To say that this monster came straight out of the horror movie would be over-exaggeration. How should I say it then? Imagine combining comedy, parody, horror in a body of one being.

Casting just a glance at this thing, was enough to make one throw up. Horse riding a human? No, that has strangely sexual vibes. Strangely shaped pony, with an enormous sword in its hoof, riding on top of a decaying zombie on all fours? Yeah, I think that this description nails it perfectly!

With the zombie galloping my way while the pony on top of it was swinging its sword, I could feel an insanely powerful aura crushing on me the moment I spotted it. Without even a moment of hesitation, I swung my sword at it!

But it couldn't be as easy, couldn't it be? 

The same moment that I started executing my attack, the pony hind legs tensed up, crushing the zombie's right side. Just as an obedient mount, it instantly leapt to the side, just like a frog. While it forced it to gain some distance and break the momentum of its charge, the pony just titled itself to the side to overcome the sudden change of direction, before kicking at the zombie's sides to charge at me again!

"Blop!"

"Do you wish to breakthrough?"

Dang it! While allowing the bonger to reach for greater heights would be an easy way to gain the strength to easily overcome this adversary, there is a great chance that doing so will leave me unable to react for a moment! Even with how powerful Eve is right now, I doubt she will be able to face it alone. 

No, I can't risk it yet. 

Jumping forward, I let my windslord to swing to my back. Charging right at this strange cavalrymen, I try to ignore the fear and uncertainty that is settling within me the closer I get to it. 

DEVIOUS SIDESTEP!

Just as the zombie jumped forward with the clear intention to bite on me while the pony swung its sword downwards, I use my ability from executioner's path to shift my movement patter right under the pony's side! 

I have no idea how it happens, but some strange force instantly pulls the tip of my sword from way behind my back all the way to the level of my abdomen, before pulling it toward this strange enemy!

As soon as I feel the small resistance of its body, I break myself away from the influence of the ability, to slash the sword upwards!

While it may look like a reckless manoeuvre from the side, by closing the distance like that, I place myself in the spot where the pony won't be able to reach me with its big sword! That's the problem of big weapons! They are lethal only when there is enough distance to execute the attack!

Just as I thought that the fight is over, I notice that the wind-wave that came out of the tip of my sword didn't do any harm to this monster! Does this mean that my sure-kill technique doesn't work on the monsters of those level anymore?

Jumping backwards, I get some distance to recalculate my strategy. If my secondary attack coming from the windslord is unable to do any real damage, lethal hit won't be effective as well. With the sixth stage of executioner path and it's set of normal fighting moves still locked, I'm running out of the options!

Bonger, I would like some help here!

With another jump of the zombie, I need to give up another piece of ground, slowly closing to the point where Eve and Leila will get in the range of its attacks as well! I can't retreat even a single step more! 

"Blop!"

"Do you wish to use the shadow technique?"

"Shadow technique - allows the host to temporarily unlock abilities from the higher grade of the system. Available only at the verge of a breakthrough. While it reaches the middle stage of evolution, the host won't be able to save any progress in it!"

"Technique used to familiarise oneself with future system capabilities!"

"Cost - 250 attribute points"

Oh, fuck yes! Why didn't you tell me that I have such an option before?

"Blop!"

"Unlocking the basic mage path"

"Evolving mage path to the tenth stage"

"Unlocking abilities (Firestorm/Basic Drain/Bind/Shockwave)"

"Unlock passive ability (Elemental manipulation)"

"Unlock passive ability (Mana gathering)"

Woah! Does that mean I can become a fully-fledged mage in a world where sword or spear are the basic tools to augment one's strength? Isn't that a bit too overpowered?

But it's not a time to be thinking about it! 

SHOCKWAVE!

"Used 500 mana!"

Wait, five hundred mana? Isn't that like a fifth of my entire pool?

Before my doubts spread through my mind, I can feel the energy from my body bubbling up, before focusing on a single, eternally small point that instantly moves towards the dead cavalier. As soon as it reaches it, my whole body is thrown back! 

Hitting a few trees on my way before my momentum is finally diminished, I raise my eyes to check the effects of this ability on my enemy. But no matter how I look for it, there is not even a single hint of where it went!

"Blop!"

"Killed developing core beast."

"Killed spirit attaintment beast"

"Experience points capped, granting 135 attribute points in their place"

Only after hearing the announcement of the system, I realise that if I look closely enough, I can see some shreds of meat or blood everywhere around.

"What the hell was this?"

Taking a look to my side, I can see Eve and Leila slowly gathering themselves from the ground. Looking at them, they didn't sustain any major injuries outside of a few small scratches from the broken wood. I guess Leila question is justified. Even I'm surprised about the power of this ability! My outburst back at the mansion in the sect only created a small crater in the ground while throwing Eve back, but this attack… Not only did it blast us more than two hundred meters back, but it also dissected the enemy at the developing core to the shreds!

Well, it's no wonder. Considering how the system automatically evolved the mage path to its middle levels, the abilities should be way stronger than what a monster of the first stage of the spirit realm should be able to handle!

"Was that the dead cavalry that you mentioned before? How the hell such a strong enemy came at us even before we reached the spirit attainment area?"