The knights and adventurers surged forward, clashing with the horde in one last desperate push, buying time as fireballs and flaming arrows rained across the battlefield. Each blast struck the towering monster, forcing it into a frenzy of thrashing roars.

The giant tried shielding its throat from the relentless barrage, raising its arms and dipping its head low. But its head was too battered already to take the brunt—it relied mostly on its arms to block the incoming spells.

Finn seized on the weakness. Gathering the archers and mages together, he barked out orders with surprising authority. "Archers first! Light that thing up!"

A storm of flaming arrows hissed through the air, embedding into the creature's slimy hide. Each impact burned deep, peeling away its flesh like sheets of rotting skin.

The beast lowered its good hand toward the already half-destroyed arm—the one crippled by the earlier fireball. Finn immediately spotted the opening and shouted: "Now! Focus the arm—burn it off!"

Mages hurled medium-sized fireballs, flame arrows, and streams of fire, their magic amplified by the priests' blessings. The combined onslaught scorched the arm, melting through flesh and cartilage until even the slimy bone gave way. Stray bursts of fire licked across its face and throat, worsening the damage.

The flames clung and crackled until finally—the arm gave out, tearing free and plunging into the cavern below with a thunderous crash.

The monster just stared at the stump where its limb had been, tiny flames still crawling along its face and neck.

Where it had raged before, now… it simply stopped. Stilled. Silent.

Its last arm twitched in the muck, talons clawing at the mud as if the thing were trying to drag claw its way up with just that.

And then, with that single arm, it hauled itself upward. With only one arm. The guttural sound it released splitting the battlefield like thunder. The cry wasn't just noise—it was a call, a beacon, a scream that seemed to tear through the sky itself.

It then slammed its stump into the ground, splattering mud in all directions, and bellowed a second howl—one meant for the horde below.

The effect was immediate. The swarm of lesser creatures froze, then turned and sprinted back toward it like ants retreating to their queen.

Finn's stomach dropped. "Don't let them reach it!" he roared.

Archers loosed, arrows hissing into the crowd. Mages scrambled to cast, fire and fireballs streaking the field. Adventurers and knights cut through retreating monsters in a frenzy of steel. Even the swordsman terrified of women became a whirlwind of death, carving swaths through the fleeing horde.

But it wasn't enough. Too many slipped through.

The survivors reached the titan and threw themselves at its stump. Flesh, bone, and sludge-like blood melted as their bodies liquefied into dark blue sludge, merging into the larger beast.

Finn's face twisted in horror. They weren't allies at all… they were just pieces of it. All of them.

The tide of arrows and spells slammed into the giant, but the attacks fizzled uselessly as the creature absorbed the last of its horde. Its mangled arm bubbled, twisted—and began regrowing. Flesh knitted over, talons sprouting anew, until the limb was whole again.

And then its skin began to shift. Scales rippled across its body, overlapping like plates of molten iron cooling into armor. A reptilian sheen glinted in the firelight.

It wasn't just recovering.

It was evolving.

'Not good…'

Finn shouted once more, commanding the men and women to fire their attacks at the creature—and they obeyed.

Arrows and fireballs streaked through the sky, but the giant creature moved its arm just in time, blocking the attacks from reaching its head. The projectiles struck its arm, fire now proving ineffective… and a wave of dismay washed over the fighters.

Finn's mind raced. This is like those impossible boss fights… you get it low, and then it heals like it's cheating.

Lowering its arm, the beast's gaze swept across everyone before its massive wings began to lurch forward, preparing to unleash a violent gust.

"EVERYONE! STAB SOMETHING INTO THE GROUND—NOW!" Finn screamed.

Panic erupted. Soldiers, knights, and adventurers hammered their weapons into the dirt, clinging to them for dear life. Some grabbed each other, trying not to be blown away.

Finn's eyes locked on Seraphina, who was struggling to drive her staff into the earth. Panic completely washed over, hands shaking to even hold it right.

"Seraphina!" he shouted, racing to her side.

She looked at him, wide-eyed and trembling, clutching the staff.

Finn wrapped his hands around it and shoved it deep into the ground, wiggling it to make sure it held.

"Thank you…" she muttered under her breath weakly.

"Hold onto me. Tight!" Finn barked, dropping to the ground. He spread his legs inviting her to get between.

Seraphina's eyes widened in shock and disgust. "That… that's disgusting and sinful! Why would you even—"

"HURRY!" Finn cut her off, pulling her down almost forcibly. Her chest pressed against him, bouncing as she fell, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Damn her body is built… what the hell?! Finn's mind raced, completely incapable of thinking about anything other than how absurdly distracting she was.

He had always dreamed of getting this close to her—but not under these circumstances. And her body… wow. Majestria had been impressive, sure, but Seraphina was giving her a run for her money.

'Damn it, focus! What the hell am I doing?!'

Finn held her tight just as a powerful gust from the creature's wings swept through the battlefield. People screamed, tumbling over one another, some crashing into others, some lucky enough to grab onto a friend before being thrown away entirely.

Finn and Seraphina were lifted off the ground by the force. Frightened and exhausted, she clung to him desperately, burying her face into his shoulder. Her soft, holy curves pressed against his chest, making his grip on the staff waver for a moment.

The sensation distracted him, but also fueled his resolve. He tightened his legs around her well-defined waist, refusing to let her be swept away.

The wind roared through his ears, deafening him for a moment—but Finn didn't care. He just held on.

Gradually, the gust subsided, and they crashed back to the ground. Seraphina's chest bounced violently against him as he steadied them both.

Letting his grip on her relax slightly, Finn glanced up—and froze. The creature's wings had returned to their normal position, now its body almost fully recovered from the earlier attacks.

'Shit!'

Its body had completely transformed. The slimy skin had hardened into jagged, glistening scales, signaling that it was stronger now—and likely immune to fire.

Its mouth shifted unnaturally, growing sharp teeth along both the bird-like beak and the human part. Whatever this abomination was, it was desperately trying to become something it wasn't meant to be.

Its chest pressed against the cliff where they all stood, and from its body, more creatures began emerging—each scaled like the giant itself. A new horde was forming.

One of the smaller creatures lunged at a nearby knight. He braced himself and swung his sword, but the blade glanced harmlessly off its scales. The creature pounced, tearing into the knight before anyone could react.

This wasn't just a battle—it was a test. The creature was studying them, learning their attacks, and evolving to become immune. It possessed intelligence.

Which meant that all their attacks had been for not.

And with that horrifying realization, Finn's stomach sank. Every strategy, every spell, every arrow—they were now fighting against a foe that could adapt against anything thrown against it—if given the time for it.

Amid all the despair and feeling of helplessness, Finn spotted it—on the creature's neck. Though it had healed much of its head and most of its neck, a section remained exposed.

It was large enough for someone the size of a human to fit through.

Hope flickered.

This was their one shot at taking it down. Finn didn't know what lay inside that gap in its neck, but it had to be vital—its core, its weakness, something crucial.

They couldn't waste any time—it was now or never. If they hesitated, the creature would likely seal that hole for good.

Sweat dripped down Finn's face, his cheeks burning from the closeness of Seraphina pressed against him.

Part of him wanted to stay, to snuggle closer, to feel more of her… but duty won out.

Without hesitation, he pushed Seraphina gently back. They needed someone—or something—capable of reaching that opening, someone who could strike at the heart of the beast.

Finn's eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for the right option. The soldiers, mages, and adventurers looked to him, waiting for direction. Tension thickened like a storm cloud above them.

Then, a voice cut through the chaos, sharp and annoyed, drawing the attention of everyone.

Finn whipped his head toward the source—and the moment he saw them, a grin spread across his face. Victory suddenly felt possible.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.