"A unique one, are you?" The lady's eyes sparkled with curiosity. She circled him slowly, hands on her back. Her gaze shifted to the sheep.
"What is this thing?" She pointed.
"I'd like to ask the same thing. It just appeared." Shun shrugged his shoulders.
The monster girl let out a grunt in acknowledgement, returning her gaze to Shun, and drifted to the meat.
She ate it in one breath.
"Human, this is tasty. I want more."
Shun paused a bit, feeling this isn't the script.
He tilted his head slightly, "You're not going to attack?"
"Why?"
Shun turned speechless, before calming himself, "Aren't you a Nightmare?"
"Yeah?"
Just before Shun could open his mouth, she chuckled lightly, as if realizing something funny, "Ahahah. I see what's going on." She got up and pointed the stick at Shun, "You think that I'm going to kill her."
Shun didn't say a word, letting her continue.
"You seem to misunderstand something. Not all Nightmares kill their targets on sight. Me, especially, exist to prevent her from leaving the Tower.
"If she did try, however, I would have no choice but to kill her."
Not letting one achieve one's goals and force one to stay on a path one revolted. I get where the name comes from, Shun said to himself.
"What if I kill you first?" Shun's gaze landed on Jade Blood and prepared to give an order.
"Can you? More importantly, are you sure you should worry about me?"
Shun shifted his eyes to the side and it got close in haste. Each step shook the ground.
"Let's play!" It smashed him. Shun quickly ordered Jade Blood, and it appeared before him, holding the attack.
A shockwave exploded, flicking Shun and Akira. They hit the wall of earth hard, causing cracks to spread and landed with a rough thud.
If not for Shun's quick-witted mind to touch the ground and use his skill for the wall at the same time he ordered Jade Blood, they would've left the flame's range.
"You good?" Shun retraced his thoughts as quickly as possible and stood back up.
"Nope." Her voice was weak as she was struggling to stand, body trembling. She then coughed a few times.
He lifted his gaze and saw the titan approaching fast.
He quickly transformed, his voice became deep, "Let's have fun then."
Simultaneously, he heard a soft whistle from the monster girl as she said, "Power of a god, huh? Not bad."
'Power of a god?' Akira whispered to herself and was speechless upon his changes.
Hair turned white and pointy, it extended to his waist. His eyes turned into the golden light of a lens camera.
Shun poured cursed energy into his eyes and its movements became slow almost immediately. He avoided the punch to the gut at the last moment and clenched his fist with a dribble of cursed energy, lunging for its body.
Gahk!
However, Shepherd of Desire managed to strike another! Its attack speed is quite fast.
Blood spat out, bones could be heard breaking. Immense pain ravaged every part of his body, yet he didn't let himself be clouded.
The impact sent him flying. He stabilized himself and touched the earth, raising a thick wall in the distance.
He landed there on his feet, caving the wall.
As the inertia from its punch was still at play, Shun took advantage of that and bent his knees, cloaking them with aura, before springing forward, launching himself like a cannonball.
Swoosh!
He arrived before the Shepherd and swung his fist down, crackling with a flash of red lightning. It dodged to the side and struck Shun's abdomen.
Crap! He exclaimed inwardly and spun his body mid-air to minimize the damage.
Thanks to that, the desire, wish-granting sheep hit his back instead of his abdomen. Agonizing pain spread out. His mind went blank almost immediately and jolted his brain, losing his memories.
When he came to his senses, he was in the sky, looking at the dazzling stars and felt peace for a brief moment.
Memories then flooded back and he realized the danger. But before he could do anything, a suffocating presence abruptly appeared next to him.
You've gotta be kidding! We're at least fifty meters up in the air! Shun screamed in his head, feeling despair. His pupils dilated in shock.
Desperation clutched him, his mind went through everything in his memories to survive this hit, or else he'd be incapacitated for weeks!
Then he felt something faint yet powerful from below.
Shun turned his head to the source and caught a glimpse of Akira carrying a two-foot cannon on her shoulder, launching out a blue beam.
It pierced the sky at an astonishing speed and rammed the Shepherd, knocking it away unconscious.
Holy crap that's powerful! he exclaimed in his heart. He then adjusted his position and landed with a roaring echo. Dust billowed outward, covering everything in sight.
The flame flickered intensely yet still held on, oddly stubborn.
A brush of wind came. Dust vanished gradually and revealed Shun.
"Thank you." Shun smiled.
Akira rested the cannon beam on the ground. Its barrel puffing smoke, "You're welcome."
"I didn't know you had such a weapon hiding."
"I don't plan to. It can only shoot a bullet a day, I must take consideration when to use it or not."
A pause descended for a moment before Akira asked, "Why do you look different?"
"Long story." His reply was brief as he went to retrieve his dagger and started to raise walls with his skill.
"What are you trying to do?" Akira asked, storing the beam cannon into her inventory as it turned into particles of light.
"Making a plan to defeat that thing."
"With walls?" She frowned.
"Well, just watch."
"That thing is a level fifty-seven mini boss. We can't defeat it. There's only the two of us."
The monster girl abruptly laughed, almost mocking. She then said, "Such a dumb hunter, aren't you? Look at him carefully."
Akira squinted her eyes, "His form has changed?"
"No."
"Then what could it be?..." She observed him a bit longer and enlightenment seemed to bloom around the corner, but she couldn't grasp it yet.
She then turned to the monster girl, then Shun, and returned to her.
"Where is your Nightmare?"
The monster girl clapped. Her voice was full of enthusiasm. "Bingo!"
"Since your Nightmare isn't here. Does that mean you defeated it, Shun?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yup."
"But, how could that be?" She frowned slightly, "You're only level seven, and judging by the difference between her level and mine, your Nightmare must be at least the same level as hers."
Shun pondered for a moment, wondering if he should tell the story, before shaking his head.
"Don't worry about the small stuff. What matters is that I'm on your side."
Akira showed a conflicted look, and Shun understood.
They're simply strangers that only met yesterday. Why would she trust him? A stranger that can eliminate an entity that's more powerful than him.
Naturally, the thought that he can easily overwhelm her popped out. By then she'd be powerless against him.
It's a given if she leaves, Shun thought to himself and prepared for that, though his heart stung a bit.
Why, I wonder? Shun continued to himself.
As he mused, Akira finally opened her mouth.
"I don't know what's going on with your body, or the power you gained from a god. I simply want to go home.
"If defeating that thing helps me go home, then I'll help."
Shun paused for a moment, dumbstruck, "Eh?"
"Eh?" Akira recited.
"You're not going to leave, Akira?"
"No, what makes you think that? Look at the surroundings, you think I can even leave if I want to?"
"Aren't you afraid of me?"
"I'm not."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Shun was stunned and couldn't say a word. Silence descended for a moment. He regained his focus.
"What can you do?" he asked, continuing the setup. Around the campfire were four walls facing different directions and four more in the sky, supported by pillars.
Hearing his words, Akira smiled faintly. She then materialized two pistols out of thin air, "I usually use these when hunting monsters and clearing rifts."
Agun user, huh? He didn't expect such a cute girl to wield these.
Then again, she's still a hunter despite her support-type ability.
Status and levels are more important than innate ability. If your level is low, then a good ability is as good as useless, and don't forget the limitation of one's ability as a low-level hunter.
Of course, that doesn't mean you can simply lower your guard when facing low levels. With a few good artifacts and cunning tricks, you can die.
Honestly, two hunters against a mini boss. Anyone would just quit and drop dead, but Shun's arsenal kinda, no, destroys the meta.
Comprehending such a thing, Shun could only chuckle bitterly.
It's fair and square! Shun said to himself. He went through a lot just to get this far. Sure, Living Alloy helps a ton, but it still depends on how he used it.
He doubted if anyone else had this, they'd still be alive. The transformation process alone is excruciatingly painful.
When he thought about it, he's impressed of himself.
Reminds him of a certain bug that is oddly persistent to die.