Amber smiled in delight.
"So this is how it feels to be on the side doing the beating, huh? Lexa, Vexion and Master are always beati—training us so thoroughly."
She giggled.
"I finally get to experience being on the other side of that."
The Cyclops Lord fell into an even deeper rage.
Its entire forearm—from the elbow down—had been blown completely apart.
Yet instead of retreating...
It charged once more.
"RAWWWWWR!"
Amber's smile remained as carefree as ever.
Then...
The Cyclops opened its enormous eye.
A crimson cylindrical beam erupted toward her once again.
This time...
Amber frowned.
The mana...
It's different.
She immediately commanded one of her chains to move before her as a shield.
Yet something unexpected happened.
Instead of colliding with the barrier...
The beam suddenly bent.
A perfect ninety-degree turn.
It curved around the chain as though avoiding it entirely before shooting directly toward her.
Amber's eyes widened.
It can do that?
Without hesitation she ordered the chain coiled around her body to tighten.
Can that beam change direction multiple times?
She didn't know.
She couldn't afford to assume it couldn't.
Her defensive chain thickened further while simultaneously extending.
The second chain that had previously remained around her detached itself, leaving her with two chains roughly 20 centimeters thick.
One remained dedicated to defense.
The other shot toward the bleeding Cyclops Lord.
The beam slammed into the protective chain.
TINGGG!
Amber was forced backward several meters.
The impact alone pushed hard enough that her chain had to anchor itself into the earth before finally stabilizing her.
By the time she regained her footing...
The Cyclops had already appeared only a few meters away.
Its massive leg lashed out.
BOOOOM!
Amber was launched skyward yet again.
She sighed.
"Monsters getting this ridiculous rage ability really is unfair."
She calmly continued issuing commands.
One chain remained entirely devoted to protecting her.
The second relentlessly pursued the Cyclops.
Then...
The Cyclops fired again.
Not one beam.
Two.
Amber frowned.
"...You fucking piece of shit."
"Why are you getting stronger?"
Only now did she notice something else.
The bleeding had stopped.
The arm she had destroyed hadn't regenerated...
But the wound had sealed itself.
She clicked her tongue.
Blowing it apart isn't enough if it keeps moving that fast.
She stopped trying to attack.
Instead...
She focused completely on defense.
One chain wrapped tightly around her body.
Another formed a second defensive layer several centimeters beyond the first.
Between both layers remained a small empty space.
A buffer.
The third chain...
She devoted nearly all her concentration toward it.
Amber smiled.
The chain protecting her from the crimson beam suddenly changed.
Rather than merely blocking the attack...
It began absorbing it.
The Cyclops stopped.
Even it seemed confused.
It stood only several meters away, watching the third chain with obvious caution.
The chain slowly transformed.
It no longer resembled an ordinary weapon.
Mana flowed throughout its links before sealing every opening between them.
Its body expanded.
Its shape shifted.
Legs formed.
A tail.
A head.
Within seconds...
The chain had become a gigantic panther forged entirely from metal and mana.
Its body gleamed with dark silver and emerald hues.
Sharp chain ears twitched.
When it opened its mouth...
Rows of metallic teeth revealed themselves.
Dense mana pulsed throughout its body.
Mana so concentrated...
That even the Cyclops Lord instinctively took a cautious step backward.
Amber walked toward it.
She gently stroked its head.
The enormous panther lowered itself before happily rubbing against her hand like an affectionate pet.
Amber laughed softly.
"I gave up learning two different skills just to create you."
She looked proudly toward the Cyclops.
"Meet Barlon."
"My first combined skill."
"Master gave me the idea."
"He's made from my Mana Chain and Mana Object skills."
"He isn't truly alive."
"He doesn't have a soul."
"But he listens."
"He understands."
"He obeys."
She smiled warmly while scratching beneath Barlon's chin.
"I actually learned Mana Object because of someone I once thought was completely insane."
"He spent all day talking to his sword."
She giggled.
"Turns out..."
"...the sword really did listen."
"Of course, there are drawbacks."
She shrugged.
"But..."
She pointed toward the Cyclops.
"...you're probably not going to live long enough for me to explain them."
Her expression brightened.
"Barlon."
"Catch him."
"...Then kill him."
The panther slowly turned its head.
Its emerald eyes locked onto the Cyclops.
It took two casual steps.
Then...
It disappeared.
The Cyclops reacted instantly.
It vanished as well.
BOOM!
RAWWWWWR!!
A scream of agony echoed throughout the forest.
Amber smiled.
Through Barlon's senses...
She could follow the battle almost perfectly.
He was fast.
Far faster than she had imagined.
Even she struggled to properly track his movements.
Another explosion.
Another roar.
Barlon had already reached the Cyclops.
His metallic jaws clamped down around its wrist.
CRUNCH!
The enormous arm was torn clean off.
Amber bounced excitedly on the spot.
"Success!"
"Success!"
She clapped happily.
The Cyclops tried retaliating with a desperate kick.
Barlon slipped beneath it.
His tail whipped upward.
The leg vanished.
Before the beast could even scream...
Barlon appeared above it.
His jaws closed around its throat.
One violent twist.
The neck snapped.
The Cyclops collapsed lifelessly onto the forest floor.
Amber beamed.
"Now that's what I call a finishing move."
"Not disappointing at all."
Barlon calmly returned.
The enormous chain beast lowered its head obediently toward her.
Amber gently patted him.
"Good boy."
The massive panther dissolved.