Chapter 79: Spirit Beast Chimera

“Alfrion, what the hell is wrong with you? Answer me! I am the Guild Master, so quickly call back that beast right now!”

“You… huhuh, you don’t get anything, do you? Hahaha…”

“?!”

Camilla’s eyebrows twitched as she watched Alfrion’s strange expressions. She knew that the Snow Elf was known for being a calculating and cold person, but she never expected him to go this far.

She had imagined he was just testing these people in his own way, but things had turned out much more wicked than she ever imagined.

There was something unsettlingly wrong with him, something she had only begun to realize now, as if he had kept it carefully hidden this entire time.

“Those damn bandits, thieves, murderers…! I am tired, exhausted of them coming to our guild for shelter!” he roared angrily. “I won’t let them taint the reputation of the Adventurer Guild anymore! If they don’t want to show us their Status, it’s clearly obvious that’s because they’re hiding something really bad!”

“Or maybe they just want to keep their abilities a secret. It’s their privacy, Alfrion!” Camilla argued firmly. “You can’t just try to kill them over this… I already saw what you did before. I let it be because I knew that it could be some good training for the rookies, but this? You’re just trying to kill them, aren’t you?”

“Hahaha, no, I am not a murderer!” he said with a wide, twisted grin. “I am just a humble receptionist worried about the reputation of his guild! Why do you think the Hunters look down on us so much? The governments of all these countries always treat us like we’re a band of good-for-nothing ruffians! It’s because of what THEY have done to our reputation. This is why we must punish them and take them down while we can! We can’t let them be…!”

“You’re crazy. These people aren’t bad! I would have already been able to tell. They’re honest warriors with troubled pasts,” said Camilla, her voice rising with frustration. “Alfrion… I’ve known you for years, and I also know your many flaws and what has scarred your life. Are you really going to throw away your entire career over petty grudges?”

“Petty?!” Alfrion roared, his voice shaking with rage. “It seems that I am more worried about the guild’s future than its own Guild Master!” His cold aura surged outward in a visible wave.

“What?!” Camilla was shocked. “Hey, bastard, are you really raising your Aura against me?!”

“Yes, I am,” Alfrion answered. His eyes shifted to a deep red color as darkness began seeping from within his body.

Meanwhile, in the arena, chaos broke out in full force.

The Giant Chimera roared loudly, releasing flames, thunder, winds, shadows, and beams of light in every direction.

It turned out it was not just any ordinary chimera, but one composed of Spirit Beasts, fully capable of unleashing powerful elemental spells everywhere.

After all, its title read clearly for all to see…

[Spirit Beast Chimera – Rank 6]

It was no Common Chimera of the kind that could be found in wild areas or beast-type dungeons at Rank 3 at most. This one was composed of the combined powers of various Spirit Beasts, granting it incredible elemental power and formidable resistances.

It was no monster these young warriors, mere adventurer candidates at that, could ever hope to defeat, even if they combined their full strength as a single unit.

“This is clearly insanity,” said Elizabeth, her voice steady despite the growing danger.

The participants screamed in panic and ran in every direction, but the gates were closed shut and sealed tightly. There was no escape.

“Damn it! We can’t run away!” Reinhardt screamed over the noise.

“Smash the doors open!” Borfus shouted. “Stone… Cleaver!”

CLANK!

However, his axe struck the metal door and was unable to slice through it. Instead, the blade of his axe nearly shattered from the impact.

“W-What the…?! What is this reinforced metal made of?!” he asked in shock. “Some kind of reinforced alloy of various super strong metals, made to contain high-Ranked monsters…! Damn it!”

“We’re not getting out of this…” Hikari sighed heavily. “The only way out is by fighting, but are any of you even ready for that?”

“It’s hopeless. We cannot defeat a Rank 6 monster,” said Archivald, his tone grim.

“I-I want to get out of here! I am so scared! Mamaaaaaa…!” the little ghostly girl started crying like a child… and well, she technically was a child.

“Tsk,” Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head and looking clearly annoyed that things had to turn out this way. “Whatever, let’s get this done with.”

She leaped forward without hesitation, facing the explosive spells of the Spirit Beast Chimera head-on.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

She conjured and reinforced a powerful barrier that suddenly lined itself with dragon-like scales, easily blocking all of the incoming elemental spells.

“Your magic is strong, but I am stronger.”

She swiftly leaped high into the air and spun downward, kicking the monster’s central head with tremendous force and smashing it into the ground.

CRAASH!

The ground beneath shattered completely, and explosions of darkness and light erupted outward in every direction.

The Chimera vomited a mouthful of blood but then glared back at her with pure fury. It roared and opened its many jaws, snapping viciously at Elizabeth!

Her barrier shattered into dozens of glass-like pieces as she took a step back and then summoned Ariel and Asmodeus once more.

“Tough. Can’t use my full power here or it will be too suspicious. Let’s use Magic.”

She smiled calmly, channeling the power of her High Human Skills. They enhanced and improved her magic spells while creating a strong, dignified, and noble aura around her.

[You have used the Active Effect of the [Arcane Prodigy] Skill. Your Affinity with Magic grows more powerful. All Magic Stats increased by 50%.]

[You have used the Active Effect of the [Scholar’s Mind] Skill. Your Understanding of Magic increases drastically. All Magic Spells Power increased by 100%.]

[You have used the Active Effect of the [Noble Presence] Skill. Your Aura and Presence grows more powerful. All Stats have increased by +20%, foe Stats have decreased by 10%.]

The Spirit Beast Chimera let out a low growl of fear. Its eyes widened in disbelief as it took a step back, its stats decreasing rapidly before it could even launch another attack on Elizabeth.

“What’s wrong? Afraid?” Elizabeth asked, her aura surging with quiet confidence.

“GRRR…! GRAAAHHH!” The Spirit Beast Chimera, however, did not let that intimidate it. It roared back fiercely and leaped forward once more.

Thunder, winds, fire, light beams, and shadow arrows all descended upon Elizabeth at once.

Skill Weaver activated, combining her Spells and Skills together in perfect harmony.

-----