Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Who's Catching More? (5)
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Truth be told, neither Galen nor Lilia had ever laid eyes on a real basilisk before.
They'd both thrown themselves into hunting direbeasts with a vengeance back when they were hanging around the eastern frontier zones.
At the time, they were just scraping the upper tiers of silver rank, so a powerhouse like a basilisk was way beyond their wildest dreams—they never even thought to go looking for one.
Galen hit gold soon after, and they left the frontier behind not long after that. From then on, they'd mostly stuck to human lands.
Still, spotting it was a breeze, thanks to Lilia's church background.
"Scales in a deep olive green, with bumpy crests running along its back like a rooster's comb. Belly's a dark ochre. Matches the description perfectly."
"Well, if that massive snake isn't a direbeast, that'd be scary in its own right."
"And it stood out great from the sky!"
Surprisingly, the church was something of a specialist in direbeast lore.
Not that priests went around smiting them as a daily routine.
But as the only truly global mega-organization with a history stretching back eons, they had mountains of records—including endless details on direbeasts.
Enough to compile a full-blown illustrated 'direbeast compendium.'
"Any special precautions?"
"Petification, aside from that? But even that's a bit of a myth anyway."
Direbeasts on the gold tier or higher often became the stuff of urban legends among common folk.
The most famous tale about basilisks was that just meeting their gaze turned you to stone.
Of course, it was far from the truth.
No magic spell pulled off anything that insane, let alone some direbeast.
"Then we're good to go."
"Mind if I take first crack at it?"
"Long as you leave some for me."
"Don't worry about that!"
Agreements between them always came easy.
What Lilia craved was the raw experience of clashing with a rare direbeast like this one.
Direbeasts just needed to end up dead in the end. Who dealt the killing blow didn't matter.
That let her team up seamlessly with Galen, who wanted the direct HP damage for the full experience points.
The two circled around the marsh outskirts together.
Not every inch near a swamp was quicksand. With Water Flow Manipulation's senses, Galen had no trouble pinpointing the drier, safer ground.
By the time they were close enough for even his eyes to clearly make out the direbeast's murky form...
The basilisk finally reacted to them.
Earth fairies, sure—but humans? Probably a first.
Seeing these strangers lock eyes and stroll right up without flinching must've pissed it off.
The coiled serpent stirred. For its bulk, it slithered with shocking speed.
"I'll watch from here."
"Got it! Be right back!"
Galen gave a casual wave.
Shhh!
A section of ground rose up to thigh height. An application of Territorial Advance.
Galen perched casually on the impromptu boulder.
Lilia set her bag down on the flat spot beside him and sauntered off at an easy pace.
She stopped at a perfect viewing distance—not too close, not too far. That's when she came face-to-face with the basilisk.
"Man, it really is huge!"
Lilia's admiration was genuine.
Among living creatures she'd seen, this was the biggest by far.
(Water giants didn't count—they were too commonplace to impress by size alone.)
With its nose practically twitching at her and zero fear in sight, the basilisk's pride took a hit. It let out a menacing hiss.
"Shhh! Shhiiit!"
True to snake form, it was a nasty, grating cry. Its massive resonator made it low and resonant.
But in that instant...
"Hm."
"Huh?"
Galen and Lilia let out nearly identical groans.
The difference? Galen furrowed his brow, while Lilia just tilted her head.
"Felt a prickly chill for a sec."
"Sounds like petification to me."
"What?! You okay?"
"Yeah, no big deal."
Like those old tales where folks froze solid at the sight of a tiger.
His body had locked up against his will. Less paralysis, more like muscles seizing in shock...
Probably what got twisted into the petrification myth.
But it clearly wasn't fazing Lilia at all.
And for Galen? Barely a hiccup.
Even sluggish movement wouldn't cramp a mage's style. His mana flowed fine.
"You're really okay?"
"Totally. Why wouldn't I call for the bishop right next to me if it hurt?"
"Phew."
"Focus on the basilisk. Looks pretty pissed."
Right on cue with Galen's nod, the basilisk lunged at Lilia.
She'd already sensed the air shift and sidestepped without a glance back.
Its gaping maw—whooshed right past where she'd stood.
Her flashsword, drawn in a flash, slashed down on the passing coils.
Screeech!
Scales chipped away, a line of blood welling up.
A mere scratch for that bulk—but scratches still stung.
"Shhiiit!"
Of the two humans, the basilisk pegged the closer one—who'd actually wounded it—as the bigger threat.
It whipped its body in a frenzy and charged Lilia again.
"Hm, could I whittle it down bit by bit?"
More agile than the serpent's strikes, Lilia dodged and raked its body with her flashsword again.
When its full length lashed like a whip, she leaped high—way over human height.
Scriiitch!
She didn't forget to stab the underbelly as it passed.
Soon enough, its body looked striped with fresh crimson gashes—chaotic and straight.
The basilisk thrashed in growing fury, but Lilia dodged flawlessly, not taking a single hit.
"Show's over already!"
"What can you expect? It's just a snake, giant or not."
Armless, legless tube of a body—limited moves.
The repetitive attacks grew boring without fresh patterns.
"Still, its hide's tougher than a wyvern's."
"How much?"
"Bit softer than a custom earth golem? Silver warriors still couldn't scratch it, though."
In other words, gold warriors could carve it up easy.
Like how the Alon and Veron brothers smashed several custom earth golems.
Earth fairies' punches would land solid hits too.
Even Lilia right after awakening—pre-Daimus training—had burst power surpassing them.
Pop!
She parried a strike, caught the basilisk slowing, and triggered Blessing Miracle.
Platinum flames roared around her as she thrust her flashsword with full force.
This time, the result was different.
Shraaaack!
A whole slab of scales and flesh shredded off. The blade grated bone.
"Ssssiiit?!"
From tolerable scratches to a sudden savage gash.
The basilisk flailed in panic and slithered forward at top speed.
Lilia blinked—it retreated faster than it attacked.
Splash!
Without hesitation, it hurled itself into the marsh.
Swimming like a pro, it cleaved to the center in seconds.
A house-sized brute like that... what a sight.
Embarrassing. Better put it out of its misery quick.
"My turn now?"
"Yep!"
Galen rose and approached the marsh.
He smirked at the glaring snake eyes bobbing on the surface, then summoned Water Flow Manipulation mana.
He'd sized up the beast watching Lilia fight—no need to drag it out.
Roooosh!
Right under the basilisk, the marsh split clean in two.
The water it floated on plummeted. Flanks surged up like walls.
"Whoa, you can do that too?"
Lilia marveled. Galen shrugged.
"Never had occasion to show it."
Spirits meant no water limits for him, so he spent more time on dry land than most water mages.
"Marshes are shallow overall. Means less water—totally manageable for me."
As he spoke, the basilisk's spot bottomed out, exposing mud. Walls towered left and right.
Moses' miracle? (No Moses here, so no such saying.)
The basilisk panicked, head swiveling at the impossibility.
Would've ended the same anyway—but this saved time.
Territorial Advance mana marched across the revealed bottom.
Shhh!
Mushy earth erupted around it, encircling.
Giant mud golems lumbered into view.
"Eek."
"Soft ground weakens 'em, but perfect for now."
The golems shambled forward.
Too late for the basilisk to flee.
Thud! Thump! Smack!
The lead golem spread arms and bear-hugged. The snake writhed, shattering it easily. But more piled on, heedless of their own destruction.
Mire and mud golems—a nightmare combo—pinned it down.
"Shhh! Shhh!"
Once locked, golems stacked higher.
No matter its strength, mired head to tail—it couldn't budge.
Then the water walls crashed.
Shwaaa!
Waves sloshed a few times before the marsh settled. Seemingly normal.
"Snakes swim great, but they don't breathe underwater."
"Mana synergy like that... neat."
"Torching it would've been simpler."
"Ah."
"Eyes around, though."
"Better keep it under wraps till it's safe."
They chatted idly.
Galen glanced at the marsh.
"That oughta do it."
The marsh parted again.
The basilisk lay still on the exposed bottom.
"Dead?"
"Stone dead. EXP confirms it."
"Call the handlers? Lowlands here—might take 'em a bit."
"I'll tidy up. Thanks."
"On it!"
Lilia backtracked, flag planted nearby.
Galen canceled Territorial Advance, cleared the mud casing, restored the marsh, and floated the corpse to shore.
Soon, Lilia returned with the earth fairy handlers.
"......"
The fairies froze at the massive dead snake.
Galen said breezily,
"Sorry to keep summoning you, but heads alone are impossible to haul."
"......H-how'd you catch this?"
"Chopped it slow, then drowned it."
"D-drowned?"
Yeah, soaked head to tail.
This water-fleeing nightmare, drowned?
"Killed it somehow—that's what counts, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"No settlement issues?"
"N-no."
"Appreciate it."
The handlers could only nod.
The pair stepped aside, pulled out a map, and huddled.
"Where next?"
"That way earlier. Flat spot with horse-like things?"
"Horses..."
"Looked like baicon."
"On the score sheet?"
"Not exactly, but wyvern-equivalent maybe?"
"Nice call."
The handlers gulped at the overheard absurdity.
Earth fairies rarely saw humans—mages, never.
Now they grasped just how terrifying this special-entry Team 7 was as contenders.