41 The Lulator

"GAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

A bloodcurdling roar echoed through the air. The clouds began to darken and in a few seconds, it began pouring.

"Looks like we are going to have to delay our battle for now," Marth said as he placed his hand on his sword.

"As much as I don't want to agree, you're right. But don't think blindly charging forward is going to get you anywhere."

I looked over at the Lulator, which had completely surfaced from the lake. To think something so big would be living in a giant lake like this.

"If we are gonna want to fight again, we are going to have to kill that thing. But first, we need a plan. Marth, I assume you know something about this monster."

"Sorry Seiya, all I know is that it is born from a legendary creature. But if I were to guess, its shell would be impervious to our attacks. After all, it just regenerated like our attacks never even happened in the first place."

"So it's basically impenetrable. What about its tentacles?"

"Well, I'm guessing they will regenerate."

"Only one way to find out."

I faced my palm towards the Lulator and fired a bombardment of Scarlet Bullets. I felt a wave of energy coming from my side and Marth was standing there firing blue energy bullets.

Our bullets were focused on one of the Lulator's legs. Smoke began to pile up as our bullets collided with the Lulator's leg.

When he halted our attack, we watched as the Lulator fell on one side. I was about to assume that it can't regenerate until it lifted itself back up. I then noticed that the leg or tentacles we hit were quickly regenerating.

"Well, guess you're right."

"Thank you."

I sighed and crossed my arms. How the hell are we going to take this thing out? First of all, is this thing even hostile? I mean, if it is an S rank, it is bound to be hostile.

Soon enough, two tentacles headed straight towards us. I quickly drew my Katana and swung, perfectly parrying the tentacle and cutting it off.

"Maybe aiming for the head can kill it," I suggested as I lifted my palm, ready to fire another round of Scarlet Bullets until Marth grabbed my wrist.

"Don't. You'll just be wasting your mana."

I looked at him and he had a serious look in his eye.

"Let go of me."

Marth let go and I sheathed my Katana.

"If only we had someone who has studied monsters," Marth said as he sliced off another wave of tentacles.

An expert, huh? Who would be smart enough to know about a Lulator?

Five tentacles came flying at me and I slashed every single one of them. I didn't manage to take one of them out and parried it instead. The tentacle bounced off my sword and dug into the sandy ground.

Sand… crap… as much as I don't want to, he's the only person that I could think of that would know about monsters. After all, he keeps recommending me encyclopedias.

"I think I have a guy. But that depends if he is still here or not."

"Hmm? And who would that be?"

"Well…"

***

When we arrived at a large field, there was fire, ice, and lightning everywhere. Stone spikes protruded from the ground and debris was everywhere.

Either this was the results of my doing, or the girls were going wild and not holding a single ounce of their power back.

I looked to the side and Ordos was laying down with his head in the ground. What an idiot, he didn't even survive.

I walked over to him and nudge him. No response. Is he… sleeping?

"Hey, wake up you nincompoop."

Ordos didn't move. Either he was dead, or just in deep sleep.

After calling him other retarded names, I decided to go with the last resort.

Bmmmm~

"Ahh, no, not here!" A muffled scream came from the ground and I shook my head. This idiot.

After I pulled Ordos out of the ground, he took several deep breaths and even drank his potions. I noticed he had several bruises marked on his body.

"How'd it go?" I'd ask him and he glared at me.

"How'd it go? I ALMOST DIED! THOSE TWO ARE TOO FRICKIN STRONG! HOW IS SHE ABLE TO TAKE ALL THREE OF US AT THE SAME TIME?! THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS ABLE TO MATCH HER WAS AURELIA! HOW THE HELL ARE THEY SO FAST AND STRONG?!"

I'd hear an explosion erupt in the background. In a matter of seconds, a huge gust of wind blasted on my face. I managed to create a mana barrier, shielding against the force. After that, a large rock mountain collapse, and a bright light unfolded along with a dim figure with multiple tails and 4 fiery orbs around her. Wait a minute, isn't that-?

"Hmm, not even we have gotten that far. Looks like they're fighting a bit too seriously," Marth said as he looked at the two.

"So, her spirito is a kitsune?" I asked, but Marth shook his head.

"No. She is actually a kitsune herself. Her spirito is completely different."

"And what is that?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

I looked back at Katelin but I didn't notice anything besides that she has multiple tails and those orbs that kitsunes have.

As I looked at her closer, I noticed that her feet were shaped weirdly. It's almost as if they were bird claws.

"You really need me to say it for you? Katelin's spirito is a harpy."

"Huh, I did not know that."

Clang!

Boom!

Another explosion erupted as Aurelia and Katelin clashed. I don't think we should interrupt them.

"Alright Ordos, come along, we need you for something?"

"Yes, anything but getting in the crossfire."

"Hey by the way, what happened to Mia?"

"Mia? Oh... she was taken out pretty quickly just a few minutes after we encountered her."

"I see."

Hmm, I didn't expect Mia to be taken out so quickly. If it was Ordos, then maybe.

"Hey, you're thinking something bad about me, aren't you?"

"Don't be stupid, let's go."

***

The look on Ordos' face was priceless. His eyes and his jaw was wide open and he was acting tense.

"Y-you guys awoken this thing?"

I shook my head and Ordos facepalmed.

"You guys awoke the one creature that could be considered immortal. You guys brought me to tell you how to defeat this thing?"

"That... is precisely why we brought you here. If you have no use helping Aurelia, then at least tell us how to kill this thing," I answered him.

Ordos rubbed his chin with an anxious look on his face.

"Ordos, don't tell me you don't know how to kill this thing."

"What? Of course, I do, I read everything about this thing. The only problem is how you are gonna kill it."

"And that is?"

"Now, normally people would think of taking out the head will solve the problem, but that's not the case for most S-rank monsters, like this one."

Ordos continued to explain.

"To kill a Lulator, you need to destroy its heart. But that problem is that with its near impenetrable shell, it will be impossible to infiltrate through it."

Hmm... I'm getting a feeling that this is going to be bad.

"So, how do we destroy its heart?"

"Well- WATCH OUT!"

A wave of tentacles went towards us. I turned and fired a wave of Scarlet Bullets mixed in with Marth's magic.

The tentacles melting to the ground and smell like seafood. Oh jeez, I could probably make something out of that, but after seeing it melt I lost my appetite.

"Anyway, continue."

"R-right. However, I don't think you will like what you hear."

"Just speak already."

"Fine, to kill it, you'll have to destroy its heart from the inside. And to get into the inside-"

"You'll have to get eaten," Marth said, finishing Ordos' sentence. I could tell even he was nervous because his face said so.

Get eaten. That is not something I want to hear.

"Lulators are carnivores, so they eat both plants and meat. But the thing is that when they eat another monster or mortal, they don't bite or chew on them unless necessary, you go directly to the stomach. It's not confirmed, but they also feed on memories when an entity enters their body. And even worse, they eat anything that is metal as well, so our bracelets will dissolve once we enter."

"What about weapons?"

"That's safe. It only eats bronze anyway. Anything other than bronze will stay the way it is."

It's a good thing I don't have my bracelet.

"Now, I don't know about you guys, but we should just wait till the exam is over and then let the teachers finish it. They probably have the firepower to destroy this thing," Ordos said in a panicky tone. He'd slowly try to walk away from us, but I stopped him.

"Don't be a coward, unless you really are a deadweight."

Ordos began to heat up and turned around, glaring at me.

"I'm being serious. If you really want to take it out, then go do it yourself."

"Then maybe I will."

"Don't be stupid, Seiya! You don't even have your bracelet on! Sure it may disappear once you enter but the effects will still work as long as there is still a part of it left. Seiya, once you enter, you'll die for real. This isn't a game, and you know it."

"And what if the teachers don't have the ability to take it out? You want it to rampage?"

"Lulators don't walk on land Seiya. They only stay in the water. In a lake like this, it's going to be stationary. But anything it sees, it will go after."

"A little memory loss won't affect me. I just need to get in and then get out. That's all I have to do."

"I don't think it is going to be that easy and going in alone is suicide. What would Aurelia say?"

I'd let go of him and back away.

"Are you really gonna go throw your life away after you just confessed? What the hell is she gonna say, Seiya?"

"..."

I was silent. He's right. What would she say?

"If I were to guess, she would definitely not let you go, unless you have a bracelet, that is."

A bracelet. Yeah, that would help but only for a while. However, I gave mine to Aurelia because I broke hers. When I enter, I'll lose my memories and I'll be vulnerable to death. I just need to find a way to at least protect myself from one of those outcomes.

"Then I'll ask her myself."

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