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The next day after the fish feast, Ervas and Veronica glanced at a scene that would be rare to see on Earth aside from movies about giant monsters destroying cities.
?
"GROWL!"
"GIISHAA!"
An enormous worm, which length surpassed forty meters and which thickness was over five meters, covered in hundreds of purple-colored metallic scales and spikes forming from within its back roared as it clashed against another monstrous creature of almost its same size, however, it had the shape of a snake, although instead of being made of scales and flesh, it was made of thousands of dark green vines entangled with each other, protecting the exterior with many venomous spikes.
Both creatures clashed against each other as they seemed to not be fighting completely seriously, but sparring…
Although such thing would often be impossible to tell due to their fierceness, and the fact that most monsters did not know about the concept of sparring and if they were to ever clash against each other, they would simply try to kill the other… however, these two monsters were simply special cases, tamed creatures by Veronica and Ervas.
"Isn't Nidhogg and Ivy going too far?" asked a cat-sized, red-colored eyeball with four bat-like wings and a long tail, Shade, surging from within Veronica's abyssal soul.
"They're doing good! Ivy and Nidhogg are almost the same in strength! So cool!" said an adorable little girl with the size not bigger than a cat, seemingly made entirely out of wood and whose hair was long leaves, Gaia, appearing atop Ervas head.
"Do you like seeing them spar, Gaia-chan?" asked Veronica.
"I do! I do!" said Gaia as she cheered for the two creatures. Her appearance had changed a bit since Ervas had leveled up the Spirit Magic a lot, and now she was slowly taking the form of what seemed to be some kind of fairy, such as a dryad.
"Gaia, I don't think this is something for us to find entertainment from…" muttered Shade.
"Don't be so boring, Shade! Let the two fight, they are sworn rivals! Not enemies" said Veronica.
"They even got skills symbolizing that," said Ervas.
"Yeah, that's why! Aren't those skills dangerous against each other?!" asked Shade.
"Not really, their regeneration abilities are very good, and they are constantly receiving Gaia's heal," said Ervas.
"That's right. After all, they got those skills because of their great rivalry. Meaning that they can even grow stronger from fighting each other, and they don't seem to not enjoy it" said Veronica.
"Ervas-kun, even you, who are supposed to be thoughtful one agrees with this goofball this time?!" asked Shade as he referred to Veronica as 'goofball'.
"Who are you calling goofball?" asked Veronica with a bit of anger.
"N-No one…" muttered Shade.
"They finished. It seems that they have calmed down now" said Ervas, as the thunderous fight unleashed by Nidhogg against Ivy came to an end, with both falling into the ground while resting. Even Ivy, who was a plant-type monster and should not feel the same type of fatigue as a flesh monster like Nidhogg was tired.
"Growl…" muttered Nidhogg.
"Giisha…" said Ivy.
Both glanced at each other… they seemed to… smile?
They have really sworn rivals.
Nidhogg and Ivy's rivalry has been a matter of fact since both long creatures met with each other, they simply could not accept that there was another long creature in the group and often fought against each other over who was the strongest one.
However, as time went on and they got used to living together as they realized that their tamers were two halves of the same soul and could not simply hate each other, they decided to calm down their rage and converted their anger against each other into a rivalry where both would fight each other not with the purpose of killing, but to improve themselves to serve their tamers better.
And after fighting side by side against many threats, to the point of becoming notable members in the fight against Oggoth, they acquired developed skills related to their rivalry…
Nidhogg and Ivy acquired the Skills 'Self-Enhancement: Rivalry', which, as its name implied, increased their power while fighting against or at the side of a rival.
Their sworn rivalry, however, had shown up before through the powerful yet dangerous skills such as 'Dragon Slayer' of Ivy and Nidhogg's 'Beast Slayer' and 'Herbicide'.
Dragon Slayer increased damage dealt against Dragon-type monsters, which Nidhogg had recently acquired the type of after evolving into a Rank 7 monster, while 'Beast Slayer' granted greater damage against beast-type monsters, although this shouldn't include Ivy, it seemed to do so when paired with the Herbicide Skill, which also increased damage against plants just like Pesticide of Ivy did against bugs such as Nidhogg… it was simply as if both had become their greatest enemy and at the same time their greatest rivals.
Ivy, due to Dragon Slayer, now could easily one-shot or two-shot the Storm Wyvern Boss as if nothing, as she was now a Rank 8 Monster, and her power was even greater.
Meanwhile, Nidhogg was able to keep up with her despite being a Rank 7 monster due to his slayer skills and herbicide.
Due to their sworn rivalry, both would grow stronger and stronger as they fought against each other or together against someone else, they had unexpectedly become the third-best pair after Nick and Gwendolyn and Veronica and Ervas in the entirety of the Igni Kingdom.
Ervas flew towards both of them as he patted Ivy and Nidhogg, Veronica did so as well at his side.
"You two fought well, you're true warriors," said Ervas.
"Indeed, now take it easy for the rest of the day," said Veronica.
"Growl…" muttered Nidhogg, as its wounds had already closed, but it simply felt tired and needed a nap.
"Giisha…" said Ivy, as she rested while taking the sunlight of today's sky.
Nidhogg and Ivy, despite having evolved quite high already had not developed the ability to speak like Aqua or Charlotte had, simply put, they had more brawn than brain, and it seemed that such trait would be kept even after many evolutions. However, they already understood most of the words and meanings behind them when they were spoken by their tamers.
"Sigh… There is nothing that I can do, I guess…" muttered Shade.
"You have to understand, uncle Shade! Their rivalry is something sacred! They will become great warriors!" said Gaia, like a little girl who was excited after watching a cool action anime.
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[Name: Nidhogg.
[Race: Giant Armored Venomous Dark Drake Worm.
[Titles: Tamed Monster.
[Type: Bug (Worm)/Poison/Dragon (New!)
[Rank: 7
[Level: 001/100
[Health Points: 3540/3540
[Mana Points: 875/875
[Strength: 2825
[Defense: 1703
[Magic: 670
[Resistance: 1182
[Agility: 2146
[Passive Skills]
[Dark Vision; Level 7]
[Superhuman Strength; Level 6]
[Rapid Healing; Level 5]
[Enhanced Body Parts; Exoskeleton, Jaws, Scales; Level 6]
[Health Points Enlargement; Level 5]
[Abnormal Status Resistance; Level 4]
[Physical Damage Resistance; Level 6]
[Hunger Resistance; Level 2]
[Earth Attribute Resistance; Level 5]
[Self-Enhancement; Tamer (Veronica): Level 6]
[Self-Enhancement; Following (Veronica): Level 5]
[Self-Enhancement; Following (Ervas); Level 3]
[Dragon Scales; Level 6]
[Self Enhancement: Rivalry (Ivy): Level 2]
[Active Skills]
[Charge; Level 7]
[Venom Secretion (Neurotoxin); Jaws, Scales, Saliva; Level 5]
[Mineral Devourer; Level 6]
[Projectile Fire; Level 5]
[Armor Technique; Level 5]
[Shield Technique; Level 4]
[Grow; Level 5]
[Poison Breath; Level 6]
[Surpass Limits; Level 5]
[Coordination; Level 4]
[Whip Technique: Level 3]
<Unique Skills>
[Beast Slayer: Level 2]
[Herbicide: Level 1]
<Divine Protections>
[Ophelia's Divine Protection]
-----
[Name: Ivy
[Race: Giant Gluttonous Constrictor Poisonous Thorny Vine Shadow Boa
[Age: 0
[Titles: 'Tamed' Monster.
[Type: Plant/Dark/Poison.
[Rank: 8
[Level: 001/100
[Health Points: 4625/4625
[Mana Points: 1198/1198
[Strength: 3820
[Defense: 1807
[Magic: 951
[Resistance: 1587
[Agility: 2617
[Passive Skills]
[Special Five Senses; Level 7]
[Self-Enhancement; Following (Ervas); Level 6]
[Self-Enhancement; Following (Veronica); Level 4]
[Poison Secretion; Spikes, Thorns; Level 7]
[Enhanced Body; Vines, Spikes, Thorns; Level 7]
[Health Points Enlargement; Level 6]
[Enhanced Attribute Values; Constriction; Level 6]
[Superhuman Strength; Level 7]
[Rapid Healing; Level 6]
[Physical Damage Resistance: Level 5]
[Magic Damage Resistance: Level 4]
[Self Enhancement: Rivalry (Nidhogg): Level 2]
[Active Skills]
[Charge; Level 8]
[Whip Technique; Level 7]
[Unarmed Fighting Technique: Level 5]
[Armor Technique: Level 4]
[Shield Technique: Level 3]
[Digestion; Level 6]
[Stealth; Level 5]
[Projectile Fire; Level 6]
[Grow; Level 5]
[Coordination; Level 5]
[Surpass Limits; Level 6]
<Unique Skill>
[Dragon Slayer: Level 2]
[Pesticide: Level 1]
<Divine Protections>
[Ratatoskr's Divine Protection]
-----
<Skill Explanations>
[Self-Enhancement: Rivalry]
A new variant of the well-known set of Skills or Skill category named 'Self Enhancement', these skills, simply put, enhance the user's stats as long as the condition is fulfilled, this enhancement is momentarily, but the skill is still considered passive as this increase in power happens automatically the moment the condition is met, without needing any activation from the user.
This Skill not only increases the power of the user when fighting against its rival, but it also increases it when it is near it, so it can be used to increase their powers and fight with their rival as a team, such act will also add into the proficiency of the Skill, making both Ivy and Nidhogg strong fighters when they are together.
This type of Self-Enhancement Skill has never been documented before, and Nidhogg and Ivy are pioneers on it, most likely because the conditions to acquire it are too harsh, and no sane living being would try to kill each other so much while still considering each other as rivals and companions like Nidhogg and Ivy can.
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