NOVPUB
Chapter 83: Ophis & Merc
Ophis — Dreadling Spookle-Ash Owl — Ghost / Ashenflame / Spore
Ophis resembled an owl woven from ghostly mist, ember-threaded feathers, and flickering ashen fire like black ash flames with white sparks. Her body was semi-transparent, with star-like specks glowing faintly within its smoky form—like a night sky trapped in flesh.
Her wings trailed purplish spores that drifted and shimmered before vanishing into nothing. Around her glowing skull-like face, ash spirals formed a crown of ember spores that pulsed softly with dreadly Ashenflame. Her talons never fully touched the ground, phasing between reality and shadow.
Ophis moved into the battleground, leaving a fading trail of burning spores and cold laughter, echoing like a child’s giggle warped through wind.
"Come on, girl. You’re scaring people here," Crocky snorted. "Not me, though."
"He’s pissing his pants," Sony commented.
"Okay, son. Whatever."
On the other hand, Merc also landed and roared loudly, shaking the air all around in a jarring manner as lightning tendrils spread out from him.
Merc — Titanhell Mechjaw Voltiger — Metal / Mechanical / Voltspark
Merc was a colossal, quadruped beast forged from titanium-black alloys, intricately layered living metal hydraulic tendons, and lightning-core reactors. Its jaw was a segmented metal crusher, crackling with Voltspark arcs that jumped across its fangs like twitching nerves. Glowing orange-red exhaust vents lined its shoulders and flanks, releasing bursts of steam when it charged.
Merc’s eyes were like twin volt-forges, constantly glowing with micro-structure scanning power. His back was mounted with rotating coil cannons, and his tail ended in a thunder-infused wrecking flail.
Like Ghost-type, there were also Mechanical-type monsters, but they were very rare—at least on this continent. But John had acquired one from an island.
Although he had no Mechanical-type Geno Points in his Genetic Pocket or Mechanical-type resources, there was a combination of three Geno Points and one Metal and Lightning resource applied onto Merc, which ultimately led to the development of the Mechanical attribute and an advanced variant attribute like Voltspark, evolving Merc into the Titanhell Mechjaw Tigerfiend.
So John went for that evolution, and now he had a super-strong mechanical tiger.
The battle between Merc and Ophis began shortly as Chuthulos started it with a three-second countdown.
Ophis flew like a ghost, switching between visible and invisible, before suddenly four more Ophises appeared and began flying over Merc.
"Take this."
All five Ophises flapped their wings, releasing palm-sized orbs burning with Ashenflame.
Merc growled like an engine as his body sparkled with yellow and blue lightning tendrils that instantly formed a barrier around him.
Not all orbs were real, as Ophis’ ghost-attribute power was more illusionary and mentally oriented. Ghost and Mechanical attributes were similar in that regard, as they behaved and developed differently in all monsters.
For instance, four normal monsters with the Fire attribute would release fire with similar characteristics: it burns, it’s hot, etc., unless it’s a variant fire attribute.
But Ghost and Mechanical attributes in different monsters develop skills with completely different types of effects.
For instance, the Mechanical-type monster John had who lived in the southern Flora-attributed forest had the attributes Mechanical and Flora. So it had plant-related mechanical aspects, unlike Merc, who had Metal and Lightning-based Mechanical aspects.
Blazeborn Stalker’s ghost power focused more on enhancing flames and creating real flame mirages that could damage, but Ophis’ ghost power showed nightmarish illusions that were not real and induced fear.
Now with brand new attributes and a Sovereign-rank potential evolution, Ophis had a far more advanced set of skills.
The ghastly orbs that struck Merc’s barrier began growing by feeding on lightning.
Spore attribute’s main power was the absorption of different powers and growing into something new. It was reflected in the skill Ophis used.
Some monsters with Spore attributes could also create giant bombs and poisonous plant farms and perform various different things. There were Tamers who dabbled in Spore attributes for research and new creations, which were often disastrous.
Merc’s eyes squinted before he quickly phased out of the barrier by jumping back. He could feel the threat of those growing spores.
A second later, those spores that had transformed into crackling cotton by absorbing the barrier’s power exploded, releasing a strange lightning blaze.
"Not bad," Merc looked up at the five owls flying, his eyes glimmering.
Ophis had Sovereign potential, but so did Merc.
"That was just a trailer," Ophis chuckled.
"Then let’s finish the picture now."
Merc’s legs pumped as he jumped up like a rocket, arriving at the same height where the five Ophises were flying.
From Merc’s body, a pulse of golden lightning ring was released, striking three owls that disappeared as they were illusions while two remained.
"You can fly now? That must have cost some energy," Ophis said as she saw Merc floating with the golden lightning ring at a 10-meter radius.
The lightning ring was acting as some kind of magnetic force, keeping Merc floating. But unlike flight-type monsters, this was a limited reign in the air.
And this limited reign in the air was dangerous for others!
Merc growled and zoomed at one of the Ophises, his speed super fast!
His mechanical jaw snapped open as he dashed past the Ophis and clamped down with a bang, releasing a burst of thunder as it closed.
Unfortunately, it was still an illusion clone.
"Show me your last skill. You already showed two," Merc said as he turned to the last Ophis, who was the real one.
"Try to hit me first," Ophis said and resumed flying while releasing giggling laughter.
Merc snorted. "It looks like it’ll end before you can show it."
From Merc’s back, the rotating coil cannons spun with golden Voltsparks before releasing fist-sized Voltspark energy bullets whirling with lethal metal shards.
Ophis couldn’t dodge against that sudden super-fast bullet and was struck. She was a Ghost-type, so usually, things would phase through her while damaging her accordingly. Less if it was pure physical.
But Ghost attribute had a natural weakness against lightning and fire.
And Merc’s Voltspark was a lightning variant. Basically, it was a stronger lightning with some new characteristics.
And that characteristic was synergizing with metal and reshaping it. It made the metal more conductive and enhanced itself by using metal bonds.
So those bullets didn’t phase through Ophis, but instead stuck into her body as lightning shock spread into her.
Ophis screamed as pain spread all over her, but she quickly used Ashenflame energy by using soul energy, manipulating it into a fireball and hitting the bullet to push it out of her body.
But by then, Merc had unleashed four more of those bullets.
Suddenly, Ophis expanded into five more Ophises, dodging three bullets, but two hit the illusion clones as they vanished.
The remaining three Ophises began flying toward Merc with glinting claws.
Merc roared and dashed with his usual burst, but this time Ophis also swept her talon burning with Ashenflame, while using her third skill via the two clones as they screeched, releasing circular waves of burning spores.
Merc couldn’t stop anymore and didn’t want to, as he struck an Ophis with his flailing tail, crackling with Voltspark while clamping his mouth on the other Ophis.
"What? I got both wrong?!" Merc’s eyes flashed with annoyance as his body was getting hit by the burning spores.
"You missed me again, so it’s over," Ophis said as she giggled. "My innate talent allows me to switch places with my clones. Too bad for you."
Merc couldn’t move as the spores struck on his body, began to burn up more and more, spreading all over and weakening him.
This time, Ophis released Spore energy with pre-reaction to Ashenflame, so they were growing in reaction to the Ashenflame that she sent alongside by burning them.
"It’s not over!" Merc growled as the exhaust vents at his shoulders and flanks burst with a Voltspark discharge, zooming twenty meters in a blink, his mechanical jaw crackling with lightning as it snapped on Ophis’ neck.
Crackle!
Ophis got a lightning shock down to her every fiber while Merc’s body was also exhausting vitality rapidly due to those flaming spores now covering his entire body.
Merc tried to use the last bit of his soul energy to release Voltspark from his body and destroy the spores, but he couldn’t.
Ophis created clones and wanted to switch places, but she found out she couldn’t change places with Merc’s electric jaw clamping her throat.
"Alright, it’s over!" Chuthulos quickly used Molding Essence to separate them and told the five new monsters in the audience seats to heal those two.
"None of you were giving up, so it’s a tie. That means both of you will get one point instead of just one person getting two points."
Merc and Ophis looked at each other and nodded.
"Fine."
"Alright." 𝚗𝚘v𝚙𝚞b.𝚌𝚘m
Chuthulos grinned. "I can’t wait to see when John trains you all as you grow up with new skills and combo moves. You’re all still at level 1 mastery in your attributes, but you all have to reach level 2 and even 3 if possible while you are in Gold-rank. Work hard if you want to be the boss."
"Now, for the next match, let’s invite Sony inside. And for his opponent, I’ve decided it’d be none other than Cheron the Chimera King!"
"Hey, I am demanding a new title after this battle," Sony said.
"Sure, sure."
Cheron jumped over the large fence and entered the battleground, facing Sony.
"You are the largest among us, but I wonder if your guts and power are the same," Cheron said with a grin.
"Humph, you’ll find out soon."
Sony — Runemist Echofrost Slytherex — Sound / Mist / Runefrost
