Chapter 52: End of dungeon trials [2]
Chapter 52: End of dungeon trials [2]
Chapter 52: End of dungeon trials [2]
Emily Reed's POV:
Pant—Pant—Pant—!
I gasped for air, my breath ragged, as I continued to unleash a barrage of arrows at the dark-haired adversary.
Swish-swish-quirk!!
Like the rest of his crew, he sported a blue cloth with the A2 tag on his arm.
Digging into my quiver for another arrow—
.... my heart sank.
I realized I was running dangerously low on ammunition.
I needed a fresh quiver, but changing it mid-battle would leave me vulnerable to the swift strikes of his katana.
Nevertheless, I managed to launch two more arrows towards him.
In response he swiftly unsheathed and retracted his katana.
In that split second, a subtle yet distinctive —click! resonated through the air.
Immediately, two arcs of radiant white light burst forth from his action, obliterating my projectiles with effortless precision.
"Tsk", I grumbled in annoyance at the relentless defense.
The dungeon's interior was impressively large, providing ample space for at least a hundred people to move about freely, which made battling inside a manageable task.
But our main predicament lay in the narrow pathways that served as gateways to different sections of the dungeon.
Escaping through these passages posed a significant challenge for our class in this intense battle.
"Tsk", I grumbled in frustration, feeling the annoyance creep in.
I activated my personal skill [inetei], feeling the surge of mana coursing through my arms.
Using this skill wasn't my preference, considering the substantial amount of mana it consumed, not to mention the level of focus required.
And unfortunately, I currently possessed neither in abundance.
All the mages were preoccupied, engaged in intense battles against their counterparts, leaving no one available to provide cover for me to reach into my dimensional bracelet and retrieve my additional quiver.
The dark brown-haired guy, whom I had heard to be called Karthik by his team, steadily advanced towards me with his gleaming katana.
Step-Step-Step
With a firm grip on my empty bow, I activated the [inetei] skill.
Vivid blue mana coursed through the string, materializing an arrow seemingly out of thin air.
The string emitted a satisfying —krrrk! sound as it was pulled back to its limit.
Pang!!— I released the arrow, marveling at its incredible speed as it soared through the air.
Realizing the force behind it, Karthik swiftly assumed a defensive stance, using the blunt side of his katana to intercept the arrow.
Tung!!—The impact sent him careening back three meters, his heels digging into the ground.
The arrow dispersed upon contact with the katana's blunt side, resembling the way water splatters when it hits a solid object.
Still, it left its mark on Karthik's body, creating deep cuts on his thighs and torso.
"Hnnn! You will pay dearly for that!" Karthik growled, his mana flaring up in a dangerous manner, radiating an aura of escalating hostility.
"Damn it", I muttered, aware that I couldn't rely too heavily on [inetei] due to my own limited mana and lack of focus.
Before I could even think of running, my eyes widened as Karthik's form blurred, and in an instant, he reappeared directly in front of me, elevated in the air, his katana gripped in a reverse hold, poised to strike.
Just as the katana was about to connect with me—Tung! A metallic clash resonated through the air.
A figure wielding a machete stood between Karthik and me, their blades locked in a tense standoff.
'Noah', I frowned, recognizing the peculiar guy.
This guy...is ..
Karthik retreated to the ground, pushing his katana forward in a desperate effort to overpower Noah.
In response, Noah swiftly lowered himself, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing of the katana.
"I don't need your help," I asserted firmly to Noah, my frown deepening.
Retrieving a quiver filled with arrows from my dimensional bracelet, I continued, "Get out of here. He's way out of your league."
Nonchalantly, Noah turned to face me, but his focus still fixed on Karthik.
With unwavering confidence, he retorted, "Well, he's out of your league as well. You should go back and reunite with the mages, while I hold him off this way."
His words caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his remark. 'Heh, Karthik is above my league? Does he think I am weak?' I thought, a hint of defiance igniting within me.
However, Noah was swiftly dismissed by Karthik's decisive kick, leaving a deep gash on his shoulder, along with a few cuts of Katana here and there.
"Round two, here we go", I declared, a determined glint in my eyes as I deftly rolled an arrow onto the string, then swiftly released it towards Karthik.
Swish-
Meanwhile~
Dung!!—The resounding collision of a mace and a glaive sent sparks dancing through the air.
Tung—tung!!
Takahashi swiftly sidestepped, executing a nimble twist that propelled a dangerous arc of attack towards Myung Joon.
In a display of remarkable skill, Myung Joon responded just as swiftly, expertly wielding his mace.
Their clash echoed through the air, a testament to their formidable skills.
The mace that Myung Joon wielded was a splendid golden Gada of Indian design. Its sheer weight demanded every ounce of one's strength.
It showed Myun's formidable power, consdering how easily he was using it.
As Myung Joon exerted pressure against Takahashi's glaive, he taunted, "You're not as strong as the rumors claim, Takahashi, hnn!" With a single, forceful motion, Myung Joon pushed Takahashi back, slamming his mace towards Takahashi's torso.
However, Takahashi skillfully blocked the attack with the shaft of his glaive, though the impact sent him flying back two meters. Takahashi maintained his graceful stance, resisting the force exerted upon him.
"What a disappointment," Myung Joon snorted.
"Let's see if this will disappoint you", Takahashi retorted, a surge of dark energy emanating from his body, instantly boosting his strength :? Strength: E+ (E-) ? 370/ 370 ? 440(+)/440(+)
With lightning speed, Takahashi dashed towards Myung Joon, employing his dash skill.
Myung Joon responded with a skill of his own, his once golden mace now glowing a searing red-hot hue. He forcefully slammed his mace towards Takahashi.
The collision between the mace and glaive unleashed a tremendous release of energy, sending brilliant sparks cascading through the air with a resounding—Booomb!!
Myung Joon deftly parried each glaive attack launched by Takahashi, while Takahashi relentlessly pressed on with another assault. The battle raged on, a fierce stalemate of back-and-forth maneuvers.
....
Aeravat's POV:
The buzzing sound of the giant hornet-like creature made me cringe in disgust.
It crashed towards me, its wings flapping with an ominous rhythm—Bzzzz
Its deadly stinger glinted in the light coming from the giant ball of energy hovering in the air, my illuminate skill., poised to strike.
However, before it could lay a single sting on me, a colossal bolt of lightning crackled through the air, striking the creature with unyielding force.
The impact sent the hornet spiraling through the air, a testament to the power of the bolt.
Curiosity piqued, I turned my gaze towards the source of the lightning, only to lock eyes with Aurora.
Refocusing my attention on the ongoing battle, determination surged through my veins.
I sprinted towards the hornet-like creature, where it was already engaged in a frenzied skirmish with six other members of our team.
Among them stood Kai Lee, distinguished by his Asian features and exceptional martial prowess, tirelessly battling against the monster.
Regrettably, the odds were not in our favor.
We had already lost four of our team members, their absence casting a somber shadow over the battlefield. Yet, this only intensified our resolve to fight with every fiber of our being.
"RAGGGH!",With a resounding battle cry, I soared through the air, descending upon the hornet-like creature with unstoppable force.
My sword sliced through its wing with a resolute slash, eliciting a blood-curdling roar from the wounded beast—kriiuuueeekkkkk!!!
The sheer intensity of the creature's deafening roar caused my ears to ache, prompting me to hastily retreat a few meters, seeking respite from its dangerous sonic assault.
Seizing the opportunity, the creature lunged at me, attacking with the full force of all six of its deadly claws.
However, I could only manage to defend against three of them. The earlier distracting sonic howl, combined with my reliance on using only a sword, left my defense compromised, exposing a weakness in my chosen martial art style.
The remaining claws struck me with a brutal impact, sending me hurtling through the air. A deep wound tore across my torso, causing excruciating pain that forced a cry from my lips—"Gaah!", momentarily satisfying the intensity of the agony.
In that fateful moment, the colossal creature swiftly eliminated two of our team members, its swift attacks leaving no room for hesitation.
They were eliminated and teleported out of the dungeon trial.
The battle had already waged on for far too long, and I refused to let it prolong any further!
"Everyone, unleash your strongest skills and spells! If we let this continue, victory will slip from our grasp", I commanded, my voice laced with determination.
Each team member nodded in unison, acknowledging the urgency of our situation.
Drawing upon my inner strength, I activated [Harmony].
...
In an instant, Aeravat was consumed by a radiant and brilliant white light. The intensity became so overwhelming that everyone present had to shut their eyes for a brief moment. And when they cautiously opened their eyes again, a breathtaking sight awaited them.
As the brightness gradually faded away, magnificent fiery wings emerged from Aeravat's back, resembling the stunning grace of a mythical phoenix. The sheer beauty and awe inspired by this transformation left everyone speechless and in utter wonderment.