Chapter 168 B For Bones
But his words fell on deaf ears as Bones was in no mood to engage in conversation with someone even more unhinged than his supposed mentor. "I will end you and avenge my master" He snarled menacingly.
The beast let out a thunderous growl, its irritation almost discernible. "You dare challenge me, you tiny, inconsequential rodent? How do you expect to succeed?".
Bones met the beast's roar with a steely gaze. "By ending you" He replied, his voice resolute.
The beast let out a deafening roar, its jaws opening wide as it exhaled a cloud of freezing mist that enveloped the shattered earth beneath it and threatened to encase Bones in a tomb of ice. Yet, Bones remained unfazed, the ice and snow no longer holding the power to harm him, as they would have in his past.
Caught off guard, the behemoth creature shifted its stance, its piercing gaze scrutinizing Bones anew. "Who are you?" It boomed, its voice echoing across the frozen wasteland.
A roar of encouragement echoed in Bones' mind, coming from within.
[ This is it! Let your voice ring out, roar your name with confidence and introduce yourself to the world! Show them... Show them who you are!] Ag'na bellowed.
And verily, with a mighty bellow, Bones answered, his voice amplified by his magical energy, his words echoing far and wide, his magical pressure clashing against the beast's own.
"I am Bones" He declared proudly, pausing to catch his breath. "Master Prince Wyatt gave me that name".
And in unison with Ag'na's voice, Bones continued, "I am the successor of 'I', for I am also Ag'na".
[ I am the successor of 'I', for 'I' am also Ag'na.]
With a final burst of power, Bones and Ag'na proclaimed together.
"Through me, he shall be remembered".
[Through me, he shall be remembered.]
Bones gazed intently as the beast processed his words, and watched as its slit-like eyes grew wide with realization. "NEVER!" It bellowed in rage and disbelief. "NEVER WILL I ACCEPT OR BELIEVE THAT MY LEGACY WAS BESTOWED UPON A RAT!" With a final roar, it lifted its head skyward.
"My name is not rat.." Bones boldly corrected. "My name is Bones".
The fog expelled from the beast's mouth transformed into delicate snowflakes, raining down upon the earth below.
"No matter what it takes" The beast growled, its voice low and menacing. "I will avenge my other-self and eradicate your insulting existence".
But Bones stood tall and unwavering, his tiny furry frame exuding irritation. "You can't avenge him if he's not dead" He retorted with a fierce gaze.
The reptilian beast's eyes widened once again. 'The--'"
"The sleepy behemoth is not dead..."
[ The sleepy behemoth is not dead…]
Bones spoke in unison with Ag'na, whose voice was like a gentle whisper in the back of his mind.
"He has been reborn".
[ He has been reborn.]
Unable to contain its rage at Bones' words, the beast lunged at his tiny body with its claws, threatening to crush him.
But Bones swiftly evaded the catastrophic strike, ducking and weaving around the beast's claws. With lightning-fast agility, he launched himself up and delivered a flying, somersaulting kick with his hind leg.
The force of the attack sent the behemoth's leg crashing down, eliciting a sickening 'pop' as Bones's hind leg broke through the other Ag'na's icy scales and nearly tore open his flesh.
"ROOOAARR!" The beast bellowed in agony as it cast its gaze skyward, its roar echoing far and wide. But before it could fully recover, it sensed a massive influx of mana gathering on its shoulders, causing it to turn its head and face the source.
"With a resounding "BAAMMM!!", Bones unleashed another powerful kick with his front paws, sending the beast careening backwards, its mind clouded and dazed. "Boom!!" The impact created another 3-meter crater as the beast frantically dug its claws into the ground to stop itself from collapsing.
As the beast staggered to its feet, its lifeless eyes flickered with a new-found fury. With a blood-curdling roar of "YOU VERMIN!!", it launched itself towards Bones, its voice so menacing that it threatened to shatter the ear drums of all those nearby, sending them into unconsciousness.
But that was not the end.
In a show of unbridled power, Bones slammed his front claws into the ground, causing a massive icicle, half the size of the Ag'na, to form out of nowhere and point straight at the beast. With each step forward, Bones summoned another colossal icicle from the earth, until the beast was surrounded by a forest of gleaming, razor-sharp spikes.
With each step he took, Bones honed the ability he had acquired from Ag'na during their intense battle, summoning an ever-increasing number of giant icicles with ease, despite struggling to control this power at first.
The other Ag'na snarled, its jaws clenched tight as it loomed over Bones, ready to attack.
However, Bones remained undaunted. With the behemoth's power coursing through him and the newfound ability to wield it, he refused to be weakened by its intimidation. Moreover, he no more had the qualifications to be weak. He refused to be weak.
As they stood at a stalemate, the ground rumbled beneath their feet as the beast erupted into a full sprint towards Bones, its body giving off a cloud of white mist that billowed skyward like smoke from a raging fire.
The burst of energy was enough for Bones to unleash the icicles with pinpoint precision, launching them towards the charging beast with deadly accuracy.
With a thunderous "BAMM!!", the aftermath was nothing short of deafening, as the sight of a mutated ice rat holding back a rampaging behemoth with nothing but raw magical power was as surreal as it appeared.
But Bones was no ordinary rat. He was Prince Wyatt's beast, transformed and strengthened by the "Fantastic Beasts Of Records". He was no longer just a common vermin, but a powerful force to be reckoned with.
His master said it best - 'He was a fantastic beast'.
[ Are you tired?] Ag'na asked with a note of concern in his voice, ringing in Bones' mind.
"Haaa...Ha..." Small puffs of misty breath escaped Bones' mouth as he panted with exhaustion. But instead of answering, Bones countered with a statement of his own. "You are strong, Ag'na...very, very strong".
And he meant every word. Despite unleashing a barrage of devastating attacks, the other Ag'na kept getting back up, brushing off each one as if they were mere nothing.
[ Of course, I am. Didn't I tell you from the beginning that the only thing you can do is scare me off?]
Bones took a moment to ponder these words, then asked "How?" If any mortals or ascendants had been close by, they would have mistaken Bones' clear voice for that of an ancient and powerful beast.
But in truth, Bones had not only grown physically stronger, but he had also undergone a profound transformation that elevated his rank to that of a superior beast. His powers were now equal to the abilities of a Rank 5 Ascendant.
[ Although you are now a superior beast, there remains no possibility for you to overpower me. The only reason you've managed to inflict any harm is because my other, unhinged self is too inexperienced to effectively harness my abilities.] Ag'na let out a heavy sigh. [ If you desire to defeat him, the only solution is to strike with such immense force that it compels him to instinctively reconsider his approach, giving you the opportunity to escape without the fear of being chased.]
'Is that all?' Bones asked, twitching his whiskers and nose as he pondered.
[ Yes, but you understand that this is a feat that cannot be accomplished alone. So, I ask, how do you plan on achieving such a daunting task?]
"Are you not going to lend your assistance?"
A peal of mirthful cachinnation echoed from within his consciousness.
[ I owe you no assistance, rat] Ag'na declared, his voice tinged with a hint of annoyance. [ Let it be known that my presence here is solely due to the 'aberration' that is you and your master. And, beyond the fact that you have become my inheritor by force, I must determine if you have the mettle to face my other self and prove to me that you are deserving of my attention.]
With a menacing growl, Bones bared his tiny, razor-sharp incisors at the unscathed Ag'na, who had just emerged unscathed from the barrage of icicles.
Despite having heard Ag'na's words, he chose to remain silent.
Ag'na added, [ So, what is your next move, rat? Will your defeat solidify your status as a perpetual rodent, or will you finally demonstrate why a human would alter the past, just for your sake?]
Once more, Bones remained mute, his tiny jaws agape. His sinews strained as his muscles bulged with raw power, rippling with intense exertion. His magical energy surged, illuminating the surrounding area to the point where it was visible from a mile away to the naked eye. And with the might of a superior beast, he let out a piercing growl.