Even though I knew that I must save my buffs for a sign of weakness, it was definitely easier said than done. Its six legs, each ending with claws as big as me, threatened to crush me if I failed to react in time while I dodged its gaping maw and the acid it was drooling everywhere. It was tempting to just say fuck it and use everything I had but I had to be patient.


    The experienced part of me told me that it had tricks it could pull to counter my buffs. I had to be patient. I watched as another salvo of arrows struck the creature but it shook it off just like our previous attacks. Just how tough it is? Hydra had impressive regenerative abilities but this kind of toughness was weird. Did it have some kind of condition for us to fulfill before we could damage it? No, our attacks clearly damaged its scales, they just weren’t enough.


    (You received Nature’s Call. Your strength and agility increases by 10 for 30 minutes. Your attacks will carry elemental forces of wind and earth with them for 10 minutes.)


    (You received Nature’s Vitality. Your vitality and defense increases by 10 for 30 minutes. Elemental forces of wind and earth will block some damage dealt to you for 10 minutes.)


    (You received Mana Surge. Your mana regeneration increases by 50 percent for 30 minutes. Your mana-based attacks increases by 5 percent in effectiveness.)


    I felt the mana of Methild surround me as a green hue covered my body. I felt power rapidly travel along my body. I saw what I thought as small elemental spirits slide through the hue as if they were in a playground.


    “Hell yeah! That’s what I have been talking about!”


    Lily, clad in the same green hue as me shouted in the air as he released wind blades at Nidhogg’s neck, drawing thick black blood. While I felt similar to him, I couldn’t help to sigh at his carelessness. Seriously, my hair would have gone grey if it already wasn’t grey.


    “We are going under it.”


    I whispered to G?kb?rü. Lily was hovering in the air as he attacked. Naturally, Nidhogg’s attention was focused on swatting the annoying pest out of the sky. Calming my breathing and hiding my presence, I carefully but rapidly moved. It had the ability to hide itself so I wouldn’t be surprised if it could detect me somehow. However, with Lily and Elandris taking its attention I could move to its weaker underside for a huge strike.


    The ground trembled as it tried to claw Lily. Because of its size and number of legs it had, I had several close calls where it nearly “accidentally” crushed me. Despite all that I was able to reach its underbelly. Just like I guessed, the scales here looked thinner and weaker. As we reached the optimal position beneath Nidhogg''s massive form, I gripped my weapon tightly, anticipation coursing through my veins. This was our moment, our opportunity to strike a decisive blow against the formidable foe.


    (Monstrous Strength is activated. Strength is increased by 30 for 150 seconds.)


    (You used Frost Booster. Power of frost engulfs your weapon.)


    (You used Titan Slayer’s Rune. Your enemy is 10 times bigger than you. All stats increases by 80 percent.)


    (You marked “Nidhogg” with Hunter’s Mark. You will know where your target is regardless of distance. Every attack you make will deal Darkness damage based on your Agility stat.)


    It felt as if lava was flowing through my veins. My muscles threatened to tear out of my skin while my heart was ready to burst out of my chest. Despite the strain and the amount of buffs I had put on my body, I knew that it wasn’t enough.


    (War Beast’s Howl fills you with power. You gained Hyper Armor for 10 seconds. Your Strength and Agility increases by 10. Your weapons will carry small amounts of Aliera’s divine power.)


    (You are fighting together with your partner. Your stats increases by 10 percent.)


    My spear shook because of the sheer amount of mana I put into it. Because of how it shook, I was afraid it would break or escape from my grasp. Thankfully, G?kb?rü was with me. The purple mana which was coiling around my spear and flowing like a waterfall started to freeze and compress with his influence. At that very moment, Nidhogg realized that I was under it. How could it not? My mana was illuminating the entire area.


    “Too late, leech.”


    I thrust my spear to its belly, releasing all the mana and Armor Collapsing Claw stored in it with Mana Erupt. A massive frozen pillar of mana pierced through its belly and lifted its body off the ground. Its blood tried to rain upon us but they were frozen solid, just like my own blood pouring from my nose.


    “Growl?”


    G?kb?rü nuzzled to my chin, wondering about my situation.


    “I’ll live.”


    My head spun as I looked at the Nidhogg impaled on the pillar I created with my attack. It was large enough to pierce a sizeable hole in the creature’s body while being long enough to reach several 10s of meters into the air. The massive dragon writhed in agony as the frost spread to other parts of its body, painting its black scales into snow white. I nearly lost my balance and fell due to dizziness but I was able to regain my balance by using my spear as support.


    At that moment my eyes met with my companions. The darkness seemed to be weakened, supporting the idea that it was connected to Nidhogg. Thanks to that I was able to see their facial expressions despite the distance between us.


    Confusion.


    Shock.


    And most importantly, fear. Even Lily, my best friend for years looked at me with hesitant eyes. I knew those eyes. I was looked upon by the same eyes when I killed my first Reaper and dragged its corpse to the base. I remember not liking it just like I wasn’t liking it now. I was on their side. Plus, it wasn’t like they couldn’t pull off something like this! Why? Why are you looking at me as if I am some kind of threat? Something that’s distant from you?


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.G?kb?rü nuzzled against me, his presence a comforting reminder of the bonds we shared. But even his reassuring touch couldn''t dispel the unease that lingered in the air, thickening like a suffocating fog. I shook my head. The feelings I was feeling were unnecessary now. Nidhogg still thrashed and writhed upon the frozen pillar, its anguished cries echoing through the darkness. It was wounded, vulnerable, but not yet defeated. Its six claws tried to claw and break the ice pillar piercing through its body. Its mana-infused claws gradually shaved the pillar and given enough time it could break free of it.


    I stepped forward, the ice cracking beneath my feet. Quickly, before my buffs run out and I am penalized. Mana burned around my spear and with a single leap I was in striking range of the Nidhogg. G?kb?rü helped me by binding my feet to the pillar using ice. Nidhogg, being clearly wary of me released a shriek as it wildly swung its tail to get rid of me. For some reason, I thought that it was scared of me. I blocked its tail by summoning several shields as I couldn’t dodge quickly because of my glued feet. Every step required me to unfreeze my feet, step forward then freeze it again.


    Shields I summomed and drops of venom dripping out of Nidhogg’s tail fell as my spear reached to its scales. Unlike before where I was able to only do minor damage my spear managed to bite deep into its flesh. The sizzling blood of the creature splashed at me as I pulled my spear back.


    “G?kb?rü!”


    Its acid ate through my armor like a hot knife through butter and reached my skin in the blink of an eye. Before I could call out to G?kb?rü my gauntlets and half of my chestplate were gone. I didn’t have the time to worry about them however as the pain was immense. I was hit by acid before and saying I wasn’t a big fan of it was an understatement. The searing pain of the acid tearing through my armor and searing my flesh threatened to overwhelm me, even causing my vision to go black for a split second before G?kb?rü could freeze the blood and stop it from melting me to the bone.


    However, the split second I was frozen was a long time to stand still in a battle like this. Massive tail stuck me, breaking the ice binding me to the pillar and sending me falling down to the ground. The pain of what amounted to a speeding truck caused me to exhale what little air remained in my lungs. I tried to reach out to the pillar so I could stab my spear into it to avoid falling but that damn tail was basically bitch slapping me away from it. I closed my eyes and got ready for another painful crash.


    Yet, it never came. Instead, I felt a pair of hands grabbing me.


    “Haha, the third time’s the charm!”


    Lily, covered in green crystal-like energy laughed as he held me. Two moth wings made out of the same energy sprouted from his back, allowing him to hover in the air as he carried me.


    “What are we doing now?”


    Lily asked me as projectiles courtesy of our elven companions struck the still-trapped Nidhogg.


    “We’ll kill it before my buffs run out.”


    He sighed hearing my words.


    “Of course. I wonder why I even asked. What’s the plan?”


    I gripped my spear tighter. With Rapid Healing, borrowed Regeneration, and a boost from Mother Tree’s root, my wounds were closing by themselves. I pulled the Dragon Slayer Arrows and bound two of them to my spear.


    “Can you use your wind to speed up my fall?”


    He looked at me as if I was a madman.


    “You can’t be serious.”


    I smiled.


    “Come on, it will be awesome.”


    He sighed once again.


    “And you say that I am handful.”


    “Roar!”


    Our playful quarrel came to a stop as Nidhogg released a deafening roar. When I looked at it I saw several black orbs cracking with energy. Each one of them was bigger than me. They didn’t fly towards us or Elandris and Methild. They hovered around it, slowly floating and blocking the projectiles. Lily looked at me with an annoyed look on his face as he saw the orbs releasing a wave of energy.


    “What, afraid that your butterfly wings aren’t fast enough to dodge them?”


    Lily chuckled at my remark.


    “Okay, you are on!”


    His wings fluttered before the wind hit my face. I squinted because of the harsh wind hitting my face as the ground below us became a blur. I wasn’t sure how he managed to navigate like this but I guessed that it had something to do with his Wind Resistance. Nidhogg turned its head towards us but we flew past it as we went up higher.


    “I am asking you again. Are you sure?”


    “Bring it on.”


    I raised my spear, the Dragon Slayer Arrows bound to its tip glowing with a fierce light.


    “I’ll try to draw in those orbs. Now, go!”


    Lily let me go and the sensation of weightlessness enveloped my body. The air rushed past me, my target rapidly approaching as Lily''s wind propelled me downwards to Nidhogg’s head. It opened its mouth wide before releasing the same black sludge it used before. I thrust my spear into it.


    (Elemental Voracity is activated. Your weapon gains 150 Durability and 5 Power.)


    The acid seemed to be counted as an element-based attack. It was a gamble honestly. I gambled because the boss this spear came from used acid so it only made sense that it counted as such. The weapon took a black hue alongside my mana and countless other buffs I added to it.


    My entire skeleton shook with the sound of Nidhogg’s skull cracking open because of my spear piercing its head. 2 of its 6 eyes exploded due to impact while my legs felt like jelly due to my landing.


    (You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)