-FAMILIARBEAST-

Finally we made it to the gate and waiting outside was a member of the System Association that greeted us and was there to confirm that the gate is closed when we are done. Also surrounding the area of the gate were numerous guards to stop normal civilians from stumbling in by mistake. 

Other hunters don't tend to steal gates from the Association as that's a quick way to lose your license. Of course it still happens but it's quite rare.

After Ban showed his license to the worker, we were let in and stepped through the gate.

Inside was a sprawling jungle, thick trees and dense brush was all around. Small snakes and other lizard-like creatures scurried away as we entered. 

"I will leave you two to decide how to deal with this gate. I will simply observe where I can and wont step in unless it seems like its too much for you to handle."

We already suspected this so both me and Carter scan our surroundings, getting an idea of where we are and any threats that might be around us.

"Let's figure out what kind of monsters we will be fighting here, then we can try to come up with a plan. I dont have any skills for surveillance so we are gonna have to do it the old fashion way, without skills."

While that does sound like lots of fun, I would rather do it in a much safer way.

"I have a skill that can help. Just give me a moment."

'Summon activated'

'Summoned Creature: Hunting Dog'

Blue light fades in and out by my side leaving a thick muscled dog in its wake. The creature is not supernatural in anyway but its more than enough to scout out our surroundings.

Sending out the command via the mental link between us, it sets off into the dense jungle. After doing a quick search of the surrounding area I report the dogs findings to Carter.

"It seems the monsters here are some kind of lizard beasts. They range from 2 to 4 feet tall and the smallest is at least 8 feet long. I can't sense if they are poisonous or not or any other interesting things aside from the fact that all the monsters are in that direction."

I point ahead of us. If they are all in that direction then its safe to say that if we follow that path then we will reach the boss.

"Let's head out then. That's a pretty helpful summon, have you had any interesting summons in your testing? Or is it all normal animals?"

I recall my summon before summoning another, hoping to get some kind of mystical creature to show instead of just telling. Plus it would be useful to have a good fighter to help us clear this gate.

'Summon activated'

'Summoned Creature: Panda'

The light fades to reveal a black and white panda. It slowly moves forward without any command and slumps down next to some bamboo that is growing in the jungle. I decide to wait a moment and let him have a bite or two before unsummoning him. It did a good job to lighten the mood from the eerie atmosphere the jungle gave.

'Summon activated'

'Summoned Creature: Mud Golem'

Instead of a swarm of light, the ground next to me began to shake and bend, almost liquid. From the ground emerged a golem made of pure mud. Its body was at least 8 feet tall and looked to be made of pure mud aside from the red gem in the center of its chest.

With our new friend we decided to set forth deeper into the jungle. This was also a good time to get my other spells ready. First I start casting close ranged spells. If I get a super good weapon or a super strong effect on my body then casting a buff to myself would be good but if I can't get anything good with a reasonable amount of mana then I should focus on buffing Carter.

'Close Ranged Spell activated: Rock Skin'

My skin's shade turns darker, rougher and eventually my skin has fully transformed into rock. I could try using the spell a few more times for a different result but this one is pretty decent so for now i will keep it. It's better to have a good defense like this when fighting an unknown monster anyway.

I offered my buff to Carter but he said he wants to hold off for now. If he always fights with my buffs then he will never know how strong he actually is. It's actually pretty admirable that he wants to use his own power and grow stronger so I don't push it and buff myself instead.

'Buff activated: +100 Strength'

Finally, I buffed myself about 12 times before I got something I wanted. It made a little dent in my mana but one for the first buff I got was a really good mana regeneration buff so I kept that while we walked for a while to regain the mana I spent on summoning. With this buff and my rock skin I should be able to go and fight the monsters hand to hand without many issues. This would also let me save my mana for the boss or any other emergencies.

We reached a small opening where the jungle seemed to be thinning. We haven't found any beasts yet but I had a feeling we were about to find our first ones soon.

The trees seemed to spread out a bit more and the brush looked flattened, almost like something massive had been laying here. I suppose we follow the path of the flattened bushes and shrubbery until we find something.

After another minute or so of walking with the golem in the lead and we find our first enemies.

To test the strength of these enemies we send the golem in first. The monsters are long 4 legged lizards. They are quick on their 4 short legs though and attack my golem without hesitation. Their feet sink into the golems muddy body and their fast movements are suddenly sealed. They try biting into the golem but just like their feet, their jaws sink into the mud and they can't pull them back out. 

The golem has all 3 of the lizards trapped in its muddy flesh. It has them trapped but I don't think it has a way to finish them off besides smothering them in more mud.

Carter sees that the golem can't finish off the monsters so he steps up to finish them off himself. After a swift victory we continue. Sometimes the golem would open the fight and allow us to get some easy fights. Other times I would open and beat down the lizards with my boosted strength and rock hard skin or Carter would beat them down with his fists.

Finally we spot something in the distance. It looks a bit familiar but i can't remember why. 

As we get closer the distant monster spots us and it finally clicks in my head. This looks like the basilisk I summoned before when testing with Roland and Mera. This one seems to be much larger though. It could swallow us whole if it really wanted to. 

"You want to test yourself right? I feel like I've tested my abilities pretty well with just the normal lizards but I can tell you've been holding back so you can try the boss yourself. Let me know if you want help."

Carter steps back from the area that is about to become the battleground for me and the large basilisk.

Right, let's get to work.

'Long Range Spell activated: Magic Dart'

A small dart, only a few inches long, shoots towards the basilisk but it deflects off its hard scales. My rock skin probably won't defend me much against such a large and strong opponent so while I throw some more long range spells I can try to get some kind of weapon so I can fight easier.

I fire 3 more long range spells and then a close ranged spell. A bolt of lightning, a spear made of stone and spikes erupting from the floor do little to stop the beast. My skin returns to normal and instead an aura of fire envelops my fist, it burns a deep orange and I can feel the heat radiating from it.

I pull my fist back, planning to make use of my strength boost and fire covered fist.

A few more seconds and the best will reach me, its mouth was already starting to open to swallow me whole.

The golem that had been waiting to the side jumped between us, launching itself into the beast's mouth. The basilisk closes its mouth, crushing the gem in the center of the summoned golem, spreading mud everywhere in its mouth.

With the mud congealing in its mouth, the basilisk decides that closing its mouth and bashing into me directly is a better idea, which is perfect for me to test out this flaming fist.

As the beast is about to hit, I pull back my fist and firmly plant my feet on the floor.

In the next instant all moments of the basilisk is stopped as if it smashed into an immovable object. That immovable object being my punch of course.

Like the bendy part of a straw, the basilisk's body folds into itself, splintering at multiple points where blood begins gushing out.

The creature makes no moves to escape as its body quickly goes limp. A large scorch mark on the beast's forehead marks the spot where my punch landed.

Ban appears next to me, clearly impressed.

"I didn't expect you to kill it in a single hit. And what kind of mage kills a boss with a punch?"

He teasingly pinches my arm as Carter joins the conversation.

"I suppose now we wait for a few minutes until the gate closes. Good work you two."

I feel like something is missing though… The boss is clearly dead and there aren't any other monsters in the dungeon, Ban confirmed that already…

"Heahehehe what makes you think you dogs are done fighting? This is your grave you stupid monk!"

The voice calls from next to the basilisk's corpse, the eerie laugh and the obvious threat directed to Ban causes us to all put our guard up. 

To call the man who called out to us a skeleton wouldn't be an understatement. He was deathly thin with ghostly white skin, he wore no shirt, exposing his starving figure. A necklace of bone hung from his neck and a large staff with a green gem that was carved into the figure of a skull on top was in his hand.

The skull shaped gem started glowing as a bad feeling started to fill the pit of my stomach.

"Rise and serve your purpose once again."

With this the basilisk's body begins to stir, twitching and pulsating. Soon it springs back to life, a green glow in its eyes as the beast rises from the dead.

END OF CHAPTER 15