They nodded, slipping into positions along the chamber's perimeter. The beasts roared, then one lunged at a British archer who barely dodged, her arrow embedding in its hide but doing little damage.

The tank screamed a terrific war cry, slamming his shield into the ground to create a shockwave that staggered the pack momentarily. Fire and ice spells flew, chipping away at the creatures' defenses, but the S-ranks healed fast, their dark energy regenerating wounds almost as quickly as they formed.

Nova watched, timing their moves. One beast broke from the main fight, sniffing the air toward their hiding spot.

"Now," he whispered.

Zane vanished in an echo of steps, reappearing to slash its loin. The beast howled, turning away from the Brits to chase him, but Zane was already gone, leading it back into the fray, where a British spell finished it off.

Adam grinned. "Nice. They're doing the work for us."

Elesch opened a small void rift, redirecting a beast's energy whip back at itself, weakening it without drawing full aggro. The British fighter capitalized, driving a sword through its eye. Michael summoned subtle ice tendrils from the shadows, tripping beasts mid-charge and letting the Brits land killing blows.

The pack thinned slowly, the British taking hits, bruises, gashes, one fighter down but not out. Nova's group stayed opportunistic, "helping" just enough to speed things along without exposing themselves.

It felt a bit dirty, using "allies" as unwitting shields, but survival in the tournament demanded it. The beasts' roars grew desperate, the labyrinth shaking with their aggression.

Finally, as the last few S-ranks circled the exhausted Brits, Nova signaled. "Let's finish this." They emerged from the shadows, daggers, rapier, claws, and abilities activating in unison. The beasts, worn down by the British onslaught, fell quickly under the combined assault. The British Guild turned, panting and wary, realizing they'd had unseen aid.

One of them, a burly woman with the tank shield, nodded gratefully. "Cheers for the assist, Yanks. Thought we were done for."

Nova sheathed his daggers, offering a tight smile. "No problem. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?"

They exchanged brief nods, the Brits too tired to question the timing. As the groups parted ways, Brits limping toward a side path, Nova's team pressing deeper, the labyrinth rumbled again, sealing off routes. Nova glanced back with a scent of guilt mixing with relief.

The labyrinth's rumble intensified, forcing Nova's team to explore deeper into the bowels of the labyrinth than before, just to find the haven that would lead them to clear the first stage of the tournament.

"Stay sharp," Nova murmured, daggers drawn and glowing faintly in the blue hues of the labyrinth's light, which seemed to have amplified his own black-red aura surrounding him and his daggers. "That wasn't the end of it. I feel something eerie is going to take place soon, so be ready, and do not falter."

Adam nodded, claws extended, his grin fading into focus. "Feels like we're walking into the lion's den."

They rounded a sharp bend into a vast, cavernous arena, larger than the previous arena, with jagged stalactites dripping water, that was melting the ground beneath from above. The ground was uneven, pitted with bones of humans and monsters alike, no blood, only bones.

At the center loomed a colossal figure: an evolved E-rank boss monster, a Shadow Drake far beyond its packmates. Towering twice the height of the others, its scales were midnight black. Massive wings, tattered, because of old age, yet powerful, flexed as it walked on his legs, its mouth dripping acid that split the ground in half.

Its eyes glowed with intelligence, locking onto the intruders. Around it, remnants of lesser Shadow Drakes slumped in the shadows, as their alpha locked eyes with Nova for a brief second.

The boss let out a deafening screech that shook the labyrinth, with dark energy pulsing from its body. It walked and walked, as the quintuplet grew confused about what it was doing.

"It's calling the shots," Zane said, his voice steady. "If we take it down, the rest of the Shadow Drakes might scatter, since their alpha would be finished."

No time for strategy, the alpha lunged, its tail whipping across the arena. Nova dodged left, slashing at its flank, but the scales deflected his daggers, leaving only a gash that sealed instantly.

Elesch thrust her rapier, opening a void rift to warp space around the beast's claw as it swiped at her. The attack bent harmlessly away, but the alpha countered with a burst of dark energy from its mouth, slamming into her shoulder.

She cried out, blood blooming as the force hurled her back, her arm going numb.

Adam charged, leaping onto the alpha's side and raking claws deep into a joint. Seemingly, Black blood sprayed, but the beast twisted, its wing batting him like a fly. He hit the ground hard, ribs cracking audibly, gasping through the pain.

Zane blurred into action, Echo Step creating phantom afterimages that confused the alpha. He struck from behind, slashing at its neck, drawing blood this time, but the beast roared, unleashing a shadow pulse that disrupted his steps.

A claw grazed Zane's chest, tearing through his clothes, into the flesh with a gash that soaked his clothes in blood, leaving a thick cut behind.

Michael summoned ice tendrils, coiling them around the alpha's legs to immobilize it. The frost bit deep, cracking scales, but the beast flexed, shattering the ice and sending shards flying. One embedded in Michael's thigh, drawing a grunt as he limped forward.

They converged, teamwork their only edge to even attempt to win at this thing. Nova feinted high, drawing the alpha's snap, while Elesch's rift redirected its tail strike back at itself, staggering it.

Adam exploited the opening, clawing at its underbelly and tearing a chunk free, dark, black blood gushing out, slower to heal. Zane zipped in, slashing the eyes to blind it momentarily, his wounds slowing him but not stopping. Michael froze its wings mid-flap, the ice weighing it down.

The alpha thrashed wildly, its roars echoing as it adapted, shadow tendrils forming from its body. One lashed Nova's leg, slicing deep and burning like acid; he gritted his teeth, hobbling but slashing back.

Another coiled around Elesch's waist, squeezing until she gasped, ribs slightly fractured, she warped it away just in time, but collapsed to one knee, vision blurring.

Adam took a direct hit to the arm, his claw retracting involuntarily as the bone fractured. Zane's chest wound reopened with each step, blood loss making him dizzy. Michael's thigh gushed, the shard digging deeper with movement.

But they pressed on, with Nova shouting: "Now!"

Zane distracted the beast with his echoes, Michael iced the legs again, and Elesch rifted the beast's mouth open wider. Adam and Nova struck together, plunging into the open throat.

The alpha convulsed, dark energy flaring in a final burst that scorched them all, but its regeneration faltered. With a guttural choke, it collapsed, body dissolving, leaving behind a glowing core.

The quintet slumped, deeply wounded, gashes bleeding profusely, bones cracked, breaths ragged. Nova leaned on his daggers, slumping to the ground, pain aching through his leg.

"We got it."

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