And the Frost Javelin struck the side of its head.
The Horned Viper did not see the attack coming. And why would it? Vipers had infrared vision which let them see at night, but the spear was ice cold. Practically invisible compared to the Fireball. This Monster might not have had the same biology of a regular snake, but I had tested it, and came to the conclusion that it at least saw the very same way as one.
So the Frost Javelin had lanced out at the Monster while it was not looking, piercing it right next to the horn. It flinched, its entire body jerking back as the pain spread throughout it.
The Horned Viper thrashed about for a moment, before raising its second head to crush me. I leapt to the side, leaving behind the Explosive Orbs in my stead. I felt the blast go off at my back as I readied another spell.
I whirled around, casting a quick glance at the second head of the Horned Viper. Even together, the force of the explosion from the Explosive Orbs was still slightly weaker than a Fireball. However, it was enough to obliterate a quarter of the Monster’s second head. I had expected to see bits of brain or a half open skull, but only saw tendons and muscles where it was supposed to be. So it only has one real head....
I focused my attacks on the Horned Viper’s intact head. The Frost Javelin had already dissipated, leaving behind a large open wound where it once was. The Monster looked at me. Its tail— the fake second head— destroyed and lying idly behind it. Blood was pouring out from the gash at the side of its true head. It was not going to win. There was no way it was going to win.
And yet, the Horned Viper’s eyes flashed. It stared down at me with a hate-filled gaze. It opened its mouth once again and charged straight at me, its rage pushing it to go against its natural instinct to survive.
I brought both of my hands together, clutching at the staff. It had been Victor’s staff once, but it was mine now. Just like how I knew every spell in the former Dark Acolyte’s repertoire, and more. I had not spent countless hours studying and training in secret while traveling for naught.
It was so easy to learn magic despite being inhibited by the world itself when I literally was the most powerful spellcaster in the world— or at least, I thought I was. As long as that fake god did not trick me when he granted my request, I was certain that my quick mastery over the various fields of magic was truly unique. Beyond prodigal. And so far, I had no reason to doubt this fact.
Lighting. True lightning that fell from the heavens came crashing down at the Horned Viper. It took longer for me to cast than even a Fireball. But it was the most powerful spell I currently knew.
Unlike the other magicks I had read about— ones that summoned a storm of meteors that rained down from the sky, or conjured a blizzard of hail the size of spears and swords— this was a spell that was actually taught in the grimoires I owned. Not only that, it was something that I could practice when protected under the guise of rain.
So I called down the lighting onto the charging Monster. There was a flash of light, followed by the air ripping in a rolling grumble. It struck true and at the very tip of the Monster’s horn. Electricity crackled, being discharged into the surroundings as the Horned Viper fell limp from the spell— its attack completely halted.
It landed right next to me, the scales throughout its body burnt off by the electric current. Its eyes rolled up in its head as it lay there, dead.
I grimaced, the smell of the overcooked corpse almost overwhelming; I tried to cover my nose, only to catch myself from knocking my fingers onto my mask. I remembered about it this time, only because of the perspiration forming on the side of my face.
I was not tired yet, but it was stuffy because of my mask, and the humidity only made it worse. The fight had worked up more off a sweat than it normally would have, although I nearly did panic for a moment thinking I was going to die at the very beginning. It took everything I had to kill the Horned Viper, and although I did not feel my control over mana weakening due to exhaustion, I found it worrying that my first battle had been as difficult as it was.
I worried over this as I quickly went over to put out the fire patches I had caused all around. Most of them had already been put out due to the small size of the flames, and even the larger fires caused by my Flame Wall and Fireball were reduced in size when I got there to extinguish it.
As the last of the fires went out, I finally decided to press forward; going back seemed tempting, since it was the safest option, but I had already gone this far. However, I told myself that if I continued to find myself pushed up against the wall by powerful Monsters, I would make a hasty retreat back to Locke.
Fortunately, I found that that was not necessary.
After a short break, I continued towards the mountains in the distance mostly unhindered. The rare Monsters that attacked me were nothing compared to the Horned Viper I faced, and were quickly disposed of by a Wind Blade or a Magic Missile. Horned Rabbits came at me with their terrifying
