The remaining combatants tried everything: ranged projectiles, ambush tactics, and synchronized strikes, but every attempt failed.
The screamers evaded each assault effortlessly, dissolving into the walls and reappearing elsewhere with uncanny precision.
Frustration mounted as the squad realized the walls were impervious to their attacks and blocked all efforts to force the monsters out.
Connor, however, noticed something others had overlooked. Between the screamers' unpredictable movements, one thing remained consistent.
They always maintained a precise distance from each other, as though bound by invisible lines. His sharp gaze narrowed as he observed their patterns, a circular rhythm, subtle but unmistakable.
"It's as if... a geometric pattern around the dome," Connor muttered under his breath, his mind piecing together the strange logic.
A plan began to form, and without wasting time, he signaled the group to gather beneath the shroud of his darkness field once more.
As they regrouped, Connor crouched and pressed his hand to the dirt-covered ground. With quick, deliberate strokes, he carved lines into the earth, tracing out a formation.
The others watched in silence, catching on to fragments of his intent. Though they did not fully understand what Connor was planning, there was no hesitation.
They moved swiftly to follow his lead, taking their positions along the makeshift diagram he had etched into the ground.
As the team made their moves, each member stuck to their designated intervals, acting in the precise order Connor had mapped out. Elena was the first to sprint toward the southeast corner, her sword drawn, eyes sharp. Moments later, Julian followed as Connor signaled him with a subtle hand gesture, his dark orbs flickering to guide the timing.
Every action was deliberate, executed without hesitation. Even the Infernal Kong, towering and menacing, was seamlessly integrated into Connor's plan. Its massive frame moved with surprising speed, keeping pace with Elena as they led the charge.
Connor remained rooted in place, unable to join the fray. His role was critical—he had to coordinate every movement, reading the battlefield like a conductor guiding an orchestra. His eyes darted from one side of the chamber to the other, calculating adjustments on the fly and signaling through gestures and swirling darkness orbs.
The team responded with precision, decrypting Connor's instructions with rapid understanding. There was no time for hesitation. They moved like cogs in a well-oiled machine, striking where the monsters would emerge next.
And then, the first sign of success—thin cracks began to spread along the walls. The screamers faltered, their once-perfect coordination shattered. One by one, they lost the harmony that had made them so untouchable. The smooth rhythm of their attacks devolved into chaos, and the air became thick with tension.
The arena turned into a frenzy of movement. Screamers darted from the walls at random, disoriented and no longer able to retreat with the same precision. Their shrieks filled the chamber, but this time, the sound was tinged with desperation.
Suddenly, from the northeast wall, one of the screamers flew out of sync, hurtling toward the center of the chamber. Its silvery veil shimmered as it spiraled through the air, vulnerable at last.
Connor's eyes locked onto the target. 'Now,' he thought, adrenaline surging through him.
Without a moment's hesitation, he sprang into action. The dull blade at his hip gleamed as he drew it, channeling ten percent of his mana into the weapon. Dark tendrils of energy coiled around the blade, crackling with restrained power.
With a sharp inhale, Connor lunged forward, his muscles coiling like a spring. The screamer twisted mid-air, sensing the danger too late.
Connor swung his blade in a wide arc, putting all his strength behind the strike. The weapon cut through the air with a sharp hiss, trailing dark energy in its wake.
The impact was instant. The dull edge met the screamer's veiled form, and a ripple of force erupted from the point of contact. The monster's shriek warped into a strangled, discordant wail as the blade tore through its essence.
[ You have slain a level 27 Bormine Siren]
[ You have gained +8 MP from the excess SP gained ]
[ The Bormine Siren's core has two absorbable skills: Havoc Scream (2nd order active skill), and Material Blend (1st order active skill). do you wish to absorb and replace with your current skills? ]
Connor landed lightly on his feet, the screamer collapsing in a heap before him. Its form flickered, unstable, and began to disintegrate into wisps of shadow, leaving behind only a faint echo of its scream.
Connor gripped his sword tighter, scanning the battlefield. 'We've got them now,' he thought, a grim smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Many of the squad members stood in stunned confusion, trying to process the sudden shift in the battle. But as the realization sank in—one of the screamers had been killed—relief washed over them. The tension that had gripped their hearts began to loosen, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, a spark of hope ignited among them.
Cheers and murmurs of triumph echoed through the chamber. It wasn't a complete victory, but it was enough. They had managed to take down one, and that was all they needed—hope that they could kill them all and make it out alive.
Elena and Furina exchanged glances, both quietly impressed by Connor's quick thinking. They realized he must have turned the monsters' own strategy against them. The screamers had tried to desynchronize the squad, hoping to keep their weakness hidden, but Connor had noticed the pattern and exploited it perfectly.
Elena's gaze lingered on Connor, admiration swelling in her chest. 'He truly is a valiant leader. Someone who can guide us, guide humanity back to survival,' she thought. She knew he wasn't just powerful—he was the kind of leader people needed, one capable of turning despair into opportunity.
Her thoughts, however, were abruptly cut short. A dangerous ripple in the air sent her instincts flaring, and she sensed an attack coming straight for her. With a sharp intake of breath, Elena barely managed to dodge at the last second, her heart pounding from the near miss.
But the danger wasn't over. Another shockwave followed, tearing toward her before she had the chance to recover. Just as it seemed inevitable that it would land, a powerful torrent of water surged in front of her, forming a spiraling barrier.
Furina stood a few steps away, her hands glowing with residual mana from the cast. She had used her Aqua Swirl defensively—a maneuver she had been practicing but never thought she'd need to rely on in such a critical moment.
'I never knew it could be so helpful,' Furina thought, a flicker of satisfaction crossing her mind.
Elena exhaled, steadying herself and offering Furina a quick nod of gratitude. "Thanks for the cover."
Furina simply nodded in return, her expression calm as she quickly slipped back into formation beside the other squad members. There was no time to dwell on the small victory.
The battle, however, was far from over. Sensing the death of one of their own, the screamers became even more aggressive. They burst from the walls with reckless ferocity, abandoning the coordination that had once made them such a threat.
Now, they fought individually, each acting on instinct rather than strategy. What had once been a flawless assault had crumbled into chaotic attacks, leaving them vulnerable.
And that, Connor knew, was their fatal mistake.
'They've lost their rhythm,' Connor thought, his eyes narrowing as he watched the screamers lash out wildly. 'This is our chance.'
With the monsters disorganized, their frequency of attacks increased—but so did the openings they left behind. The squad began to exploit each one mercilessly.
Connor raised his hand, signaling the Infernal Kong to target the nearest screamer. The massive beast roared and charged, its fists crashing down with enough force to shatter the stone floor beneath it.
The screamer had no time to react. It dissolved mid-scream, its essence scattering into shadows.
Julian darted forward next, slicing through another screamer as it materialized from the wall. The creature writhed, trying to retreat, but Julian's blade struck true, severing it from existence in a single fluid motion.
The tide of the battle was turning. The once-overwhelming shrieks were now fewer and farther between, and the remaining screamers, without their unity, were falling one by one.
Connor tightened his grip on his sword, his heart steady and determined. 'We're finishing this now' he thought as their numbers reduced significantly.
Connor realized that though these monsters were each a Class 1 ranked, they had very low physical constitution which also explained why they stayed away from the squad members and attacked only in distance with mana imbued screams.
Connor realized that though these monsters were each a Class 1 ranked, they had very low physical constitution, which explained why they stayed away from the squad members and attacked only from a distance with mana-imbued screams. With this quick reassessment, he began to shift his attack strategy.
He aimed at the cracks in the walls. Now that the walls were weakened from the clashes of soundwave disturbances caused by the screamers, he knew he could destroy them with his full strength.
The sudden shift in tactics caused the monsters to panic, emerging from their hiding spots as the outline of the walls shook and debris fell around them. The rest of the team quickly capitalized on the opening provided by Connor as they dealt with the remaining four sirens.
They struggled initially, with each siren trying to slip away or unleash a desperate scream. But the squad managed to hold them off, their combined numbers prevented any of the monsters from escaping until Elena, Julian, or Connor could come and deliver the finishing blow.
Connor grinned, saying, "Now go cry in Hell" as he plunged his sword into the last siren. Black blood gushed from its body, painting the floor in dark streaks as the creature writhed in its final moments.