C132: End of the Abyss P14

C132: End of the Abyss P14

Overall Word count = 2765 on 8/21/2024.

Alt Title teaser : Healing….

Amphisbaena's core was deposited next to Axel when the dungeon began to shake again. Two spots began to crack and split apart until from the ground near where Amphisbaena was, udeaus rears its skeleton head, meanwhile behind the ground, on the other side of the floor, the Balor let's out a resounding roar.

Udeaus was already a black skeleton with red eyes and joints but this time around, it's whole body is red similarly to Amphisbaena but Axel can't outright tell if that is due to any sort of magic affinity or anything. Axel is quite confused as this time around, it's giant magic core is clearly within it's rib cage when before it was hidden in it's skull. He had asked around the guild after their group had finally returned after killing Udeaus and Balor the last time around and found that this is how the Udeaus is typically. They chalked his situation up to some sort of special condition. Which makes sense since Udeaus is missing his sword this time around.

Axel expects that it would be more agile and dexterous without its sword though its strength might be decreased. Of course these observations only apply if this was a normal Udeaus but this one is all red like a strengthened species. He can roughly expect that even with all his observations, this version would be at least twice as strong fast and all other conditions as compared to the regular one. Unlike the normal Udeaus, this one is crawling forward, splitting apart the ground from where it spawned. It's slow but it is making distance.

Axel then turns to observe the Balor. Frankly, the goat Rex was a bit of a disappointment when he fought him last. It's similar to the Goliath in stature with red skin and fur around its neck like a Minotaur. It had demonic horns on its head and sizable wings upon its back that it used to stab or cut with since it has a spike on its ends and the edges are razor sharp. Yet the Balor is superior due to its higher strength and flexibility, especially as it uses its wings and nails. Of course Axel was faster and stronger than it last time around but this Balor looks nothing alike.

This Balor [1]is more draconic in nature with a pitch black body like Obsidian or darker. It has a singular Eye that flows red and there are 'sockets' along it's long scaly neck that also glow red. It's chest seems to be puffed out but the veins on it seem to showcase some sort of central flat zone. Around its neck is a series of spikes that jut down along the side of the neck. It also has long arching claws on its 2 arms and legs. Every footstep causes a rumble on the floor, as if it's extremely heavy and slow, but that just means that its attacks pack a lot of punch. Who knows, it might actually be very fast. A red aura surrounds this creature which seems to break apart the nearby stones that the aura clumps around.

(A/N: First I must say that this Balor is more akin to the Balor Origin from Memoria Freese. For it's appearance, I can offer 3 descriptions for the Balor. A: Like a Black Khezu from the Monster Hunter series. B: It's face is phase 2 eye of Cthulhu from Terraria with the jagged mouth but the rest of it's body is draconic. Don't really have too much other than that. C- For everyone who still doesnt get it: Worm face, giraffe neck, dragon body, glowing spots. Pic here)

Axel looks to his team and says, "I handle one while you all fight or distract the other until I finish. Choose your target. I'll leave Araba here to help your side" The team is primarily uncertain on which to fight as they didn't really have experience with either except watching Axel fight them both alone. While they are deciding, Haruhime casts her signature buff on Bell which raises his power to level 8. Bell eventually says, "We will take care of Udeaus, It's not moving as fast so if we can get it's attention then we can keep it where it is or at least drag it around the room. But we will be trying to kill it. We are adventurers after all"

"Heh. Sounds like a plan, good luck then." The group runs off to block Udeaus. Daphne and Cassandra provide support where they can while Axel gets off Araba and tells him to help the group while he turns to face the Balor. He begins to walk towards it.

"Ya know buddy, you look just as scary if not more than Antares. Are you two related at all?" He spouts some idle chatter as he closes the distance between them. He casts a few spells first: First is the Lunar Shadow, he breaks off a chunk of rock from the dungeon and infuses it with his magic until it begins to float all around itself with shadows covering it. The area around it grows darker but it has no immediate effect as it needs to charge up. He then creates the solar flare fireball and with his newfound magic, he teleports it behind the Balor. With the Rex's size, even as the false sun's flares expand in range and power, they will only hit the Balor, leaving him safe from its effects.

Axel contemplated using the Angel's song but that would affect him and his team, he is sure that the dungeon would ensure these special rex's would remain unaffected by the sleep spell so he moves onto his physical enchantments.

He overlaps multiple shades upon himself, primarily the god of war-Kratos, Asura, Elf and then summons migi as his soul armament form, the sharp chained whip. Of course he doesnt forget about Radahn. The 'Gentle' giant is summoned as a standalone spirit and Axel brings out the Goliath sword that he had quickly collected before heading out to the dungeon and stored in his Village of Origin. The red haired giant clasps the sizable sword and moves to strike at the Balor while the false sun releases its first flare.

The back of the Balor is burned which causes it to roar out in surprise as it begins to turn around to strike the offender, only to learn that it's just a small ball of fire before its arm is cut 1/3rd off by Radahn. The balor turns to face Radahn and Axel again but…strangely, it's not as mad as it was when it was burned. The reason is painfully obvious as that very damage is regenerated in seconds.

While the Balor is focused on Radahn, he magically commands the false sun to continue attacking by fueling it with his mana. While he charges in at the Balor. To keep its attention, Radahn attacks again, the giant sword incoming for its neck when it suddenly elongates all the giant bone spikes coming out of its body. Specifically the ones around its chest and elbows. These spikes extend and then while 2 or 3 are cut off, the last few hold the blade in place. Unfortunately for it, this seems to require the Balors full attention as the next solar flare strikes it on the ass again. It lets out a grumble but the two distractions are enough as Axel jumps up to around it's neck height and unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks upon the side of it's head. Every Odd strike weakened the flesh when the next Even strikes would knock that weakened flesh off.

Yet while the Balor is blocking Radahn, it is not entirely helpless as the spines around the area that it's neck and head meet, one of those spikes extends to stab Axel in the gut. With such a force that he is sent flying. Radahn disengages from Balor to slash out once more at the current barrier but in disengaging, it had given it an opening for it to regenerate the lost spikes that defended it. So Radahn was brought back to step 1 again. Yet the giant spirit does not relent as a purple glow covers its blade and then it slashes out with an overhead swing that snaps all the spikes apart whilst rending its guts. The balor releases a strange roar that causes a short range shockwave that knocks Radahn backwards that he has to stab the goliath sword into the ground to not be blown more than 10 ft away.

"UGH" Axel is sent flying to the far wall with a crash. When he frees himself from the wall, he checks his condition and finds that the spike can easily pierced Senji's armor. He had it updated after their encounter with the phoenix last time around but that was so easily broken that now. For the first time in a while ,he, Axel Gram is bleeding.

It's not that he didn't suffer any injuries before, he has a history of being injured but other than that fight with Tiona, he has not gotten injured in the dungeon for the past few months. Even with the Phoenix, it didn't hurt him, he was just exhausted from unleashing his strongest, non demigod related move.

He had always used his Asura 'immortality' skill to tank any and all attacks but the actual last time he was truly injured like this against a monster was in his first fight against Antares within the Elsos Ruins. A feral grin appears on his face as he quickly analyzes the fight so far. Physical attacks don't seem to do much, it's reaction is more visceral in regards towards the false sun's solar flares. Does that mean that it's weak to fire? Or would it be light since it is dual element.

'Guess Ill try both'

Axel rushes back into the fight as he unleashes a bombardment of various spells. Wind Blades, Lightning bolts, and then Firestorm. The wind cuts small chunks of flesh off but they regen much too quickly. The lightning burns the outside skin a bit but no major damage. The Firestorm commits the largest amount of damage but even as it's burned and beaten by the molten rocks and lava, it does not roar and continues its fight with Radahn.

Axel stops some distance away as he watches the false sun shoot out the 6th solar flare so far which melts its flesh while he notices that the skin of the Balor turns a bit gray or brown under the flare's light. He finally understands that light magic is this Balor's weakness and gets down to it with one of his two light based spells, Ghastly Glimmer (Elden Ring Dancing Stars). He creates a central ball of light that he throws into the air, it begins to float and release thin needles of light that shoot towards the Balor.

Axel has the spell target the area where Radahn had just made an injury on. The needles of light began to flow into the wounded area like a river. When the light cleared, Axel found a fleshy divet in the Balors flesh. Even after waiting half a second, he found the flesh was not regenerating like before.

Seeing that he can finally kill it, he begins to spam Ghastly Glimmer spells until there was a small tunnel into its stomach area. The Balor naturally attempted to stop the light as it roared in pain but Radahn held it off as the tables turned but from the beginning, it was not in the monsters favor. Granted Radahn did suffer quite a few injuries which will hurt like a bitch to help recover.

Soon enough Axel has a proper opening, He activates God speed, Killua's nen ability onto himself. He takes back the sword from Radahn and undoes the summon for the giant as he accelerates towards the hole he created in the Balor's stomach. He let's out a groan front he sensation of his shades fragment being weakened due to Radahns injuries but he has a quick solution for this.

Now within the flesh pit, Axel does what he does naturally. And that is Devour. He takes Sabrina off his back and sets her down against a bit of the flesh wall. The carrier will get a bit bloody but most of the light based damage had seared the flesh so it's burnt a bit, which means not too bloody. He uses his nen ability to summon Hisoka to use his bungee gum to keep Sabrina in place.

While his shade fragment is recovering, it's doesnt mean he cant use it. It's only if the shade is fully destroyed that the ability is crippled. Reapplying the gum every few seconds to keep Sabrina on the wall while Axel jams his hands into the other side of the flesh pit with his devouring at full force. The devoured energy helps his soul recover faster which then strengthens Hisoka as he has to fend off the Balor.

The Balor attempted to either grab them or had it's spikes seep into it's own body to try stabbing them to death but Axel had his shades all working to fend off the spikes while Hisoka's Bungee gum stopped its hand. Afterall, the hand won't continue if the price to get them out is ripping out it's own organs which are stuck to the bungee gum.

Of course its hesitation this time around will be its downfall as it rapidly is weakened due to the full concentrated power of both father and daughter's devouring power.

After a full minute the Balor can do nothing but fall to its knees and begin tearing apart the hole that Axel and co are in to get them out yet with it's diminished strength it can do absolutely nothing against Hisoka's nen now. He doesnt even need to link the gum with the flesh walls. Just sticking it onto the Ballors hand/claws ensures that they are all stuck together. It's grubby claws can't reach this deep inside it's chest anyways since it doesnt really have a wrist that can bend all that well.

Soon enough the Balor veins to look like a husk and falls over flat. Axel brings Sabrina out so that they can sit on it's head until it dies. He decides to also see how his group is doing. This red version of Udeaus is covered in chunks of ice that are stuck to it's bones. Another side is set on fire with various scars caused by the wind blades from their magic swords. He has to give it to Welf, he truly is an exceptional blacksmith.

Axel summons Radahn to go help pin down udeaus for the ground. When this happens, they use their ice swords to pin down the body parts that were stable to keep moving or couldn't be restricted by Radahn.

"Enjoy the feast everyone. Who knows what might happen next. Recover as much as you can while these two are alive.

While absorbing from this Balor, he finds a strange energy within it's heart. So he moves to investigate this while leaving Hisoka on baby overwatch. Truly a bad idea if this was the real one but it's only a nen construct with his physique and abilities.

Axel digs through the Balor's body until he arrives at it's fleshy heart which it has for some reason but it likely has to do with just distributing the energy for the mana core that is it's neighbor. Axel plunges his hand into the beast's heart with the full power drain onto it. After a few seconds he finds the source of the energy and absorbs it.

The energy flows into his own heart and gradually merges with every cell of his body, causing a moan to escape his lips while his body burns up but in a good way, as if he is undergoing orgasm. Yet he isn't and while he is correcting his thoughts on how the energy felt, it settled down.

Axel examines his own body and finds what the energy did. The gut injury he got earlier is gone and healed. Axel clenches his fist and has to suppress the urge to cheer out loud and proclaim the good fortune he had finally encountered.

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Alt Title: Tag Team, Healing Factor and Boss Rush P3.