We reached in front of its body and started attacking the chimera using our magic and weapons. Loir uses his magic to create some wind scars on its body to attack it. Leo uses his knives to attack its legs so it won't be able to balance its body even if it can move its body. Lunette casts a barrage of fireballs towards the chimera and targets its stomach. The snake's head tries to attack us to defend its body, but I block it by using my magic. I created a wall of ice so it won't be able to attack us.
"Take this, you snake!!" I said while trying to defend my party from the snake.
The chimera is unable to do anything and only able to scream in pain as we continue our attack. After a while, the chimera is weakened and barely can stand. Is this our victory? Did we manage to beat it? The chimera lies on the ground weakly, it can barely growl anymore.
Loir speaks in a worried tone but pretty loud, "Everyone, get back. I will finish it, but I don't know what will happen so you better prepare yourself." He raises his scythe and he's going to stab the lion's head.
We nod and step back from its body while Loir is right in front of its face. Thank god, I think we can manage it this time somehow. Maybe we need to inform the Guild Master about this after we get out of this dungeon. This dungeon is insane, we're only a party made by four people. Two pro hunters and two beginners, it was too much for us. I can barely feel my feet anymore. I can see everyone's tired faces right now, though it is now over. As for the information, I don't know what to do, this will change our perspective about this world completely.
My eyes are locked on the ground as I keep thinking about the information that we got in the thirteenth level of the dungeon. I frowned a bit, not knowing what to do with it. Then, something rolled and hit my feet. I'm back from spacing out as I feel it, but I was surprised by what I just saw. It's a head, more precisely, it's Loir's head. I quickly tilt my head up to see what happened, and I see his body is just lying on the ground lifelessly. How?
My eyes widen as I see what's next to his body. It's the chimera, but its whole body is now black. The bat's wings and the snake's head fell off from its body. Its body is much smaller from before, but the aura is more intimidating. Me, Leo, and Lunette can't help but be surprised by its appearance now, especially after Loir's death. I thought it was over, but it wasn't over.
"Loir?" My voice is hoarse and full of fear. I can't believe what it just did to him. I think it was wrong for us to joke around against the dungeon boss.
The chimera walks forward to us with an intimidating look. The tension is very heavy, almost it will devour all of us by only looking into its eyes. I don't think we have a stance on it. I mean, its body is really smaller than before, but I can feel the mana is overflowing to its body. It doesn't have a pair of wings anymore, maybe because they don't need it anymore.
My legs are shaking, of course, after what we saw right in front of us. My mind goes empty again as if the trauma attacks me again. I started thinking again if we didn't leave Loir, would it be better or not. I know it was too late, but what if? The cold wind breeze through my skin, it's much colder than before. The tension is so heavy and the pressure is so strong, almost like it can crush our body just with its stare. I can feel my strength leaving my legs and I feel a deep fear as if it can crush me only by its stare. Of course, I can't accept his death so easily like Lunette or Leo, or maybe I'm just the one who is being weird?
Lunette chuckles and speaks with a hint of fear, "I think we're cooked. Second phase, really? Me and Luna are just newcomers in a hunter's world, and you give us this?." Then she gulps a bit to compose herself and shouts, "'Just a quick check' he said? It's way too much for us, that old man, I'll make sure to kill him if we manage to survive this."
Leo chuckles as well with a fearful tone as well but trying to keep his smile, "I think you're right, let's kill that old man so he can catch up with Loir on the other side." He's scared as well, but he tries to act tough to encourage us. Since Loir is dead, the pro hunter left here is only Leo. I need to pull myself as well.
The chimera runs towards us at high speed. To be honest, its movements are faster and lighter than before. Somewhat, it's been half way into us just with a second. Really? It's much scarier and faster than before, and I don't think we can win this time. The chimera attacks us constantly as if they want to kill us without any mercy and crush our bodies. Its eyes are sharp as an eagle's, its strength is as powerful as an elephant's, and its speed is as fast as a cheetah's. What a perfect creature it is.
We jumped aside and dodged it, but it was just very close. We were almost unable to make it in time. I roll and try to compose myself, but when I look back at it, it's already in front of me and ready to attack me again. Lunette uses Drayvorn's attack on the chimera, but the chimera avoids it even before the attack hits it. Maybe Drayvorn is too slow since it needs time to charge and shoot even if it's faster than magic. Liric and Eirys would probably hit it, but it won't cause much damage.
I created a bunch of walls with my ice magic to defend myself, but the chimera just ram it carelessly. The chimera broke four of five walls that I made. The walls are big and pretty strong, but the chimera through four of it anyway, how can it be much stronger than before?! I think I'm dead, I'm cooked. I hope I get a better life next time. The crack keeps spreading on my ice. Crack! Crack! I don't know if I can hold on any longer. The fear is taking over my body and I can barely control it. If I'm not careful, my magic will quickly disappear and I'm dead. Our magic is connected with our emotions after all, and it will affect our magic in its own way.
"Take this, you little tail!" She shouts and jumps towards its back.
Lunette cuts the snake part from the chimera and it growls in pain then kicks Lunette far away. I think I'm saved by Lunette for now, but Lunette was sent flying pretty far, it must be hurt. It's almost like she's flying like a free bird, farewell, Lunette.
She hits the wall and she coughs blood a little, and a bruise appears on her back, seems pretty serious. Leo gives the chimera a second attack at its back legs to limit its movement. The chimera falls down, but still doesn't give up yet. It growls with a loud voice again to stun us. I think I need to do something to those growls! Our bodies always freeze for a while every time it growls as if it has some effect.
But really, it's much weaker compared to before, but its attack, speed, and reaction is more deadly than before. Maybe the chimera uses all of its strength to kill its enemies, not to survive.
The chimera sweeps Leo and bites his left arm.
"ARGGHH!!" Leo screams in pain.
Leo is really in pain, of course, but then he tries to release his arm by stabbing the chimera's eye with his right hand while grabbing a knife. I use my sword to slash its stomach as well to help Leo release his arm. The chimera finally releases his arm by sending Leo flying and hits a wall, meanwhile Leo loses his left arm. I quickly run towards Leo to help him, but the chimera is chasing me from behind. Luckily, Lunette shoots her magic at its body to slow down its movement.
"Leo!! Are you okay?!" I reached his body and looked at his injuries, "Of course you're not!! How dumb of me!!" I began to panic inside, unable to think clearly after seeing the blood keep pouring out from Leo's body.
I quickly use my magic to freeze his left arm to stop the bleeding. I hope it will last until we arrive at Euler. Though, we need to kill it first before we…Can't we just escape from it? I look at the exit, but my hope quickly disappears as soon as I see the exit is covered by rubble. Of course it is, why do I think Loir doesn't tell us to escape if we can? There is a huge hole in the ceiling, what if… Of course we can't!! Humans can't fly, dummy!!
Leo chuckles at me while trying to hold the pain, "Luna, you're so funny when you're in panic. Just calm down, sweetheart."
I grit my teeth and shout at him, "There is no time to laugh, Leo!! If you have any energy to laugh just try to stand up!!" Of course, he isn't. He's just acting tough to calm me down. Why is my head always useless everytime I'm in panic?!
Leo smiles at me to give reassurance then puts a fist on my chest to encourage me. He's very weak right now, but he still forces himself to support me mentally. I smiled at him as I received his courage.
"Why don't you just rest for a while and let me take care of this, senior?" I speak with a neutral tone to not make him worried.
Leo chuckles and says, "Okay, okay. I'll just sleep here until you're done dealing with that cat. In my eyes, the chimera is not going to live that long. It burns its life to get more strength, make sure to beat it with Lunette, Luna."
I nod and lay his head gently on the ground. I walked away from Leo and pulled out a grimoire that I got from the Phantasia before. Based on what I remember from that shopkeeper, grimoire will give us a new ability. That time I failed, but I don't think I will fail this time!
I open the grimoire and some writings come out from the book slowly. I can't read any of this, but somehow I understand what's the meaning of it. I can feel my brain is filled with a magic ability, how to use it, how to activate it, the weakness, the strength, and how it works. So this is what he means by ability, huh? It's almost like the contents of the book are flowing from the book, through my hand, and get into my brain. I see, so this is how grimoire works.
Magic comes from brain activity and is created by magic nerves in the brain. Our body absorbs mana through our skin as a fuel for magic. It's connected directly to our eyes, that's why our eyes always change every time we activate our magic. The brain forms the pupils based on the magic's type. Then, the mana is connected through our heart and flows throughout our bodies, making our bodies covered by magic. That's why we're able to bring out magic everywhere near our bodies.
Grimoire is using the same methods and flowing from our hand to brain through our heart. The words keep coming out from the book and turn into mana and flowing into my hand as I absorb the mana. I can feel it reached my heart and went to my brain as I started learning about the book. It feels like I'm remembering the memories that I lost a long time ago. It's more like an item to record about technique and seal the mana into words more than a book than a book.