Screeeee! Screeches rang out as Amber stepped onto the podium, the slew of rats surrounding the final dungeon boss shooting toward her maniacally.
"Hmm, I'm not afraid of you," Amber whispered, her eyes darting to the charging figures. From the aura they radiated, she could tell they ranged from level ten to twenty. Individually, they didn't pose much danger to her, but their numbers more than made up for it. A pain in the ass to others, but not to her—at least, not anymore.
She smirked, remembering Aurelian's words: You have yet to unleash the full scope of your talent. She hadn't understood what he meant earlier, but she did now. Just moments ago, she had discovered a new trick, one she was sure the rats were going to like.
Raising her hands, she stretched them out, fists pointed at the charging horde. The playful smirk on her face widened as she whispered, "Go!"
As the words parted from her lips, a mystical change unraveled. The purple light encasing her fists flared into a resplendent glow, the sharp shards stretching outward, buzzing intensely, then—boom!
A series of rippling shockwaves echoed out as the shards launched forth, tearing through the charging beasts as though their flesh were paper.
The air hissed violently as streams of purple shards flew out, raining on everything in their path.
"Beautiful," Amber muttered, a soft giggle escaping her lips as she stared at the carnage before her, the blood sputtering from the dead beasts, the bits of bone and flesh scattered around, and most importantly, the slew of notifications popping up in front of her. All of it scratched an itch she never knew she had, as the realization dawned on her.
She really did hold the power of life and death over these creatures. What once had been so far beyond her reach was now firmly within her grasp. This… this was true power, she mused.
Grrrrrrrrrh! A guttural growl echoed out, drawing her attention back. The monstrous dungeon boss Tunnel Rat roared, watching all its minions reduced to scraps of flesh and blood, all by the lone figure standing before it.
The ground beneath it caved in as webs of spider-line cracks spread outward. The Tunnel Rat shot forth, its body streaming through the air, charging straight at Amber.
"Right!" Amber blinked, her eyes glowing faintly as she synced her thoughts with the purple shards scattered around the battlefield. She exhaled, "Retract!"
The shards buzzed at her call, rising into the air before dissipating into wisps of purple energy and latching back onto her. Her armor grew denser as more shards reformed around her knuckles, waiting for her command.
But she didn't have time to relaunch them. The massive rat closed in, crossing the five-metre mark, its maw wide open to reveal razor-sharp teeth as it lunged forward.
Without a second thought, Amber lunged to meet it, clenching her fingers into fists before slamming them down on its head. A shockwave rippled out from the collision, and for an instant, a stalemate held, until the Tunnel Rat roared, sending Amber flying back, her body sprawling across the floor.
It followed up its attack with streams of yellowish liquid that shot from its mouth. Wherever it landed, sizzling sounds echoed as the ground burned.
"Acid?" Amber muttered, scrambling to get up. She dodged to the side, barely avoiding the attack, though part of her robe dissolved under the corrosive liquid. Her brows furrowed into a frown.
This was bad. Really bad. The beast's natural defenses far outmatched any she had ever fought before. Its thick skin was tougher than her damage output. Unless it decided to stand still and let her pummel it to death, she wasn't likely to defeat it in close combat.
"Think… think… think," Amber breathed, flicking her wrists as her figure blurred. Two copies formed beside her after her previous illusions had been destroyed by the horde of minions.
Before long, twenty mirages surrounded her, distracting the Tunnel Rat boss and giving her time to think.
What if she charged it with the purple shards, the same way she had against its minions? It seemed like a long shot, but it was the only plan she had.
Slipping out of range, she put a large chunk of distance between them and sought cover behind a massive rock. Inhaling sharply, she poised her fists for attack and issued the command. The scene replayed itself—though far less beautifully.
The Tunnel Rat lost all interest in the mirages, locking onto her true body with satisfaction before rocketing toward her.
Amber's eyes widened in shock, her face scrunching up. She had known the shards wouldn't deal much damage, but not to the extent that the beast would charge at her unfazed, shrugging off the barrage of attacks as if they were nothing.
"How is it that tough?" she mumbled, dodging to the side just in time as the rat's claws slashed through the rock as though it were nothing.
The situation escalated quickly. Amber was forced onto the defensive, dodging attack after attack while sneaking in strikes of her own.
All of which turned out to be useless, leaving only faint scratches across its frame. Her stamina began to wear down; attacks she once dodged with ease now struck true. Cuts and bloody marks spread across her figure. She was losing—and the Tunnel Rat knew it too. Its strikes turned casual, almost playful, as though toying with her. If this continued, she was bound to lose… meaning Aurelian would have to step in and save her again.
"No… no, no… I can't let that happen," Amber blubbered. That would defeat the very purpose she had been trying to prove to herself and undermine all her efforts. What good was power if she had to rely on someone else to always save her? Wouldn't she always remain a burden?!
"Noooooooooo!" Amber yelled, suddenly snapping. Her emotions boiled over, and in that moment a beat of clarity washed over her. She fully synced with her talent, its secrets unraveling inside her as her irises lit up in incandescent purple. Inspiration washed through her mind before she regained her senses. It all unfolded in seconds.
"I've been doing it wrong this whole time," she whispered, lost in thought. The Tunnel Rat swiped its tail, but she dodged easily, as though by instinct, as if she had done it a thousand times before.
"I don't just bend reality into illusion. I warp illusion into reality… with my fists!"
Her glowing purple eyes locked onto the beast's. Instead of dodging, she snapped her fingers.
The Tunnel Rat suddenly veered off course, slamming headfirst into a battered rock and ramming into it again and again.
"Planting illusion in its head with a single glance?" Amber whispered in awe. Just willing it to fight something else—replacing herself with another target.
But the cost wasn't pleasant. She felt her stamina drain rapidly. It wouldn't be long before she collapsed. Still, she wasn't going to stop now. This was where her fists came into play.
Without hesitation, she sprang forward, latching onto the rat's head and raining punches down on it. One punch was useless, but slamming repeatedly at the same spot yielded results. While the beast thrashed at the illusion, its skull slowly cracked under the onslaught.
Hairline fractures spread across its surface as Amber's fists blurred into mirages.
The purple shards cloaking her knuckles chipped away, but she pressed on, disregarding the damage to herself. Finally, the cracks shattered as her fists tore a hole into its skull, ramming straight into its brain.
The accumulated waves of pain surged across the beast's body, breaking the illusion instantly, but it was too late.
It shook Amber off, who could barely hold on, and thrashed wildly. Piercing screeches erupted before it finally collapsed to the ground, lifeless, a gory scene unfolding.
Amber dropped with it, the purple light in her eyes and armor fading away. Completely spent, she struggled to keep her eyes open against the crushing fatigue. Yet as a familiar figure blinked into sight, a smile cracked her lips as she whispered, "I… d-did… it!"