The dismembered tentacle fell limply on the ground, its severed ends still smoldering from the searing heat of Flame Edge. The young patrol officer, battered and exhausted, collapsed to his knees, gasping desperately for air. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as he struggled to regain his composure.
Meanwhile, the remaining tentacles thrashed wildly in a frenzied attempt to retaliate against Lynn. Reacting swiftly, he relied on his extraordinary movements and swordsmanship to skillfully dodge and parry the furious strikes.
However, Lynn found himself at a disadvantage. The monster had the high ground, utilizing the metallic shell of the bell as a formidable armor. The situation demanded a strategic approach.
"Two shots left," his analytical mind rapidly calculated the optimal course of action. Despite the limited ammunition within the formidable Bloody Reaper, it was enough for his next move.
Activating [Spiritual Vision], Lynn's eyes locked onto the metallic structure suspended overhead. Within its hollow depths, a pulsating mass of spiritual energy swirled which caught his attention, its movements mirroring the erratic flailing of the tentacles.
"It's the main body of the tentacular creature," Lynn speculated.
Waiting for the opportune moment, he continued his dance of evasion, weaving between the thrashing tentacles until he swiftly severed another creature's limb with a precise cut, the flames of his blade charring the stumps.
Sensing the creature's momentary freeze from the pain, Lynn seized this opening and aimed his weapon at the bell.
Once again, The Bloody Reaper unleashed another thunderous blast, the heavy round hurtling forth with unyielding force. The projectile pierced through the hard surface, creating yet another hole.
Without letting the time to the creature to react, Lynn fired a second shot. This time, he changed his target, deviating from targeting the bell itself. Instead, he aimed at the thick iron cable suspending it in its lofty position. The round found its mark, and with a resounding metallic snap, the cable gave way, severed by the sheer impact.
Crash!
No longer anchored in place, the massive object succumbed to the unyielding pull of gravity. It plummeted downward, its descent accompanied by a cacophony of crashing and shattering as it collided with the chamber floor.
The tower trembled around Lynn as he watched the destructive aftermath. The falling bell had done its job, crushing the tentacles and imprisoning the creature within. But the battle was not yet won.
An unearthly shriek rose from inside, its deafening wails shaking dust from the tower walls. Lynn knew this creature would not be caged for long. The holes blasted by his gun provided an escape route, and soon it would force its way free.
With a single thought, the Bloody Reaper pistol disappeared from his grip, seamlessly merging back into his body. Now having a free hand, he swiftly reached into his inventory and retrieved three fragmentation grenades.
As he pulled the fuses, white threads sprouted from his hand, encasing the explosives and guiding them straight through the holes on the bell's surface, directly into its interior.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The tremendous successive impacts of the three grenades going off shook the already damaged bell, causing numerous cracks to mar its once pristine surface.
This final assault marked the turning point in the battle. The injuries inflicted by Lynn had left the creature momentarily stunned and weakened. Lynn's keen eyes observed how the creature's spiritual energy flickered, becoming feeble and sluggish.
Seizing the opportunity, Lynn lunged forward, his sword raised overhead with both hands. The blade radiated with a blazing, fiery energy as he channeled his strength into this single decisive strike.
Raising the Flame Edge high above his head, Lynn brought it down with brutal force, plunging the fiery blade viciously into the surface of the bell.
A shower of sparks erupted, accompanied by a burst of scorching heat as the blade tore through the metal, finally shattering it. The monstrous entity trapped within emitted a final feeble shriek before falling silent.
In the aftermath, Lynn swiftly deactivated his talent, [Gemini Soul]. The heightened senses and intense focus granted by his unique ability gradually faded away, leaving him to stand among the wreckage, his body and mind slowly returning to their natural state.
"That was intense," Lynn muttered softly as he took a few moments to steady his nerves, allowing the adrenaline to subside and his breathing to regulate.
A few seconds later, the smoke and dust stirred up by the battle quickly cleared, and Lynn could finally see the creature inside.
It was a mass of silver flesh embedded within the bell's inner surface with what seemed to be an opening from which several tentacles hang down, however, the previous form of this creature was beyond recognition.
Lynn turned his attention to the young officer who had managed to catch his breath nearby. "Collect the shattered remains of this creature. I will check the situation outside"
Without letting the man time to respond, Lynn quickly jumped from the cloak opening, utilizing string threading to descend and slow his fall and land safely. As he touched the ground, he quickly surveyed his surroundings.
"How's Cooper?" Lynn immediately inquired about the first officer he encountered.
"Sir is fine, just a bullet in the arm," the officer responded, instantly relieving Lynn of his worries. "But the assailant took advantage of the chaos and managed to escape."
Lynn was taken aback by the news of the sheriff being only shot in the arm. This was so much better than he had expected. He had initially believed that the person behind this elaborate trap and attack on the sheriff had certainly intended to cause significant harm, if not kill him.
"Take me to him," Lynn calmly directed the officer. Understanding the urgency, the officer nodded and led the way through the empty square.
As they made their way, Lynn's mind raced, analyzing the incident that had just unfolded. The gunman's escape was expected. It only made sense that the other party would ensure their own safe exit. After all, this entire situation was a carefully orchestrated trap laid by the assailants. How could they not leave a way out for themselves?
Lynn continued processing all the new clues. The series of "monster attacks" should also be a man-made incident led by the person behind this. This individual was very cunning, after learning that a special detective came to the town as reinforcement, he didn't strike at the first opportunity but only decided to strike after testing the waters.
The hanging corpse, which had initially seemed like a horrifying spectacle, was also a calculated lure, designed to draw Lynn and Cooper into this trap. Indeed, the shooting of the sheriff served a crucial purpose as well, distracting him and leaving him vulnerable to a surprise monster attack.
"Everything was carefully orchestrated to put me in a compromised position while their creature carried out the ambush," Lynn pondered to himself as he followed the officer.
Lynn shook his head ruefully. He had been too focused on the monster incidents plaguing the town. It had not even crossed his mind that a human antagonist could be the true threat orchestrating events from the shadows.
Arriving where Sheriff Cooper was being treated, Lynn was relieved to see the injury was indeed minor - a bullet had pierced through the meaty part of his upper arm. It seemed the shooter either had poor aim or intentionally avoided a lethal shot.