth slowly looked downward. Its massive fist remained buried inside the rubble. Golden light suddenly leaked between the broken stones.
One crack.
Then another.
Then another.
Boooooooom!!
Golden flames exploded upward. Chunks of stone scattered across the battlefield. A golden dragon burst from beneath the rubble.
Golden blood slowly dripped from one side of his face. His breathing was heavier. One wing showed several tears. Smoke rose from his scales. Yet his golden eyes never left the Behemoth.
Mephistopheles slowly spread his wings, golden flames rolling across his body. The battlefield became silent. For the first time the Behemoth spoke, its voice sounding like boulders grinding together.
"You survived," it said.
Mephistopheles smirked. "I’ve survived worse," he said.
The Behemoth’s enormous eyes narrowed. "I am Strax," it said. "My King entrusted this battlefield to me. You are unworthy."
Mephistopheles laughed. "I’ll let him know," he said, "after I kill you."
Both stopped moving. Neither attacked. Mephistopheles quietly studied him. The pressure coming from Strax was overwhelming, and his instincts screamed. Danger. Real danger.
Then Leon’s words surfaced inside his mind.
Ranks generally change every thirty levels.
His pupils narrowed. "So," he said, "Bronze Rank." He continued observing.
And the foe before him was most likely Peak Bronze which means Level Thirty. His aura alone crushed weaker Beasts into submission, and if that wasn’t bad enough, he could tell this Behemoth’s own bloodline was very high.
Mephistopheles slowly exhaled. "At least A Rank," he said.
From what he had experienced and what Leon had told him, having an SS Rank bloodline placed a beast leagues above others of different rank. The difference between every rank could be seen as a difference of two, so naturally an A Rank beast compared to an SS Rank meant the SS Rank would be four times stronger, assuming they were the same level.
He looked at his own claws. He was level twenty, still ten levels away. The level difference might not seem like much, but the gap also doubled for every level, so even though he carried an SS Rank bloodline, the Behemoth being ten levels ahead of him didn’t just close that gap. It made Strax more than ten times stronger than him.
In short, it was a losing battle.
Yet his wings slowly opened.
Mephistopheles remembered a tiny Goblin.
A Goblin everyone laughed at. A Goblin who challenged enemies far stronger than himself again and again. And even through the odds, he found a way to overcome them,
"If Vedas can do it," Mephistopheles said, "then so can I!"
Golden flames exploded.
"I refuse to ever lose again! Not until I defeat him!"
Both moved simultaneously.
Boooooooom!!
The collision split the battlefield, and Mephistopheles slammed into Strax’s chest. The Behemoth didn’t move. Instead one massive fist swung. The punch connected, and Mephistopheles became a streak of golden light, skipping across the battlefield, destroying several ruined buildings before stopping.
Golden blood dripped from his mouth.
Mephistopheles wiped away the blood, then smiled. "Now that was a punch," he said.
Strax slammed both fists together, and the ground fractured for hundreds of meters. Stone pillars erupted beneath Mephistopheles in rapid succession, trying to skewer him from below. The battlefield became a forest of jagged rock.
He tore an entire section of Dawn’s outer wall from the ground next. Not a boulder. An actual wall. He spun, threw it, and the wall became a massive stone discus that tore through the battlefield, flattening everything in its path. Mephistopheles barely evaded with [Dragon Dash].
Then stone armor began spreading across Strax, layer after layer, his already enormous body becoming even larger. Golden fire crashed against him, barely leaving scorch marks.
Hunters lost hope. "How do you kill something like that?" one said.
Mephistopheles wiped the blood from his mouth as his chest rose and fell violently. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat but he smiled instead. "I’ve already done enough running."
Golden flames erupted beneath his claws.
[Dragon Dash.]
BOOOOOOM!!
The ground exploded beneath him.
He disappeared.
Only a streak of golden light remained. A golden comet circle around Strax who tried to turn but he was too slow. The streak kept circling him over and over until Strax swung his arm but it struck nothing.
It tried another punch but nothing again.
Mephistopheles suddenly appeared directly in front of Strax’s face. His jaws opened as golden flames condensed until they almost became white.
[Fire Breath.]
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A pillar of golden fire engulfed Strax’s head.
The flames continued pouring out for over three seconds. The entire battlefield disappeared behind blazing gold. The Beasts that were rushing into the breach paused while the Goblin Mages on the wall instinctively shielded their eyes.
"Did it work?"
The flames finally dispersed as smoke rolled away and then one enormous foot stepped forward.
Boom.
Another.
Boom.
Strax slowly emerged from the burning inferno. His stone armor glowed a deep crimson from the heat. Molten rock slowly dripped from several plates.
Thin cracks spread across his chest.
But that was all.
One massive hand brushed away the remaining flames covering his face. His rocky eyes calmly looked toward the dragon. "...Finished?"
The battlefield became deathly quiet.
Even the Beasts stopped roaring as everyone had expected the dragon’s flames... To change everything or atleast damage Strax enough to make him stop.
Yet it only burned Strax enough to be a minor inconvenience.
One Hunter slowly lowered his sword. "...It didn’t work."
Another Goblin swallowed. "...How do you kill that?"
Even several Beasts instinctively lowered their heads as Strax walked past them.
None dared stand in his path.
Mephistopheles smiled. "Not even close." He slammed both wings together.
[Mega Explosion.]
Golden flames compressed around Strax.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A massive sphere of golden fire swallowed everything within dozens of meters. Nearby Beasts had no time to react as the shockwave instantly vaporized them.
Dust blasted across the battlefield.
The explosion slowly faded.
But then a massive fist came rushing out. Mephistopheles quickly rushed to the side, evading the fist.
"Damn it."
Mephistopheles landed heavily. His claws carved deep trenches across the broken road before he finally stopped. His breathing had become ragged.
Golden blood dripped onto the shattered stone.
His chest rose violently.
Every attack crashed into the massive beast but none of them seemed to be working. No matter how much flames he released, it would only darken the beasts skin. Even with the explosions and him crashing into it, Strax kept on moving.
The Behemoth simply kept walking.
Closer.
Closer.
Like a mountain that refused to stop.
Mephistopheles quietly looked toward the sky.
Clouds drifted overhead.
Then a slow smile spread across his face.
"...Right. I’ve been fighting on your battlefield." Golden flames erupted beneath his wings. "So let’s fight on mine."
Instead of retreating, Mephistopheles rushed forward.
[Dragon Dash].
Golden aura surrounded him, and at the last second he folded his wings and slid beneath both fists, his claws slamming into Strax’s chest. Golden flames exploded from beneath his wings The flames became propellers, and the ground beneath them exploded as both shot skyward.
Mephistopheles’ claws dug deep into the stone armor covering Strax’s chest.
Golden flames erupted beneath his wings.
BOOOOOOM!!
Nothing happened.
Strax laughed. "You are too small."
Mephistopheles roared and then even more golden flames exploded again. While his wings beat harder and the ground beneath them shattered.
Still, nothing was happening as Strax laughed even more.
One Hunter slowly looked away. "...He can’t..."
Another Goblin bit his lip.
Then...
Strax’s right foot shifted one inch and then another before his enormous body slowly rose.
Dust began falling from beneath him.
One Beast stared. "The Commander... is floating?"
Mephistopheles roared again as every vein across his wings bulged. Golden flames erupted like twin suns as the impossible happened.
One inch.
Then another.
The enormous foot actually left the ground to the disbelief of everyone. Nobody blinked or looked away, all of them were focusing on this impossible sight.
Hunters couldn’t believe their eyes. "He’s... lifting him!"
One Goblin Mage suddenly laughed.
Another covered his mouth.
A wounded Goblin Rider slowly stood. "...He’s winning."
The words spread.
"He’s winning."
"The dragon is winning."
Hope exploded across the wall.
Even Strax’s calm expression disappeared. "...Impossible."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The two shot upward even faster and the cavern walls blurred past them. The rocky ceiling rushed closer.
Strax’s eyes widened. "Stop!"
CRAAAAAASH!!
His back slammed into the cavern ceiling and the entire underground world trembled. Thousands of tons of rock collapsed around them and massive cracks spread through the stone overhead.
Dust poured down like rain.
Mephistopheles refused to let go as golden flames exploded beneath his wings again.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
He drove Strax even harder into the ceiling before another wave of cracks spread outward. Entire sections of rock collapsed and the Behemoth roared in pain as his stone armor finally began breaking apart.
Chunks of dark rock rained toward the battlefield below.
Hunters stared upward. "He’s... trying to force him through the ceiling!"
Mephistopheles grinned. "Not enough."
Golden flames gathered beneath his wings once more.
[Mega Explosion.]
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The explosion erupted between Mephistopheles and the cavern ceiling.
The blast didn’t push outward but downwards. The force slammed directly into Strax and the enormous Behemoth was driven away from the ceiling like a falling mountain. He plummeted toward the battlefield below. Mephistopheles remained hovering high above. Golden flames slowly gathered inside his mouth.
Brighter.
Brighter.
Brighter.
His throat became a miniature sun.
Far below...
Strax tried to steady himself in midair.
Too late.
Mephistopheles disappeared.
[Dragon Dash.]
BOOOOOOOM!!
A streak of golden light circled around the falling Behemoth.
Once.
Twice.
Five times.
Ten.
Golden afterimages filled the air.
The entire battlefield watched the golden comet spinning around the falling mountain. Strax swung wildly but every punch struck empty air. He couldn’t follow the dragon anymore.
Then...
The golden streak suddenly stopped.
Mephistopheles appeared directly above Strax and his jaws were already open. Golden light flooded the entire cavern.
[Mega Blast.]
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A colossal pillar of golden fire erupted downward and the beam swallowed Strax completely.
The force drove him toward the battlefield like a meteor.
The entire cavern became gold.
Hunters instinctively covered their eyes as the surrounding Beasts fled in every direction. The beam continued pushing.
Harder.
Harder.
Harder.
Until—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Strax crashed into the ground. The impact blasted apart the ruined battlefield and stone exploded outward and dust swallowed everything. Golden flames continued pouring downward for several more seconds before finally fading.
The battlefield became silent.
Nobody celebrated or dared to.
Not yet.
If that monster stood back up... Everything would begin again and so every eye remained fixed on the smoke.
And once the smoke cleared, they all saw an unmoving Behemoth.
Then a small golden figure slowly landed on the Behemoth’s chest. Golden blood still dripped from his scales. His breathing was ragged and one wing trembled.
Yet he remained standing.
He slowly lifted his head toward the remaining Beast army, golden flames flickering around his body and then he roared in victory.
The roar echoed across Dawn.
Every remaining Beast instinctively stepped backward. Every Goblin on the wall that had witnessed the fight erupted into cheers.
The invincible mountain had fallen.
By a dragon small enough for a man to ride.
Far away...
Vedas glanced toward the golden light and a small smile appeared. "Nice work."
And then deep into the abandon area of the city.
Leon looked toward the distant explosion and he smiled. "Looks like... I’m falling behind."
Before raising his twins swords as lightning flashed and he was blasted through another building. Before crashing into Arthur who was also blasted back.
Both of them groaned before standing up.
To see lightning crackling as the two Thunderbird Chiefs glared down at them.
"If this continues, we might be the last one to finish off our fight." Arthur muttered as he shakes his hands.
"Can’t have that, they will definitely mock us." Leon replied as he cracked his neck.
Both of them glance at each other before grinning.
"Let’s end this now!"
The two Thunderbirds roared out before unleashing a sea of lightning down upon them.