Lord Of Beasts

The Lepidoptera Boss Beast had finally been forced into an impossible choice: Release the formation or watch its entire colony continue to be massacred.

Ethan and his beast were decimating the flying butterflies, and Elara was effortlessly disposing of the caterpillars. The crimson-eyed woman was more focused on watching Ethan in action and observing how he and the Golden Fluterer wielded mana, simply blasting any of the disgusting creatures that got close.

The more it hesitated, the worse its predicament became, with more of its progeny falling, and by extension, its power waned. But before it could act, Ethan was already upon it, shooting directly towards it like a meteor.

The Golden Flutterer hurriedly condensed as much mana as it could into its faltering barrier.

Ethan’s flaming eyes narrowed.

’Even while weakened, normal Beast Impact won’t be enough.’

The butterfly’s greatest strength was mana, and even without its formation of beasts, it had incredible reserves. With them, it would be able to cast robust defences that even A Ranks would struggle to break through.

But Ethan had already considered that, and before attacking, a thought had flashed through his mind.

’Variable Beast Impact...’

His lips slowly curled upward.

’...never said the amount of mana always had to be less.’

Originally, the skill had been created out of necessity, back when his offensive options had been lacking. He modified Beast Impact to reduce its strain, sacrificing destructive power for sustainability.

It had allowed him to fight longer, survive longer, and adapt before unlocking Partial Assimilation.

Now, he reversed that principle entirely.

Instead of limiting the mana flowing into the technique, he removed the limiter entirely. Every remaining drop of mana inside his body surged violently toward his right arm.

Ethan ignored every instinct screaming at him to stop.

He poured more and more mana into it, his arm trembling uncontrollably. The flames surrounding it became blindingly bright and white rather than their usual vibrant red-orange colour.

Even Ethan felt the attack becoming unstable, but there was no turning back now.

’I’m ending this in one strike.’

Without hesitation, he then dismissed Talon, the Griffling instantly vanishing into a burst of blue light.

’Sorry, buddy. I need every bit of mana I can get, and I don’t want you anywhere near what’s about to happen.’

The space around his fist distorted from the overwhelming concentration of mana and scorching heat. For the first time, the Golden Flutterer’s instincts screamed danger as it tried to reinforce its golden barrier further.

But it was too late.

’Variable Beast Impact!’

Ethan’s eyes burned with determination as the skill activated.

The mana rushed through his veins like molten metal, with Spark’s blazing flames wrapping around his arms and flaring white. His muscles screamed while his ligaments were stretched beyond their limits.

Tiny fractures spread through the bones in his forearm before he’d even thrown the punch, foreshadowing the backlash that was coming. Even with his durable and powerful body, he could still barely contain it.

Meanwhile, the Golden Flutterer gave up on everything else, including its control over the Titled below, to defend itself. Survival was the ultimate instinct for all beasts, and this creature was no different.

Its last struggle was to form even more defensive constructs, condensing layer after layer of mana. A shimmering dome formed around the Boss Beast, dozens of overlapping barriers compressed together through nothing but overwhelming energy.

It wasn’t elegant or refined, but it was definitely going to make things harder.

Not that Ethan could back down now.

He was already all-in, and he had no choice but to double down.

’Flare Drive!’

He burst forward and swung with his fist with everything he had left.

BOOOOOOOM!!

The air beneath his feet detonated.

Ethan became a blazing comet, streaking across the sky with a trail of white fire so hot that the surrounding air distorted into shimmering waves.

His fist drove into the first barrier.

THOOM!

The golden dome barely moved.

For a single terrifying instant, it held, causing Ethan’s heart to sink.

’No!’

The momentum he’d sacrificed everything to build threatened to die against the immense wall of condensed mana.

But that’s when something changed.

The point of contact glowed, gold slowly shifting to fiery orange, then a blazing crimson, and finally a brilliant white.

It wasn’t simply cracking, but was... melting.

The condensed mana itself began to burn beneath the overwhelming heat surrounding Ethan’s fist, unravelling as though the very energy composing it had become fuel for Spark’s flames.

’Fuck yeah!’

The first layer dissolved.

Then the second.

Then the third.

One after another, the barriers vaporised before him, like ice walls being pierced by a scorching poker. The Golden Flutterer almost seemed to gasp, though as a giant insect, it looked more like an unusual spasm.

Its panic was evident as it desperately condensed more mana.

Another barrier.

Then another.

And another.

Dozens of shimmering golden walls materialised in rapid succession, stacking together into an impenetrable fortress.

Ethan smashed through every single one.

BOOM!

One shattered.

BOOM!

Another burst apart.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Golden fragments of condensed mana exploded across the heavens, only to be consumed moments later by the white inferno surrounding his arm. It looked less like he was breaking barriers and more like he was burning straight through mana itself.

Nothing could stop him, as he finally reached the Golden Flutter that felt genuine fear.

Far below, the others who were released from their mental prisons gasped. Life flooded back into their eyes, and what felt like days or even weeks of torment disappeared in an instant. It took them a moment to snap back to reality, and then all their eyes were on the incredible display above.

It had all happened so quickly, over a matter of seconds, yet time almost seemed to slow as Ethan’s fist pierced through the final golden barrier.

"Got ya now, motherfucker!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The world erupted.

It wasn’t just a punch, but an explosion of mana contained within a fist.

White fire engulfed the Golden Flutterer completely as the shockwave ripped across the floating islands, sending hurricane-force winds tearing through the battlefield. Nearby pillars cracked, enormous boulders were hurled into the abyss, and even distant islands trembled beneath the force.

The Boss Beast’s frail body offered no resistance.

Its wings disintegrated first, then its shimmering golden scales. Its entire body was swallowed by the incandescent flames, erased before it could even fall.

When the inferno finally dispersed, nothing remained.

Only drifting embers.

And the familiar notification that echoed inside Ethan’s mind.

{Beast Eliminated!}

Ethan let out a slow breath.

’Damn... That was crazy.’

Though the victory came at a price, just like all things...