Max felt the surge of energy from his Primal Infusion with Fang coursing through his body. His muscles felt stronger, his movements more fluid, and the faint glow of venomous energy surrounded him. The power was incredible, but he knew he had only three minutes to make it count.
"Alright, Max," he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with urgency. "No time to waste. Let's see what this fusion can really do."
With a single leap, Max and Fang's fused form dashed forward, cutting through the thick, muddy terrain with ease. The usual resistance of the swamp seemed to vanish as his movements became swift and seamless. The faint light of the rising sun began to pierce through the fog, casting rays of golden light across the marsh.
"This power…" Max murmured, glancing down at his clawed hands, the faint scale-like patterns glowing softly. "It's like I'm unstoppable. Fang's strength, his agility… it's all flowing through me. This is incredible."
He pushed forward, his serpentine movements allowing him to weave effortlessly through the marsh. "But three minutes isn't long," he reminded himself. "I have to find this guy before it's too late."
As the terrain blurred past him, Max's sharp eyes caught something up ahead. A faint outline of a figure lying motionless on the ground came into view. His heart raced as he dashed closer, his thoughts swirling.
"Is that him?" he muttered, his voice filled with hope and concern. "Please let him be alive."
Max skidded to a halt next to the figure, his glowing eyes scanning the man. The person was breathing, though faintly, his clothes tattered and covered in mud.
"Hey! Are you okay?" Max called out, his voice firm but gentle. He knelt beside the man, shaking him lightly. "Can you hear me?"
The man's eyes fluttered open, his gaze unfocused. "W-Who…?" he murmured weakly.
"I'm Max," he said, a reassuring smile crossing his face. "I'm here to get you out of here. You're safe now."
The man coughed, his voice raspy. "They… attacked me. The marsh… it's alive."
"You're going to be fine," Max said firmly. "I'll protect you. Just hold on."
As Max helped the man to his feet, a sudden, chilling sensation ran down his spine. His instincts flared, and without hesitation, he grabbed the man and leapt away just as an explosion ripped through the air behind them. The force sent a massive tree crashing to the ground, splintering as it fell.
Max turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he searched for the source of the attack. Through the dissipating smoke, he saw something retracting into the shadows. His heart pounded as the fog cleared, revealing a group of massive frogs, their slick, slimy bodies glistening in the morning light. Their glowing yellow eyes fixed on him with predatory intent.
"Huge frogs," Max muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. "Of course. Why wouldn't there be huge frogs?"
The man clung to Max, his voice trembling. "Those things… they've been hunting me. They're not normal."
Max nodded, his mind racing. "They're not normal, alright. But they're about to learn that neither am I." He steadied himself, his fused form glowing faintly as he prepared for the next challenge.
Max stared down the massive frogs in front of him, their glowing yellow eyes fixed on him as they croaked menacingly. He clenched his fists, still feeling the power of his Primal Infusion coursing through him.
"Alright, let's see what you've got," Max muttered, his golden eyes narrowing. "Skill: Appraisal."
A glowing screen materialized in front of him, displaying the stats and details of the frogs:
---
**Name:** Swamp Goliath Frog
**Type:** Amphibian Beast
**Level:** 12
**Skills:**
- **Tongue Lash:** Uses its long tongue to strike or grab enemies.
- **Acid Spit:** Launches a glob of acid that corrodes armor and skin.
- **Leap Smash:** Jumps high into the air, slamming into the ground to create shockwaves.
**Description:** A territorial beast that thrives in marshy environments. Known for hunting in packs and overwhelming prey with numbers.
---
Max gritted his teeth, reading the details. "Great. Acid spit, shockwaves, and enough muscle to flatten a tree. Just what I needed." He raised his voice, smirking. "Come on, you wart freaks! Let's see if you can keep up!"
With that, Max dashed forward, his movements swift and fluid thanks to his fusion with Fang. "Skill: Venomous Aura!" he shouted, activating the ability. A faint green glow surrounded him, the air around him crackling with toxic energy.
He leapt into the fray, slashing at the nearest frog with his clawed hand. The beast let out a pained croak as the venom seeped into its skin, weakening it. Another frog lunged at him, its tongue lashing out, but Max ducked under the attack and countered with a swipe of his claws.
The battle was chaotic, Max moving with precision as he dodged and struck in equal measure. His serpentine movements allowed him to avoid the frogs' powerful leaps and acid spits, all while dealing devastating blows.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Max muttered, his confidence growing as he took down another frog.
But just as he was starting to gain the upper hand, the sound of croaking intensified. He glanced up to see another group of frogs—at least thirty more—emerging from the shadows, their massive bodies gleaming in the sunlight that now pierced through the fog.
"Oh, come on!" Max groaned, his eyes widening. Behind him, the man he was trying to save let out a terrified gasp.
"There's too many of them!" the man shouted, his voice trembling. "We're going to die!"
Max glanced over his shoulder, his expression determined. "Not if I can help it," he said firmly. "Stay behind me and don't move."
He turned back to the frogs, his claws glowing faintly as he prepared to charge. "Time's running out," he muttered, glancing at the timer in the corner of his vision. **99 seconds remaining.**
Max let out a deep breath, his mind racing. "Alright, Max. You've got less than two minutes. Make it count."
With a roar, he dashed forward, weaving between the frogs as he struck with precision. His claws slashed through their thick skin, and his venomous aura weakened those that got too close. But no matter how many he took down, more seemed to take their place.
"They just keep coming," Max muttered, dodging a tongue lash and countering with a strike to another frog's side. "I've got to keep going."
The timer ticked down rapidly: **30 seconds remaining.**
Max gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder as the frogs closed in. He moved like a blur, his serpentine agility allowing him to evade their attacks. But the strain was starting to show, and his movements grew slightly slower with each passing second.
**10 seconds remaining.**
"Come on," Max muttered, his breathing heavy. "Just a little longer." He dodged another leap smash, barely avoiding the shockwave as he countered with a venom-infused strike.
**5 seconds.**
Max's vision blurred slightly as the timer reached **1 second.**
**0.**
In an instant, the light surrounding Max faded, and his body reverted to its normal state. Fang let out a low hiss before vanishing in a flash of light, returning to the Expansive Pocket Realm. Max staggered, the sudden loss of power leaving him drained.
"Damn it," Max muttered, his voice hoarse. "That fusion takes more out of me than I thought." He glanced at the remaining frogs, their glowing eyes fixed on him as they began to close in.
Max straightened, gripping his sword tightly. "Alright," he said softly, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Guess it's just me now. Bring it on."
Max staggered, feeling the last remnants of energy drain from his body. The glow from his earlier fusion with Fang was gone, and his movements were sluggish. The marshy terrain felt heavier under his feet as more of the massive Swamp Goliath Frogs attacked. He dodged instinctively, his breaths ragged.
"Damn it," Max muttered, his voice trembling. "I'm barely holding on here." He tried to summon his resolve, talking to himself as he leapt away from another tongue lash. "There has to be something… Anything I can do."
Max raised his hand weakly, summoning his next skill. "Skill: Lightning Barrage!" he shouted, and weak bolts of lightning arced from his fingertips, striking the frogs. The energy fizzled as it connected, but the massive creatures barely flinched, their slimy skin seemingly unaffected.
Max's heart sank, and his legs wobbled under him. "Even that didn't work," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm running out of time here."
Suddenly, four frogs lashed out their long, sticky tongues. Before Max could react, they wrapped tightly around his legs and arms, pulling him down to his knees. He cried out in pain as the pressure from their tongues tightened, immobilizing him.
"No, no, no! This isn't how it ends!" Max yelled, struggling against the slimy restraints. His arms and legs burned as he tried to free himself, but his drained magic energy left him too weak. "Come on, Max. Think! Do something!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Max saw another frog emerge from the fog. Its glowing eyes locked onto him, and it crouched low, preparing for an attack. Max's heart raced as he recognized the build-up for the frog's skill.
**Leap Smash.**
The massive creature launched itself into the air, its shadow looming over Max as it rose high above the marsh.
"No…" Max muttered, his voice trembling. Fear gripped him as the frog reached its apex. He closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the inevitable impact. "This is it. I'm done."
In the darkness behind his eyelids, visions of Seria and Lira's happy faces flashed through his mind. Their laughter, their determination, their unwavering support—it all came rushing back to him.
"No," Max whispered to himself. "I can't give up. Not yet. Not when they're counting on me."
But before he could do anything, two familiar voices rang out, cutting through the tension.
"Skill: Twin Slash!"
"Skill: Gale Cutter!"
Max's eyes flew open just as the twins appeared in a blur of motion. Seria's blade gleamed as she severed the tongues binding Max's arms, while Lira's daggers flashed as she cut through the ones holding his legs. The frogs recoiled with guttural croaks, their grip broken.
The twins didn't stop there. Lira leapt into the air, her daggers glowing faintly as she intercepted the descending frog mid-attack. "You're not touching him!" she shouted, slashing through the creature's belly and sending it crashing into the mud.
Max dropped to the ground, landing hard on his back. He gasped for air, his body aching as he stared up at the faint morning sky. "Seria… Lira…" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
Seria knelt beside him, her green eyes filled with a mix of relief and frustration. "What the hell were you thinking, Max?" she asked sharply, though her tone softened slightly. "Going out here alone, without telling us? You could have been killed."
Lira landed gracefully beside them, her usual smirk replaced with a stern expression. "She's right. Do you have any idea how stupid this was?" she added, crossing her arms. "If we hadn't shown up when we did…"
Max sat up slowly, wincing as he rubbed his sore arms. "I… I thought I could handle it," he said quietly, his voice tinged with guilt. "I didn't want to put you two in danger."
Seria sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're a team, Max. You don't have to do everything alone. That's why we're here."
Lira nodded, her stern expression softening into a faint smile. "Yeah. Next time, wait for us. We're not letting you face stuff like this on your own."
Max looked at them both, his chest swelling with gratitude. "Thank you," he said softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you two."
Seria stood, offering him a hand. "You're lucky we got here when we did. Now, let's finish this together."
Max grinned, taking her hand as he got to his feet. "Right. Together."
*To be continued…*