The Chimera charged toward Zerik, its forepaw smashing into the ground as the Trickster narrowly dodged the attack.
But before Zerik could retaliate, the beast suddenly stopped.
Its burning mane flickered.
Then, a violent surge of corrupted energy erupted from within its body.
BOOOOOOM!
Crimson-black energy spread across its volcanic scales, escaping through the glowing cracks in its body. Its mane erupted into towering flames, while the magma beneath its armor began pulsing with a strange, unnatural intensity.
The ground beneath its paws melted instantly.
Fynris felt the sudden pressure and immediately tightened his grip on his sword.
"So it's finally releasing its corrupted energy..."
The Chimera raised its head and let out a deafening roar. Its aura spread across the battlefield before rapidly contracting around its body, reinforcing its limbs and armor.
Zerik's expression turned serious.
"Well, that's definitely not good."
The Chimera vanished.
"WHAT..."
It reappeared directly in front of Zerik, its forepaw descending with terrifying speed.
Zerik threw himself aside, activating one of his prepared cards.
"Trick Art: Rebound!"
The card detonated beneath his feet, launching him sideways just before the paw smashed into the ground.
CRAAASH!
The impact sent a shockwave through the surrounding rocks.
Zerik landed badly, rolled across the ground, and scrambled to his feet.
"Okay! That's significantly faster than before!"
The Chimera turned toward Zerik again.
Before it could attack, Fynris rushed forward, his Aura Blade flashing toward its exposed joint.
CLANG!
His sword struck the armor surrounding the joint, producing a shower of sparks. The Chimera barely flinched before swinging its tail toward him.
Fynris ducked, but the beast followed with a sweeping strike from its other foreleg.
"IRON BODY!"
Orin intercepted the attack with his spear, reinforcing his body with magic.
BOOM!
The impact drove him backward, his boots tearing through the ground. He managed to withstand the blow, but the Chimera immediately pressed forward, forcing him to brace against its enormous weight.
"Fynris! NOW!"
Fynris struck the same joint again.
A thin fracture appeared in the corrupted aura, but before he could exploit it, the Chimera twisted and slammed Orin into the ground.
CRASH!
Orin rolled away, coughing as he struggled to stand. His Iron Body had absorbed most of the impact, but his movements had become noticeably slower.
"Don't worry about me!" he shouted. "Just cut the damn thing!"
Fynris retreated as the Chimera released another burst of magma, narrowly avoiding the molten stream.
Quenlor immediately drew his bow.
"Aqua Heritage: Piercing Current!"
A spiraling arrow struck the ground beneath the Chimera's front leg, cooling the molten surface and disrupting its footing. The beast stumbled momentarily.
Fynris rushed in, delivering a precise slash across the weakened joint.
This time, his blade penetrated the armor.
A faint crimson glow emerged from beneath the broken scales.
"The core," Fynris muttered.
The Chimera roared as a violent shockwave of corrupted energy surged through its body, throwing Fynris backward. Its wound began sealing as magma flowed through the cracks in its body.
Zerik watched carefully.
"So that's how it works. The energy keeps reinforcing its body, but it has to redirect it whenever it attacks."
He glanced at the cards scattered across the battlefield.
A grin spread across his face.
"Let's see how much you can handle at once."
He flicked several cards into the air.
"Trick Art: False Trail!"
Magical signatures erupted across the battlefield. The Chimera turned toward the nearest one, only for a card beneath its feet to detonate, throwing its balance off.
Another card flashed in front of its eyes.
A third exploded against its flank.
None of the attacks caused significant damage, but each forced the Chimera to redirect its corrupted aura.
"Quenlor, keep it moving!" Zerik shouted.
Quenlor understood immediately. He fired a rapid succession of water-infused arrows, targeting the beast's face and the ground around its feet. Each impact disrupted its movements, while the resulting mist obscured its vision.
The Chimera roared in frustration and charged toward the source of the attacks.
Zerik's smile widened.
"That's it. Keep coming."
The beast's foreleg came crashing down toward him.
Zerik threw a card beneath his feet.
"Trick Art: Rebound!"
The enhanced card launched him out of the attack's path just before the impact shattered the ground.
But the Chimera recovered almost instantly, swinging its head toward him.
Zerik's expression changed.
"Damn. You're learning."
The beast opened its jaws, gathering a concentrated mass of corrupted magma.
Zerik had nowhere left to run.
Before the attack could be released, Orin charged from the side.
"METAL STORM!"
Steel shards erupted around him, striking the Chimera's jaw and forcing its aim upward. The magma blast shot into the air, exploding harmlessly above the battlefield.
The Chimera retaliated immediately.
Its foreleg slammed into Orin's side.
BOOM!
Orin was sent crashing into a rock formation. His spear slipped from his hand as he hit the ground, and he struggled to rise.
"Orin!" Quenlor shouted.
"I'm... still here."
He reached for his spear, but his injured leg gave way.
He could no longer keep up with the Chimera's movements.
Fynris looked at his companions, then at the beast.
His current Aura Blade had allowed him to identify and exploit its weaknesses, but the corrupted aura was continually adapting. Every opening disappeared before he could deliver a decisive blow.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
It was time.
"Aura Blade... Stage Two."
The aura surrounding his sword changed.
Instead of spreading loosely across its surface, it condensed along the blade's edge, becoming remarkably thin and controlled. The air around the sword seemed to distort as Fynris synchronized his aura with the weapon.
"Master Form."
Zerik glanced at him.
"About time."
Fynris looked toward the Chimera's chest, where the crimson glow pulsed beneath its volcanic armor.
"I need one opening. A proper one."
Zerik examined the remaining cards in his hand.
"Then you'd better make it count."
The Chimera lowered its body, drawing the surrounding magma toward itself. Its corrupted aura surged, spreading across its limbs as it prepared another devastating attack.
The ground began melting beneath its feet.
Quenlor raised his bow, but the beast's growing heat threatened to overwhelm his water magic.
Zerik took a deep breath.
"All right, everyone. Last round."
He scattered his remaining cards across the battlefield.
"TRICK ART: DECK OF JOKERS!"
Every card activated simultaneously.
Explosions erupted around the Chimera, disrupting its footing and forcing it to redirect its corrupted aura repeatedly. The beast attempted to retaliate, but each movement triggered another carefully timed trick.
A card detonated beneath its rear leg.
Another released a blinding flash.
A third redirected the force of its own movement, throwing it off balance.
The Chimera roared, desperately trying to break free.
"Quenlor!" Zerik shouted. "Now! Suppress the lava!"
Quenlor drew his bowstring to its limit. Water magic gathered around the arrow, forming a spiraling current that condensed into a powerful stream.
"Aqua Heritage: Tidal Dominion!"
He released the arrow.
Water surged across the battlefield, spreading through the channels of molten rock surrounding the Chimera. The current engulfed the lava streams, rapidly cooling them until they hardened into black volcanic stone.
FSSSSSSHHHH!
Steam enveloped the battlefield.
For the first time, the Chimera could no longer draw freely upon the surrounding magma.
Its corrupted aura flared violently, concentrating around its chest to protect the core.
But that was exactly what Zerik had been waiting for.
The cards began to crack.
"Fynris! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!"
Fynris moved.
The Chimera tore free of the hardened ground and swung its foreleg toward him. Orin, still lying near the shattered rock formation, raised his spear with the last of his strength.
"METAL STORM!"
A final volley of steel shards struck the Chimera's damaged joint, delaying its movement for a fraction of a second.
Quenlor followed with another arrow.
"Aqua Heritage: Piercing Current!"
The water struck the Chimera's face, disrupting its aim as a final blast of magma erupted from its jaws.
Fynris slipped past the attack.
He reached the creature's chest just as the corrupted aura concentrated around its core.
Through the fractured armor, he saw it: a pulsing crimson mass surrounded by twisting strands of corrupted energy.
His sword rose.
All the aura along its edge condensed into a single, razor-thin line.
"Aura Blade: Master Form - Severing Edge!"
Fynris struck.
His blade cut through the fractured armor and pierced the core.
For an instant, the Chimera stood motionless.
Then a crack spread across the crimson mass.
Another followed.
The core shattered.
BOOOOOOM!
Corrupted energy erupted from the Chimera's chest as its volcanic armor split apart. Its burning mane disintegrated into embers, and the remaining magma beneath its scales rapidly cooled.
The enormous beast staggered, its forelegs collapsing beneath its weight.
THUUUUD!
The Volcanic Chimera crashed onto the battlefield.
Its corrupted aura faded.
Silence followed.
Fynris stepped away from the fallen creature, lowering his sword as the aura around its blade dissipated.
Quenlor lowered his bow, breathing heavily. Orin remained on the ground, too exhausted to stand, while Zerik stared at the scattered remains of his cards.
"...My Deck of Jokers," he muttered. "What a terrible day for my finances."
Quenlor gave him an exhausted look.
"You're unbelievable."
"Thank you. I try."
Fynris glanced at Orin.
"You still alive?"
Orin raised a hand without looking up.
"Unfortunately for you, yes."
Fynris nodded before turning toward the fallen Chimera.
They had defeated it through coordinated attacks, careful exploitation of its weaknesses, and one decisive opening.
But the battle had cost them time, strength, and most of their remaining resources.
And somewhere deep down they knew, the war was still raging.