70 Chapter 70: Aping Ou

Jogging toward the source of the explosion, I noted the fierce flames that ravaged large parts of the forest as well as the tremendous amount of mana emanating from the area.

Rank C monster at the very least, I thought to myself with a nod. A combination of dread and excitement curled in my gut, half of me filled with trepidation and the desire to run away, and the other half to challenge my limits and test my skills.

In any case, I had better start preparing for the battle ahead. Estimating that I was no longer more than a hundred meters away from the dudes, I began casting my summoning spells again. Best to be safe than sorry.

"!"

Ka-boom!

Throwing myself to the side, I watched as an entire grove of trees was incinerated by a massive fireball. Rolling to my feet, I narrowed my eyes and stared in the direction where it came from. Another huge torrent of flames swept toward me, only to terminate a few meters away. Despite the slight distance, I could feel the intense heat from where I was standing.

This wasn't good.

Chewing my lip, I went around the flames, hastening my pace. The monster's aura seemed to be strengthening, its mana surging as it conjured another bout of flames. I could hear shouts and screams from the other side.

"Get away!"

"AAAAAARGH!"

"Cindy!"

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"Stay back! It's too late for her!"

"WAAAAAH!"

The cries of humans were drowned out by a fearsome bellow. Picking up the pace, I vaulted over a huge wall of fire and landed on the other side. Glancing up, I saw a group of students wearing the same uniform as me combating an enormous creature that was over three meters tall. Red fur bristled all over its muscular body, and demonic crimson eyes blazed as it raised a hand to summon more flames. The damned monster looked like a giant ape…

Well, it was an ape. I recognized the Fiery Ape from an encyclopedic entry about monsters that I had read before. As expected of a rank C monster, it was capable of elemental magic. Its ability to manipulate fire made it a fearsome foe, one that I couldn't afford to underestimate. Narrowing my eyes, I channeled my mana and completed my summoning spell.

"!"

The Fiery Ape was just about to pulverize one of the poor dudes into a bloody pulp, but I directed my summoned Ursa Major at it, the huge bear barreling into the Fiery Ape and knocking it over. The guy I had just rescued stared at me blankly, as if he didn't understand what was going on.

"You…" he began, and then his eyes widened in recognition. "You're Richard!"

"Yo," I replied with a wave. Before I could turn my attention back to the duel between my Ursa Major and the Fiery Ape, I realized I recognized the guy too. "You're…Elliot?"

I recalled Elliot being part of Alicia's party the last time he was out on a mission. Glancing around, I was slightly disappointed to see that she wasn't here today.

"Oh, President Alicia is busy with handling matters regarding Instructor Feng Hai's visit," Elliot explained, as if he had read my mind. I gaped at him, and he shrugged. "You seem to be looking for someone, and I assume it was her."

By now the rumors about me and Alicia had spread pretty far and wide. I had done my best to steer clear of them, but it seemed that Alicia hadn't bothered to deny the rumors. Then again, she was helping me out, what with Cecilia throwing that stupid curveball of a declaration. As long as I seemed to be with Alicia, Cecilia wouldn't bother with me…though, honestly, it seemed that the daughter of the Stuart clan had lost all interest in me and I didn't have to worry about some stupid romantic comedy clichés. This was reality, after all. I wasn't the only guy who existed in this world, and no female person was brainless enough to throw herself at me just because I was the protagonist.

"What about Nicholas and Jin Hao?" I asked, looking around and trying to shift the subject matter before Elliot could make fun of me. To be fair, that was the last thing on his mind. Not when he had a bloody Fiery Ape literally breathing fire on our necks. Honestly, that didn't cross my mind either.

Currently, I was focused on Ursa Major wrestling with the Fiery Ape and actually losing. Not in a contest of strength, but because the Fiery Ape was burning my poor Constellation spirit in flames. As sturdy as Ursa Major was, even he wouldn't survive being roasted like that for extended periods of time.

Gritting my teeth, I completed yet another second summoning spell as hurriedly as I could. Canis Major leaped up and slammed into the Fiery Ape, knocking it over.

"Here." Having been granted a brief respite, I risked turning away (then again, my mental connection with my Constellation spirits allowed me to keep an eye on the battle at all time, whether my actual physical body was watching or not). Nicholas was limping toward me and waving. He shook his head with a weary grin. "Looks like you're to save us again."

"A mere coincidence, I assure you."

That probably was a good thing. If Alicia was present, people would start to think I was actually stalking her when they noticed that I always happened to show up whenever she was in trouble.

"Are you guys all right?" I asked, not caring about those trivial matters right now. Teenage angst was just stupid, if you ask me. More importantly, I was more concerned about the wellbeing of my schoolmates, but some teenage part of my mind that had yet to fully integrated with my thirty-over-something self continued to nag at me annoyingly. I wished it would shut up.

"We had some casualties…would have suffered more if you didn't show up." Jin Hao was sitting a few meters away, grimacing as he rubbed his bloodied leg. From those serious wounds and torn trousers leg, I doubt he would be standing up anytime soon. At least it wasn't twisted in an unnatural angle. That would be bad.

I nodded, noticing a few corpses here and there. Or at least students who were unmoving. As much as I wanted to check on them, the Fiery Ape was occupying my attention at the moment. A torrent of flames washed over Ursa Major, and finally reduced him to cinders. I winced as the gigantic bear disappeared.

"Canis Major! Unleash Sirius!" I shouted. The gigantic hunting hound obeyed, jumping backward as a golden ball of energy accumulated inside his jaws. In the next few seconds, he released a golden beam of power at the same time as the Fiery Ape, who was launching a fireball. Both ranged attacks collided and exploded.

I frowned as I studied the battle. From this, I could see that my Constellation spirits were at least on par with a rank C monster. But at the current rate we were going, they would be locked in a stalemate. I debated on whether I should summon another Constellation spirit to help Canis Major, or summon something more powerful.

The choice was made for me. The Fiery Ape, with surprising tenacity, brushed through the explosion and flames and charged at my stunned Canis Major. Before the huge hound could react, the Fiery Ape grabbed hold of him and smashed his back against its knee.

Crack!

An ominous sound echoed across the forest. I watched in horror as the Fiery Ape snapped Canis Major's back and the hunting hound disappeared with a whine.

"You've got to be kidding me…" I muttered. A rank C monster, and already it was overpowering my poor Constellation spirits? Looked like I still had a long way to go. I was aware that the power of my Constellation spirits and soul beasts were completely dependent on my own strength – they weren't going to be godlike just because I imagined them to be. Obviously if I didn't possess the mana to supply their existence, then they would only be as powerful as the amount of magical energy I provided to keep them in this physical plane.

The Fiery Ape turned toward us, holding up a hand that was crackling with flames. Never mind that it had just charged through the flames of its own making. The bastard only escaped with singed fur at worst. I felt a chill run down my back.

Forget about summoning my big guns. I didn't have enough time to summon my usual Constellation spirits.

The Fiery Ape flung a gigantic fireball in our direction. Gritting my teeth, and realizing that there were wounded around me – such as Jin Hao who couldn't move or dodge – I stood my ground and summoned Aquarius. Swinging the blue broadsword, I unleashed a tidal wave at the incoming torrent of flames, but they vaporized into steam at the instant of contact.

Aquarius's water attack wasn't enough!

Worse, the Fiery Ape didn't care about its attack being blocked. It was already charging at us. Bursting through the flames that I was struggling to extinguish, the Fiery Ape smacked me away with a swing from its arm. I blocked its brutal swipe, but its massive hand easily shattered Aquarius and hurled me across the forest.

"Ugh!"

Blood spurted from my mouth as I struck and mowed down a tree, the thick trunk toppling over me. Dazed, I struggled to get up, but found myself pinned by the large tree. To my relief, before I could begin channeling mana into my arms to temporarily strengthen myself and toss it off, the heavy tree trunk was lifted off me.

The Fiery Ape was the one who had "kindly" lifted the trunk off me. And now it was raising it to swing it down and squash me into a pulp. I gritted my teeth and began to quickly summon Scutum Sobiescianum, but wasn't sure if I would make it in time…

Boom!

A lightning bolt snaked out of nowhere and struck against the side of the Fiery Ape's head, detonating. The rank C brute grunted, stunned by the unexpected impact, and swiveled around to see Jin Hao, who had his smoking hand raised.

"Whoops?" the black-haired guy muttered with a sheepish smile. With his leg wounded, there was no way he could move and evade the Fiery Ape's attack that was coming. Already it was lumbering toward him with a vengeance.

Before the Fiery Ape could swat him with its tree trunk, Nicholas suddenly appeared and kicked its face, causing its head to snap backward. Streaking around the Fiery Ape like a meteor, he rained down several kicks on the annoyed beast, but it seemed that the monster was more annoyed than hurt by his attempts.

"Whoa!"

Nicholas was forced to dodge under the Fiery Ape's makeshift club. The beast swung its wooden weapon again, and this time Nicholas was a fraction of a second too slow…

Bam!

Elliot swung his axe down, forcing the Fiery Ape to turn and face him. Initially, the creature parried Elliot's axe with its makeshift club, but the powerful weapon reduced the uprooted trunk into splinters. Grunting, the Fiery Ape stumbled backward as Elliot sought to press his advantage, cleaving downward with his glowing axe.

However, the Fiery Ape still had tricks of its own. The monster gripped his Divine Device with flaming palms, stopping the deadly blade just inches away from its face. With its superior strength, it flung Elliot back, but he flipped around and landed on a tree branch before jumping away as the Fiery Ape smashed the poor tree apart with its flaming fist, reducing it to cinders and ash.

"You okay?" Nicholas asked me as he danced on the ground, getting ready to kick the Fiery Ape again. Right now its focus was on poor Elliot, but Jin Hao distracted it with another well-aimed lightning bolt. Several of the other survivors were helping him, and I could see icicles, wind blades, earth spikes and razor leaves slamming into the Fiery Ape.

However, they were pitiful compared to the blazing aura that wreathed the rank C monster protectively. Anything that reached it was incinerated instantly, reduced to dust by the flaming aura.

"Yeah." I nodded and rose to my feet, wiping the blood from my mouth. I still felt a little shaken from the near-death experience. Studying the carnage before me as the Fiery Ape killed another poor student with its fiery fist because she could escape, I took a deep breath and hardened my resolve. "Can you guys hold that bastard off for three minutes?"

"Three minutes?" Nicholas stared at me blankly, then his eyes widened when realization dawned on him. "You mean you are going to…?"

"Yeah," I replied grimly. "It's the only way we'll stand a chance against that monster."