Lucius kept his handgun trained on the grotesque creature, analyzing every inch of it with a cold, calculating gaze. The creature was a twisted amalgamation of raw, unnatural mana, swirling and writhing in a body that only vaguely mimicked a living form. He remembered reading about this monstrosity in the novel, described as a "natural disaster" born from accumulated dark mana—an anomaly lacking true physical substance yet violently destructive.
Moving toward Ash and Elandrialith, Lucius never broke his focus on the creature, his gun poised. As he reached them, Elandrialith glanced at him with a mixture of irritation and surprise.
"Where were you?" she asked sharply, though her tone softened when she saw him standing ready beside her.
Lucius gave her a dismissive shrug, "Forgot something," he replied flatly. "But thanks for holding the line and keeping Ash in one piece."
Elandrialith scoffed, her voice edged with a reluctant gratitude. "It was part of the deal. Don't read too much into it."
Ash looked up, a relieved smile breaking through his weariness. "Good to see you, Lucius. Thanks for the assist."
Lucius gave Ash a brief sideways glance. "Think you can still fight?"
Ash grimaced, glancing down at his wounds and feeling the toll of his depleted mana. "Not in any decent shape, honestly. I don't have much mana left."
Lucius nodded, accepting Ash's answer. Then he turned to Elandrialith, studying her injuries. "Can you hold out?"
She managed a prideful, albeit irritated smile. "You don't need to worry about me," she muttered, though her gaze shifted to her injured arm, showing her own doubts.
"Good. Walk it off," Lucius said bluntly, earning him a venomous glare from Elandrialith. She clenched her jaw but didn't respond, readying herself instead.
The creature snarled, its screeches piercing the air, a sound so dreadful Lucius flinched, covering one ear. It looked even worse up close, and he couldn't help but stare at it in disdain. He covered his mouth, muttering, "Horrid sight."
Elandrialith, now with a tinge of skepticism, cast him a quick glance. "Do you… actually know what that thing is? And why it's destroying my forest?"
Lucius met her gaze, pausing briefly before answering. "It's called a Vrymag. Born from a blend of tainted mana and other vile energies, a natural abomination." He pointed to a spot within the creature's writhing form. "Its fractured mana core is there. That's its weak spot."
Elandrialith absorbed the information, casting Lucius a questioning glance. "How do you know all of this?"
But Lucius only offered her a dismissive answer, his focus already back on the creature. After a moment of quiet frustration, Elandrialith sighed, her gaze sharpening on the creature as she replenished her mana reserves. Ash, on the other hand, was still catching his breath and attempting to recover his strength. He watched Lucius warily, wondering how his friend knew so much.
Lucius noticed this and waved him off. "Take it slow, Ash. Let us handle this for now."
Ash opened his mouth, ready to argue, but he felt the sting of his own exhaustion and reluctantly agreed. "Alright, just… be careful."
Just then, the Vrymag launched itself at them, its speed far greater than Lucius had anticipated. Elandrialith reacted instantly, summoning thick vines and roots from the forest floor to snare the creature in a tangled bind. With a flick of her good hand, she hurled the creature aside, her voice laced with a fierce threat as she warned it off.
Lucius seized the moment, raising his handgun and firing several shots at the creature's vital points. Each bullet hit its mark with surgical precision, causing the Vrymag to shriek in pain as Elandrialith sent it crashing to the ground.
A chime rang in Lucius's ear, and a screen appeared before him. His handgun proficiency had increased, unlocking a sub-skill: "Accuracy Aim". Lucius barely spared it a glance, his focus trained on the Vrymag, writhing and struggling against the mana-infused bullets lodged within its form.
"Good," Lucius muttered, assessing the effectiveness of his strategy. The creature was weak against physical attacks imbued with mana, just as he remembered from the novel. He turned to Elandrialith, "Hold it off for a bit longer."
She raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "And why should I trust you to do something useful?"
Lucius gave her a slight smirk. "Just trust me on this one. Keep it busy."
Elandrialith rolled her eyes but reluctantly agreed, summoning another wave of vines to hold the creature down. Lucius took advantage of the moment to stride over to Ash, who was still recovering.
"Ash," Lucius said, his tone firm, "hold out your hand."
Ash looked up, confused. "Shouldn't you be helping Elandrialith with that thing?"
Lucius ignored the question, pulling a white glowing lily from his pouch and placing it in Ash's hand. "Consume this."
Ash blinked, staring at the flower in bewilderment. "What… why do I need to eat a flower?"
Lucius sighed, barely suppressing a grin.