Enraged by the impudence of these tiny humans, the Demonic Grape Sprout let out a deafening roar that shook the very ground they stood on. Its thick vines whipped with the force of a hurricane, tearing through the snow and ice like razor-sharp claws.
WHOOSH! CRACK!
One vine narrowly missed Lin's face, leaving a stinging gust of wind in its wake as it pulverized a nearby ice sculpture into a million icy shards.
Mei, with a startled yelp, barely managed to duck under another vine that would have cracked her skull.
Simultaneously, a volley of plump, blood-red grapes launched themselves from the creature's branches.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The exploding grapes detonated with the force of small grenades through the clearing and momentarily obscured the battlefield in a cloud of crimson mist.
Through the chaos, Tajmani called upon her bloodline power to empower her with superhuman speed and agility.
"Taste my wrath, you overgrown weed!" Saying this, she released more blood from her veins which she condensed into two Blood Swords.
Lin and Mei also materialized their respective weapons, a Blood Bow and a Blood Spear.
They fought with a synchronized movements that was complementing each other seamlessly. Tajmani was chopping through vines at close-quarters alongside Mei. As for Lin, she was staying a safe distancing rapidly firing arrows.
"Grah!"
The Demonic Grape Sprout roared in defiance. It extended a thick vine towards Tajmani, who parried the blow with her swords. At the same time, it targeted the pesky long distance shooter.
Boom!
An exploding grape detonated near Lin that sent her sprawling backwards. Mei quickly moved to cover her friend while deflecting a bunch of grapes with her spear. However, the accumulated explosions were pushing her closer to the brink of despair.
"We need to find its weakness!" Mei yelled to Tajmani.
"Leave it to me!"
Tajmani flipped backwards to a safe distance then activated her unique eye power, which allowed her to perceive the flow of energy within living beings. Her vision was showing her the Demonic Grape Sprout's internal structure.
"I see it! Its weak point is behind its ugly face area! There's a faint heartbeat!"
Tajmani relayed her discovery to her friends, who adjusted their strategy accordingly. After regrouping, they began to focus their attacks on the creature's face, hoping to exploit its vulnerability.
"GRAHH!"
The Demonic Grape Sprout sensed their intentions and intensified its assault. It unleashed a barrage of exploding grapes that forced the girls to scatter.
"We need to restrict its movements!" Thinking of a way to accomplish this, Lin nocked her bow with a special blood arrow and fired it at the creature. On impact, the arrow scattered into multiple tendrils which spread out like webs and entangled its prey, effectively restricting its movements.
"Now!" Tajmani yelled.
In a coordinated maneuver, the three girls leaped into the air then plunged their weapons into the ground. The blood began flowing outwards and merging into a single, swirling torrent. The blood then rapidly solidified into a massive, razor-sharp thorn that spun with incredible speed.
"Blood Thorn – Pierce!"
With combined effort, the Blood Thorn shot upwards towards the Demonic Grape Sprout's face with the force of a cannonball. Although it tried protecting itself by coupling its vines, the Blood Thorn pierced through the creature's tough exterior, shattered its wooden mask and penetrated deep into its core.
"GRAAAAH!"
The Demonic Grape Sprout let out a deafening shriek of pain and fury. Its vines thrashed wildly, and its body convulsed. Then, with a final shudder, it collapsed to the ground.
Tajmani, Lin, and Mei landed gracefully on the soft snow. They were panting and bruised, but victorious.
"We did it!" Mei exclaimed with a triumphant grin spreading across her face.
"We defeated the Demonic Grape Sprout!" Lin cheered.
"Of course we did. That rubbish never had a chance at winning against me." Tajmani added arrogantly.
"They actually subdue such a monster…?" Raphael, who had been watching the battle with bated breath, felt a grudging admiration for the girls' strength and skill. Albeit so young, they had faced a formidable foe and emerged victorious. He also felt a bit sorry for the creature.
Perhaps, he thought, there was more to these princesses than met the eye.
Pah! Pah! Pah!
"Excellent work, Princess." Tien Ha clapped his hands together in admiration as he approached Tajmani. He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly at her and her friends. "You displayed remarkable teamwork and strategic thinking."
Gerald came over and said, "He's right. You have shown great potential as Bloodthorne cultivators."
Raphael didn't need to voice his amazement. His wide-eyed expression betrayed his awe at the princess's display of power.
Tajmani noticed his reaction and couldn't resist a smug smirk. "See that, Slave? That's what true power looks like. You'd be wise not to cross me again, or you'll be next."
Raphael gulped. He had no doubt that Tajmani could make good on her threat.
VWOOSH!
Just then, a brilliant purple beam of light shot upwards from the Demonic Grape Sprout's lifeless body. It revealed a purple orb of pure energy – the creature's Solar Consciousness. Golden runes danced around it which added to its allure.
Tien Ha moved closer to inspect it. "Hmm, this is quite a find. A Demonic Grape Sprout's Solar Consciousness is known for its resilience and defensive properties. It would significantly enhance your vitality and ability to withstand attacks."
Gerald joined him. "Indeed. This particular specimen has a maturity of approximately 20,000 years. And with its primordial foundation as a plant-based lifeform, it must have absorbed a significant amount of Solar Essence from the Blood Forest's Fire Pools. This would explain its considerable power…
However, the Demonic Grape Sprout is not known for a variety of offensive capabilities. It would make you incredibly tough, but it wouldn't necessarily enhance your ability to deal damage that much."
Tajmani listened intently to their explanations. She fell deep in thought. After a moment, she turned to her friends. "Either of you can have it."
Lin and Mei gasped in surprise. "What? Are you sure, Tajmani?"
"Yes," Tajmani said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "This creature's Solar Consciousness is beneath me. I'm seeking something far more powerful, something with killer abilities. Maybe a Solar Consciousness of at least half a million years old. Something like a Crimson Fang Hound Calamity."
Raphael was stunned by her arrogance. 'How can she be so picky? If it were me, I'd take anything to enhance my power.'
"Are you certain about your decision, Princess?" Tien Ha asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I am," Tajmani replied firmly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to replenish my Blood Pool." She turned to Raphael. "Slave! Fetch me a towel and a Blood Replenishing Potion from my bag."
Raphael hesitated for a moment, then scurried to obey. He rummaged through the massive bag and retrieved the requested items. He presented them to the princess with a bow.
Meanwhile, Lin and Mei were engaged in a heated debate over who would claim the Demonic Grape Sprout's Solar Consciousness. In the end, they decided to settle it with a classic game of rock-paper-scissors.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
Lin threw scissors, while Mei threw paper.
"Yes! I won!" Lin started jumping up and down with excitement.
"Darn it." Mei pouted, but she accepted her defeat gracefully.
Lin droopingly approached the Demonic Grape Sprout's Solar Consciousness and, with a deep breath, began the process of absorbing it into her Soul Orbital.