As we made our way out of the cave and toward the open ground, we stumbled upon a team locked in battle with a Terra Devourer, a massive beast resembling a colossal worm. Its dark, armored hide shimmered in the dim light as it twisted and coiled, snapping its jaws at the team desperately trying to bring it down. The other team struggled with its size and raw power, their attacks barely making a dent in the Terra Devourer's thick, rock-like skin.
We stopped a fair distance away, hidden behind a large rock formation as we observed the scene. Eryndor watched intently, his red eyes narrowing as he sized up both the beast and the other team.
After a few moments of silent contemplation, he turned to us. "Wait here," he said, his voice cold and calculated. "Ren, circle behind the Terra Devourer and hide. When I give the signal, steal the kill."
Ren flashed his usual mischievous grin, clearly relishing the opportunity. "No problem, boss," he said before melting into the shadows, his movements nearly invisible against the rocky landscape.
Eryndor, Peter, and I stayed in place, waiting patiently as Ren made his way to the other side of the battlefield. The plan was simple: Ren would deliver the killing blow to the Terra Devourer while we acted as a diversion, drawing the attention of both the beast and the opposing team. Eryndor had already noticed that they were starting to tire—their attacks were slowing down, and their teamwork, though decent, was becoming less coordinated.
As the battle dragged on, the other team began to bunch up, no doubt trying to regroup and think of a new strategy to take down the beast. Eryndor's eyes gleamed as he saw this. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metallic object that I hadn't noticed before—a flash grenade.
I blinked in surprise. Flash grenades? In a test like this? Most modern weapons, including guns and plasma tech, were rare in these types of combat scenarios. Yet Eryndor, with his usual foresight, had brought something from the past that could still be devastatingly effective.
Without hesitation, Eryndor hurled the grenade toward the other team. It flew through the air in a smooth arc, landing perfectly in the midst of their formation.
Bang!
A brilliant flash of white light exploded across the battlefield, temporarily blinding the two members closest to the grenade. They cried out in surprise and pain, staggering back as they clutched their eyes. The third member, reacting quickly, slammed his hands into the ground.
"Terra Wall!" he shouted, and a thick barrier of earth shot up from the ground, encasing the three of them in a protective dome.
"Now!" Eryndor barked.
Peter and I moved in immediately, focusing on the injured team member who had been caught outside the earth barrier. Peter, with his agile speed, darted toward him first, his dagger flashing in the light. I followed, gathering mana into my fist for a strike. The injured man barely had time to react, his already weak defenses no match for Peter's quick movements. His health gauge dropped rapidly as Peter's blade found its mark, and within seconds, he was eliminated.
Meanwhile, Eryndor positioned himself in front of the earthen barrier, his katana drawn, waiting patiently. He was biding his time, letting us finish off the injured member while he held back the two who were trapped inside. Though his stance was calm, there was a sharpness in his posture, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
As soon as Peter and I finished off the injured opponent, Eryndor engaged the two remaining team members. With a speed that seemed almost supernatural, he clashed with their attacks, his katana gleaming as he parried and dodged. The two members inside the stone barrier, now freed from their temporary blindness, tried to fight back, but Eryndor's skill and speed kept them on the defensive.
But I knew Eryndor wasn't fighting to win—he was simply keeping them occupied, buying time for Ren to make his move.
On the other side of the battlefield, Ren was already in position. Hidden behind a large rock, he had been silently watching the Terra Devourer this entire time. The beast, disoriented by the sudden explosion of light, writhed in confusion. Its thick skin had protected it from the flash, but now it was vulnerable, its focus scattered.
Ren's moment had come.
With fluid grace, he slipped out from his hiding place and approached the Terra Devourer from behind. He moved like a shadow, silent and undetected. The beast was oblivious to his presence, its attention still divided between the other team and us.
Eryndor, noticing Ren's readiness, made his next move. With one swift motion, he threw another flash grenade—this time directly at the Terra Devourer.
Bang!
The blinding light exploded again, stunning the beast just as Ren drew his sword. The moment the light faded, Ren lunged forward, his blade slicing cleanly through the Terra Devourer's underbelly—the weak point that Eryndor had identified earlier. The creature let out a horrible screech as it convulsed, its massive body shuddering violently before collapsing into the dirt. Ren had struck perfectly, his attack hitting the exact spot that would bring the beast down in one shot.
With the Terra Devourer dead, the other team's morale shattered. Eryndor smirked as he watched their faces fall, realizing that not only had they lost their prey, but one of their own as well.
Peter and I quickly moved to finish off the remaining two members of the team, while Eryndor continued to keep them distracted. The fight didn't last long—between Peter's speed and my strength, they didn't stand a chance. Within minutes, the last of the opposing team had fallen, leaving us victorious.
Ren strolled back toward us, wiping the blood from his blade with a cocky grin on his face. "Well, that was fun," he said, his voice light and carefree as if we hadn't just taken down a massive beast and wiped out an entire team.
Eryndor sheathed his katana and turned to us, his usual calm expression returning. "Good work," he said, his voice cool and composed. "But don't get cocky. We still have a long way to go."
With the Terra Devourer's corpse lying at our feet and the opposing team eliminated, we gathered the points from the beast and the fallen team. The test was far from over, but our strategy had paid off, and our points had just jumped significantly.
It was a solid win, but as Eryndor had said—we still had a long way to go.