Sst!

The monster vanished. In mere milliseconds, it was already standing right beside Fyar.

Fyar moved his katana reflexively to his side to protect his ribs. The metal of the katana clashed with the impact of the glowing blue giant hammer. A loud boom echoed inside the cathedral chamber.

Fyar was violently hurled back. His body slammed into the stone wall until the surface cracked deeply. Shards of cement and dust scattered into the air.

Fyar was thrown out through a gap in the wall, landing on the white desert sand. He rolled several times but immediately stabbed his katana into the ground and stood back up.

Damn, that fast?! Shit, Fyar cursed in his heart.

The pupils of Zaefal, Rasie, and Illya constricted instantly. Their hearts hammered wildly at the sight of the creature's speed.

"Fyar!!!" Illya screamed.

"Fire!" Rasie muttered.

The blade of the greatsword in her hand was instantly enveloped in blazing red flames. The air around her suddenly became scorching hot. Rasie immediately leaped backward, keeping her distance from the reach of the monster's hammer.

"Die asshole!!"

Sst!

The monster appeared right behind Rasie. It raised its obsidian hammer high, preparing to crush the girl's body from above.

Illya raised both hands with a face full of fury. She whispered a short mantra. Instantly, the cathedral floor beneath the monster's feet rose upward rapidly. The earth and stone hardened, pinning the creature's body up to its shoulders. Its movements were locked tight.

"RASIE!" Illya shouted.

Sst!

Rasie lunged forward at full speed. Her burning fire blade sliced through the air with a hiss. She swung the sword diagonally toward a gap in the monster's neck that was not covered by the spiked armor.

Krak!

The glowing metal pierced the skin. Blue blood splattered hot onto the sand below. The sound of burning flesh rang out clearly as Rasie pulled her sword back and then stabbed it straight into the monster's left armpit.

Slep!

Rasie twisted her blade inside the wound before pulling it out by force.

The monster roared. It forcibly pulled its hammer and swung it toward Rasie. Rasie's sword collided with the giant metal hammer repeatedly. The sound of heavy metal clanging filled the room.

Sst

Sst

St

Tweng!

Sst!

St

Rasie moved nimbly, her feet sliding over the sand. She ducked as the giant hammer swept over her head with a heavy whistling sound.

Rasie spun her body, slashing the monster's right knee with a strong horizontal strike. Sparks and blue energy clashed in the air, creating a blinding flash of light.

Behind the monster, Zaefal lunged forward. He aimed his left hand forward with his palm wide open.

"Void!"

the creature's energy seemed to be sucked into Zaefal. The monster turned toward Zaefal in a rage.

The parasitic worms on its back writhed wildly, then shot out like arrows to pierce Zaefal's chest.

Zaefal spun his greatsword in a very fast circular motion.

Crash! Crash!

Pieces of the slimy and slippery worm bodies were thrown against the cathedral walls. Clear, cold mucus splattered and soaked Zaefal's clothes.

He moved forward one step, slashing horizontally with full power to sever the remaining worms still hanging and writhing on the monster's back.

The pieces of parasites fell to the cathedral floor with a wet plop sound.

Sst

St

St

The monster smiled wide again. Its free hand touched the ground that was pinning it. Instantly, the hard earth turned into water and seeped downward.

The creature was completely freed. It lunged toward Rasie and delivered a powerful kick straight to her stomach.

Rasie did not have time to block the attack with her sword. Her body was thrown far and slammed into the cathedral wall with the sound of bones colliding.

The monster did not stop. It charged quickly, directing its attack toward Illya.

Sst!

Zaefal appeared from behind, aiming his blade to stab the creature's neck. However, the monster noticed Zaefal's presence.

It looked back immediately and diverted its hammer swing from Illya toward Zaefal's head.

Bang! Bang!

Two consecutive pistol shots hit the side of the monster's head. Lead bullets pierced the flesh near its ear.

The creature's movement slowed instantly. Its magical intimidation faded and its power weakened.

Fyar smiled thinly while running at full speed toward the monster. His right hand held the katana in a ready position to slash, while his left hand aimed the pistol at the enemy's heart.

Seeing the opportunity, Zaefal whispered, "Void."

Instantly, a dense black sphere covered the vision of Zaefal, Illya, and the monster. The aurora light from the cathedral ceiling could not penetrate into that dome of darkness.

"Illya!!!" Zaefal shouted inside the darkness.

In there, Zaefal relied on his combat instincts. He slashed diagonally toward the monster's chest.

Tang!

The obsidian armor worn by the monster shattered into pieces and fell to the floor.

Zaefal continued with a low slash toward the monster's right knee until the creature stumbled. He spun his body quickly, slamming his greatsword blade into the monster's right arm that was holding the hammer.

Krek!

The armor on that arm shattered and scattered due to the powerful, repetitive strikes.

On the other side, Illya aimed her hands toward the monster. Around that dark area, glowing red-hot spheres appeared.

Zaefal immediately darted back and away.

The hot spheres shot simultaneously toward the monster's body. The resulting heat explosion caused the monster's armor to nearly crack completely, sending plumes of steam rising upward.

The monster groaned loudly. It raised its hammer with both hands and began to spin at high speed.

A whirlwind of air and blue energy was created from the spinning motion of its hammer.

Zaefal dispelled the Void area.

"Retreat!"

Zaefal darted backward quickly. Illya cast her teleportation magic and vanished instantly, reappearing several meters away from the reach of the monster's deadly spin.

From atop the owl's back, Hasya sat upright with a stiff back. His eyes, which usually appeared playful, were now narrowed sharply, not blinking for even a single second as he watched every spark of fire and magical explosion down below.

He propped his chin with one hand, while the other gripped the edge of the leather saddle so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

Beside him,

Cyhas stood with knees trembling slightly. She clutched the fabric of her robe until it was a wrinkled mess. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes darting restlessly as she followed the movements of Fyar and the others, who appeared like tiny figures from that height. The wind howling around the transparent shield could not drown out the sound of her short, heavy breaths.

"T-they..." Cyhas whispered with a hoarse voice that was caught in her throat.

"They can do it," Hasya interjected with a piercingly clear voice. He did not avert his gaze from the monster spinning below.

Hasya stretched his tense shoulder muscles slightly and then pulled the corners of his lips into a thin, confident smile.

"They can. I am certain they can finish this without a single bit of help from me. I believe in them."

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