As the creatures breached the front line, Biya switched to a short sword, and Hylax struck with the base of his wand, taking down attackers one by one.
One creature lunged at Astra, and he swiftly drew his dagger, slicing it down just before it reached his face. Two more charged him, but Astra dodged effortlessly, dispatching them with precision.
[You have slain an enemy]
Reward: 20 EXP
[You have slain an enemy]
Reward: 20 EXP
[You have slain an enemy]
Reward: 20 EXP
What are these things? Alien creatures? If I were out exploring with my team and stumbled upon animals like these, it would be a moment worth celebrating...
[You have leveled up! 14 > 15]
The prisoners who had been frozen in shock finally joined the fight, wielding close-combat weapons. The situation was still under control, though the swarm grew thicker with each passing second.
As the creatures surrounded them, the prisoners fought to hold their ground, and luckily, the enemies weren't hard to kill—one strike usually did the job. Yet injuries mounted. Ejio's team, with Aria safely shielded, held up well, but the others weren't faring as well. One prisoner fell to the ground, writhing in pain, his skin dotted with thorn marks, some embedded deeply.
Despite the creatures' weaknesses, their overwhelming numbers made it impossible to avoid harm entirely. Even Astra, with his agility, took a few hits. The burning sensation was like a searing first-degree burn, but he showed no discomfort, driven by adrenaline.
The hulking creature, a monstrous version of the smaller ones, advanced with powerful, muscular limbs coiled with thick veins that pulsed and throbbed, each lined with oversized, deadly thorns. Each of its heavy steps sent tremors through the ground.
Asa, being the nearest to the creature, found himself as its primary target. With a sharp, cracking sound, thorn-covered veins shot from the creature's body like whips, and the thorns on its body slowly decreased. Asa braced himself, raising his shield to absorb the impact, but the force pushed him back. Knowing he couldn't hold his ground for long, he shouted,
"Get away from me!"
Discarding his energy shield, Asa launched himself backward, soaring into the air. Without the weight of his shield, he flew faster, but the monster wasn't letting him escape so easily. Aiming its hand upward, veins whipped out from its body, trailing the path set by its claw. Lashing through the air and coiling around Asa's right foot, they yanked him down. He struggled, but the creature's grip was too tight. A flash of desperation crossed his face.
Then, an arrow sliced through the air, severing the veins in a single shot. Biya stood poised, her two eyes closed while her ominous third eye on her forehead remained open, her bow steady.
"Attack! It's low on thorns—this is our chance!" Ejio commanded.
Behind them, Hylax traced glowing runes in the air, his movements precise. As he completed the symbols, a massive fireball shot forth, crashing into the creature. The beast roared, flinching as flames licked its thorny exterior, the heat searing through its veins.
Enraged, the monster turned toward Hylax, raising an arm to target him. Ejio took advantage of the opening, charging in with his two-handed sword, swinging with all his might. The blow hit hard, staggering the creature. Asa, regaining his stance, dove forward with momentum, striking it with his hammer. Astra and the other prisoners joined the assault, surrounding the creature in a determined effort to bring it down.
Just as they thought they were gaining ground, Astra noticed the thorns regenerating on the monster's body, sprouting back in waves. In an instant, A fresh onslaught of thorny veins shot out, targeting each of them with unrelenting precision, forcing Astra to dodge. His improved agility allowed him to narrowly evade.
Aria managed to stay mostly unscathed, her small frame allowing her to dodge the worst of it. Yet just as a thorn arced dangerously close to her, Asa leapt in, shielding her with his body.
He grunted as the thorn tore through his stomach, leaving a deep, searing cut. Without hesitation, Asa spread his wings and took to the air, carrying Aria to safety, though his injuries slowed his flight.
Biya, moving with quick agility, twisted and dodged the thorns as they came, narrowly avoiding their sharp points. Her movements were fluid and quick, keeping her a step ahead of the relentless attacks.
But not everyone fared as well. Agro let out a sharp cry as a thorn embedded itself in his foot, forcing him to stagger back, his face twisted in pain as he tried to stay upright.
Ejio, too, was struck, a thorn slicing across his hand, leaving a bleeding wound. He clenched his jaw against the pain, gripping his sword tighter despite the injury. The team was in chaos, fighting just to keep themselves alive amidst the creature's brutal assault.
Suddenly, veins whipped out toward Hylax, who was too focused on casting another spell to react.
In a flash, the pinkish-skinned girl, who had stayed on the sidelines until now, darted forward. her dual swords flashing like silver streaks in the dim light. Each blade moved with precision, slicing through the lashing veins as they whipped around her, trying to capture her like a predator ensnaring its prey.
She darted across the creature's body with fierce agility, weaving between each deadly strike, her every step calculated to close the gap. To the others, her movement seemed almost like a dance—a deadly, entrancing display of skill and ferocity.
The monster, sensing the threat, swung its massive hand toward her, and the veins coiled and followed the motion, snapping around her, desperate to stop her advance. But she was already there, a blur of movement as she leapt up the creature's arm, her swords severing every vine that dared approach.
Every blow landed with a fierce precision that echoed through the battlefield. The creature let out a guttural growl, a sound that rumbled through the ground beneath their feet, as it thrashed wildly, trying to protect itself from this relentless attacker.
Finally, after a minute of fierce attacks, she stilled, standing triumphantly on the massive creature's head. Below her, the beast lay motionless, defeated. The prisoners watched in awe—she had taken down the monstrous creature singlehandedly.
𓆩✧𓆪