Long Lasting Rivalry

As Michael and his elite guards made their way deeper underground, Eudora, and her own team also made progress of their own. Just like the Lizardmen, they also ran into the Red-Eyed Bats, and its lesser, offshoot race, but they were able to protect themselves better against the negative status effect that was caused by the Abilities of the creatures. The reason being because they had a healer among them.

Although Healers were not exactly like Light Mages, their healing spells also carried the ability to weaken, or completely remove a debuff, albeit low level ones.

"These bats are really getting on my nerves. Their stupid abilities keep making me burn through my mana reserves." The healer, a lean, brunette male spoke up, waving his wand in an annoyed manner.

"We know it's annoying, Currer, but just bear with it. This is important." Eudora scolded the man with a stern look on her face. He only scoffed before turning away, but didn't bring up the matter again.

Brutus and the other team member remained quiet, opting to walk at the front of the party. Eudora and the healer remained at the back to provide support to them when needed. So far, they had run into four Red-Eyed bats, and a cauldron of Red Winged Bats, which had caught them completely off guard. Ever since then, they had been much more vigilant, opting to move slowly, in order to avoid running into too many hostile creatures at once.

"I think I can hear something up ahead. Be sharp." Brutus raised his hand and whispered. Everyone sharpened their minds as they slowly rounded the corner, their weapons already held up to attack.

***

Michael and his followers methodically slayed each and every bat they ran into. At first, they only appeared alone, or sometimes in a group of two, but as time passed, they began to appear in numbers ranging from three to five. It was especially more difficult to take down the smaller Red Winged Bats, as their smaller sizes made them harder to hit.

As of this moment, Michael stood with his men at his back, staring up above in the tunnel ahead. A large cauldron of Red Winged Bats gathered around three Red-Eyed Bats, squealing into the darkness. The Red-Eyed Bats in question had their wings open, the eerie red glare of their ability painting the dark tunnel crimson, and giving the eyes under their wings a scary look.

"A whole lot of them." Michael murmured to himself. "It's best if we retreat and return with the others. These might be too much for us to handle." He waved the Lizardmen behind him, urging them to turn back. It was right at that moment that they heard a wicked screech erupt from the opening up ahead. Dozens of other screeches resounded through the tunnel as the eyes of all the bats turned to them. They had found the lurking Lizardmen!

"Dammit, run!" Michael threw all caution to the wind, hissing at the young Lizardmen before him. They all broke out into a desperate retreat as the swarm of angry psychic bats rushed after them. Red light washed over the dark tunnel, painting the walls in their eerie color. The feet of the Lizardmen carried them as quickly as possible, but even then, that wasn't enough, as the bats soon overtook them, trying to blind them with their Chaos inducing rays of light. They had to close their eyes as they ran, letting their instincts guide them as they escaped.

'Dammit. We can't go on like this! Isn't there anything we can do, Mee?' Michael yelled internally, directing his thoughts at his split consciousness.

'Well, I have made some insights into Fire Magic, but that would most likely have minimal effect on these bats. The only area where we might have a breakthrough is if the Fire Magic is applied in tandem with your Poison Jet Spray.'

'Well then, do something. Quick!' He yelled again as he stumbled over a rock, his instincts less effective than the other Lizardmen. As Michael kept on running, he felt a stream of information flow into his mind, easing itself into him and letting him know what he needed to. Unlike the usual Fire Magic that humans and other races used, his own variant was more like an Innate Ability, than anything else.

[Actions Detected. Analyzing Possible Applications. Analysis Completed. Ability Derivation Complete - Poison Flame Shower.]

Michael felt a potent heat boiling up in his chest. As per what he understood from the flow on information, he let it build up in him, reaching its peak, before promptly opening his mouth and letting it out.

Purple-reddish fire burst out from within his mouth, bathing the top of the tunnel in poisonous flames that instantly turned the bats into partially melted husks. He spun around, meeting the three Red-Eyed Bats that led this attack and letting them have a taste of his latest Ability. They let out shrill screeches, before being abruptly silenced as they lost their lives.

The moment the three larger bats died, the coordination of the smaller bats went out of control, most of them flying off, while the rest were promptly finished off by the other Lizardmen.

Panting, he took a look around him, noting all the dead bats that were now scattered all around. His elite guards were also panting from exertion.

"That was exciting." Michael murmured under his breath as he looked around. He took a glance at his status through the game system, wincing as he saw the humongous energy expenditure that skill had cost him. It had used over a third of his overall energy. Adding up his earlier energy expenditures, it wouldn't be safe for him to carry on with using all those super skills. It would be better for him to leave the small fries to the fourteen Lizardmen he had come here with.

"Come on, let's get back to the other quickly." He set off with the other Lizardmen right behind him.

Brutus, Eudora, and the two other adventurers in their party watched all this from a very inconspicuous opening in one of the tunnel walls. For whatever reason, Michael and the Lizardmen hadn't noticed them and had gone on.