LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Chapter 365 Rest for a while

As dawn broke, the soldiers reluctantly prepared themselves for yet another attempt at facing the beast.

Their movements were slow, weighed down by fatigue and the ever-looming specter of failure.

No one spoke as they readied their weapons, tightened their armor, and gathered what little courage they had left.

The forest seemed quieter than usual, as if even nature itself was bracing for the futility of their endeavor.

"We stick together this time," Caron said, his voice grim but resolute. He stood before the group, his weapon gripped tightly in his hands. "No more splitting up. We stay as one and use everything we've got."

The others nodded silently, though their expressions betrayed their apprehension. Each face bore scars of past attempts, both physical and emotional.

Tessa adjusted her quiver, her lips pressed into a tight line. Jonas flexed his injured arm, wincing but refusing to complain.

The others exchanged nervous glances, unspoken fears passing between them like shadows.

As they marched into the forest, the tension was palpable.

Every sound—whether it was the rustling of leaves or the distant caw of a bird—set their nerves on edge.

The deeper they ventured, the darker the forest seemed to grow, its towering trees casting long, oppressive shadows.

The air was thick, suffocating, as though the forest itself were conspiring against them.

Hours passed before the beast revealed itself.

A low growl resonated through the air, followed by the snapping of branches.

The soldiers froze, their breaths hitching as the massive creature emerged from the underbrush. I.ts glowing eyes fixed on them with an almost sentient malice, its hulking form radiating an aura of dominance.

"Now!" Caron shouted, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence.

The soldiers sprang into action, executing the plan they had spent the previous night devising.

They surrounded the beast, their weapons raised, their movements synchronized.

This time, they believed they had accounted for every possibility.

But it wasn't enough.

The beast was faster than they anticipated, its movements almost fluid as it dodged their attacks and retaliated with devastating force.

A swipe of its claws sent Jonas flying into a tree, where he crumpled to the ground, barely conscious.

Tessa fired arrow after arrow, but the beast swatted them away as if they were mere insects.

Traps they had painstakingly set up the night before were rendered useless, either avoided entirely or destroyed in moments.

"Fall back!" Caron yelled, his voice desperate as the plan unraveled before his eyes.

But there was no escape. The beast was relentless, its massive frame barreling through their ranks.

One by one, the soldiers fell—some injured, others too exhausted to continue the fight. It was a massacre, their strategy unraveling like thread pulled from a tapestry.

By the time the sun began its descent, casting the forest in a golden glow, the group limped back to the camp, broken and defeated.

Their injuries were severe: deep gashes, shattered bones, and countless bruises. But it was the defeat etched on their faces that spoke volumes.

As they collapsed around the fire, silence reigned once again.

No one had the energy to speak, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Bloodied and battered, they stared into the flickering flames, the light doing little to chase away the shadows of despair that had taken root in their hearts.

"This isn't working," Jonas said finally, his voice barely audible. He winced as he shifted, clutching his side where the beast's claws had struck him. "No matter what we try...it's like it knows."

Caron remained silent, his hands trembling as he gripped his weapon. Tessa looked at him, her expression a mixture of anger and desperation. "Say something," she demanded. "What do we do now?"

"What can we do?" Caron replied bitterly, his voice laced with defeat. "It's stronger, faster, smarter. We're no match for it."

"So that's it?" Tessa snapped. "We just give up? Lie down and die?"

"What choice do we have?" Jonas interjected, his tone resigned. "We've tried everything. Every plan, every strategy—it doesn't matter. We're not enough."

The group fell silent once more, their despair thick enough to suffocate. The weight of their repeated failures pressed down on them, extinguishing any remaining spark of hope.

"We need more people," Tessa said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Caron shook his head. "More people means more casualties. We can't ask anyone else to fight our battles for us."

"It's not about asking," Tessa argued. "It's about survival. If we don't do something, we're all going to die here."

"And what do you suggest?" Caron demanded. "We go to Lyerin? Beg him to help us? He won't. He's already made that clear."

Tessa didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the fire. The truth of Caron's words stung, but she couldn't bring herself to accept them. There had to be a way—something they hadn't tried.

As the night deepened, the group sat in the suffocating silence of their despair.

The beast's presence loomed over them like a specter, its roars echoing in their minds even in its absence.

They were trapped, caught in a battle they couldn't win, and the weight of that realization was more crushing than any physical wound.

For the first time, the thought began to creep into their minds: perhaps they were fighting a battle they were never meant to win.

As the first light of dawn seeped through the dense forest canopy, the camp was uncharacteristically quiet.

The soldiers, who were usually restless and preparing for another attempt at the hunt, remained in their tents or sat around the dying embers of the fire.

The exhaustion from their repeated failures weighed heavily on them, both physically and mentally.

Tessa sat on a log near the fire, absently sharpening her arrows, though her movements were sluggish and unfocused. Her eyes were bloodshot, the result of a sleepless night spent replaying their failed attempts against the beast.

Across from her, Jonas leaned against a tree, his arm in a makeshift sling, wincing with every subtle movement.

"I think we all know," Jonas began, breaking the silence, "if we go out there again today, we're not coming back."

No one disagreed. Caron, who usually took charge, sat silently with his head in his hands, the weight of leadership crushing him.

The others avoided eye contact, their faces pale and gaunt.

"We need to rest," Tessa finally said, her voice softer than usual but resolute. "Pushing ourselves like this is only going to get us killed. That thing is stronger than us on our best day. What chance do we have when we're like this?"

"For once, I agree," Jonas muttered, though his tone lacked its usual sarcasm. "Every time we face that beast, it's like it knows what we're going to do before we do it. We need to be smarter, better prepared."

Caron lifted his head slowly, his expression hollow. "Rest isn't going to change the fact that we're outmatched. What are we even resting for? Another failure?"

Tessa's gaze hardened as she looked at him. "If you want to give up, then say it. Don't hide behind excuses. But some of us still have fight left in us, even if it's not much."

Caron didn't respond, his shoulders slumping as he stared at the ground.

"We need a plan," Jonas said after a long pause. "Not just the same tactics we've been using. Something completely different. But for that, we need time. And for time, we need to survive."

The group fell silent again, the flickering flames of the fire reflecting their inner turmoil.

Despite their fear and exhaustion, there was a faint undercurrent of determination. They couldn't keep going as they were, but they also couldn't give up.

"We rest today," Tessa said firmly, standing up and looking around at the group. "No arguments. Heal your wounds, eat something, and sleep if you can. Tomorrow, we come back stronger. But today, we take care of ourselves."