Baelin and Seraphina circled the towering beast, their movements precise and calculated. As Grade One humans, their superhuman strength was a formidable advantage, but they were unable to harness Beast gears, making their battle against this monstrous adversary of a higher level all the more challenging.
Baelin's thoughts raced as he racked his mind for a way to overturn their dire situation. The odds were stacked against them, and the beast's sheer power was overwhelming. He knew that a moment of hesitation or a wrong move could spell disaster for their team.
His train of thought was abruptly shattered by a ground-rumbling sound. Baelin yanked his eyes open, and the sight before him left him breathless. The beast was charging forward with an incredible speed, its massive form increasing in size as it rushed towards him.
Baelin's veins began to pop, and he tightened his grip on both swords in his hands, attempting to muster every ounce of strength his body could provide.
He had already come to understand that he was the beast's primary target. It seemed to consider him the greatest threat among the hunters. As long as he could hold the creature's attention, his team would have a chance to support him and bring it down.
Baelin believed he was mentally prepared for the clash with the beast, but what transpired next left him frozen in fear. The beast, which had been at the center of his vision, suddenly shifted to the left. Its claw thrust forward with incredible speed. Baelin barely had time to raise his hand before the claw blitzed past him, moving so fast that he could hardly react.
From the corner of his eye, Baelin witnessed the shocking sight of his decapitated left hand, still gripping the sword, spinning in the air. Blood spurted everywhere, but he barely felt the pain. Instead, he was left dazed, his mind reeling from the revelation. It was as if the beast had been unaware of its incredible speed all along, and now, it is truly understanding the limits of its capabilities.
At that moment, Baelin reached a chilling conclusion. This was not just any higher Grade beast they had been battling. It is a newly evolved Grade 2 creature, and what they had been struggling against was merely a fraction of its true power and speed. The revelation was terrifying, and it cast a shadow over their already dire situation.
Kaldur's heart clenched with a mix of anger and desperation as he beheld his captain, Baelin, frozen in shock. Baelin had been his leader for a long time, guiding him through countless missions and even saving his life on more than one occasion. The sight of the captain losing his left hand was something Kaldur could hardly contain. It was a devastating blow to their team.
Overwhelmed by rage and despair, Kaldur's emotions surged within him. He couldn't stand there any longer, he couldn't let his captain down. He let out a furious scream, a primal roar that resonated through the clearing, and he shot forward like a spear, his grip on his spear tight and unyielding.
Kaldur leaped into action, spinning with his spear in a breathtaking display of skill and technique. The scene was a whirlwind of motion, a display of raw and unadulterated resolve.
The air seemed to vibrate with intensity as Kaldur charged forward, his heart pounding with a fierce determination.
Seeing Kaldur spinning like a mini hurricane as he closed in, Baelin snapped out of his daze. He screamed, "Kaldur, retreat!" but the words were already too late.
Kaldur was locked onto his target, driven by a burning desire to avenge his captain and couldn't hear or see anything apart from his target.
As soon as Kaldur entered the beast's range, the creature seemed to have been expecting the threat. It sharply turned, its eyes narrowing with a sinister intelligence. In a swift and cruel motion, it squatted Kaldur to the ground like a fly, its claw crushing his skull in an instant.
The look on the beast's face was one of mockery, as if it were telling the human that it wouldn't fall for a surprise attack twice, especially after having been harmed by Sylas.
Baelin's rage boiled over as he screamed in fury. The loss of his hand could be overlooked but Kaldur's death was something he could not bear, and he tightened his grip on the remaining sword in his right hand.
In a swift and savage motion, he drove the blade into the exposed wound of the beast, causing it to let out a deafening scream of agony.
The creature twisted its massive body, facing Baelin with a malevolent rage burning in its eyes. Its claws were raised, ready to strike down on the one-handed warrior, a merciless end in its sights.
But at that moment, Seraphina's furious cry cut through the air. She shot forward like an arrow, her sword thrusting violently. It tore through the chest of the beast, rending flesh and muscle, causing a torrent of blood to squirt out. The beast cried out in pain, its anguished roars filling the forest.
Baelin, stunned but relieved by Seraphina's timely intervention, quickly regained his focus. He met her gaze, their eyes locked in a silent understanding. He uttered a single word;
"Together."
Seraphina nodded, her determination mirroring his. In unison, they pushed their blades deeper into the creature's flesh, causing more blood to gush out in dangerous spurts. The beast's cries grew even louder.
As they inflicted more pain upon the creature, its massive claws slowly but steadily reached for the two captains of the hunter teams. With horrifying intent, it closed its vice-like grip around their heads, a ruthless determination in its eyes.
Swish.
A sharp breath escaped Lyra's lips as she carefully nocked another arrow onto her bowstring. Her heart raced as she watched the intense battle unfolding below, her keen eyes focused on the monstrous beast that had the captains, Baelin and Seraphina, trapped in its vice-like grip.
With skill and precision, Lyra released the arrow, sending it tearing through the wind. The arrow struck its mark with deadly accuracy, piercing the beast's left eye. An agonized cry erupted from the creature as its head jerked back in pain. Blood streamed down its grotesque face, staining its fur a sickly crimson.
But despite the excruciating pain, the beast's grip on Baelin and Seraphina remained unbroken. The two captains, determined and unyielding, refused to move from their spot. Their blades were still buried deep within the creature's wounded body, further worsening its injuries.
Lyra, perched on a tree, didn't waste a moment. She swiftly pulled two more arrows from her quiver, ready to fire again and help her comrades. However, before she could release her shots, a skull-shattering sound echoed through the clearing. Blood squirted out of the beast's claws as they were forced to relinquish their hold on Baelin and Seraphina.
The ground seemed to tremble as the massive, headless bodies of the captains fell to the ground. Lyra, the other handymen, and the remaining hunters were left petrified, staring in awe and terror at the sight before them.