The Jagan Basilisk might be enormous and supernaturally powerful, with the ability to control lightning.
But it exuded a strange behavior that did not match its physique.
A giant beast like that would waste a ton of energy every time it moved, and maybe some demonic bullshitery to summon those lightning. Yet it chased after me back then, someone who offered no nutrition or Demonic Essence.
Things could be deducted from this.
The Jagan Basilisk was simply territorial and just wanted any living being to stay away.
But would that not mean it got no food? The fact that there were some fresh scraps of flesh that had not rotted among the mountain of bones meant the Jagan Basilisk's territory was highly contested by other beasts or entities.
Should I need to be wary of its competition suddenly intruding on the fight? If so, I might need to prepare a plan or two to escape if things got awry.
Wait, what if that reptile eats souls?
My mind was on all sorts of things as I accelerated the flying weapons I had sent, aiming for the head of the Jagan Basilisk.
The weapons picked up speed, cutting through the air toward the target.
"Oh shit, it is doing something."
The Jagan Basilisk roared.
The sound sent out a rippling shockwave that reduced the momentum of the flying weapons.
And this time, the roar was strong enough to sweep mountains of corpses, and probably flung me away if I didn't do something.
Still, I saw this coming the moment the basilisk opened its mouth. I already called out some of the weapons I had sent and planted them in front of myself.
This created a shield to lessen the intensity of the shockwave.
"That is dangerous."
The force hit the barrier, and with some force being put on the telekinesis so that they hold still, it held enough to protect me.
I noticed that the rest of the flying weapon I didn't call back, did not hit anything on its trajectory.
I moved some of the weapons that had turned into a shield to create a small gap.
I peeked through it.
The gargantuan basilisk was not there.
『 You might need to look up. 』
I felt goosebumps and immediately looked up as Eli said.
I found a darkening shade falling toward me.
The basilisk was dropping from above.
"Shit, shit, shit—"
I scattered all of the weapons near me, and grabbed the handle of one weapon to propel myself away from there.
The pull yanked me sideways just in time.
As I soared, I saw a crackle of lightning.
The basilisk landed where I had once stood. It created a rumble and shockwave, then roared again.
The ground shook under the impact.
"Staying on the ground might be a bad idea…"
I had one broad-bladed giant sword fly below me. I used it as a flying platform where I stood. After that, I connected the weapon that was propelling me to that blade.
This made it a makeshift hoverboard to run away from there.
"Just how the heck did that thing got that high in the first place—"
I balanced myself, adjusting my stance.
At the same time, I sent out half of the soaring weapons that were already gaining speed.
They went at the basilisk again. Some hit the basilisk on the head, torso, and chest.
It didn't wound much of the basilisk thanks to its thick scales, but I noticed some of them cracks and got outright dislodged after being hit only once.
"Then again, they hit it really really hard."
I proceeded to send a flurry of attacks from the rest of the weapons. I did this again and again as they spun and soared at the basilisk.
It was strange to see that the overgrown lizard barely moved much while performing that stunt at me. Like a game's boss character with a predetermined cooldown after a big attack, maybe it was exhausted?
Before long, the air filled with the sounds of metal striking flesh.
While I was at it, a crackle of deadly lightning was sent in all directions. The basilisk was trying to chase after me after that, as bolts struck the ground nearby, leaving scorched marks.
It went back to its crazed komodo-like state where it ran on all four hastily akin to a giant lizard.
It wasn't much of a threat when I could just cling to my soaring weapon and move it with telekinesis.
At some point, the Jagan Basilisk emitted a large amount of electricity, more than it used to.
"Uh oh."
It morphed itself into a giant ball of lightning.
Then it zoomed to one point and another.
The destination was above me.
"So that was how it suddenly disappeared back then!"
I maneuvered to escape its claws and the incoming lightning. After slipping through its attack, I shifted the hoverboard's direction sharply, then I went back at it with my favorite halberd.
And rushed toward its head!
"A crazy bastard who plucks the eye of a gargantuan lizard, that's me!"
The halberd struck its catalyst of sight. The blade I used for the platform hit below the eye.
Numerous weapons followed and wreaked havoc on the surface of that ascended komodo. Scales cracked and tore, and screams so beautiful were sung that it made my ears shed a tear.
Wait, since when did ears have tears?
"Looks like I need to get away first before acquiring another disability in my bio."
Scrambles of lightning got discharged once again. I controlled the halberd and propelled myself away.
The energy surged past me since I was near the source, close but missing by a finger.
『 Were you some kind of warrior back in the Human Realm? 』
I answered cheekily. "I am nothing but a journalist, my dear Eli."
『 Huh, I did not know that a journalist could stand toe to toe with a Jagan Basilisk as her first hunt. 』
The Jagan Basilisk was so gigantic that reading its movements was quite easy.
The only annoying thing was that it had the ability to discharge lightning and turn itself into a ball of lightning like some kind of freak of nature.
But my reaction and instinct had been somewhat honed in my years of experience as a daredevil in my journalism work. I had dangerous stuff and explosions many times back then.
This felt similar in a way.
"A journalist who transitioned to a lizard hunter, that's me."
The fight went on for another ten minutes.
The pattern somewhat repeated again and again. I accelerated weapons, shielded from roars, evaded drops, and countered with strikes.
The basilisk tried lightning balls twice more, but I maneuvered out each time.
"Ahahahah! A maiden who dances around the god of lightning, that's me~!"
『 Looks like you're drunk of Demonic Essence, Mesmer. Which is given, since this is your first time reaching that peak of constant essence activity. 』
The Jagan Basilisk was riddled with wounds. Blood seeped from multiple gashes, with some of its chunk of flesh basically gone.
I felt rather exhausted as my heart was being overcharged. My Polytasking and Fool's Forge were working overtime for the first time, and it messed my mind quite a lot to the point that I didn't know what the fuck am I saying anymore.
My own heartbeat was deafening to myself.
I chuckled as I planted my halberd into the ground.
The Jagan Basilisk could barely move. It tried to emit lightning for one last time.
Sparks flickered weakly around its body.
I prepared my weapons as I pointed my halberd forward.
"Mark my words! This wasteland full of corpses will have one extra dead body sleeping among the bones, you damn gecko!"
But before the two of us could do anything, the Jagan Basilisk got struck by something so powerful that it toppled the entire body.
It was so strong that the excess force rippled to the surrounding area and crushed the nearby bits of mountain of corpses. This created a deadly fume of smoke, and a stank one at that.
『 Looks like you got another challenger, Mesmer. 』
When the fog of war receded, I saw it.
A burly humanoid with red skin, tattered pants, and a flowing purple scarf.
He wore a straw hat with a damaged gap where a single horn jutted out from the forehead.
Menacingly, his hand gripped a massive black sword embedded in the Jagan Basilisk's head.
And claimed the last strike for himself, as the lifeless body of the massive lizard stopped resisting the reaper from the other side.