"Remember! No stopping, no stalling, no straggling!" Max shouted, reminding the two other squads of the vanguard team. Though they were launching the main attack, the bulk of the heavy lifting rested on Alex's shoulders.
The task for Alex's squad, made up mostly of their classmates, was to support him as he faced the powerful purple creature. The other two squads were responsible for distracting the other monsters and pulling their attention toward the ambush. Once the creatures were drawn in, the larger force waiting in the ambush would easily eliminate them.
However, even with the plan in place, the prospect of thirty people facing over twenty monsters left the vanguard team feeling nervous. Few had the confidence to fight one-on-one with a monster, and fewer still had the courage to even attempt it. One mistake could mean death.
Despite the tension, none of the team backed down. With a few words of encouragement, they quieted down, waiting for the signal to strike. Communications were still functioning, and soon, the rear guard signaled that they were ready.
"Stay close to me! Let's move!" Alex, his hands sweaty around the hilt of his massive blade, glanced at his classmates. Taking a deep breath, he let out a low growl and charged around the corner toward the waiting monsters.
"Move!" Max and the others shouted, rallying themselves as they followed Alex's lead. Their sudden burst of energy caught the attention of the monsters, and the twenty creatures roared in rage, raising their scythes and rushing forward to meet the challenge.
The open area around the convenience store was small, about the size of half a football field. The creatures, already close, reached the team in seconds.
Leading the charge, Alex immediately abandoned the original plan to lure them away. Instead, he activated his *Mighty Strike* skill, sweeping his blade in a wide arc and taking on two monsters head-on.
Two scythes slashed across Alex's shoulders. Without triggering his *Petrified Skin* skill to conserve energy for the purple monster, Alex wasn't fully protected. He was unlucky—both hits triggered critical damage, slashing away 30 health points. It was a harsh reminder of the danger. If those scythes had struck his head, even with R-grade powers, he might have been gravely injured.
In contrast, Alex's attack was precise and powerful. His blade, backed by his skill, cut through both creatures at the waist, instantly draining their health bars and killing them in one clean strike.
"Alex, are you okay?!" Danny yelled, rushing to his side. The sight of those scythes hitting Alex would have been fatal for anyone with N-grade powers, and it left them all shaken.
"I'm fine! Stick to the plan!" Alex waved them off, blocking more creatures from advancing with his overwhelming strength. He held the front line, cutting down any monster that approached.
Max and the others quickly took their positions around Alex, helping him share the load. However, it became clear that their group alone couldn't hold the monsters for long. Within a minute, all twenty of the monsters had converged on them.
According to the plan, squads two and three were supposed to flank the monsters, pull their aggro, and lead them back to the ambush for an easy kill. But as Alex watched the mass of creatures swarming them, a bad feeling crept in. The distance between them and the monsters was too short. If they engaged too early, some of the squad might not make it out alive.
"Tina, use your fireball!" Alex ordered. Her *Blazing Fireball* was one of the team's most powerful skills, second only to his own strength. It could deal massive damage even to the purple creature, and now was the perfect time to use it.
Max and Danny immediately stepped aside, giving Tina the space she needed. She didn't hesitate. With a flick of her wrist, a fiery orange sphere appeared in her hand, glowing fiercely before she sent it hurtling toward the monsters.
The fireball smashed into a group of monsters with a deafening explosion, engulfing three or four of them in flames. The searing heat washed over Alex and the others, even causing them to flinch from the intensity.
"Push forward!" Max yelled. "Fall back!"
Taking advantage of the explosion, squads two and three rushed in, replacing Alex's group at the front, blocking the monsters' advance as they began to retreat toward the ambush site. Alex's squad also started retreating, eyes locked on the convenience store for any sign of movement.
"There it is! The purple one's coming!" Jason's shout echoed through the street.
The explosion had drawn the attention of the purple scythe monster, which stood at the front of the convenience store, surveying the situation. As the team retreated, it finally began to move, rushing toward them with terrifying speed, determined to stop their escape.
The creature was even larger than the other monsters, its body towering over them by at least half a meter, with thick legs that propelled it forward like a charging bull. The mere sight of it sent chills down their spines.
"Let's take it down!" Alex shouted, turning on his heel to meet the monster head-on. Activating his *Petrified Skin*, his defenses and health surged as he clashed with the purple beast.
"Good! Danny, Jason, be ready with your control skills! Tina, as soon as it's stunned, hit it with everything you've got!" Max shouted as they regrouped behind Alex.
From their previous encounter, they knew that the purple creatures were cunning. If it sensed defeat, it would summon nearby monsters for help and try to escape. Alex was the only one fast enough to keep up with it, so they couldn't let it flee. If it reached the nearby spawn point, it would turn their fight into a nightmare.
As Alex and the purple monster exchanged powerful blows, the team scrambled to position themselves. Danny and Jason readied their skills, waiting for the right moment to stun the creature and give Tina the chance to strike.
The battle had entered its most critical phase.