The Demon was at least thirty meters tall.
Its massive physique was also accompanied by its immense aura and destructive capabilities.
If not for its exceptionally high amount of Miasma, one would classify this thing as a Monster—and an extremely dangerous one at that.
In this world, there were beasts that differed from regular animals. Some had intelligence, while others relied solely on instinct.
They were known as Magic Beasts.
Those who were labeled as dangerous beings were dubbed monsters. However, others like Dragons, Griffons, Dryads, etc. were tagged as mere Magical Beasts.
Since their population was abysmally smaller than the other Races in the world, there was no official title or territory attributed to each and every kind of Magic Beasts
However, that didn't mean their strength wasn't recognized.
As someone who had been studying Magic Beasts—especially Monsters—as a means to get stronger, Ivan Smith knew that this massive creature could pass as one.
However… the aura of malevolence and despair it emitted could only belong to the despised race of the Demons.
That was what he believed.
"So, they've finally begun their invasion, uh? Looks like they brought a strong one to deal the first strike!"
Ivan was getting pumped up.
He cracked his fingers and hatefully smiled at the large monster before him.
Its scales glimmered in the sunlight, and Ivan knew that those would be the problem.
'He's probably resistant to adverse conditions like 'Burn' or 'Cold'. In that case…'
While Ivan needed to test the waters, he also had to end things quickly. The longer the battle dragged on, the more devastation would spread.
There could also be enemy forces nearby, so it was best to finish things fast.
If his scorching flames wouldn't be enough, he simply had to resort to something sturdier—strong enough to break the tough scales of the Demon.
This sounded like a perfect job for his Familiar!
"Wax Guardian!"
Instantly, a white-like being manifested from within Ivan.
It looked like a living candle.
Having a flaming head, its hands, body, and legs were coated in white—like a burning candlestick.
Some would say it looked cute—maybe even weak. However… Ivan was well aware of its strength!
"Let's do this! BOND MAGIC!"
The Demon opened its mouth to deliver another scorching blow to the area. Its large jaws were agape, and crimson flames began to form there.
"I WON'T LET YOU!!!"
In a swift motion, Ivan raised his two hands, and white constructs appeared in an instant—pure white spears!
>WHOOOOSSSHHHH!!!<
The spears, made of wax, cut through the wind and chased the chin of the beast.
>BOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!<
They made impact, forcibly closing the jaws of the Demon.
The crimson flames that were being prepared by the giant blew up in its mouth, causing its hulking body to jerk slightly.
"GROOOOOUUUUU!!!" It staggered back while growling in annoyance.
Ivan smiled, happy that his wax constructs worked.
His Wax Guardian was a rare entity, belonging to a special race of Magical Beasts known as Principalities.
It was the only one of his kind—and since its power was the real deal—Ivan chose it during the Ainzlark Familiar Selection Ceremony!
The Wax Guardian's Magic involved the use of Wax. There were two kinds—Soft and Hard.
The Soft kind was enough to restrict the movements of the enemy by sticking them to a particular location. As time passed, these Soft Waxes would turn hard, further binding the target.
The major advantage of his Familiar was Hard Wax.
The density and strength of the constructs made using this Magic were relative to the amount of Mana expended, however… it was extremely durable.
With enough Mana, it could get as strong as the most durable metal he knew—Adamantite.
The problem was Mana usage.
For smaller constructs, Ivan could make his Wax as strong as Adamantite. However, when facing a monster like this, he needed bigger Wax armaments. That meant their durability would reduce, but with enough size and numbers, it would compensate for quality.
"More!!!"
Several dozen spears appeared—all bigger than Ivan—and they were launched at the Demon who was still in recoil.
>FWIIISSHHH!!!<
The air hissed as they pierced the target—bypassing the hard scales that defended it.
"Yes! We're doing it!" Ivan grinned.
He was expending more Mana than he wanted to, but… at this rate, he could kill the monster!
Or so he thought…
"GURRRRUUUUAAAAAA!!!"
In a burst of negative energy, Ivan's body was flung back, as well as everything else around the terrifying creature.
"Guarkkk!"
The young man winced, but was able to quickly flip in midair and regain his stance.
"Shit…" He murmured, glancing at the surrounding of the Demon.
It had been devastated.
It was as if a massive comet fell and destroyed everything around it.
If Ivan hadn't been a distance away from the Demon, how much damage would he have incurred?
However, that wasn't the worst part.
"GUUUURRRUUUUU…"
The monster was now coated in an intense aura. Its scales seemed even tougher than earlier and all its wounds were healed.
It had achieved complete recovery—no, even worse… EVOLUTION!
"Damn…" Was all Ivan could say under his ragged breath.
He hadn't expected it to be so tough.
Confronted with this new height, would he be able to win? Ivan knew the answer to that.
"HECK YEAH!"
Without wasting any time, Ivan used one of his Trump Cards in Bond Magic. It was something that perfectly suited him who liked direct combat.
"Wax Armament!"
A blinding light covered the area, causing the Demon to glare at the source.
At the center of the immense surge of energy was Ivan. He was currently coated with white wax. Like full-plated armor, his body was shielded and he looked like a knight.
Other than the high defensive and offensive capabilities of this state, Ivan was extremely agile too. Multiple enhancements were working at the same time in his body.
He could still utilize his projectiles while engaging in a direct confrontation with the Demon.
By coordinating his attacks efficiently and aiming for a decisive hit before the Demon could heal or use the negative burst attack again, Ivan surmised that he could take down the creature.
Yes, in this new form, Ivan was confident of victory!
