Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Gluttonous Tamaga
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Chapter 46
Roooar...
[Phenex's basic ability: Blazing Flames activates.]
[Phenex continuously recovers a substantial amount of vitality until the battle ends.]
Remegaton's growth system applies not only to stats but also to the diversity and effects of skills.
Take Phenex as an example: she'd unlocked a multitude of new flame-based abilities, and the effects of her existing ones had been enhanced. Blazing Flames alone restored far more vitality than before, making her practically invincible in subjugation battles.
For reference, her second innate basic ability, Heat Transfer, had been swapped out for another since this was a single-boss subjugation scenario. This ability to freely combine skills as needed was one of Remegaton's systems.
[Phenex uses Will-o'-Wisp.]
[5 flames rise to the user's desired position, illuminating the surroundings for a short time.]
[The effect greatly increases if the surroundings are dark.]
Roooar!
Five fireballs erupted, lighting up the dark chamber. Only then did the full view of the ruin-like interior come into sight.
Faust had appointed Phenex as the leader of the subjugation team with a skill set optimized for boss fights. The wisdom of that choice was gradually revealing itself here.
"It's huge!"
"Be careful!"
Screeeee...
Shhhhhh...
Tamaga spewed something like smoke from its grotesque maw.
You didn't need to inhale to know. Mists emitting an ominous color were usually poison.
"It's poison! Hold your breath!"
The experienced Jachim shouted first, and Ruby covered her mouth.
Phenex, on the other hand...
Roooar...
[Phenex uses Pain Sharing.]
[Phenex unleashes a fan-shaped wave of flames.]
[The flame wave deals 200% of combat power as damage, divided among enemies in range.]
KABOOOOOM-!
She fired flames across the range of Pain Sharing.
Crackle...
Crackle-crackle-crackle...
The poison mist burned up in the flames, and like a spreading wildfire, it scattered sideways, igniting the other poison mists as well.
"Cough... Cough..."
"Urk..."
But even the burning smoke stung the eyes to the point of tears.
"Hyaah!"
Phenex leaped forward and smashed her sword into Tamaga's shell.
Clang-!
A familiar sound. Tamaga's entire body seemed to be made of the same tough material as the lame Agnea's forepaw.
Indeed, the difficulty had risen.
However,
Roar...
Shwaaaaa!
- SKREEEEE-!
Sizzle...
Her sword glowed red-hot for an instant, piercing the shell and carving a long gash into Tamaga's flesh.
[Phenex uses Armor Melt.]
[For a set duration, physical attacks partially ignore the enemy's defense.]
[Inflicts additional flame damage.]
- SKREEEE...
Tamaga drooling.
From Tamaga's perspective, this must have been an absurd situation.
A single sword strike had chunked away a huge portion of its health. If HP were visible, that attack would have made the bar fluctuate wildly.
This was partly due to Phenex's base class but also Faust's bizarre training methods.
Faust had poured growth resources into Phenex without restraint. He dreamed of raising all his familiars evenly, but knowing it was impossible right now, he was making massive investments in the 5-star and 6-star lines.
That's why low-level familiars were still deployed in his fields.
His philosophy was that minor familiars weren't for blocking intruders—the leaders were. Once the leaders were properly raised, the regular familiars would get their chance to grow.
Anyway, each of Phenex's strikes must have felt like attacks Tamaga couldn't withstand head-on.
Crunch-crunch-crunch...
Thus, Tamaga advanced to phase 1.5 of the subjugation faster than expected.
Rumble-rumble-rumble...
Tamaga vibrated as it churned through the earth below.
[Tamaga uses Rock Swimming.]
[Tamaga rapidly recovers damage taken while swimming through rock.]
Whoosh...
Jachim, hefting his massive club over his shoulder, scanned the surroundings.
"Be careful when the vibrations stop. Just dodge once."
"You be careful!"
"Hmph, you think I'd die in a dump like this?"
[Ruby's basic ability: Inner Beast activates.]
[Ruby can transform parts of her body into werewolf form. The effect maxes out under a full moon.]
Grrrrr...
Ruby's arms and legs sprouted fur.
KABOOM-!
Almost simultaneously, Tamaga burst from the side. Its target: Ruby.
Flash-!
Ruby leaped away from her position.
KABOOM-!
Tamaga bored a hole and vanished.
Phenex quickly dashed toward where its tail had disappeared.
Flash-!
"...Huh?"
Phenex vanished into the black tunnel, and soon after, from a spot far away, came the sound of Tamaga thrashing.
"...What?"
"It's coming again!"
Crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch-!
Moam and Jachim both moved to evade the speeding Tamaga. Moam's reflexes weren't quick enough to grab it, and Jachim lacked the reach. They could only watch.
But instead of Phenex chasing it from where it emerged as expected, she burst out from the hole where Tamaga had vanished earlier.
"It's gone!"
"What is?"
"The tunnel! It cuts off in the middle!"
"......"
Jachim grasped the situation.
"...I see."
"You know something?"
"The rift that was in the center of the ruins until just now has vanished."
"...Huh?"
He was spot on.
The rift that had been humming away had disappeared at some point.
Everyone glared toward the direction Tamaga had vanished.
"No way that thing...?"
"It's coming!"
KABOOOOOOM-!
Still just suspicion.
But soon, it turned to certainty.
Flash-!
Jachim leaped to dodge the attack aimed at him.
And...
Whoosh...
A rift formed where Tamaga had charged.
Rifts connected to each other.
Whoosh...
A new rift formed on the ground where Jachim stood.
"...Damn it."
"Jachim!"
KABOOOOOOOOOOM-!
Like a shark biting bait, Tamaga lunged up and snatched Jachim.
"No!"
Roooar...
Flash-BOOM-!
Phenex swung her sword at Tamaga as it swallowed Jachim.
Sizzzzz-!
- SKREEEEEEEE!
Phenex and Ruby pursued the shrieking, fleeing Tamaga.
Shwaaaak-!
[Ruby's basic ability: Living Weapon activates.]
[Ruby cannot use weapons in Inner Beast form.]
[Each successful attack extends Inner Beast duration; kills greatly extend it.]
Crunch-grind-!
Grind!
Ruby's claws raked along the grain of Tamaga's shell.
Crunch!
Grind!
- SKREEEEEEEE!
But Tamaga promptly vanished through the dimensional gate.
Rumble-rumble...
It swam calmly through the earth again.
"That damn flat-nose got eaten! Stupid idiot...."
"...Ruby, you'll get it this time."
Rumble-rumble...
...Nod.
The vibrations stopped.
It's coming.
KABOOOOOM-!
Roooar...
Tamaga targeted Ruby.
But Phenex, anticipating it, stepped in front.
Poised to bisect the charging beast outright. Sensing the chill, Tamaga pulled a trick.
Whoosh...
A spatial rift formed in front of it and Phenex.
"Tch...."
Before Tamaga entered the rift, Ruby and Moam scanned around.
'Where? The next rift...'
Whoosh...
'Damn...'
A rift opened right next to Ruby.
"Shit..."
KABOOOOOOM-!
Pssshhhh...
"Ruby!"
"I'm fine!"
"...Huh? How?"
"Well..."
Ruby had expected Tamaga to appear through the rift and swallow her immediately, but surprisingly, it thrashed and crashed into the wall.
Why?
Heave...
Thoooom-!
Something erupted from Tamaga's maw.
Splat!
Something flew and smashed into the wall.
"Huff... Huff..."
"...You survived inside its stomach?"
"Don't get cocky. You think I'd die to trash like this?"
[Jachim's basic ability: Weakling's Fight activates.]
[When max vitality drops below half, damage reduction explodes.]
"How'd you survive?"
"Somehow... goblin-style."
"Ha... Haha! You're fun!"
Sssss...
Tamaga twisted its head, opening its maw toward Phenex and everyone.
"Oh no..."
BOOM-!
Relic Guardian Moam toppled forward, shielding them.
Sizzzzzzz-!
Vicious acid and teeth broken by Jachim's rampage inside poured from Tamaga's maw, battering Moam.
[Moam's basic ability: The Best Defense is Shattering! activates.]
[Moam's strength increases proportional to recent damage taken.]
Whooooosh...
A bluish aura gathered on Moam's body.
Crunch-crunch...
As Tamaga relented and dove deep into the earth, Jachim spoke.
"Smart bastard. It targets the slowest first."
"What do we do?"
"I'll be the bait."
"What?"
"No time! Judge for yourselves!"
"......"
Personal judgment.
The subjugation team consisted of powerful familiars at 5-star and above.
Naturally, they could crush an intruder party with their individual strength. It didn't make sense for them to struggle here.
"It's coming!"
KABOOOOOOM-!
Tamaga struck at the opening, lunging at Moam.
But everyone except Moam turned their heads elsewhere. It wouldn't target the toughest, Moam.
Obviously, it was going for...
"Treated like the weakling as always..."
Whoooosh...
KABOOM-!
A rift formed on the wall Jachim had lured it to, and Tamaga's head poked out.
Tamaga had no eyes, but it sensed something off. Like danger visible to the naked eye.
The prey's aura had changed.
"Hrrrngh!"
Jachim angled his club's head downward, pressing against Tamaga's lower jaw to resist.
Clang-clang-clang-!
"Ughhhh..."
Ruby, with her limbs in werewolf form, used both arms to wrench back the upper jaw, keeping its mouth from closing.
Crunch-crunch-crunch...
The two were pushed back while resisting.
"Not yet..."
- GRRRR!
Moam succeeded in grabbing Tamaga's tail as it tried to pass through the rift.
Finally.
- GRRRRRRR-!
If Moam had tendons, they'd all be bulging. With overwhelming strength, Moam yanked Tamaga backward.
Like a tug-of-war rope, Tamaga halted. Its movement stopping meant the monster's death was near.
Roooaaar-!
Phenex spun around Tamaga's body.
[Phenex uses Superheat Sever.]
[Deals explosive slashing damage to a single target.]
Another skill Faust had prepared for Phenex for subjugation battles. Perfect for the finale.
Roar...
Shwaaaaaaaa-!
A superheated slash that instantly cauterized the cut. Overwhelming damage skipped Tamaga's phase 2.
Drip...
Drip-drip-drip...
Tamaga's body jerked upright, spraying blood everywhere, then...
BOOM...
It collapsed, motionless.
Click...
Phenex, sheathing her sword, grinned.
"You guys aren't half bad?"
She had grown since before, and so had her master Faust and the familiars dwelling in his dungeon.
Rotten Roots Secondary Subjugation Battle End.
[The neutral leader 'Gluttonous Tamaga' boss battle has ended.]
[Acquired 4,500 undigested magic stones from Tamaga's vomit.]
[Tamaga's death weakens the monsters under her territory.]
[Tamaga's death causes anomalies in the territory's borders.]
……