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BOOOMMM!!!
As all four golems exploded into pieces, their cores shattered, the chimera, Leonius I, leaped toward Mother Scarlet. His giant claws, encompassed by emerald winds, gave him a rapid edge against her.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Three windy slashing attacks reached her. Mother Scarlet dodged as best she could, but it was inevitable that she would be struck, her arms and body soon covered in bleeding slash wounds.
"GRAAAARRRR!"
Leonius I roared furiously, opening his three jaws once more and hitting her with a triple dark breath at point-blank range, sending her flying with a massive explosion.
BOOOMMM!!!
"Uuuggh…!"
Mother Scarlet crashed through the forest, crushing several trees in her path before slowly standing up, glancing at the gigantic beast rushing toward her.
There were four more of these powerful Raid Bosses, and it seemed everyone else was busy dealing with their own.
She would have to face this one alone.
"Looks like I cannot be satisfied with my current strength… I have to release it—all of it."
She clasped her palms together, divine power surging from her, the blessing of the Goddess of the Crimson Moon coursing through her veins.
These blessings, each one unique and customized for the divinely blessed, enhanced their power and granted special abilities.
For Mother Scarlet, her Divine Blessing, which she had sealed until now, was tailored to her past self—a ruthless warrior.
Crimson runes appeared across her entire body, glowing brightly and enveloping her in a divine armor of blazing blood flames.
From beneath her black bandana, crimson light emanated from where her eyes should have been.
"{Divine Crimson Moon Blessing}: {Crimson Lunar Sentinel Seals}"
As she spoke, the massive Leonius I loomed above her, opening its jaws and firing three more dark breaths while its enormous claws rushed down. The monster, over a hundred meters tall, was terrifying, easily capable of stomping her into smithereens.
And yet…
"{Crimson Lunar Sentinel Seal}: {First Seal: Scarlet Demon Claws}"
One of the seals on her body exploded, vanishing and unleashing a tremendous surge of power within her. In that moment, her hands transformed into giant black claws, which she swung forward, clashing against the Raid Boss's attacks.
CRAAASH! CRAAASH!
Two blows from her claws were enough. Giant cutting waves of crimson blood flames destroyed the three dark breaths, then sliced through the monster's claws, sending Leonius crashing to the ground. His heads slammed into the forest, gaining several cracks.
BAAAAM!
As this happened, Mother Scarlet went for the kill, rushing toward Leonius. But the Raid Boss wasn't going down easily. Its twisted, warped soul manifested, spreading through its body as it began to "shed" its stony outer exterior.
Crack, crack…!
CRAAASH!
"Huh?!"
Mother Scarlet was shocked as she sensed Leonius completely transformed. His brown and black stone exterior fell apart, countless boulders crashing to the ground and causing a small tremor.
From beneath this outer shell emerged a creature made entirely of purple, black, red, and blue crystals, glowing brightly. It took the form of a mighty lion, with a mane of phantasmal flames composed of these crystals' colors.
"ROOOAAARRR!"
[The {Raid Boss: 1/5}: [Three-Headed Lion Chimera Golem King: Leonius I (Tier 7: Rank 5)] has unleashed its Special Evolution after undergoing great Stress and Pain, increasing its Power Level to Tier 8: Rank 1!]
[His imposing presence and power further boost its Agility and Arcana Stats by 100%!]
[If you can defeat the Raid Boss, you will be granted Bonus Raid Points and a Special Reward as a Vassal of the Nation.]
Leonius had become much smaller, now no taller than twenty meters, with a thinner, slender body specialized for swift movements and overflowing with Arcana…
"It looks like you had an ace up your sleeve…"
"GROOARR!"
Leonius roared, rushing toward Mother Scarlet as its crystalline body shone brightly, releasing countless rainbow beams that bombarded her with blazing explosions.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Mother Scarlet held her ground, her Aura transforming and erupting from her body, forming a crimson fortress of blood and flames.
Another of her seals broke.
"{Crimson Lunar Sentinel Seal}: {Second Seal: Crimson Moon Goddess Sanctuary}"
It was a special protective barrier born from her own Aura, a sanctuary imbued with divinity, granting her unparalleled defense.
She charged towards Leonius amidst the countless explosions, raising her sharp claws and clashing against the monster's crystalline claws.
CRAAASH!
An explosion of colorful phantasmal flames and demonic fire erupted as the two clashed in midair. Leonius I charged at her relentlessly, tackling her and trying to crush her with his body, while Mother Scarlet tore through his crystalline form with each of her blows.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
Both began to look battered. Mother Scarlet was bleeding all over, while Leonius's body was cracking and crumbling into pieces…
And yet…
"RAAAAARRRR!"
He still possessed an immense amount of power. The gigantic golem roared furiously, the hundreds of souls of Ezekiel's subjects within the monster crying out in unison, filled with resentment and anger.
Mother Scarlet smiled back at Leonius, sensing the grief and pain of the trapped souls, and clasped her palms together in prayer.
"I will free you from your pain."
Leonius unleashed a gigantic breath attack at her, while Mother Scarlet's seals broke one by one, until all of them unleashed her full power.
"{Ultimate Divine Crimson Moon Art}: {Blazing Crimson Lunar Spear of Sanctification}"
FLAAASH!
A massive magic circle appeared above her, conjuring a gigantic crimson spear made of her demonic flames and the crimson moonlight of the goddess. It spiraled forward, piercing through Leonius's breath attack, then his body and soul.
CRAAASH!
The spear impaled the beast, its entire body fracturing into countless cracks and collapsing into pieces across the nearby forest. The souls that composed it, touched by divine power, were able to pass on in peace.
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