Chapter 70: Thunder Lizard and the Fury Bringer

“Hm? They’re all heading this way… Are they trying to surround us?” Vinigo suddenly asked.

“You’re overthinking it. The Thunder Lizards are just foraging,” Sophie replied, speaking more words than usual today. She grasped her sword with both hands, waiting.

“As for over there…” Vinigo glanced in another direction, toward the burly man in the black cloak wielding a halberd. He suddenly laughed. “Interesting. We’d best find ourselves a good seat for the show.”

He tugged at Hani, dashing out at a right angle to the line between the Thunder Lizards and the man, aiming for a spot right between them. Both the lizards and the man seemed to fix their gaze on Vinigo’s group, accelerating in unison.

“Hani, Berserk the lizard,” Vinigo reminded her.

Hani obeyed at once, flinging her hand with practiced ease. She cast Berserk on the lead Thunder Lizard—success! With a furious roar, the enraged lizard launched itself at the nearest of its kind, and the two beasts were soon locked in a savage brawl.

The remaining juvenile lizard hesitated for a moment, but hunger quickly overcame its curiosity, and it lunged at Sophie.

What greeted it was the Kreigs Greatsword Art: Gates of Hell!

Though large, Thunder Lizards were agile; even as a juvenile, it deftly evaded Sophie’s powerful, descending strike.

At that moment, Vinigo calmly pulled a prepared fluffy cap from his pack and set it on his head. He took the twin revolvers from his belt, and blew gently across the barrels.

Imagination Construct, activate! Character selected, analysis complete… Begin reconstruction. Level 20 Moogle Gunner.

Primary Skill: Shooting. Passive Skill: Mental Focus. Counter Skill: Counterattack. First Enhancement: Strength Up. Construction complete!

Target acquired. Selecting Confusion Shot—fire!

In a voice young and clear as a Moogle’s, Vinigo called out a warning.

The juvenile Thunder Lizard’s vision blurred—a stroke of bad luck. The Moogle Gunner’s “Status Shot” rarely succeeded, even with Mental Focus, and Vinigo could hardly rely on a thirty percent chance.

But the Confusion Shot struck true, and the juvenile lizard stood dazed and bewildered. Sophie paused, holding back her next attack and withdrawing cautiously.

Just then, the halberd-wielding man charged right at Sophie.

He didn’t attack her. Instead, seized by the thrill of the hunt, he brought his weapon crashing down on the stunned juvenile Thunder Lizard.

“Is this guy an idiot?” Vinigo couldn’t help but mutter. He signaled to Sophie, who understood immediately, slung her sword over her shoulder, and hurried back to the group.

“Hani, Berserk that idiot,” Vinigo said with a sly grin.

Hani giggled, and a silent glow of divine magic shone forth. The Berserk spell fell cleanly on the man’s head, but he merely shook it off, unaffected, and continued his savage assault with the halberd.

Though the juvenile lizard was armored in tough scales, the man’s raw power was something its undeveloped defenses could not withstand. Blow after blow landed, leaving the young beast battered and bloodied.

“Hani, Remove Enmity,” Vinigo commanded.

Without hesitation, Hani waved her hand at the two Thunder Lizards locked in combat. They snapped out of their frenzy and simultaneously turned their wrathful gazes upon their own juvenile.

And then… fury exploded.

In their rage, both Thunder Lizards unleashed their most deadly weapon: Dragon’s Breath!

Thunder Lizards were draconic beasts—not as mighty as true dragons, yet still capable of breath attacks. Each time they expelled their breath, they needed about half an hour to recover, but the force of their breath was no less devastating than that of dragons.

Their name came from the red lightning they spewed, hot enough to melt steel in an instant. The pillar of blazing electricity barreled down, its overwhelming power enough to fill any mortal with despair and paralysis.

But the man seemed utterly unfazed. He raised his halberd, bracing himself to withstand the full brunt of this terrifying assault!

“Who the hell is that guy?” Vinigo asked Sophie.

“He’s strong,” Sophie nodded.

The red lightning crashed down. Evidently, the two lizards, wishing not to harm their young, focused their breath into a more concentrated beam, slightly reducing its power. In the dazzling glare, the man roared and braced himself with both hands, holding the halberd against the onslaught, the force sending him skidding back.

The lightning shredded his coat, searing countless scorch marks into his skin. Yet, contrary to expectations, he suffered only minor burns and, unbelievably, survived the Thunder Lizards’ deadly assault.

“Incredible,” Vinigo narrowed his eyes.

“You over there, brat—remember my name! I am Mados the Berserker, of the Infernal Brotherhood! I’ve come today to take your lives!” the man bellowed with laughter. “And slaying two Thunder Lizards along the way is an unexpected bonus!”

“You think you’ve already won?” Vinigo snorted.

He squinted, fixing his gaze on the imposing man. The Eye of Insight could reveal much about a target, but it was sure to provoke intense discomfort and hostility. But in this situation, what did Vinigo care about hostility?

Enraged, the man channeled his fury—stirred up by Vinigo—into his immediate adversaries. In his eyes, only Sophie was worth his attention; the other two and the cat were beneath notice.

He was mistaken.

“Cait Sith, take Hani and fall back thirty meters. Hani, wait for my signal,” Vinigo instructed quietly.

Hani grinned, leapt onto the big cat’s back, and retreated the required distance. Vinigo signaled Sophie to prepare for battle.

All was ready. Vinigo holstered his silver revolver, gripped the golden one with both hands, and took aim.

The runes etched into the golden revolver enhanced accuracy. Combined with the passive skill, Mental Focus, and the Moogle Gunner’s natural precision, Vinigo could hit a target the size of a thumbprint at a hundred meters—that was just what he needed.

The enemy was hardly a small target.

“Ammunition: Stop Shot,” Vinigo thought, and the golden revolver shimmered with a strange light. His will infused the bullet with magical energy. In the next instant, with a flash and a bang, the specially enchanted round struck Mados’s right shoulder.

Bang!

It didn’t pierce through! Vinigo was stunned by the sheer resilience of the man’s muscles. He’d suspected that the world’s powerful beings might be tough enough to shrug off bullets, but at this range, for the shot to barely break skin…

And the man wasn’t even wearing armor!

Still, even a graze was enough. Mados’s body seized up—that was the Stop Shot taking effect.

But it lasted less than a second before he shook it off—just how strong was this monster?

“If we’re talking levels, this guy must be several times higher than me,” Vinigo murmured. He wasted no time, raising his gun for another shot.

Though the effect was brief, for Mados, Vinigo was a serious threat. Each pause disrupted his movements—what could have been a grievous wound missed, and what he might have dodged, he was forced to endure.

More than anything, the sensation of being stalled infuriated him.

“Damn you! I underestimated you, you bastard! I’ll kill you first!” Mados roared. “I’ll show you why they call me the Berserker!”

In an instant, black flames erupted along Mados’s body, swallowing him whole. When they faded, what stood there was no longer a man, but a true monster.

Body black as iron, skin gleaming with a metallic sheen, eyes glowing red as molten steel. Some unknown power radiated from him, resonating with the blood-red halberd in his hands.

“Hani, Remove Enmity—three lizards,” Vinigo shouted rapidly.

The Thunder Lizards’ hostility toward Vinigo’s group was clearly less than that toward Mados. Now, Mados would have to face the combined assault of three Thunder Lizards and Vinigo and Sophie. Yet, in his berserk rage, the man seemed not to care. He strode forward, charging at Vinigo.

If he truly wanted to escape, Vinigo could use the wind currents of Azure Sky to fly low and slowly wear Mados down with his revolver. But now, he doubted Sophie could withstand Mados’s onslaught alone—if Vinigo fled, Sophie would be in grave danger.

“This is a desert, you fool,” Vinigo muttered.

He raised his hand, and the Azure Sky magitek device shimmered blue, sending precise gusts of wind at Mados’s feet.

And so, Mados’s steps—once as steady as a boulder—suddenly slipped. The sand beneath him, scattered by Vinigo’s wind, became a series of pitfalls. It wasn’t enough to topple him, but it soured his mood.

Mados’s speed slowed.

Sophie was ready. She dropped low, gathered herself, then burst forward in a sudden sprint, sword in both hands, thrust straight ahead.

Sixteenth Form: Stone Piercer!

Sword and halberd clashed with a thunderous clang. Mados did not budge, but his feet sank deep into the sand. Sophie was battered back three steps, steadying herself with her sword.

Before Mados could pursue, Vinigo unleashed Azure Sky once more; a tangible gust of force pressed into Mados, making him stagger. In that moment, Sophie regained her footing and readied her stance.

An unyielding knight—the sword that cuts through all obstacles!