I leave Go and cloak myself in dark magic, approaching the creature.
Ten meters away, I stop and marvel at its beauty—wings spread wide, a magnificent horn gleaming against its pristine white coat. But before I can admire it further, it attacks, launching a light magic spell straight at me. I summon a magic shield to defend, but its power overwhelms my barrier, shattering it on impact and forcing me backward.
[-100 HP]
Shock floods my mind. This is the first time I've lost HP since the poisoned arrow. But before I can react further, something even more startling happens—the unicorn speaks.
"I sense your presence. Show yourself."
"What?! You can talk?" I say, dissolving the dark magic veil around me.
"Oh? A human? Unexpected. I sense a strong magic presence within you… but you are still leagues beneath me. State your purpose, human, or perish."
Its arrogance grates on me. I despise being looked down upon, and for a moment, I consider abandoning my goal of capturing it—perhaps it would be far more satisfying to cut off its head.
"Don't get cocky, white horse. Just because one hit landed, you think you're stronger?"
"How dare you call me a horse?!" it snarls. "I am a Unicorn, a vastly superior existence compared to a mere human slave."
"That's it. Die, human!"
With no hesitation, it launches another wave of magic attacks, forcing me to dodge using {Teleport}. But it doesn't hold back—spell after spell, relentless and unyielding. I grit my teeth as frustration builds. Infinite mana? No, it must have cooldowns, but they're barely noticeable—one or two seconds at most. And the way it fights... as though I'm nothing more than an insect.
My rage surges as its next area attack breaks through my defenses once again.
[-200 HP]
"Enough! Stop looking down on me, horse!"
I shift my approach—physical combat may be my best shot since it holds magical supremacy over me. With {Teleport}, I close the gap, striking hard. My blade meets its magic barrier, causing it to crack and sending the unicorn flying back 15 meters—but the shield still holds.
"Impressive," the unicorn mutters, its tone no longer dismissive. "It seems I underestimated you. You are too dangerous to live."
I don't want to kill it—not yet—so I quickly ask J while dodging its continued barrage.
"J, how is this possible?"
"Sir, unicorns exist at the same realm as you. While it lacks your strength (STR) and agility (AGI), its intelligence (INT) and wisdom (WIS) exceed 1000—it's a magical creature, giving it an enormous mana pool. Your best chance at subduing it is to use both magic and physical attacks."
"Fine. I'll heal it later."
I pull out my sword, layering it with lightning magic, and teleport forward, striking again. But this time, the unicorn reacts—it doubles its magical defenses and counters my attack. I remain unfazed, meeting its assault head-on. My blade slices through both its attack and shield, closing in.
But before striking its body, I flip my sword to the dull edge—I don't intend to kill it. However, just as I'm about to land the hit, it uses its horn to intercept my attack, parrying the strike with shocking strength. The impact sends it soaring into the air before it struggles to stabilize with its wings.
[You inflicted 500 Damage]
A thought lingers in the unicorn's mind: 'Impossible. I am the pinnacle of this world's monsters—yet this human has wounded me?! No. I can't accept this. I won't allow this!'
"Human, your existence offends me! You must cease to exist!"
"Say what you want, horse. By the end of this fight, you will be my mount—whether you like it or not! And I will teach you manners."
"Fine. This is it. No more holding back. If you survive this next attack, I will acknowledge you."
"Likewise! If you survive, you will be worthy of becoming my mount."
This is our final exchange.
The unicorn charges its ultimate spell, while I coat my sword in fire and earth, forming magma, reinforcing myself to maximum strength.
In an instant, I teleport—meeting its attack head-on. Our final clash erupts in a thunderous explosion. We remain in a stalemate until I activate {Judgment}, shattering its magic entirely. The unicorn's expression shifts to pure shock, but there's no time for it to react—the shockwave sends its body crashing through the trees, flinging it more than 100 meters away.
[You inflicted 1300 Damage]
The fight is over.
I burned over 600 MP in that last strike—it proved its worth.
Approaching its bloodied body, I examine the damage. Broken wings, deep wounds, but still alive. A pang of regret flickers within me—perhaps I went too far. Yet, I keep my expression cold, showing no weakness.
Locking eyes with it, I speak—tone indifferent, yet commanding.
"I will ask this only once—serve me and live. Refuse, and die—becoming nothing more than my EXP."