Mugen : Sourai no Mai

The gargantuan three-headed werewolf began its assault. Its claws loomed like massive blades, swiped Althea with merciless fury.

The force behind its swing was a testament to its strength and size, sending Althea flying into the spiked walls.

With her impalement near, the spell blade anchored her sword into floor, stopping mere inches before her back was turned into a pincushion.

The power released from a single swipe was all Yazmin needed to tell that this abomination wasn't something they could treat lightly. Her hand was about to undo her mask, unleashing her petrifying gaze, only for the war wolf's gargantuan fist to come flying into her face with speed improportionate to its size.

Now, it was the Gorgon's turn to become a ragdoll sent flying into her impaling doom.

Channeling all of her energy into her legs, Althea ran so she could tackle Yazmin mid air. Amidst Althea's embrace, the two fumbled as the fall wasn't the least bit pleasant for them both.

Up above, Melsa delighted at her chimera's superb performance. But the data she had gathered is not enough, it will only suffice when these two had given it their all, with her war-wolf left standing.

"If you two want to get out of this alive and keep that snake lover of yours safe, I suggest you brandish your Regalia. Who knows, with it maybe you'll finally be a match for my creation."

Few know of the Lightning blade's Aeon, even lesser are those who faced it and lived to tell the tale. How is Melsa privy to the type of Aeon she has? Did she simply make a wild guess out of the three types?

"I like that glare, it screams 'How do you know about my regalia?' Let me let you in on a little secret, we know more than just that. Even things that you don't know about yourself." Melsa condescendingly laughed. "If there's someone to blame, it's your 'father'. I don't need to tell you the rest, I'm sure you know what Selma specializes in."

By Melsa's twisted smile, Althea was able to piece the puzzle together. A larger mana reserve than normal humans. A body that deteriorates over time. Selma's treatment.

Althea was a homunculus.

Unfortunately, now was not the time to ruminate on the explosive revelation, since the War-wolf now closed in on them.

The gigantic werewolf charged in between, separating the two.

Yazmin, threw multitude of daggers against it but the werewolf simply whisked them away by the wind caused by swinging its arms.

This three-headed mutt is so troublesome! Yazmin grabbed her mask. Even so, Yazmin's petrifying gaze would spell the end of it. No matter its strength, Yazmin could easily crush it once it turns to stone.

Unmasked, Yazmin let loose a bloodcurdling hiss that accompanied the bright light emanating from her face.

The light faded...

It revealed not a gargantuan werewolf statue, but thin air as Yazmin missed her gaze. The werewolf moved faster than she could blink!

The next thing Yazmin knew, the chimera's massive claws were about to swing down into her from behind.

Althea was thankful. The exchange between the two gave her enough time to unleash her Regalia.

From essence of he soul, Althea could feel the deep connection with her blade. Although, foreign in origin, it was as if she had already devoted an entire life's worth into its techniques and secrets.

Thus, the blade would respond in kind, allowing Althea to give it a form fitting for the strength harbored by her soul.

The katana she wielded began to glow bright blue as it was engulfed by lightning. Her Regalia's name flawlessly parting from her lips even though she had no memory of naming it.

"Mugen : Sourai no Mai".

Dance of the Blue thunder. Transcending her finite mortal limit into the realm of the infinite, electricity overflowed from her every pore giving her a fearsome visage clad with lightning. Her black mane now a translucent blue, Althea postured into a mid-stance, with her Katana transformed into a divine armament fit to be held even by a Raijin.

This was one dance that the chimera will die for.

It was too fast, Yazmin could not see it!

A bolt from the blue, the war-wolf's hand that was about to cleave the Gorgon's head exploded into ashes with a streak of lightning as the only clue for the culprit.

Yazmin followed the trail of electricity, there was Althea. Mid-air and now a full embodiment of thunder. A lightning that is now about to strike her target twice.

Using the energy all over her body to descend, Althea slashed faster than her target could blink, severing one of the War-wolf's head while she landed with grace.

"There it is!" Melsa was delighted now that the Lightnjng blade unleashed her full might upon her creation.

Even so, Vicious wondered why the hell was Melsa smiling now that her chimera was being ripped apart. Althea turned around to blitzed and sever a second head.

"At this rate, that War-wolf of yours is going to get defeated. Do you want me to step in?" Vicious asked.

"No, we can always ransack another one of Gaia's village if need be. For now, I want to see how long it can hold out."

Vicious could see that this Chimera of Melsa will not be able to hold out that long at all. Even she had to admit that she will be outdone when it came to speed, but with 100 lives to spare coming from the philosopher's stone, Vicious will be sure to win via the battle of attrition.

Because even though this Regalia of Althea blesses her with unfathomable speed and elevates her lightning sorcery, it was inevitable that she would soon run out of steam. With her enhanced mana capacity, Vicious calculated that Althea can take about half of her lives before the lightning blade gives in to mana exhaustion.

Althea sheathed her Katana, dispelling her Regalia in the process.

The third and final head of the gigantic werewolf rolled into the ground. Its body's loud thump was the signal of their victory.

"Whatever that thing was, you're gonna need more of them if you want to kill us." Althea pointed her Katana towards the vile alchemist, steadying her breathing to hide the fatigue brought about by turning her body into literal lightning.

"Oh? But our game isn't over yet!" Melsa said as she pulled another lever.

On the four corners of the execution pit, four gates opened.

Although they were not purely Melsa's creation, merely tampering with their constitution to bring about their latent potential.

A potential that turned the already fearsome Warrior Castes into fearsome killing machines. Bipedal insectoids ready to die for their Queen if need be. An instinct that Melsa tampered with, having them recognize her as the leader of the hive.

Their red carapace bulged, looking like a mixture of muscle and armor. Atop their head was a beetle horn that they can use to gore and flatten.

Suddenly, the two found themselves back to back again, surrounded by buff insect warriors that can punch a hole into them with one punch.

One exquisite experiment? Sure, Melsa had no trouble if Althea cut it down. Hundreds of insect warriors bred for battle? Even Melsa was sure that Althea will not be able to find her way out of this one.

"Althea, if we die down here, I want you to know that..."

"Shut up, no one is dying! Except for Melsa and these insects!"

Punching a hole through the swarm, Althea fired a lightning pillar with her blade.

Melsa smirked, "Notice their red skin? They're magic resistant."

They are fucked.

Althea can use her Regalia once more, but with the sheer number of their foes, her mana will soon give before she could dwindle their numbers.

Suddenly, the ceiling crashed to reveal what appeared to be a hulking drider wearing an armor.

Relief washed over Althea as she saw Marionne and Telmano falling beside it.

The first thing that Ellamir noticed was that there were plenty of bugs needing to be squashed. The next made her squint underneath her armor as she gazed above.

"It's you!"

Vicious' stoic face broke into a grin.

A spider had come to play.