Chapter 269 - To The Brink

"If you're as tough as you are big--survive this."

Muttering to himself as he guided the trajectory of the highly powerful sphere with his hand, Avdima watched the Behemoth as it was brought up into the boundaries of the high, gray, swollen clouds, which wasn't a long journey for an entity of such magnitude. Being brought to such heights above the newly formed battlefield within the forest, Behemoth's vexing size stretched a shadow over those who stood below it. 

I should take advantage of this chance while he's focused on that, but...I need to regain whatever stamina I can. Besides, I feel like a monster like him is expecting a surprise attack! Fai thought. 

Keeping himself out of sight with his bare back tucked against the rough, sharp edges of the oak, Fai took in long, deep inhales to his lungs that felt as if they were both on fire, each breath feeling as if he inhaled dozens of tiny, prickly knives. 

"Burst into darkness."

Avdima's words shattered the condensed form of the tiny, but powerful sphere that buried itself against Behemoth's hide. 

It was clear to Fai why the Argonaut opted for such an unorthodox approach; the full release of the spell stretched itself across the horizon into a volatile release--cladding the clouds in its violent, celestial essence as even Behemoth's unmissable form became hidden within the blast that could be felt from the forest grounds. 

In the center of the repeating blasts, where Behemoth unfortunately was, the black mass of dazzling magenta like the sparkles of distant stars took the shape of a perfect sphere, causing the surrounding clouds to part in the wake of such power. 

"...Even I have to feel bad for Behemoth...I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that."

Fai muttered to himself as he watched the grandeur of Avdima's magic in its full spectacle. It was a rare thing for dark magic to be an eye-grabbing, beauty to behold--but when it was, it was a theatre of delight and horror. Each blast that erupted from the many traveled down to the surface to extend their grace to the forest below; the shock waves repeatedly tormented the oak, causing the winds to hum and cry out. 

Something like that--just that spell alone trivializes any modern weaponry back on Earth, nukes be damned...It's moments like these that I feel so alive--so thankful that I've been brought here! A world where the efforts of one person can create things like this; it's a world welcoming to big dreamers, Fai thought. 

"...I was wrong. You're even tougher than you are big."

These whispers meant to compliment the beast that could not hear him came from Avdima's surprised lips, watching as Behemoth began to plummet from the smoky, starlit hold of the sky-shaking explosion--still in one piece. 

"Oh no…"

"That's not good."

It seemed both Avdima and Fai came to the same gut-wrenching conclusion as they looked up to watch the beast of unparalleled size rapidly descend upon the forest, steam and sable smoke running from its fur. At that speed, with its weight--it was clear as day what the resulting impact would be on the forest.

With its tusk flopping in the wind as it hung outside of its mouth, its limbs flailing in the wind without resistance, Behemoth was blatantly knocked unconscious from the powerful blasts unleashed previously, even if having been in one piece. 

"Return, Behemoth…!"

Clapping his hands together, Fai yelled out as his call shifted Behemoth's form into that of weightless, shapeless particles of discarded mana--returning it to the depths of his ability. 

"Looking out for the forest?"

"Looking out for all of us."

Fai responded with a huff as he left his place within the veil of trees, wiping the sweat that lathered his chin as his eyes met with the Argonaut once more. 

"That was your best chance yet, without that monster you can't--"

Before Avdima could let his slow, bored words travel from his lips to Fai's ears, the otherworlder once more slapped his palms together with a resounding boom as the abyssal lake returned, "Return, Behemoth!"

This time, Fai smiled at the prospect of summoning the belligerent, rampaging beast of chaos as it pulled itself out from the unseen depths of the summoning liquid, emerging like a great leviathan out of a sea of utter darkness as it let out a harrowing roar that caused the forest to quiver. 

Though Avdima was quick to raise his guard, pulling both of his arms up as they became shrouded in his refined, dark magic--he couldn't help but smile in his own small way with the second round against the mountain-sized beast. 

"Up until now...I've been throwing half-baked spells at you without any intent to kill. I'm sure you won't complain if I turn it up a notch, right?"

"Are you asking me or the big guy here? Either way, give it your best shot, ghosty!"

Fai egged the Argonaut on with a boisterous smile, standing near the cedar-sized leg of Behemoth as it stood itself up, shaking the black substance off of its hide as it breathed its steamy, repugnant breath. 

"...I'm grateful. For the first time in a long time, someone has survived my initial strikes. Fai...you really are someone who stands at the top of this world."

It was unnatural, but despite how daunting it should be in contrast to his usual expression--Avdima's smile was as gentle as the welcoming softness of a feather pillow. 

When joyful smiles like that are shared, pride is set aside as well as personal contempt; at that point, it is simply an all-out battle between two who recognize the other as their equal. Avdima's words weren't coated in falsities in the least; a chilling release of his innermost mana shook even Behemoth itself as the muddy ground trembled beneath the black stratifications that filled the air. 

"Zhurong: Apex!"

If I'm not willing to sacrifice tomorrow to win here today, there is no way I'm overcoming a man like him--that's why even if it tears me apart--flesh, bones, whole limbs in all--I have to push myself beyond my maximum! Fai thought. 

Once more he returned his body to the element of fire, feeling its unrelenting heat wrap itself around the foundation of his very being as the full output of his magical energy surged through him--locking eyes with Avdima, who stood surrounded enveloped in his thick, layered mana. 

None of my spells have had any effect on him, my Qi is hardly aiding me to keep up with his immense reinforcement...It's going to come down to sheer will, isn't it? He thought. 

"Let's go, Behemoth!"

To his surprise, the gargantuan beast heeded his command as it set out like a raging bull towards the Argonaut alongside him. It was only when running side-to-side with the beast that dwarfed him as if he were an ent did he feel the true elation that came with the summit of combat. 

Right now, I actually feel it--I feel that I can win! Fai thought.