Chapter 88: Make the beast pay massively!
Chapter 88
"Activate weapon active skill now!" The Reaver roared as he leaped into the air with all the strength he had.
{Active Skill: Wind Slash activated}
SWOOSH!
A violent gust of wind erupted outward as an arc of compressed air shot forward with incredible speed. In response, the beast spun around, attempting to block the attack, but it was already too late. The crescent-shaped wind slash slammed directly into its chest.
A gush of blood splattered out, staining the cracked ground, as the B-ranked beast staggered backward. A deep gash tore through its chest, stunning it and leaving it momentarily breathless.
"Come on! Zen, I feel like you have something to do with our Veil not working. How much longer?!" Ryker demanded while charging forward, his sword glowing faintly as he swung it in a vertical arc toward the beast.
But the creature, fueled by rage, caught the blade with its one remaining arm, gripping tightly despite the steel cutting into its palm. Its eyes glowed with malice as it retaliated, swinging its massive foot forward to smash into the Reaver’s abdomen.
"Just a little bit more," Zen replied firmly, his pitch-black eyes locked on the beast. Before the kick could connect, Vynn darted forward, intercepting the strike. His sword whistled through the air, aiming to cut the beast’s leg.
However, the Lycan was already adapting. It withdrew its foot mid-motion and spun, delivering a brutal roundhouse kick.
Crack!
The kick connected with Vynn’s neck, the impact sending his body hurtling backward like a ragdoll.
Blood spewed from his mouth as he crashed violently, bouncing across the ground several times before he managed to stab his sword into the dirt, dragging himself to a skidding halt. His face twisted in pain, but his grip on the weapon remained unbroken.
"Come on!" Erin and Jace roared together, their voices fueled with desperation and determination.
Both launched forward, blood dripping from their lips, their bodies battered but unyielding. Jace suddenly grabbed Erin’s hand mid-dash, spinning with all his strength before hurling her like a spear toward the beast.
"Aria!" Zen barked, his voice cutting sharply through the chaos.
The archer didn’t hesitate. She nudged her bowstring and released two arrows in quick succession.
Now the beast was trapped. Erin was descending with her sword aimed squarely at its neck, while two arrows whistled through the air from the opposite angle.
’Whichever decision you make,’ Zen thought, bouncing lightly on his feet, sword twirling in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he waited for the opening he knew would come.
The beast snarled. Its choice was made in an instant. Crouching low, it leaped into the air and swung its massive leg upward toward Erin.
Bang!
The brutal kick connected, producing a shockwave that rattled the battlefield. Erin cried out as she was flung from the air with devastating force.
Her body twisted helplessly, moments away from slamming into the ground until Jace leaped upward, catching her mid-fall. His arms strained under the weight, but he held firm, saving her from a bone-shattering impact.
The Lycan wasn’t finished. Still midair, it spun around and slashed with its claw, shredding the incoming arrows before they could reach their mark.
’We will still win,’ Zen smirked, confidence radiating from his voice as he lifted his index and middle fingers high into the air.
Aria’s sharp eyes caught the signal. Without hesitation, she notched two fresh arrows, drawing her bowstring all the way back. With a deep breath, she let them loose. The arrows spiraled through the air, spinning violently as they cut through the wind at insane velocity.
The beast landed heavily with a thud, its claws scraping the dirt, when it heard the sharp whistling of arrows cutting the air. Reacting too late, it lifted its only arm in defense.
Thunk!
Both arrows embedded themselves into its arm, piercing two inches deep before stopping. The beast snarled, muscles straining as it flexed to snap the shafts, blood dripping steadily from the wounds.
"Jace! Together!" Zen thundered, his voice carrying over the battlefield. He stopped bouncing and charged forward with renewed vigor, his blackened eyes glowing faintly.
The water Reaver met his stride, dashing at full speed with water energy flowing faintly around his weapon.
"You watched Captain America: Civil War?" Zen called out between breaths as they raced toward the beast, his tone sharp yet strangely light amidst the chaos.
Jace glanced at him mid-run, his eyes narrowing in understanding. Then, with a quick nod, he gripped his sword tighter. He already knew exactly what Zen had in mind.
"Ryker! Go down!" Jace barked. In unison, both he and Zen leaped into the air, and before the beast could lower its arm from its face, the two Reavers were already upon it.
BAM!
They drove their feet into the arrows still lodged in the Lycan’s arm, using every ounce of their strength. The force sent the arrows plunging deeper into flesh, tearing muscle and bone. The beast staggered backward, its body skidding several inches across the ground as it roared in pain.
Ryker wasted no time. He ducked down, sliding cleanly between the beast’s massive legs. In one swift movement, he kicked both of its knees from behind, his boots smashing into the back of its joints.
The Lycan faltered.
"Now!" Ryker muttered under his breath as he rolled to safety.
With a guttural roar, the creature lost balance and slammed into the ground.
BOOOOM!
The impact shook the battlefield, a thunderous thud sending cracks racing across the ground. A four-metre-deep crater formed, and a massive gust of wind blasted outward, sending dirt, debris, and loose stones flying into the air.
Jace and Zen landed a short distance away, barely a metre from the crater’s edge. Both were huffing and puffing, their lungs burning, but their eyes never left the massive mound of swirling dust that concealed their enemy.
"Hey, great job," Zen muttered, his tone breathless yet full of relief. He extended his fist toward Jace, who smirked and bumped it with his own.
"You know, I had my doubts about whether you actually watched the movie back in reality," Zen added, lips curling into a grin despite the tension.
"Well, I loved those kinds of movies," Jace replied, his eyes fixed sharply on the cloud of dust. His grip on his sword tightened. "What I couldn’t bring myself to watch was anime. I don’t know why. They just didn’t appeal to me."
"Sheesh, you are so boring," Zen chuckled, shaking his head. His grin faded slightly as his tone grew more serious. "By the way, when this is all over, we need to talk about how you transmigrated into this game.
We’ve got to plan our next moves properly and share every bit of information we have." He shifted his stance, sword clenched tightly, his pitch-black eyes dimming faintly but still burning with determination.
"Deal," Jace said firmly.
AWHOOOOO!
The beast’s howl cut through the air like thunder. The Lycan burst upward from the crater, slamming its foot into the ground with such force that the dust cloud dispersed in an instant.
Its figure came into full view—blood pouring from its mangled arm, the deep gash across its chest bleeding profusely from Zen’s earlier strike. Its breathing was ragged, its body trembling, but its eyes still glowed with feral hatred. The monster was far from finished.
"Oh, come on! Where is our damn Veil?!" Erin cried, her voice trembling between exhaustion and fury. She stumbled a step back, her gaze locked nervously on the snarling beast.
Vynn, still pale and staggering from the brutal kick earlier, dragged himself toward the group. His body winced at every step, but his grip on his weapon was firm. He would not stay down.
"Any moment now," Zen muttered, though his words were more to himself than to the others. His eyes flickered in and out, his connection with the mysterious force faltering.
Tring!
{Veil’s skill ended!}
{Do you want to use it again? Note! It will cost 50EP.}
’No!’ Zen thought sharply, clenching his teeth. His energy reserves were dangerously low.
"Guys!" Zen called out, his voice rising above the battlefield as his eyes snapped back to normal. And then...
Crackle. Sizzle.
Sparks of lightning hissed in the air, snapping and arcing like serpents of light. All heads turned toward Vynn, who now stood tall despite his battered form. A wide grin stretched across his face.
"Your Veils are back!" Zen roared, hope flooding his chest. He raised his sword high. "All together! Let’s make this dog pay massively!"
And then...
"Water Veil!"
"Ice Veil!"
"Wind Veil!"
"Lightning Veil!"
"Thunder Flash!"
"Wheel of Death!"
"Cold Death!"
"Bull Thrust!"
Jace, Vynn, Erin, and Ryker bellowed in unison, their voices overlapping like a war cry. Their Veils flared to life with blinding brilliance, colors exploding around them.
BOOOM!
With a deafening thunderclap, the four surged forward like elemental storms incarnate. The ground cracked beneath their feet as they exploded toward the beast, their combined might aiming to finish it once and for all.