"D-Don't worry, Mama. I'm fine," William said through gritted teeth as he pressed his hand against his side to put pressure on the wound. He was about to take a potion from his storage ring to help close his wound when he felt another bout of killing intent from his left and right side.
Clearly, Psoglav was well-versed in fighting humans. It knew that humans often carried healing potions with them. The demonic creature had no intention of letting William treat his wound and pressed on with its attacks.
Ella bleated in fury as it charged at the demonic creature in front of her. William firmly gripped the wooden staff in his hand, while pressing down on his wound. He couldn't afford to lose his concentration at this point in time.
One mistake and it would be over for them.
The "Union of Man and Beast" skill from the Cavalier Job Class allowed William to remain seated on Ella's back even though he wasn't using any reins or holding onto her body. This gave him the freedom to use both his hands to battle while riding on her back.
Ella clashed against the doppelganger and sent it flying into the air. Psoglav, on the other hand, used a darkness whip to wrap around William's body. It then tried to pull William off Ella's back, but the skill of the Cavalier Class prevented the demonic creature from dismounting him.
The only time this skill would be broken was when either the rider or the mount died. As long as both of them drew breath, none could separate them!
Since its plan didn't work, the demonic creature jumped into a tree and used a tree branch to hoist William's body by force.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" William screamed as he felt his body being stretched to the limit. The wound on his side worsened and blood once again drenched his clothes.
Hearing her baby cry in pain, Ella opened her mouth and used her one and only ranged skill "Benevolent Burst".
-----
< Benevolent Burst >
-- Fires a concentrated ball of energy towards the enemy
-- Damage dealt is equivalent to Intelligence x 3
-- Deals double damage against undead, spectres, and dark type creatures.
------
The energy ball the size of a basketball ball obliterated the tree branch and the dark whip that bound William's body.
Ella fired two more shots. The first shot destroyed the tree, while the second hit Psoglav squarely in the chest, sending him slamming towards several trees while howling in pain.
William spat a mouthful of blood after he was released from his torment. The searing pain in his upper body would have driven any normal fourteen-year-old to their knees, but William was no ordinary boy.
He gritted his teeth as he ordered Ella to charge forward.
"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeh!"
Ella initiated her Wild Charge as it attempted to murder the creature who dared to hurt William.
However, Psoglav and his doppleganger already had a plan in mind. Both demonic creatures shot out red beams of light from the single eye in their foreheads, while their hands conjured two Void Arrows.
The first beam of light landed on Ella causing her to stop her charge, the second one landed on William's back causing the boy's body to lurch forward.
"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!"
Two screams of madness reverberated in the forest as the "Confuse Rays" hit their target. William and Ella entered a berserked state due to their enemy's curse.
The two void arrows also hit their designated targets. Dark mists oozed out of William's eye as his world plunged into darkness. Ella, on the other hand, was able to resist the blind spell, but it wouldn't change the fact that she was still in a berserk state.
Ella attempted to dismount William from her back as the berserk spell overwhelmed her rationality. The boy, on the other hand, swayed dangerously back and forth on her back, but the skill "Union of Man and Beast" prevented him from being tossed away.
Psoglav howled in fury as it lunged forward for the kill. Its eyes had locked on William's neck as it raised its bastard sword high up in the air.
Andy wasn't able to endure any longer and he jumped forward to assist the boy. However, a gust of wind pushed him back as a Winged Lion blocked his path.
"Human, we have an agreement," the Winged Lion said with a sneer. "Are you planning to break it?"
"F*ck your mother!" Andy cursed out loud.
The Winged Lion ignored him and looked at Grent. Since he was the leader of the examiners, the Winged Lion gave him the "Do your job properly or else" glare.
Grent had no choice but to knock Andy unconscious to prevent him from breaking the agreement. Both sides didn't want to escalate the issue and watched as the final clash between the two was about to draw to a close.
When Psoglav was only ten meters away from William, Ella's horns suddenly doubled in size. The War Ibex locked her bloodshot eyes on the demonic creature and gave a deafening war cry as it charged forward.
"Damn!" Psoglav was about to use his darkness whip to escape when a voice, that was filled with determination, reached his ears.
"Duel Ex!" William, who was supposed to be under the Berserk and Blind Spells, sneered.
As a disciple of a Dark Sorceress, it would be very shameful if he allowed himself to be affected by curses. Yes, the spells did indeed take effect. But, Celine had already taught William how to use these curses to his advantage.
It was also a very effective way to trick the enemy into thinking that they had succeeded. Naturally, this was a gamble. However, this was a gamble that they had won.
Due to Ella entering a berserk state, all of her stats were multiplied by 3.
This was a boon to Ella who was unable to receive William's buffs. Ella had learned how to harness this overwhelming power while under the effects of the Berserk Spell. Everything she did earlier was just an act.
Now, Psoglav was facing Ella's Rampage. It was her most powerful skill that brought out every bit of her power in a single strike. Now, that same full-powered-attack was now multiplied by three. It was more than enough to send the demonic creature to the afterlife!
"Die!" William roared as he raised his staff to block the doppelganger's attack behind him.
Ella's horns were about to pierce through Psoglav's chest and end its life when an overwhelming presence grabbed Psoglav and threw him to the side.
A giant hand then pressed down on Ella, holding her charge at bay, but it didn't make any move to hurt her.
William's eyes widened in shock as he looked up on the monstrous creature in front of him. It seemed to be a Giant Ape with two protruding horns on its head. It also had a tail, but this tail was a serpent who looked down on William as if wanting to take a bite of him.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Grent roared as he dropped down from the sky. "I thought we had an agreement?!"
The creature scoffed and removed its hand from Ella's horns.
William gulped his saliva as he used his appraisal skill to identify this creature in front of him.
-----
Diabolical Hell Ape
-- Underworld Creature
-- Threat Level: SS (High)
-- Millennial Beast
-- Cannot be added to the herd
-- This creature was born from the underworld and it has reached its rank through constant battles.
-- According to legend, the Diabolical Hell Ape was a creature that could crush mountains with a single punch. The strength it possesses is stronger than its counterpart the Oroubro (Golden Ape). Another major difference between the two was that the Diabolical Hell Ape focuses on offense, unlike the Oroubro that is an all rounder.
-- The horns on its head are able to generate the fires of hell which can then be used to coat its body in flames, making it a very tough opponent to fight in close combat.
-- Its tail, that has earned the moniker "Inferno Serpent", can spit out fire blasts, and poison sprays, that are capable of incinerating a level A creature with a single strike.
-- This creature has no known weakness.
-----
As if feeling William's stare, the Diabolical Hell Ape glanced at the boy which sent shivers down William's spine.
A few seconds later, its eyes glowed like burning embers that lasted only for a brief moment.
William's body swayed as he lost consciousness. Ella, too, had been affected by the Diabolical Ape's eyes and was about to fall to the side when the giant's hand prevented her from falling completely.
Grent rushed out to take hold of the boy mounted on the War Ibex's back, so that he wouldn't be crushed by his own mount as it fell. Surprisingly, after both William and Ella were knocked unconscious, the skill "Union of Man and Beast" also lost its effect.
"I demand an explanation," Grent said as he passed the unconscious William over to Layla. "Why did you interfere?"
The ape gently supported Ella's body as it laid her sideways on the forest floor. It gave William a side-long glance before looking at the leader of the examiners.
"Since we were the first ones to break the agreement, I will personally give the boy compensation," The Diabolical Hell Ape replied using telepathy. It made sure that its answer was heard by everyone, men and beast alike.
It was the true Sovereign of the Forest, and all the rulers were his subordinates. It would not allow any of them to die. This was its duty as the Guardian. Even the Principal of the Royal Academy had no choice but to give it face in order to prevent full-blown hostilities from happening.
"This matter ends here." The Diabolical Hell Ape made a gesture and the other Rulers of the Forest returned to their territories. It then grabbed the seriously injured Psoglav before walking into the depths of the forest.
Grent stood there, gnashing his teeth as he watched the Sovereign of the Forest leave. He would like to nag at it for a while to vent out his frustrations, but the creature paid him no mind.
"What do we do now?" Layla asked. "The third trial is about to start, but I doubt that this boy will be in any condition to participate in it."
Grent pondered for a while before giving his order.
"The other examiners, return to your duties and conduct the third trial," Grent ordered. "As for this boy, I will let the Dean of the Royal Academy decide his fate."