Solar Mage

Chapter 43: Homunculi

I over at Tin and then Rachel, both looking unfazed.

Did they not see it?

"We need to leave immediately!"

I rise off the ground and begin walking quickly past the trapdoor, to the entrance without looking back, disregarding whether they follow me or not.

What the hell was that?!

How could it make direct eye contact with me when we're such a far distance apart?!

How did I not see it before?!?!

How did it get there in the first place?!?!?!

My solo march comes to a halt, my face completely pale and my teeth heavily clattering.

Is that the monster I have to beat for the third trial? But how could a homunculus release killing intent? It's not even alive!

If this is the strength of the third trial monster, how strong will the fourth trial be?!?!

I grind my teeth to stop them from clattering as I turn around and see Tin and Rachel running at me, at a speed faster than my own, previously.

"Arthur, are you sure it's safe to be walking on this? What if the trapdoor suddenly falls again?"

Rachel says as she continues to run. Lost too deeply in my thoughts, I ignored her.

I trust them, but neither of them are cautious because they didn't see the homunculus which means they won't take the situation seriously and won't go at their fastest speed, but if I tell them, it might make them overly cautious, yes, but will more likely make reduce them into a state of panic, where they could set off like I am!! Damn, why did you have to make another one, Zinc?!?!

Then, regaining my composure and stabilizing my heart, I change my expression of doom to a smile as I cheerfully look at Rachel, then Tin, before turning back, facing the entrance to the next room and continuing to speed walk.

Calm yourself Arthur, panic will get you nowhere. No one else saw it so it was probably just a trick on the visual senses since you were already thinking of the hollow face before! Even if it was real and its killing intent was immense, there's no need to be afraid of it; the homunculus as deep in the hole, it likely feel down into there by accident and can't get out. There's no way anything could jump that high, out of the hole; even if it could, the trapdoor has already closed, so how is it going to get out?

I exhale deeply and let out a sigh and create a separate consciousness with a calmer, more calculative perspective.

Just use common sense Arthur and calm down. You should still hurry though– there's no need to stay here any longer.

Thank you for your advice, Arthur.

You're welcome, Arthur.

...

Haha– what am I doing talking to myself like this?

Suddenly, the trapdoor floor below us shakes as a loud boom comes from behind us.

Crap!! Did Zinc lie to me again or did the trap lose its function due to its age? Regardless, I need to get off this trapdoor before it falls first, but what about Tin and Rachel?

"Rachel!!"

I scream out as I immediately get my legs ready to rescue, using body enhancement and activating Flame Claws as I instantly fling my head around, my eyes firstly locked onto Rachel and Tin.

Why are both of them standing still?

My eyes unlock from the two of them and focus on the white flash ascending to the ceiling from a hole it created through the trapdoor.

Impossible– how can something move that fast? It's still visible to me, even now, but after leaping all the way from the bottom of the hole with such speed... It's incredible! To maintain that kind of velocity after such a massive jump, its speed is comparable to Dustin's! I can't fight that! I'll be defeated before I even know it!!

"I'm sorry guys, the landing might hurt a little bit."

Deactivating the Flame Claws on my arms, I concentrate the entirety of Body Enhancement into my arms as I grab Tin and Rachel, and throw them backwards, to the entrance of the next room.

"Arthurrr!!!"

They both scream, their voices getting quieter and quieter as they get further.

Before I run away, I should see how strong this homunculus is, right? Depending on the quality of the homunculus, the maximum abilities allocated it can have, increases. That means that if the quality of this homunculus is the same as the previous one, all of its abilities have been put into its speed, meaning it has no defense and no offence. If that's the case, it might be possible to beat it!

Right after throwing Tin and Rachel, the homunculus hits the ceiling creating another boom from the impact.

Great, if it's true that all this homunculus has is its speed, it should be killed from its impact with the ceiling right?

A white figure falls downward from the ceiling, out of the dust cloud made by the impact. It's body is not moving as it free falls down.

Great! So my guess was right, all of its abilities lied in its speed; Zinc had me scared for a second there!

Just before the homunculus hits the floor, I notice it slightly twitch a bit.

Did it just move?

I instantly concentrate Body Enhancement on my eyes as my Heightened Senses activate.

Just as the freefalling homunculus impacts the floor, I see its formerly loose legs stiffen and retract before a cloud of dust expands from the area of impact.

I knew it was too good to be true! If this is the case then that means this homunculus is at least a sixth generation compared to the fifth generation that the previous one likely was! And if the homunculus is a seventh generation, then my chance of winning is already impossible. But maybe it died from the second impact?

The white figure shoots out of the dust cloud, running directly at me.

Ah, I knew it was too good to be true. At least it's slower now, I can deal with this speed.

Just seconds before it reaches me, it disappears.

Shit, I underestimated it! Iron Body!

Iron Body activates as my Body Enhancement dissipates equally across my entire body.

Where did it go?

My instincts warn me but my body isn't quick enough to react. The pale white Homunculus appears out of nowhere, directly in front of me, on hand in front of another that's about to throw a punch.

Damn, I won't be able to block it!

I force the concentration of Body Enhancement and Iron Body all to my lower-middle left torso where I imagine the punch is to strike.

No matter how strong it is, I should be able to block at least one punch from a sixth generation homunculus, even if it puts all its abilities as strength. Come on, hit me!!

I brace myself for impact as the punch comes, screaming loudly so I would be able to push past the pain of the strike.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

They make contact with my body.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH–"

"What?"

I look down at my chest, and then at the homunculus.

That didn't hurt at all! This one is weak! It put all of its abilities into speed and defense but none into strength haha!

The homunculus punches me again, this time with no effect either.

"Hahaha!!"

I don't need to worry about this thing, it can't hurt me with those weak punches.

The homunculus starts to charge up its punch again before it releases a fury of strikes, leaving tens of afterimages from the speed of its punches.

This... doesn't hurt at all, it feels like I'm being punched by a baby.

I turn around to Tin and Rachel who have, at this point, reached the entrance, though both seem to be unconscious.

Good, they have reached the entrance and probably aren't dead. Now all I have to do is finish this weak homunculus off and head on to the fourth room.

I suddenly feel pain from behind, in my right arm.

Huh, would you look at that? The homunculus managed to hit me hard enough for me to notice. Good for it.

But the pain doesn't disappear, and instead begins to hurt more.

This, this isn't how pain from a punch should be!

I turn and see the homunculus' fingers pressing into my arm, trying to release it.

It had claws as well?!?!

With my Flame Claws, I instinctively strike the homunculus, slamming it into the ground with my left arm, pinning it down as it writhes and struggles to break free. My claws sear through its tough skin, burning deeper with every passing second. It thrashes wildly, flailing its limbs in a desperate attempt to escape, but my grip holds firm, unwavering. Suddenly, it stops moving—its movements cease, and I realize I no longer feel its head in my hands.

"AUUUGGHHHHH!!!"

I fall to the floor next to the headless corpse of the homunculus, screaming in pain as blood vessels in my right arm enlarge, turning green, as I see it start to spread to other arteries and veins.

I should've known that the homunculus would have claws and that its claws would be tipped in poison since it was sitting in a spike pit full of poison!! This poison is so painful, but I can still feel the pain only in my right arm, which means it hasn't spread yet.

I get up off the ground, still trembling in pain.

This is good, if I were still just a swordsman, I would have died before I decided whether to cut it off or not, but now that I'm a mage, it's easy to make a choice; my life is more important than an arm. I will definitely survive and save Dustin!

With my left Flame Claw, I cut off my right arm without hesitation.

That feels... not much better, the blood loss will kill me soon if I do not heal fast enough, and if that doesn't and I just continue to grovel on the floor, I will just die to the trapdoor. Well, I guess there's only one more option then.

With the remainder of my strength, I brace my legs, directing them toward the entrance of the 4th room as I, though failing, try to activate Iron Body and Body Enhancement before taking off, all of my skills deactivating as a trail of blood if left behind from my arm.

Ahh, this is going to hurt quite a lot, Rachel– please be awake.

The stone wall is looking quite beautiful toda–

"BOOOOOOOM!!"