'The plan isn't bad, but I feel like there's something wrong with it.' Klaus thought, although he didn't pay too much attention to it at the moment, as he had to focus on enduring the cursed energy that was continuously entering his body.
As he listened intently, his heart gave a powerful beat, which dazed him. 'What the hell?'
It wasn't only he who was. That heartbeat sounded so loud that those present frowned.
"What was that?"
"Could it be the beast?"
"That sounded like a heartbeat, didn't it?"
"Right, you're right..."
Tom frowned as well, and after looking for a moment at each of the people in front of him, he looked up at the top of the mountain.
'Could it be that guy is doing something with its ability? It's a pretty powerful Phase 2; when it gets mad, it'll be hard to contain it...' He thought.
In the end, he could only sigh.
"It's time to move. That cursed beast will probably want to move, as it has been there for several days. If that happens, we will possibly find the best time to strike. The next few hours will be key, so be sure to keep your eyes open. Let's go, everyone, to your places."
As he finished speaking, Tom walked over to Klaus.
"Boy, you must be careful not to affect the other guys with your endless bathing. We're going to finish off this cursed beast, and in the end, we'll see who comes out the victor, all together, okay?"
Klaus stared at him briefly and saw his hand extended as a fist for a high-five. Klaus nodded shortly after with a smile and bumped his hand with Tom's.
"Good. I'll do my part then." He replied.
Afterward, Tom led the way and stayed close to Klaus to ensure that the latter did not approach the other members, as that could disconcert and even seriously injure them.
Tom was the typical good-natured and good family man who knew very well the strategies to kill beasts more powerful than him. He had long studied different strategies before entering the Cursed Energy Bath, aiming to complete it smoothly.
Even he did not expect that upon entering his first bath, he would encounter such a powerful beast when he was supposed to face First Stage beasts, but that was also proof of his abilities, so he was also satisfied with this arrangement, even if it was difficult.
Once everyone was in place, Klaus could see the cursed beast.
It was one of the simplest cursed beasts in existence but simultaneously a very dangerous one. The simplicity lies in the fact that it is a cursed beast based on a huge ape. Being a cursed beast based on an existing animal, they tend to have repetitive and straightforward attack patterns. By studying the way apes attack, one can predict this type of cursed beast unless it is too powerful.
But what is dangerous about it lies precisely in the type of beast it is. Being an ape, its strength is tremendous, and its abilities make it even more dangerous. Even more so because its abilities are of fear.
They were about 300 meters away from the cursed beast, but still, their hearts were racing; some were even trembling. Their minds were betraying them, creating fictitious scenarios where fear reigned in front of them.
It was difficult to control themselves.
Being an ape beast already known to humans, they tend to develop their abilities differently to always have some effect. And what they saw right now was only the basis of the ability. No one knew what it would mean when they started fighting, but because of that, many were already doubting that this plan would be a success.
The calmest were possibly Tom and Klaus.
Tom had seen the beast before, so he was already a bit used to it.
Although Klaus's body felt the fear in his bones, he really wasn't a person who couldn't control his emotions. He was calm on the outside, and the fear was simply something that gently tapped his muscles on the inside.
Still, it was nothing to worry about. He was more worried about the cursed energy entering him.
That continuous inflow of something so corrosive affected him as the hours slowly passed. The longer he spent under the endless bath, the more dangerous it became for him. Although it had the greatest chance of awakening his abilities, he didn't see that effect.
Time passed, and the cursed energy continued to hit him, but his abilities remained exactly the same.
Neither his body nor the awakened abilities had changed. Nor was there any change in the Soft Ring or the Cursed Core inside him. Everything was absolutely calm.
Time was beginning to run steadily as nervousness struck the bodies of many. Still, everyone kept staring at the beast, looking for the exact moment.
This cursed ape-like beast doesn't have many weaknesses. Its cursed energy protects almost all of its body, except for a few regions of the back and lower back, but there are some of the beast's most rigid bones, so it was not feasible to hit that place.
But somehow, the plan went right through there. The continuous waiting was looking for the moment when the beast decided to move to look for food. Several cursed beasts were already prepared in a certain direction, so the moment this beast stood up, it would receive a powerful attack, previously planned, from 3 directions. Two sought to strike at the 'weakness', and the third, in which only three people would participate, including Tom and Klaus, was a frontal attack in search of its eyes.
But Klaus had thoughts of his own, and they took hold as time passed.
When 15 hours had passed, the cursed beast stirred slightly, awakening from its slumber. The moment was approaching.
Just at the same time, Klaus felt a powerful throbbing in his chest, which echoed throughout the mountain. The heartbeat was so loud that anyone could hear it, just like the previous one.
It alarmed Tom and the rest of the people in the vicinity.
"It was the beast after all..." Tom said softly. It couldn't be a coincidence that the sound occurred when this one woke up or moved.
But suddenly, even the beast was alarmed by this and looked up and sideways sharply.