Greeting the first wind of the Second Breath was a battle against a fearsome creature.
But despite the severity of the situation, there was this thrill inside Rex's heart.
It came unexpectedly, spreading a warm sensation in his chest.
Looking at the beast core inside the mutated animal's chest, Rex noticed that it was gushing with torrential energy because of the disturbance from Kyran's earlier attack. Even then—his attack didn't possess enough power to crack the core.
Rex would need to be the one to do the attack to properly shatter it.
However, it was quite surprising that Kyran was able to penetrate the mutated animal's skin.
His mastery over energy concentration allowed him to do that.
I need to somehow pin this tail or else I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of the battle.
Just like the mutated animal's stats state—the tail is one of its danger zones as it could move at lightning speed—and deal lethal blows to anyone it touches. Casualties would climb, if Rex let go of this tail that was attempting to break free from his grasp.
Turning his left hand into claws, his eyes flashed fiercely as he slashed at the long tail.
Clang!
Despite enhancing his claws with the Unholy Claws of the Reaper skill—it barely left a scar.
But he knew that his attack was working because the tail became even more frantic.
Sparing no mercy, he began hacking multiple times ruthlessly.
Rex was intent on cutting the long tail off and starting from there—however—that was easier said than done as the tail burned with fire in retaliation, forcing a hiss out of his mouth. It was akin to him holding a burning lasso, and his skin was peeling visibly.
Gritting his teeth, a tattoo slowly formed on the back of his hand, "Sekhmet Tattoo!"
An old skill of his that he bought to fight Kevin back at Faraday University.
It provided him with more fire resistance which would hopefully help him in this situation.
However, as the burning sensation lessened, it came right back as the tail blazes with flames—destroying the Sekhmet Tattoo. Rex looked at his arm and the side of his body—and found that his skin was already burnt, displaying his muscle tissues and nearing to hit his bones.
Since he was not in his Werewolf form, his regeneration ability was being overwhelmed.
Damn it! System, use Skill Upgrades to upgrade the Sekhmet Tattoo skill!
<Affirmative.>
<It costs 10 Skill Upgrades to upgrade the Sekhmet Tattoo, does the user want to proceed?>
Yes! Just do it!
<The Sekhmet Tattoo skill has two paths of upgrade, which one...>
Whichever one could increase my fire resistance! Just upgrade it now!
<Congratulations, the Sekhmet Tattoo has been upgraded to Sekhmet True Tattoo!>
A description of the skill appeared after that notification, but Rex didn't even give some time to read it and instantly cast the new upgraded skill. Upon chanting the skill, the same tattoo, appeared on the back of his hand.
But this time, the tattoo wasn't only magically formed—it was created by an invisible hand.
As if Sekhmet herself had drawn the tattoo on the back of his hand.
Rex's body ignited in flames—an ancient and mystic flame, a fiery aura matching the intense heat of the mutated animal's inferno. However—despite the skill's efforts the burning inferno was only toned down to a slightly tolerable level for him, its heat was inextinguishable.
It was a testament to the overwhelming power of the mutated animal's fire.
Even Adhara, who was still fighting alongside the others could feel the burn of the flame.
If she was burning, then there's no doubt the flame is extremely lethal.
However, the effect of the skill is enough for Rex to utilize his black lightning power, forming multiple lightning rapiers, that he plunged along the length of the tail. A ferocious growl was unleashed as the mutated animal wailed, its tail impaled and firmly pinned to the ground.
Not enough.
Despite the rapiers, amplified with his lightning and red force, it was not enough.
Sensing what was happening, Kyran rolled back and used his bloodline powers.
Crack!
Bam!!
Feeling the impending lethal strike, the mutated animal attempted to phase, but it didn't work this time, taking the full force of the blow squarely. A guttural growl escaped its mouth as the energy gush from the Brutal Impulse pierced through its chest and exploded out its back.
Before the mutated animal could do anything, Rex already blurred and made another step.
At 150% speed and agility boost, Rex's movement was blurry even in the eyes of the mutated animal. Meanwhile, Flunra and Kyran concentrated on restraining both of the creature's arms, striving to render them immobile.
Kaboom!!
Knowing that it was in trouble, the mutated animal's entire body bathed in flames again.
It rendered Flunra and Kyran at the mercy of the heat.
However, that didn't last long as Rex came in like a fighter jet, blasting another Brutal Impulse at the mutated animal's, exposed chest. Unlike the earlier strikes, this one was so strong that it sent the mutated animal stumbling a couple of steps back.
A big gash was left on the center of its chest, and there was a light crack on its core.
Surely, Rex's attack managed to pierce through.
"One more hit, I can destroy its core with one more fully charged, hit!" Rex announced.
Upon hearing this—the other guards, and captains began to cast their spells more vigorously—helping distract the mutated animal as much as they could. Joining in the battle directly—it would be impossible for them, so this is the only support they could give.
Roar!!
Making a desperate attempt, the mutated animal turned the battlefield into a sea of flames.
Eruptions of flames blasted the people above it randomly, killing many in the process.
Additionally, it crouched down and curled into a ball, protecting its chest area.
Rex would not make a clean shot if it was in that position, and Adhara knew that which made her instantly burned with rampaging violet flames, a mixture of mana and spirit energy. Then, she unleashed the violet serpent wrapped around her waist at the mutated animal.
"Pneuma Spell, Slithering Chains of Jealousy!"
Under her control, the violet fiery serpent made its way to the mutated animal.
Wrapping its sinuous body around the mutated anima's neck, the violet serpent swiftly coiled around its snout as well. Exhibiting powerful strength—it tugged at the creature's snout while Kyran and Flunra pulled on its arms.
Beating the odds, they managed to force the mutated animal out of its defensive posture.
Struggling, they knew they couldn't maintain their hold for much longer.
But that fleeting moment was enough for Rex to come in with his right arm bulging with veins—containing immense kingly energy. Despite his right arm, bleeding all over from abusing the Brutal Impulse, it was a simple fix for him.
Rex only needed to activate his Berserker's Curse skill that numbed him to the pain.
Not that he couldn't stand the pain—but the pain wavered his control over his kingly energy, which was greatly required in executing a perfect Brutal Impulse moon ability. However, with the aid of the Berserker's Curse skill, that was not a problem.
Piercing the wind at high velocity, Rex smirked, envisioning the mutated animal's demise.
"Brutal Impulse...! Hmpph!"
Grunting, he swung his right arm with all his might—fully intending to destroy the creature's core and stop it, from reaching the tenth-rank realm. However, bad luck struck when his fist was inches away from landing on its mark.
Crack!
Blitz!!
Rex looked up and saw a vicious lightning strike was heading his way.
Precisely, it was going to the mutated animal's way, but he was standing on its vicious path.
It struck faster than even Rex's speed, and he got hit by it directly.
Crash!
Despite his full resistance to lightning-based attack, this lightning—which was spat, by the world pierced through his immunity and slammed him into the ground before the explosion sent his body crashing away.
From sheer willpower, he managed to push himself off the ground and looked up.
Only then that he was met by another vicious shockwave.
"It managed to break through..."
BOOM!!