"I can't do it..."
" I can't...I can't find the Queen Stinger!"
Cael's chest tightened with anxiety.
In front of him was a large group of terrifying monsters he had never seen before, wildly attacking them.
The Boltstingers were massive and numerous, their metal sheen making them even more intimidating.
The carriage rocked violently with every strike, its frame creaking, ready to shatter at any moment.
Inside, Vesper maintained his Static Shields, protecting Rowan and Lilith. Rowan's injured hand left him unable to contribute much, while Lilith swung her whip with all her might, desperately trying to drive off the crazed Boltstingers.
Outside the carriage, the Static Shield Maxwell had deployed was flickering, its electric glow growing dimmer with every second.
The situation was dire, and they were running out of time.
But Cael still couldn't locate the Queen Stinger. He'd considered using the energy readings from the system to track it, but the system's virtual screen remained blank.
" System! Please help me!"
" Show me the data!"
"Display the enemy's system info!" Cael tried several different commands, but the system didn't respond.
"The system only displays data when I first encounter a target, or when its energy value fluctuates sharply." Cael recalled, remembering the pattern he'd noticed.
Then, it hit him—he had to strike first! As long as their energy value fluctuated, the system would activate.
But with so many of these creatures, where should he even start?
Cael shut his eyes, trying to recall the focus he had during his sparring match with Sebastian back in the village hall. He focused on relaxing, letting the electricity inside him to flow like a tide, urging his body to move.
But soon, he realized—he couldn't relax at all!
The situation now was nothing like what he faced in the village hall. In this life-or-death moment, he found himself unable to focus!
Energy began to gather around Cael's body, but it quickly spiraled into chaos, scattering in all directions without any control.
Maxwell, driving the carriage, seemed to sense the strange fluctuation in Cael's energy.
"What are you trying to do?" Maxwell asked.
"I want to attack them! But there are too many! I don't know what move to use!" Cael replied urgently.
"Attacking them won't work! No one has enough energy for that! You can't take them all down!" Maxwell snapped.
"As long as I can hurt each one, I'll be able to find the Queen Stinger! But I don't know what elemental attack will do that!" Cael replied, feeling helpless.
"If hurting them is enough to track the Queen Stinger..." Maxwell frowned, then added:
"Alright, you drive and shield us, and I'll handle the attacking!"
"But I don't know how to drive the carriage!" Cael protested quickly.
Maxwell quickly grabbed the reins and demonstrated, keeping it simple:
"Hold the reins like this!"
He then glanced at Cael and asked: "Can you drive with one hand and cast the Static Shield with the other?"
"I'll do my best!" Cael gritted his teeth and responded with determination.
With his right hand firmly on the reins, he focused and summoned his energy, forming a Static Shield with his left.
Maxwell quickly swapped places, kneeling on the seat and turning to face the swarm of the Boltstingers slamming into the carriage.
Cael's heart pounded in his chest, the tension nearly suffocating him. His anxiety and stress were at their breaking point.
Cael had never ridden a horse, let alone driven a carriage. Fortunately, the two large horses seemed to sense the danger. Without needing a whip, they surged forward at full speed. Cael only had to hold the reins and steer.
But what Cael didn't realize was that, because his energy was much weaker than Maxwell's, the Static Shield he released was far smaller.
The Static Shield was barely enough to protect Cael and Maxwell, while the two horses were already outside its range.
The Boltstingers immediately spotted the opening. Two or three of them lunged at the horses, targeting them and launching a quick attack!
"Neigh—!"
The horses screamed in pain, suddenly kicking into a frenzy, running wild.
Just at that moment, Maxwell swung his arm, launching a powerful strike at the swarm of Boltstingers!
A dark cloud crackling with electricity quickly descended upon them, unleashing thin, jagged bolts that leapt between the creatures, striking each one in turn.
The Boltstingers that were hit writhed in agony, their bodies igniting as they burned, struggling in pain.
At almost the same moment, one of the horses was stung by a Boltstinger. Screaming in agony, it thrashed wildly, jerking the carriage violently for a few moments before finally losing control and violently tearing the reins loose. It plunged heavily off the cliff.
Cael failed to regain control of the carriage in time. With a sharp jolt, the carriage swayed violently.
Maxwell quickly spun around, snatching the reins from Cael's hands.
"I've dealt with the Boltstingers! Now find Queen Stinger!" he urged, his voice tense.
Inside the carriage, Vesper felt the violent shaking and immediately asked: "Maxwell, what's the situation outside?"
"Mr. Vesper, it's not good! But we're still hanging on. Though... we've lost one of the horses!" Maxwell responded, his voice filled with urgency.
In that moment, Cael's eyes were locked onto the swarm of Boltstingers. Thanks to Maxwell's attack, their energy readings fluctuated, and the system screens appeared above each of them.
"There!" Cael's eyes lit up as he spotted one with an energy value of 750 VT.
"Target that one! With everything you've got!" Maxwell commanded sharply.
With newfound confidence, Cael gathered his energy and thrust both hands forward. He aimed at the Queen Stinger and unleashed a powerful Thunderwave.
"Boom—"
A thunderous roar echoed through the air as the lightning struck the Queen Stinger, hitting it with a violent impact.
But to Cael's disappointment, the attack didn't take it down!
The Queen Stinger only trembled slightly, and the system displayed:
[Energy Value: 650 VT]
The strike had barely caused any damage!
Cael immediately began gathering his energy, preparing for his second strike.
But just as he was about to launch again, the other Boltstingers seemed to sense the danger to their Queen.
They quickly shifted formation. Instead of continuing to slam into the carriage, some surrounded the Queen Stinger to protect it, while the rest charged straight toward Cael and Maxwell!
Cael's second attempt ended in failure once again.
"My energy isn't enough... I can't take it down!"
Desperation echoed in Cael's voice, as a wave of helplessness washed over him.
Maxwell fell into a brief moment of thought before suddenly making up his mind. He urgently turned to Cael and said:
"Absorb my energy! Now! Place your hand on my left ear!"
"What?" Cael froze, confused, unable to react.
Maxwell quickly explained, his voice sharp with urgency:
"I saw you do it in the village hall! You absorbed Sebastian's energy! I know you can do it! Hurry!"
Cael's mind went blank for a moment.
"Don't hesitate! Hurry up! You know what the situation is now!" Maxwell's voice grew even more frantic, pushing Cael to act.
Cael was taken aback. He hadn't expected Maxwell to willingly reveal the location of his energy core.
For a moment, he didn't know how to react. But the situation was too dire—there was no time to waste!
He quickly reached for Maxwell's ear. In an instant, a powerful surge of energy flooded into Cael's body!
It was a mix of thunder and fire energy!
Alongside the thunder and lightning already within him, Cael felt a scorching, flame-like force surge through him as Maxwell's energy core flowed into his body.
The burning heat, like a wild blaze, mixed with the electric shocks and tremors, as if scorching currents were racing through his body—intense and uncontrollable.
"Ah—ahhh—!"
Cael couldn't hold back his scream, his voice echoing to the sky.
"2,000 VT... 2,500 VT... 3,000 VT..."
He watched as the energy value on his system interface shot up, and everything around him sharpened, becoming crystal clear.
At last, the combined powers of thunder and fire fused inside him.
With a swift motion of his hands, the unleashed energy surged like a flood, hurtling toward the Boltstingers in midair!
The energy quickly condensed into a blazing spear, its electric arcs and flames intertwining as the air around it warped from the heat.
The spear shot forward, a brilliant streak of light, and with pinpoint accuracy, it pierced the Queen Stinger!
The surrounding air was blasted apart by the sheer force, and the remaining Boltstingers were pushed back by an invisible barrier. The spear struck Queen Stinger head-on, triggering a massive explosion that shook the very sky!