Ash's body was screaming for rest, his injuries throbbed as he leaned against the nearby tree, catching his breath. His gaze remained fixed on the battle between Lucius, Elandrialith, and the monstrous creature whose bloodlust now poured out in waves, thick and noxious. The air crackled with tension as Lucius fired his handgun, every shot precise, each infused with mana, and each landing true. The creature screeched in fury, its grotesque form spasming as it absorbed the bullets.
Watching them, Ash felt his own frustration rise. The fight, for all its intensity, seemed almost surreal. He wanted to jump in, to help his friend and the dark elf woman holding the creature at bay. But he knew his body couldn't yet take the strain, not after the damage he'd endured. Frustrated, he tried to ignore the faint stir within him, the lingering glow of white mana that pulsed softly in his core. He willed it to quicken his healing, to fuel him.
Ash forced himself to keep watching, waiting, knowing that every second he spent recovering meant a second longer his friends had to face this nightmare alone.
Elandrialith's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the creature, her mind racing through possible scenarios. She noted the beast's erratic movements, the way it thrashed and lunged, ignoring some attacks that previously would have forced it to dodge. Its movements were wild, unpredictable, and devoid of strategy—a stark contrast to its earlier calculated assaults.
For a moment, Elandrialith allowed herself a faint glimmer of hope. It's unstable, she thought, and getting weaker.
She noticed Lucius observing her from the corner of his eye, and as he made his way toward her, she formulated a plan. She whispered it quickly, ensuring Lucius caught every detail. It was risky and required precision, but if they could pull it off, they might finally end this abomination. He nodded, and she steeled herself, knowing she needed to trust him fully in these next few moments.
Lucius moved with an eerie calm, his focus unwavering as he wielded his dagger in close combat with the creature. The monster lashed out with twisted, clawed limbs, but Lucius met it with parries and counterattacks, his movements smooth and almost rhythmic. As his proficiency leveled up, the System's mechanical voice echoed in his mind, granting him a skill that heightened his accuracy with each swing.
A faint smile played at Lucius's lips as he adapted to the creature's increasingly erratic moves. He took note of the dark mana accumulating in its body, pulsing around the fractured core embedded within its vile form. The core seemed to be disintegrating from the strain, raw mana seeping out, further destabilizing the creature.
After a brutal exchange, Lucius gained some distance, his breathing steady. He glanced over at Elandrialith, who met his gaze with a nod.
"I can hold it for a few minutes," she assured him.
"Good. Do what you need to do," he said simply.
She raised an eyebrow, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected gratitude in his tone. "Well, it seems you do know how to thank someone," she mused with a smirk.
Ash clenched his fists as he watched, his frustration building. He could feel something awakening within him, his body healing faster than before, the wounds mending as the faint glow of mana continued to pulse through him. Lucius's words echoed in his mind—it would increase your potential. He hadn't thought much of it before, but now the effects were undeniable. His skin, tissue, and muscles rebuilt themselves at an accelerated pace, and his mana reserves, once nearly depleted, were quickly replenishing.
He tried to suppress his eagerness, reminding himself to bide his time. For now, he would observe, study, and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Lucius watched as Elandrialith took over the fight, her movements calculated, her mana channeled into the forest around her. She used every vine, root, and tree to entrap the creature, binding its limbs in place. But she struggled to keep up with its relentless onslaught, her limited mana forcing her to conserve energy. As she struggled, Lucius couldn't help but recall her actions in the original story—how she'd taken the White Lily's power to overcome her limitations.
But this wasn't the novel, and the choices he'd made had changed everything. He mused on the impact of his decisions, knowing he'd altered the course of events irreversibly. Still, he didn't regret his choices. He found comfort in the role he played—a villain in others' eyes, a disruptor of their expectations.
He lifted his handgun, firing three quick rounds into the creature's torso. Each shot struck a critical point, and the creature screamed as it staggered backward, writhing in agony. The fractured mana core flickered within its chest, causing a tremor that rippled through its entire form. Lucius narrowed his eyes, analyzing every detail, calculating every weakness.
"The core is breaking down," he warned Elandrialith. "It's only a matter of time."
Elandrialith nodded, her face grim as she steeled herself for the final assault.
Ash felt his energy surge back to life as he watched the battle. Though he didn't fully understand the power coursing through him, he knew it was a gift—one he couldn't waste.