Whoa—!
Evan, infused with the Power of Destruction, swung his sword with a wild howl.
And with that, the onslaught began.
Evan’s sword sliced through the air, painting a red line across the monster’s massive body.
“…?!”
Even though I thought it wouldn’t deliver a significant blow since it wasn’t a full-powered attack… The sight of the monster, untouched and unharmed despite the ability used, made Evan’s expression twist in disappointment.
“That thing is pretty damn tough.”
Lucia, who followed up with an attack, realized the same.
Even she, who could normally take down a Rank 1 Monster without breaking a sweat, found it impossible to damage the beast with her usual attacks.
“I might have to use all of my mana potions just to land a hit in the worst-case scenario.”
Evan’s sword shimmered as his mana flowed powerfully into it.
Lucia also increased her mana infusion to strengthen her sword.
“We need to go all out if we want to finish this in under 30 minutes.”
“I know, Evan. No need to rush.”
Lucia’s eyes glimmered red as she stepped toward the monster.
Soon after, she swung her mana-drenched sword fiercely toward the enemy before her.
The wet sound of tearing flesh echoed.
Red blood began to flow from the monster’s body.
It was a wound inflicted by Lucia.
“Evan!”
Right after that, Evan attacked next.
His sword followed the wound Lucia made.
He plunged his sword deep into the gash.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!]
As blood gushed out, the monster’s anguished roar echoed across all of Cordelia.
This grotesquely enormous monster might be tough, but it certainly wasn’t invincible.
“Phew…”
Riding the momentum, Lucia charged her sword with half her mana.
The kind of power that could easily obliterate an ordinary monster made her hand tremble.
With that, she swung the infused sword toward the beast’s neck.
Swoosh!
A graceful line was drawn, leaving a deep gash on the monster’s neck.
[Kieeeeeee!]
Another cry filled with the monster’s pain resonated.
Seeing this, Akada moved closer to the beast.
Though his gaze wavered anxiously,
His hands trembled from learned fear, and he struggled to breathe,
Still, he approached the howling beast.
“Damn it.”
Akada cursed as he raised his trident.
“Finally, I can take my revenge.”
To avenge the fallen comrades.
He pushed through the fear and moved forward.
[Kyaaaaaaaaa!]
“Yeah, you’ll be dead soon.”
Akada responded to the monster’s howl.
In the next moment, he hurled the glowing golden Trident at the monster with all his might.
Whoosh—!
The trident flew with a ferocious slicing sound.
It struck right at the inside of the beast’s mouth.
[Kieeeeeee!]
“Is it hurting?”
Before long, Akada pulled the trident out and readied it to throw again.
“I was in about three times more pain than that.”
Wham!
This time, the hurled trident lodged itself where Lucia had previously cut.
[Kyaaaahhh…!!]
The monster staggered from the consecutive hits.
But that was just for a moment; the monster quickly regained its balance and glared at the three of them.
“It’s definitely different from regular monsters.”
Lucia, having downed three mana potions, tossed the empty bottles aside as she gripped her sword.
“It could just be tough. Maybe it can’t use its strength outside the water…”
Just as Evan finished speaking,
BAM!
The monster opened its massive jaws and unleashed a blue breath toward him.
“Well, that’s not it.”
Evan narrowly evaded the breath.
It struck Cordelia’s barrier, shattering it into pieces.
Had he gotten hit, he would have been the one shredded, not the barrier.
That thought sent shivers down Evan’s spine.
“Don’t let your guard down. It seems the form we’ve seen so far hasn’t been its full power.”
Akada steadied himself and spoke up.
“It might be its true form…”
A heightened sense of pressure began to bear down on them.
Though it was less intense than the Undine they faced in Atlantis, the mana radiating from the monster was chilling.
“…It’s coming.”
As Evan spoke, the monster charged forward, mouth agape, as if to swallow all of Cordelia in one gulp.
Akada began to conjure a barrier to block the charging beast, while Evan and Lucia jumped forward to attack.
“Evan, I noticed the monster’s wound was open.”
“The one on its neck?”
“Right. I’m going to aim there. Follow me.”
With those words, Lucia increased her speed and charged ahead.
She unleashed all her mana in one go to avoid mana depletion.
Vroom-vroom-vroom!
Her mana burst forth, shaking the space around her.
To stave off exhaustion, she ingested only the minimal amount of mana potions, drawing her sword from its sheath.
Swish!
A black sword, as if it had absorbed the darkness of the night sky, emerged in her hand.
At that moment, time seemed to freeze.
The world stood still.
Only Lucia’s sword moved valiantly within it.
Slice!
The sword, swung according to Lucia’s will, traced a dark trajectory toward the monster’s neck.
Just like the swordsmanship she had used back at Anima.
“Flow.”
With a short command from Lucia, time flowed again.
The monster began to gush red blood from the wounds inflicted by her strike.
With each cut, more damage was dealt to the creature.
“Not done yet.”
Evan, who had caught up, stabbed his sword into the monster’s neck, which was now reeling from the previous blows.
Thanks to the deep wound, his sword went in easily.
Evan didn’t stop there. He pooled more mana in his arm and thrust the sword deeper.
[Kieeeee!]
“Gah…!”
The monster writhed in agony, causing Evan to crash into the ground, but he didn’t release his grip on the sword’s hilt.
He gripped it tighter, intent on strangling the monster’s breath.
Boom! Crash!
But as the impacts kept hitting him, the shockwave piled up on him.
Evan tried to hold out until the end, but eventually collapsed.
[Kyaaaaaaaaa!]
As the pain subsided, the monster charged toward Cordelia in a straight line again.
“Come!”
Now it was Akada’s turn.
Having been preparing a barrier, he spread out a massive shield to block the monster’s jaws.
Creeeek!
The monster’s huge teeth collided with Akada’s mana barrier, creating a sound that sounded like scraping.
“Grrhhh…!”
Even with the Trident of Atlan providing ample support, Akada found himself sliding backward.
The mana barrier began to crack as it struggled to withstand the monster’s strength.
‘Not yet, not yet…’
He felt his arm bones shatter.
His muscles felt like they might burst at any moment, and his heart was about to overload from the mana flowing uncontrollably.
But he had to hold on just a little longer.
If he couldn’t withstand it, the barrier would break through.
Countless lives in Cordelia would be at risk.
He couldn’t let that happen.
Losing others because of his own weakness was more than enough.
So this time…!
“I won’t let it pass!!!”
The muscles in Akada’s arm, holding onto the trident, swelled to their limits.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaa!]
Akada’s barrier appeared to be working as the charging monster’s speed slowed.
But it seemed he had reached his limit; he couldn’t hold back the monster any longer.
‘No more…’
Akada’s consciousness flickered.
Having used all his mana, the magic he had conjured began to fade away just before it completely vanished.
“Well done holding out.”
Lucia, who had approached Akada, offered him a mana potion.
“Now, let’s finish this damned monster.”
Her eyes, gleaming crimson like fresh blood, radiated a chilling aura.
Dense killing intent concentrated in her mana.
Sensing something threatening, the monster tried to retreat, but Lucia’s sword was quicker.
“Time to die.”
Slice!
With a clean cutting sound, the monster spilled blood and collapsed to the ground.
However, sensing it might still be alive, Lucia plunged her sword into the creature’s flesh again.
“…Huh.”
The body lay motionless without a hint of tremor.
Thinking she had confirmed its death, Lucia pulled out her sword.
“Is it over?”
Evan staggered back, limping toward them, asking from afar.
“Probably. It seems to be no longer moving.”
The defeat of the monster that had tormented Cordelia.
Akada felt tears well up in his eyes at that realization.
“…Did it really die?”
“Yeah. The monster that troubled you is finally gone.”
“Ah, ah…”
With expressions brimming with joy, Akada grasped the hands of the two.
“Thank you, really…”
“We just did what we had to do since we were asked.”
“Still, I appreciate you protecting my homeland. Once we get to Cordelia, I’ll throw a huge feast.”
With that, the atmosphere turned celebratory and warm.
But suddenly, Evan turned around, feeling an ominous sensation.
It felt different from before.
Something even more horrifying than the monster they just fought…
Was approaching.
Crunch, crackle!
Accompanied by a grotesque sound resembling bones and flesh twisting, the monster that had just appeared to be dead began to rise again.
