Suddenly, a swift arrow moving like a black bolt flew and lodged itself into the wound on the hind leg of the bear, making it jump to the side, narrowly missing Priscilla.
"She finally shot. Maybe if you had tried convincing her softly, she might have released that shot earlier," Aphrodite said with a smile.
However, Blaze narrowed his eyes with utmost vigilance. He caught a mere glimpse of a flash–an arrow traveling at a speed that exceeded his expectations. As an inherently cautious and untrusting individual, he immediately began calculating his chances of successfully dodging the arrow. It didn't take long for him to realize that the probability of evading it was a resounding zero percent, unless his instinct for danger kicked into high gear.
As a trained agent with a focused mindset, Blaze swiftly cast aside any distracting thoughts. Utilizing his mana, he conjured water and splashed it onto the faces of Aurora and Robin.
The sudden rush of water jolted the siblings awake, causing them to cough vigorously as they regained consciousness.
"Did you kill the bear?" Robin quickly asked.
"There it is." Blaze pointed at the bear that was standing at the border of the battlefield.
The bear sensed a peculiar shift in Blaze's aura, which prompted it to observe him for a moment. Blaze's chilling and dangerous presence had dissipated as he retracted his killing intent. However, the bear lacked the intelligence to perceive Priscilla as a potential hostage.
Blaze directed their attention to the bear's vulnerable underbelly, explaining, "The bear's underbelly is its weak spot. We need to attack from that position."
Turning to Aurora, Blaze inquired, "Are you still able to fight?"
Aurora responded with an emotionless expression, "I'm fully healed." It reminded Blaze that Aurora also possessed the water element.
Aurora's voice suddenly rang out with determination as she kept her gaze fixed on the bear, saying, "If you expose the bear's stomach, I can deliver a finishing blow and end this quickly."
The bear, now baring its fangs at them, seemed unaware of the impending danger that awaited it.
"How?" Blaze asked, not taking his eyes off the bear.
"Tier-two weapon spell," Aurora confidently declared, causing Blaze to raise an eyebrow in surprise.
"Blaze, just trust her this once," Robin interjected urgently as the bear prepared to launch another attack.
Blaze nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation, but he maintained a contingency plan for retreat in case Aurora's attempt proved unsuccessful.
"Robin, prevent the bear from escaping," Blaze commanded calmly, recognizing the importance of keeping the bear in place. With water enveloping the surface of his sword, he advanced towards the bear.
Blaze recognized that releasing his killing intent would be futile, as the bear seemed cautious and intimidated by his presence alone. Instilling fear in the bear to make it flee would be a foolish strategy.
Grrrroooowwwwl!
The bear growled menacingly at Blaze, but he remained composed as he steadily closed the distance. Suddenly, Blaze's speed shifted as he dashed towards the bear like a phantom. In response, the bear growled fiercely and charged at Blaze, refusing to back down.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Blaze executed a diagonal maneuver, veering to the left just as the bear closed in, prompting the massive creature to follow suit. The bear, its paw raised menacingly, attempted to strike at Blaze, but he swiftly pivoted to the right, evading the attack effortlessly. The force of the bear's blow crashed into the ground with a resounding boom, causing the earth to tremble and leaving behind a shallow pit.
Blaze, prioritizing his objective over engaging the bear directly, deftly maneuvered past the formidable creature without inflicting harm. His attention was fixed on Priscilla, who lay behind the bear. In a swift motion, Blaze rushed to Priscilla's side, seizing her by her clothing, and propelled her towards Robin, who stood at the edge of the battlefield.
With a sharp turn, Blaze redirected his gaze towards the bear. Despite its considerable size, the bear displayed surprising agility when moving in a straight line.
Mirroring the bear's turn, Blaze matched its movements, skillfully positioning himself behind the bear's massive frame.
Without a moment's hesitation, Blaze unleashed a powerful slash precisely where Aurora had been targeting the bear's hind leg. His katana cut through the air with deadly accuracy, aiming to exacerbate the already injured area.
With pinpoint accuracy, Blaze's sword found its mark, cutting the exposed, slanted cut on the bear's leg, eliciting a pained growl from the creature. Swiftly, the bear attempted to retaliate, turning to unleash a devastating strike against Blaze. However, Blaze proved to be as elusive as a shadow, seamlessly following behind the bear's back, evading its attacks effortlessly. Seizing the opportunity, Blaze delivered another slashing blow to the wounded area, causing the bear to emit a guttural cry of agony.
The bear, growing increasingly desperate, continued to pivot left and right in an attempt to dislodge its persistent adversary. Yet, Blaze remained steadfast, clinging to the bear's hindquarters like a tenacious maggot, undeterred by its frantic movements. The bear's injury worsened with each passing moment, its agony intensifying.
With a keen awareness of his surroundings, Blaze utilized his peripheral vision to keep a watchful eye on Aurora's actions, all while maintaining his vigilance in case of an unexpected attack from Olivia.
Aurora gripped her sword firmly with both hands, its blade enveloped in a translucent layer of white ice, resembling a delicate membrane. The sword emitted a frosty aura, as if it had just emerged from a chilling refrigerator. Blaze found himself intrigued by Aurora's mysterious intentions.
In a sudden turn of events, the bear rose onto its hind legs, its vulnerable stomach exposed to Aurora. Like a coiled tiger ready to strike, Blaze swiftly leaped out from the bear's surroundings.
Meanwhile, Aurora, her gaze unwavering and determined, unleashed a forward slash without taking a single step. Blaze couldn't help but wonder how her sword would make contact with the bear.
Contrary to Blaze's expectations, the ice encasing Aurora's sword abruptly shot forth from the blade, its shape remaining unaltered. It streaked through the air in a straight line, equivalent in length to Aurora's blade. Like a speeding bullet, the icy blade sliced through the bear's stomach with precision, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. However, the spray of blood that erupted from the bear served as undeniable evidence of the existence of the ice blade that had been unleashed upon it.
A deep and grievous wound was etched into the bear's abdomen, causing the creature to drop its upper limb weakly, its growls of agony filling the air.
As Blaze landed at the edge of the forest after his long leap, his eyes narrowed with concern. He had witnessed two things that posed a significant threat to his life from his peers: Olivia's swiftly shot arrow and the ice-blade that had flown from Aurora's sword. Both projectiles moved at such incredible speed that Blaze could only observe their impact, unable to perceive their trajectory.
Standing motionless at the border of the battlefield, Blaze fixed his gaze upon the wounded bear, which staggered and growled with its bleeding stomach.
Sophia and Olivia swiftly made their way from their positions to join the others on the battlefield. Sophia approached Priscilla and emitted a radiant white light from her hand. Priscilla, who had regained consciousness but struggled to walk, suddenly found her movements alleviated, allowing her to walk normally once again.
Without warning, the staggering bear chose a direction and dashed into the depths of the forest, fleeing from the scene.
"Is this its final struggle?" Aurora muttered, her voice tinged with determination, as she immediately set off in pursuit of the bear. The rest of the group followed suit without hesitation, driven by the instinct to see their mission through. Blaze had no choice but to join the chase. However, after running for about fifteen minutes, Blaze noticed a shift in the terrain, indicating a change in the surroundings.
As the group continued their pursuit, the environment underwent a dramatic transformation. The towering trees grew even taller and more colossal, casting denser and more oppressive shadows. The forest floor became littered with an increasing number of fallen branches.
Blaze attempted to warn the others, his voice laden with concern. "Hey, guys, I think we should stop. We've ventured—"
"Don't stop! The bear is at its wit's end," Robin bellowed, his determination driving him to increase his speed and press on in pursuit of the faltering bear. The rest of the group followed suit, pushing themselves to their limits.
An unsettling sensation began to envelop Blaze, a foreboding feeling that something was amiss.
"Everybody, stop—"
"Forward we match!" Robin roared, interrupting Blaze.
"Can you listen to—"
"Almost there!" Robin cut Blaze with another roar.
Blaze suddenly used his sword and slashed at Robin's neck. With sharp reflexes, Robin deftly evaded the strike, swiftly moving to the left. However, Blaze intentionally slowed the slash. The sudden clash caused the entire group to halt and turn their attention toward Blaze.
"What the hell? Do you want me dead that badly?" Robin roared furiously, his anger palpable as he instinctively touched his neck, ensuring it remained intact.
Despite Robin's angry outburst, Blaze paid him no mind and turned his attention toward the rest of the group. With a stern expression, he addressed them, "This is precisely why I dislike working with amateurs. When victory appears within reach, you become complacent and fail to maintain awareness of your surroundings. When out in the field, you must be vigilant, watching your back for potential sneak attacks, keeping your target in front of you, and scanning the environment to avoid walking into a trap."
Blaze paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing, "Do you see any of those small shrubs around us?" He gestured to the surroundings, emphasizing the importance of their observation.
As everyone looked around, they realized they had ventured too far into the depths of the forest, straying from their intended path.
A distant thud resonated through the air, indicating that the bear had fallen.
"Let's extract its heart and depart," Aurora suggested, her voice driven by a sense of urgency, as she swiftly moved toward the fallen bear. However, upon reaching the scene, they noticed two black animals devouring the bear, their heads buried in its carcass.
Robin made a move to rush at the animals, but Blaze held him back, gripping his arm firmly. Confusion filled the eyes of the group as they turned their attention to Blaze, awaiting an explanation. Yet, Blaze remained fixated on the animals, their size resembling that of cheetahs. His instincts warned him of a heightened danger emanating from them, surpassing even that of the bear.
Suddenly, the animals lifted their heads, revealing an unsettling and ominous smirk that sent a chill down Blaze's spine.
"Wild hyenas?" Blaze questioned, his voice filled with uncertainty.
"No... Awakened Hyenas," Aurora stuttered, her voice trembling with unease.
The hyenas began to laugh with an eerie and unsettling tone, causing the fallen leaves around them to rustle ominously. When Blaze and the others turned around, they were confronted by a horrifying sight—more than 50 hyenas had surrounded them, each wearing a sinister smirk and baring their menacing fangs.
Blaze and the rest instinctively moved closer together, seeking strength in their unity.
"Awakened hyenas?" Blaze inquired, his voice laced with concern as he tried to comprehend the difference between wild and awakened hyenas.
"They possess elemental powers," Aurora muttered, her grip on her narrow sword tightening.
As Blaze turned his gaze toward the hyenas, he witnessed all of them exhaling a stream of fire, confirming Aurora's explanation.
"All of them?" Blaze sought confirmation, his voice tinged with a sense of disbelief.
"Yes," Aurora replied, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.
"We're doomed," Robin voiced the collective thought that echoed in everybody's mind. The girls trembled uncontrollably, and the hyenas continued their eerie laughter, further fueling the atmosphere of impending doom.