With a single, thunderous stomp, the creature vaulted into the air, leaving a web of cracks where it had stood. The sheer speed of its movement caught Feilian and Eunhae off guard, their shock rendering them unable to react in time. In a desperate move, the man thrust his modest staff forward, attempting to restrain the beast.
But the wooden staff was no match for the creature's destructive attack. The impact sent Feilian and Eunhae hurtling through the air as the blow unleashed a shockwave, tearing through the forest. Trees were ripped from their roots, only to be replaced by new ones in a surreal display of regeneration.
Feilian and Eunhae crashed into a robust trunk with bone-shattering force, their HP decreasing from the combined damage of the collision and the beast's attack. Eunhae was left in a critical state, her health bar flashing red as it dipped below 20%. One more hit, and it would all be over.
Lin Tian, seeing his companions in peril, pushed his battered body to move despite the crushing weight of his injuries. A quick look at his weapon stats brought a bitter chuckle to his lips.
[Trials' Bo Staff (Martial Artist)
Grade: Common
Damage: 5
Defense: 3
Durability: 100 (-95)
Enchantment: None]
"Damn it, this weapon is no longer useful," Lin Tian muttered, frustration lacing his words as he struggled to move closer to Eunhae, who wasn't far off.
She was in no better condition than he was. Slumped against the tree, Eunhae remained completely still, having fainted—a game effect triggered when a character's shock is so severe that it reduces blood flow to the brain, making them temporarily unconscious. This level of realism was what made this world so uniquely immersive.
"Oh, no," he whispered, shaking her shoulder gently. "Please, wake up! We don't have much time."
After a few tense moments, her eyelids fluttered open, blinking rapidly as she tried to focus. Her hazel eyes were wide with confusion. "What... what happened?" she asked, her voice weak as she took in the dust-choked surroundings, everything still obscured by the lingering debris.
"Do you have a Healing Potion?" Lin Tian asked, taking out a bottle filled with a reddish liquid. "Take mine, quick, before that creature finds us."
She sighed as a flood of memories rushed through her mind. "Thanks," Eunhae murmured, accepting the concoction. She downed it and felt her HP rise to 30%.
"Is that enough?" Lin Tian asked.
"It should be," she replied, though her voice wavered. "But I don't think we can last much longer."
"That if we don't have a plan," he responded, locking eyes with her. "But first, I need to know your Passive Skill before we make our move."
"Spill the beans," she countered, skepticism evident in her gaze. "Then I'll follow."
Lin Tian glanced at the dust that was beginning to settle, revealing the looming shadow of the monster. "Alright," he said, turning back to her. "This won't work without you, so I need you to collaborate. We're in this together."
He caught a slight nod from her, signaling him to continue. "I can't deal effective damage with this weapon anymore, it will break soon. The strategy is simple: I'll distract it, keep its focus on me, and I need you to unleash everything you've got."
"What do you mean? Without a weapon, how are you going to fend off its attacks?" Eunhae demanded, her voice tinged with concern.
"My Passive Skill is suitable for this," he replied, his gaze never leaving hers. "Trust me, I'll be fine."
His voice dropped to a near whisper, almost as if he were speaking more to himself than to her. A chilling howl echoed through the forest as the Ash Wolf Sentinel let out another cry, this time punctuated by a powerful stomp that cleared away the dust cloud in an instant, revealing the beast as it zeroed in on its target—Lin Tian.
"We have to move now!" Lin Tian shouted, realizing the beast's attention was fully locked on him.
"I understand," Eunhae said, rising to her feet with renewed determination. "Because my specialty is DOT."
Lin Tian's lips curled into a faint smile, sensing a glimmer of hope in their dire situation. "Stay close to me so the monster doesn't lose focus on me. Are you ready?"
Eunhae stretched her nunchaku, twirling them before settling into a battle stance. "Please, don't die," she whispered. "We won't make it if you do."
"Same to you," he replied, then without hesitation, sprinted toward the beast, Eunhae right on his heels.
The Ash Wolf Sentinel snarled in irritation, its massive jaws opening wide as it lunged at them with terrifying speed, intent on devouring Lin Tian whole. But as it closed in, Lin Tian deftly dodged to the side, knowing full well that his weapon was on the verge of breaking. Still, he attacked.
"Summer Breeze!" he shouted, unleashing a scorching blast of wind with a sweeping motion. The moment his staff made contact with the monster, it splintered, shattering into pieces.
The creature groaned loudly, not from the direct hit, but from the burn effect that seared its fur. Beneath that sharp, bristling coat, it was still fur—highly combustible. In an instant, Lin Tian realized the monster's weakness, and he knew Eunhae was the perfect one to exploit it.
Understanding her role, Eunhae circled to the opposite side of the boss. Without hesitation, she unleashed a flurry of strikes with her nunchaku. "Take this, bastard!" she shouted.
As the creature fixated on Feilian who continued to hold back its attacks with his bare hands, Eunhae struck her first combo, followed up with a second hit and then switched her weapon from one hand to another, charging her final blow.
"Triple Shot!" As she swung her weapon from top to bottom, a flash of flame shot forward, right at the wolves' boss.
It howled as soon as it felt the burn, but since Feilian remained unprotected, it didn't shift its attention to her. Sure enough, this effect is effective to break through the defense of this monster, the constant damage of burn wasn't affected by the 'Protection' value at all.
However, Lin Tian had to endure all of its lunges. No weapon meant he made himself an easy target and his health depleted faster than before for each damage he took. It almost overwhelmed him when his HP hit around 15%. He had to be careful to minimize its assault.
Suddenly, the beast made an unexpected move. Its massive tail whipped around like a sword slicing through the air, sweeping away everything in its path—including Feilian. The impact was brutal, sending him hurtling through the air until he crashed into a tree once more, splitting it in half.
"Feilian!" Eunhae was shocked beyond belief, taking a few steps back from the Ash Wolf Sentinel.
Now, only Eunhae remained, alone against the monstrous Ash Wolf Sentinel. The beast turned towards her, its eyes blazing with a fierce hunger. Its claws extended, ready to tear into her. Each of its breaths was marked by puffs of smoke, adding to the ominous aura surrounding it when its silver fur changed to black.
[Ash Wolf Sentinel has evolved]
[Ash Wolf Sentinel: Enraged Beast Mode]
The information from the hologram shook Eunhae to her core. Her heart raced as she realized her worst fear had come true. She had anticipated this kind of evolution; every monster boss in Martial Spirit had this stage.
"Guess I'll die too," she murmured, her voice tinged with resignation. But instead of succumbing to despair, she spun her nunchaku, determination flaring in her eyes. "But I won't go down without a fight!"
Before she could react, the Ash Wolf Sentinel lunged at her with incredible speed, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Her breath caught in her throat as she froze, fully aware that she was about to be torn apart. But as the beast was about to strike, something extraordinary happened—a shockwave rippled through the air, halting the monster's attack.
There, right in front of her, stood a man with his body wrapped in hot steam, both of his hands were right at the mouth of the Ash Wolf Sentinel. That man was none other than Lin Tian, having activated his Passive Skill with a smile on his face.
"I don't think it's the end for us," he said, his voice reassuring. "Let's finish this."