Chapter 59: A Ruler's Quarry

Naturally reserved for the upper echelon of raid bosses, it only made an occasional appearance amidst the numerous Special Beasts in MO. The term ‘phase two’ or ‘second phase’ was coined to refer to a second, more belligerent and elevated form of an already higher-end monster. It was still the same creature, yet far more difficult to deal with for the remaining duration of a fight. The interval between their attacks would become more sporadic, all the while being fortified by an increase of stats.

It was concerning to say the least.

So why? Why and how is it pushing into a second phase already...?!

Ossifra wasn’t ‘defeated’ but more so, it was simply captured, grounded and held down. A few hits and a single Aether Skill weren’t enough to instantly K-O a Special Beast that easily, hence why my approach involved using the [Elemental Spirit: Flora] to restrain Ossifra instead.

Did Ossifra itself accept that it was defeated, leading it into a frenzy...? Or maybe...

“Kid, eyes forward—!”

“KHAAAAAAAAA!! KHAAAAAAAAAAAA!! KHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

The Bone Eater’s path of rampage was without rationality, seemingly even devoid of a particular target in mind. It was attacking, with full force, everything it made eye contact with now. And Vostoun’s shout was a reminder that I shouldn’t let my mind wander currently. I needed to form a plan immediately.

“It’s in a frenzy! Encircle and confuse it! Keep moving and don’t stop. And no matter what, be careful of its feathers and refrain from standing near it for too long!”

I relayed an off-the-cuff plan centered around playing it safe and making use of its frenzied phase. A constant distraction of multiple people putting pressure on Ossifra would prevent anyone from being singled out. And most importantly, there was something off putting about its radiating coat of feathers. It seemed to be secreting a peculiar ooze as streaks of light were reflecting from it.

“We should have just done this from the start! I'll use you as a testing ground, so come here!”

Zaeh ran onward first alongside several pieces of debris. Scattered in a psionic stasis, they now surrounded Ossifra. She then extended her whip toward the levitating debris and launched herself across to each of them. She was darting around, controlling her momentum perfectly.

I only gave her the idea, but she’s a quick learner...

Psionics apparently held its own set of issues regarding what the user could control and how, especially in the middle of a fight. Intensity and storing played pivotal roles after all, and when I described the plan to her earlier, she immediately shook her head.

“I can’t do that, human. When this wand retracts, it feeds heavily on my energy as it prepares for my next skill. I’m ashamed to admit a weakness of mine, but I can’t easily use higher-tier skills during that time.”

She wouldn’t have been able to use a higher-tier skill of levitation to reach that targeted zone—Ossifra's chest. And that difficulty doubled when having to act against the result of an [Unbridled Fall]. She was practically vulnerable during that very short period, which also explained why she couldn’t respond with Psionics in the middle of my counter during our fight in the labyrinth.

“Hm? So, that’s why you responded with just your whip back then? I thought it was because I headbutted you.”
“Don’t confuse me with the dregs of my species! As if something like that would work on me!”

She did take a [Scaling Bole] rather well, so I believed her, since the Onothi weren’t exactly a combat-centered species to begin with. That aside, she was still able to make use of readied and lesser skills, thus we formed a plan centered on that and momentum.

And now she’s using it a bit too well, it seems. I feel like I simply made her a stronger opponent for some reason...

She danced around Ossifra with ease, managing to evade every strike from its beak. She cycled through skill activations, allowing the momentum to carry her sometimes, and then using [Psi-Ethereal Body] to stop Ossifra from keeping track of how she moves. She was able to apply a full amount of psionic force through the slinging of her whip, all the while still maintaining her mobility.

“She’s finally gotten over one of her weaknesses. Hmph. That still doesn’t mean she’ll beat me in a full-on spar.”

Baccas combined with his awakened sword once more, keeping his posture low as he now aimed for Ossifra’s legs.

“While she handles it from above, I’ll deal with the beast from below! Skill—”

Propelling himself forward, he watched as Ossifra attempted to repel him with the edge of its wing. He dodged it with ease, sliding underneath as he then launched himself from the ground and slightly into the air.

“—[Soul Fang]!”

He combed the teeth of his blade through the bird’s feathered leg, covering his sword in a strange ooze. Ossifra responded immediately, stomping along the ground underneath it, yet Baccas had already created some distance.

“Tch. What is this? Liquid...?”

There was a faint distortion across his blade as the ooze blackened and sizzled. He threw it off with a swing to the side, it didn’t seem to have any effect against his Hrunting. Due to that, he ignored it, continuing his attacks as Vostoun was preparing nearby.

“Now that it has come to this, we don’t have any other choice, huh? Well, I won’t let a few youngsters upstage me here.”

Vostoun was now equipped with his round shield covering his arm, one that had previously been fastened to his back, and a weapon that had somehow been hidden underneath it. It looked like a miniature version of the Morningstar that I had seen him use during the tournament.

“Skill: [Runic Augment].”

At his call, a runic symbol suddenly appeared over the bottom of his weapon. His Morningstar instantly transformed in size, now appearing as before—a black and gold-coated behemoth. Ready, he finally charged toward Ossifra.

“Aaaaaaaaargh!”

In a valiant cry, he jumped and slammed his Morningstar into the side of the distracted bird. Yet his weapon seemingly began to sink upon connection, causing him to release the weapon and quickly create a gap. A wise decision, as Ossifra responded with a strike of its beak toward where he was previously standing.

“My weapon...! It eroded...? But how?”

He watched as half of a spiked ball separated from its handle, falling to the ground while slathered in a strange, consuming sludge. His Morningstar was completely destroyed after meeting its feathers for a single time, and I had an idea on the reason why.

Wait, can it only be hit by certain ranked weapons? No, then how is Zaeh’s weapon making contact without any issues? Unless...

Zaeh, along with her wand feeding on her psionic energy, was constantly coating her weapon before striking. That could be the only explanation as to how it was returning unscathed, since from what I knew, it wasn’t a Mythical ranked weapon.

Hold on! If Ossifra entered phase two, then maybe its status—

Name: [Bone Eater, Ossifra]
Rank: [Special Beast], [Arcane Vulture]
Level: [190]
Class: [Tempest Warden, Tier XIV]
Alignment: [Chaotic Evil]
INFO: The large, wind-borne dissolver and ruler of the southwestern skies in its second form. Once achieved, its blood-red feathers will remain covered in an acidic coat, melting any lesser forms, weapons or items that make contact. In exchange for losing [Ruler’s Hunt], it will instead evolve and gain [Ruler’s Edge]. When grounded or perched, it will ignore both Defense and Magic Defense stats of anything it strikes with a white aura coated beak or talon. Refrain from engaging with it when of a lower level.
-Currently under the additional effects of [Subjugation] and [Control Mania].

It had changed after all, in not only rank and level, but alignment too. Worst of all, Ossifra’s main ability had even evolved into something that didn’t require it to ascend.

But what the hell is [Control Mania]?

I already knew that there was a form of magic that was centered around inflicting abnormal statuses on an enemy. Such as calming, confusing, and in this case, potentially hysteria. It made sense given how Ossifra was reacting, and that’s why the ‘control’ part bothered me.

The status doesn't state anything about it becoming frenzied upon shifting to phase two as well... Huh? Yojim?

I had forgotten all about him as my eyes caught his standing appearance in my peripheral. He hadn’t moved ever since Ossifra had changed, and now he was staring at something. His eyes were focused above, on an unimportant location. A place where Ossifra was nowhere in sight.

The spectator area for the audience? Why would he—hm?!

A strange creature, draped in a white bag-like cloak and wearing a mask was jumping up and down. Whatever it was, it then waved in his direction. I immediately put two-and-two together as I remembered the mask he once wore—they were incredibly similar. And he seemed to notice that as he dragged his line of sight onto me next. I couldn’t help but instinctively scowl.

“You’re wearing your thoughts on your face, Wizard.”
“And am I wrong...?”
“Depends on whether you still believe in our little agreement or not.”

His eyes settled on the ongoing fight far across from us. Baccas and Zaeh were still dancing around Ossifra as Vostoun assisted them with his Runic skills from a distance. They were all holding their own, waiting on the two of us.

“That thing up there...”
“That is a person, and my partner. As a Tamer, she’s the one that controls Ossifra.”

A person controlling a Special Beast. The mere thought of that was absurd. Tamers shouldn’t have the ability to control anything of that nature after all. In MO, they were given a creature to raise at the start—to be their ally—and along the way they could tame a limited number of lower leveled monsters. None of what they had tamed could ever match that of which they had raised though.

The only way she could control something like Ossifra would be...

“A Unique SKILL...?”

I questioned under my breath, yet he still heard me. He gave a small grin my way as he continued.

“That aside, I don’t plan on going back on our agreement.”

Finally, he turned toward the arena walls and began walking in her direction.

“If you still have trust in me, then keep Ossifra busy. But careful now, don’t go dying just yet, Wizard.”

He began sprinting, making his way to the spectator seats now. I couldn’t help but click my tongue at the nerve of his words.

“Don’t go dying just yet, huh? Geez, what a smartass.”

I really didn’t understand that guy. Was it sarcasm? A declaration of, ‘until I kill you myself, that is,’ or something to that extent? Either way, I couldn’t manage to waste any more time. We made an agreement. All I could do was hope he’d honor it as someone who seemed like a man of his word. And turning back toward Ossifra, I readied myself.

“All right, it’s time—”

(My liege.)

“Huh?”

I could hear a sudden and familiar voice, yet I couldn’t see them anywhere. I even looked behind me, only to be presented with a stretch of debris and emptiness. Judging by whose voice it was though, it could only mean one thing.

Is this telepathy?

(Yes. It is I, Haifalaura.)

For some reason, she decided to contact me—and her timing couldn't have been worse.

“Kid, heads up, it’s coming your way!”

I spun around in response to Vostoun’s shout, wishing I could be given the same scene of debris and emptiness that I had seen before. Instead, Ossifra was striving for a single-entity stampede in my direction. I immediately pulled out my [Abysmal End], pointing it outward as I readied a spell.

“Casting—”

(We need to talk.)

Really now?! Right at this moment? Are you a disappointed spouse or something? I’m a little busy!

Ossifra was as fleet-footed as ever as it reached me a bit too quickly. And due to being interrupted mentally, I was in a bit of disarray, having to recast again. Now I only had enough time to use a lesser spell.

“Casting: [Force Push]!”

A bare minimum dodge at the last second, yet that wasn’t enough as a strong gust of wind from the flap of Ossifra’s wings brushed against me.

“Aargh!”

My stave slipped from my fingers and was tossed in a separate direction than myself. I rolled against the ground and was greeted by another charge toward me the moment I stopped. I searched my surroundings for anything I could use amid the scattered ooze, fissures and debris. And there I saw it, the spectral quarterstaff from before. I had landed where Ossifra had originally been taken down.

It’s still here?! Nice! But this area....

I immediately grabbed it, yelling to Vostoun in the process.

“Vostoun! Barrier!”

I couldn’t see him with all my attention on the frenzied Ossifra, so I could only hope he had heard me. And suddenly, the runic barrier appeared as I began readying another spell. Acidic ooze surrounded me, hindering my ability to dodge to the sides without touching it. I had to manage the best way I could.

“Casting—!”
“KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

Its beak shot forward and directly into the barrier, shattering it this time in a single strike. It then lifted its foot, reading a downward slash with its talon.

“—[Point of Invulnerability]!”

I buffed the tip of my spectral quarterstaff, knowing I couldn’t avoid it with an attempt to minimize any damage to myself or the quarterstaff. And as it slammed against the quarterstaff, my body jerked downward and tightened against the painful shockwave.

This is bad...!

Debris lifted as Ossifra’s talon connected with the ground. I immediately tried to prepare another spell, and yet it finally happened. The murmured sound of glass shattering as the spectral quarterstaff dispersed, leaving me with a small fragment of wood.

It’s over...

Ossifra’s beak began to shine in a bright white, readying to strike down on me. I tried to move, but my body recoiled and stiffened from the prior attack. I was left completely open.

“Chirp!!! Chirp!!!”

A sudden chirp came from above, over Ossifra’s head. It felt as if everything was going in slow motion as I watched Ossifra’s eyes follow the small bird hovering above it. Cruubi was carrying something, allowing it to stick out halfway, and then letting it fall from its spatial inventory.

A letter...?

Slow and steady. The letter, with its faint runic glow, was free falling as it landed in between Ossifra’s eyes. And within an instant, time resumed while everything became even brighter. A web of lightning crawled out, scattering within the air and covering Ossifra. Yet, it didn’t seem as if it were pained by the sudden event.

“KHAAAAAAAAA! KHAAAAAAAAAAAA! KHAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Instead, it was seemingly attempting to shake it off as if it were just a bad tingle.

“Kid!”

A sudden arm wrapped over my side, carrying me beyond the scattered ooze. Ossifra’s strike then resumed upon the spot where I was previously standing. A heavy thud rang across the arena, somehow stronger and louder than any that came before it.

“Are you okay, human?”
“Ah. I am, thanks...”

Letting go of me, I immediately slumped to the ground. It was Baccas, despite hearing Vostoun earlier, the quickest of the three had arrived instead.

That was way too close... What did Cruubi even do...?

I looked back toward Ossifra only to realize something had changed about it. It was silent and frozen in place as it stared into the distance—toward the spectator seats. I followed its gaze and could see Yojim alone, jumping down from the arena’s walls. His partner was nowhere in sight now.

“KHAAAAAAAAA!”

In a short screech, Ossifra lifted from the ground. Its blood-red, feathered body reverted as it ascended into the sky completely. It didn’t seem as if it were planning on coming back, now taking flight toward the north instead. All I could do was watch in relief as it flew away.

“And there it goes...”

Near me though, I could hear a fist become tightened around a handle. I glanced toward him and he wasn't hiding it very well. Baccas was suppressing his anger as he watched Ossifra depart. He was probably the only person here that didn’t want the Bone Eater gone before he claimed its head. He then walked away, leaving me sitting alone.

“It’s over now, Wizard.”

Yojim arrived, looking down on me as his hand rested at the hilt of his sheathed sword. It was quiet between us once more as our eyes didn't leave each other's, even when a group of voices could be heard from far behind me.

“Lord Vostoun!”
“General!!”

It was apparently several Crethian soldiers heading our way, yet that was a simple guess based on their way of speaking and the sound of their armor clanking. I couldn't allow myself to leave Yojim’s person. After all, our agreement had come to an end.

“Hmph.”

A short laugh escaped his nose, grinning once more as he removed his hand from his side. He then closed his eyes and began speaking.

“Wizard, you...”

A sudden string of cheers came forth as the group had come in contact with their General nearby. I could still make out each and every word of his before he finally turned his back on me. He had said his piece and finally took his leave.

“So, that’s how it is...”

My body further sank in exhaustion, and I threw my back to the ground behind me. I was evidently spared for now. I watched the clouds drift slowly with a particular thought in mind—a single name that was just given to me.

The Mistress, Etiona, huh?