168 Vol. 3 pt. 38 Patch 7.0: Monster Showdown (2/2)

He knows that if he gets the serpent on land that she won't be able to fight back nearly as well as she can in the water. In the water, she'll win. On the land, he'll win.

The serpent splashes down in shallow water that only comes halfway up her body.

Any excitement that the spectators felt watching the fight is now gone as their favorite writhes around in the shallow water, trying to slide back into deeper waters before the monster reaches her.

Fenrir looks at the monster and sees that he's not just some gorilla-bull hybrid anymore. His eyes are glowing red as blood stains his black fur crimson. A number of gashes surround his neck and chest where the serpent was latched onto him, and in general, he looks far stronger now.

”He wouldn't be a boss without multiple phases,” Cassiel says.

”Screw his phases. Our girl will win. Olly, think you could try stalling him while she gets back out there?” Fenrir asks.

”I've only got a few thorns left on me, but I'll try,” Oleander says, taking thorns out from his satchel and enlarging them with magic.

Three thorns get shot at the monster at once!

The monster raises his left arm and uses it as a shield to block all three thorns.

Whereas before, the thorns at least slowed the monster down a little, now they appear to just minorly annoy him.

”How did you guys even find that monster?” Fenir asks.

”D-don't worry about it, you bastard,” Cassiel answers.

”We found this little temple and there was a sword that Cass Cass tried taking, and then the boss showed up, scared her into dropping it, and chased us back to you and Nell,” Oleander explains.

Fenrir looks at Cassiel.

Cassiel looks away and whistles.

They both look at the serpent when she lets out another call.

She was too slow getting back into deeper waters, and now her opponent has reached her. The water she's in isn't deep enough for her to properly maneuver in, but it's just shallow enough for the monster to not slow him down anymore.

”We have to help her,” Fenrir says.

”How?” Oleander asks.

”We just have to help her get back into… is everything on The Shoebill repaired?”

”Yeah, Tabs got everything working, but she probably won't be too happy about the mast.”

Fenrir looks toward The Shoebill's bow and decides on his plan.

”I'll be back,” he says, rushing into the water and diving in as soon as it's deep enough.

”The hell is that bastard doing?” Cassiel asks.

”Just Fenny things,” Oleander answers.

Serra and Nyaiko, still swimming toward The Shoebill, get grabbed by Fenrir and dragged along the surface of the water until they reach the ship. Pulling them through the water is easy thanks to the increasing proximity to Nell on top of the passive buff he's been granted by her.

”Let – let go of me-nya! I'll kill nya! Only my Fenya can touch me!” Nyaiko shouts before realizing that the one holding onto her is Fenrir. When she finally makes that realization, she clings to him and eagerly presses her breasts up against him. ”Nya should have said if nya wanted attention!”

Fenrir, ignoring her for the moment, tells them to hang on while he climbs up the rope hanging off The Shoebill's port side.

It's the first time that Nyaiko has ever seen and heard him sound so serious, and she has no idea how to react to it other than by staying silent and listening to him.

Nell helps pull Fenrir and the two girls clinging to his back up once he's within reach.

”My hero! What are we going to do?” Nell asks.

”Serra, it's time for you to do your favorite kind of fishing,” Fenrir says, looking at Serra and then the ballista.

Serra fixes her hat and gives him a thumbs-up.

The weapon that once caught the serpent is now going to catch a different kind of monster.