Monster Gacha System: Becoming The Final Boss

Deep within the underground basement of the looming tower of Block 7, Damien stood within an expansive room dubbed the training grounds of the SIGIL Branch. The ceiling lights hummed in silence as tiles of concrete sat beneath him. It was time to start training his newly acquired abilities.

Taking a deep breath, he recalled moments before when he requested permission from his boss, the seventh Paragon. Utilizing the lower training grounds of the building was less bureaucratic than the SIGIL Headquarters; it only required the direct authorization of his boss.

'Though... I didn't expect that I wouldn't be allowed to train with Hecate and Francine.' Damien sighed to himself while staring at the desolate expanse. Perhaps it was better this way. "I should focus on adapting to my current arsenal of skills."

"Close-quarters combat training should be for later. After I improve my proficiency in utilizing them." He muttered under his breath before closing his eyelids. He deeply inhaled and opened his sable-tinted eyes. Determination blazed within them as he called upon his status.

---

| Monster Gacha System |

-| Boss Title : [ Oberon ] |

-| Monster(s) : Two-Star EX Monster: Eclipse(Fragment), Two-Star EX Monster: Neurophages, One-Star TE Monster: Silhouette, Two-Star TE Monster: Scorpion Tank, Two-Star TE Monster: Wyvern, One-Star TE Monster: Hellhound, One-Star TE Monster: Freedom Eagle, One-Star TE: Nemean Lion, Two-Star TE Monster: Tarasque, One-Star TE Monster: Anaconda, Two-Star TE Monster: Direwolf, Three-Star TE Monster: Behemoth, Three-Star TE Monster: Orochi, Two-Star TE Monster: Heavenly Bull, One-Star PA Monster: Banshee, Two-Star PA Monster: Oni, Two-Star PA Monster: Dullahan, One-Star PA Monster: Shadow Hound, One-Star PA Monster: Onryo |

-| Skill Index : Raptured Blink(Eclipse), Intangible Fracture(Eclipse), Hive Assimilation(Neurophaes), Psychic Operation(Silhouette), Mechanical Bombardment(Scorpion Tank), Dracko Oppression(Wyvern), Chains of Judgment(Hellhound), Heaven's View(Freedom Eagle), Hide of Aegis(Nemean Lion), Carapace of Legends(Tarasque), Constriction(Anaconda), Pack Howl(Direwolf), Tectonic Steps(Behemoth), Venoms of Eightfold Death(Orochi), Celestial Charge(Heavenly Bull), Wailing Death(Banshee), Demonic Strength(Oni), Mark of Death(Dullahan), Hunting Darkness(Shadow Hound), Curse of Vengeance(Onryo) |

-| Command Seal(s): [ 140/145 ] |

<| Terror Point(s) : 472 |>

---

Damien observed the Skill Index with a scrutinizing gaze and mumbled. "This is a lot. A bit too much. Some of them even overlap with one another. Instead of an innumerable monster army, perhaps an army of monster bosses would be better for me."

The only solution to such a problem was the Fusion Feature previously granted by the system after the second primary mission. However, the fusion for duplicates and monsters was more complicated than what was previously stated.

For the duplicates, only monsters of the same ranking could be fused together, despite their status as duplicates. On the other hand, fusion between monsters required their evolution bar to be filled beforehand.

'This information took a lot of inquiries.' Damien sighed, remembering the unresponsive system. It took over three dozen attempts to hear more about the Fusion Feature. At any rate, he would have to go through several missions for intermonster fusion to be applicable.

"I should handle the fusion plan later." He muttered and turned his attention back to the Skill Index. Without any hesitation or delay, he activated his first new personal ability, Hide of Aegis. In mere moments, he felt his clothes glowing with a reddish hue.

It was augmenting the defenses of his attire, making them durable enough to withstand any attacks beyond a certain power. Maybe bullets wouldn't be effective against him anymore.

Damien shifted his black suit and noticed its improved quality. 'A defensive buffing skill. It might be more cost-effective than prematurely utilizing the Intangible Fracture. After all, that ability is expensive.'

Straitening his black suit, Damien activated another new defensive personal ability. It came from the Tarasque, the Carapace of Legends. Activating it with a thought, a golden shield materialized in thin air.

It hummed with defensive power, seemingly capable of shrugging off the strongest of weapons. It was different from the Hide of Aegis, which augmented his clothes to their limits. The Carapace of Legends brought about a powerful barrier.

'Unfortunately, the shield is only one-directional. But it should be capable of handling bombardments and piercing rounds. I would have to test its limits further. How much could it take before it shatters into pieces?' Damien thought with a tinge of satisfaction.

Defensive skills were a welcome addition to his arsenal of abilities. It ensured that he would be protected without over relying on Eclipse's second ability, Intangible Fracture.

In any case, the third ability was Constriction. He turned his sable-tinted gaze towards a lonesome dummy at the edge of the training grounds. He pointed at it with his fingers and activated the ability.

The dummy's body seemed to have been contracted by an invisible force. It felt like telekinesis, but instead of manipulating objects with his mind. He was merely squeezing it through Constriction. Travel time was nonexistent, but there should be limits on how much it could handle.

'Interesting... This ability should make crushing opponents through Eclipse's hand easier.' Damien nodded in satisfaction, shutting the skill off. The contracted dummy fell to the ground. Its surface was permanently constricted.

His gaze narrowed for a moment as he muttered to himself. "I should be careful about how much strength I should use. Otherwise, I might accidentally compress someone to their death. It would be a gruesome sight for sure."

The fourth newest skill was a support type. It was called Pack Howl. What that meant remained a mystery, but he was determined to solve it in this very moment. Preparing himself, the black-suited young man activated the skill.

The wolves' howls echoed through the training grounds, piercing through every corner. Damien could feel his vitality and strength igniting as though boosted by something. The support skill shouldn't only affect him. It might be capable of enhancing his monsters and even comrades.

'Important in group battles. I wonder if the enhancement is percentage-wise or numerical?' He tilted his head but promptly looked at the fifth skill within his growing arsenal of abilities. It furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered if it was proper to even use it within the training grounds.

The skill was none other than Tectonic Steps, belonging to one of his two three-star Terrestrial Monsters. From the sound of the ability alone, it was capable of summoning a high-magnitude earthquake. He didn't want to test it in the middle of a city, a growing and recovering one at that.

'I should test this later after I leave the city premises.' Damien shook his head and continued on to the next one. It was a skill belonging to his second three-star Terrestrial Monster, Orochi. The name of the skill was Venoms of Eightfold Death.

Quite a ruthless skill. It would probably be ineffective against a dummy, since it was venomous. But it didn't hurt to test the personal ability of the three-star summoned Terrestrial Monster.

With this in mind, Damien took a deep breath and gazed at the lying dummy nearby. He pointed at it with his hand and activated the Venoms of Eightfold Death. In a couple of seconds, a tiny droplet materialized before him. It was pitch-black.

He observed it for a few moments before it sprang towards the dummy. As the droplet touched the contracted surface of the training dummy, it started to dissolve into acid and dust. Within half a dozen seconds, the dummy disappeared from the training ground.

Not a speck of it was left behind, stating the danger of the venomous skill.

'I didn't think it would actually work against an inanimate object.' Damien observed the spot where the training dummy supposedly lay. There was nothing above it. It was the same emptiness as every spot of the desolate training grounds.

"The next skill should be the last one belonging to my new Terrestrial Monster. It is known as the Celestial Charge, originating from the Heavenly Bull. A two-star Terrestrial Monster." He glanced at the status display for a moment.

This was the last skill he would test within the training grounds. The personal abilities belonging to the Paranormal Monsters required an actual target, while those of the new Extraterrestrial Monster needed a definite body to be utilized.

Activating Celestial Charge, Damien felt golden particles of energy permeating from the pores of his skin. It was as though he was showered by warmth, making his body feel somewhat tingly. Staring at the end of the training grounds, he charged with all his might.

A streak of golden light pierced through the entirety of the training grounds, leaving behind the halved section of the expanse. At the end of the training grounds, Damien stood while panting as he felt his body exhausted after the instantaneous rush.

Celestial Charge made him resemble a rampaging bull. It was immediate and potent, but predictable. If he utilized this ability, it had to be a one-hit execution. Otherwise, it would be unusable if somehow blocked or dodged. After all, he would become too foreseeable.

Damien straightened his back and stretched his arm upward. All of the newest Terrestrial Skills have been tested except for the Tectonic Steps. Such a skill would be for later outside New Janus.

In any case, utilizing them together would be the next step in this training. Stretching every part of Damien's body, the black-suited young man prepared himself for what was about to come. It would be a demanding and exhausting regimen.

But a prerequisite for the future he needed to face.

"I have an idea about how to use these new skills together with my old ones. I'm excited that my fighting style wouldn't be as boring as before." His lips curled into a smile, relieved that he needed to rely on his Intangible Fracture anymore.

"It's time to train!"