The strategy to defeat The Emperor had been studied for more than a decade.

The IBAA, and even the military dissected every recorded encounter, mapping out the most effective formations and tactics. Even the small Nightraptor Guild alone had published different approaches to containing it.

And one type of strategy prevailed amongst the rest—immobilization, followed by coordinated, ranged attacks. Hundreds of Heroes have defeated the Emperor using these exact plans.

And that was exactly what the two Heroes from the Blue team were also doing.

Thick vines coiled around the Emperor's ankles like living chains. More roots erupted from beneath, wrapping its arms, its waist, creating an endless supply of restraints.

The Emperor was able to break free from time to time, but more roots kept coming.

The male Hero's fists glowed with kinetic energy as he hammered the Emperor's torso. Each impact sent shockwaves through the sand. The female Hero maintained her grip on the roots, sweat beading on her forehead as she poured power into keeping the bindings strong.

[Health: 75%]

"It's working!" the female Hero shouted, her green hair whipping in the wind generated by the man's strikes. "Keep hitting it!"

The Emperor's head tilted, watching them with those void-black eyes. No struggle. No panic. Just... observation.

[Health: 60%]

The male Hero's next punch cracked something inside the Emperor's chest. The sound it made was almost a hum, like ice breaking in an endless lake. "Almost got it! This thing ain't so tough!"

[Health: 50%]

The Emperor's mouth opened slightly. Not in pain—in what might have been amusement. Its pale fingers flexed once… and the roots exploded.

The woman screamed as her vines shredded like paper; they violently whipped around, sending her stumbling backward. Chunks of wood and plant matter rained down around them. The Emperor stood free, brushing debris from its armor with a smile on its face.

"I-impossible. This thing's only supposed to be level 1," the female Hero whispered. "I know for sure my roots are strong enough—"

[Oh no! Another of your Middle Crystals has been destroyed!]

"What?! We need to—"

The Emperor moved before she could finish her words. One moment it stood there, the next its pale hand wrapped around the man's throat. The massive Hero's eyes bulged as he was lifted off the ground like a child.

[Health: 50%]

The man's fists hammered at the Emperor's arm, each blow that had shattered its armor moments before now barely leaving marks on it. His legs kicked frantically as the Emperor's grip tightened.

The female Hero thrust both hands forward. Thorned vines erupted from the sand, wrapping around the Emperor's arm, trying to force it to release her companion. The Emperor glanced at her, tilted its head, then casually swatted the vines away with its free hand.

Baraka's face was turning purple.

The woman screamed, pouring everything into a massive root that burst from directly beneath the Emperor. The wooden spear pierced through the Emperor's stomach, finally forcing it to drop her comrade.

The big Hero collapsed, gasping, his throat already bruising black.

[Health: 45%]

"I think we need to retreat," the woman panted, helping her comrade to his feet. "This isn't working. It's too strong."

"No, we already got its health halved!" the male Hero wheezed. "We can... we can do this. We can do this! The dude's just at its second phase!"

The Emperor was already moving again, tore the root apart and materialized its weapon—two of them this time, one on each hand. The Heroes slightly backed away at this…

…and that was when Adam burst from the slope of sand behind the male Hero.

The Shion swept in a vicious arc aimed at the Hero's neck. But alas, the big Hero managed to throw himself forward just as the blade whistled past his back.

"What the hell—" The male Hero spun around, his eyes widening as he saw Adam's red halo. "A creep?! Here?"

His companion reacted faster. Her hand shot out, and a thorned vine whipped toward Adam's face. But Adam was already moving, ducking under the attack while swinging his weapon right at his neck again.

She stretched her hand out, summoning veins to protect the man's neck—but then, Adam's attack changed course and went directly through her wrist.

"Grah!" It hit right between her joints, severing it cleanly. And as her hand fell to the sand, she screamed in pain while the man dragged her away and leapt back.

[Jasmine, the Whispering Plant]

[Baraka, Giver of Concussions]

Adam finally had the chance to look at their names.

"My hand!" Jasmine stared at her severed arm, blood spraying from the wound. "He cut off my hand!"

"Who the fuck are you?" Baraka demanded, his fists already glowing as he faced Adam. "Why are you attacking—"

Neither of the two sides, however, had the time to talk as the Emperor attacked again.

Its weapon swept toward Jasmine's neck, almost mimicking Adam's earlier attack. She barely managed to duck, the blade passing inches from her head. Baraka lunged at the Emperor from the side, but the creature caught his punch and used his momentum to throw him into Adam.

Adam rolled away from Baraka, but the Emperor also came swinging at him. Still, he managed to dodge, albeit clumsily before balancing himself and running toward Jasmine.

She swung at her, and she blocked with a wall of thorns. Baraka recovered, charged at the Emperor, only to be backhanded into a dune—still, he managed to get a hit.

[Health: 40%]

It… was chaotic. Adam wanted to coordinate with the Emperor, attacking the Heroes when they focused on it. But alas, the Emperor didn't care for that at all.

The Emperor attacked both sides. Unfortunately for Adam, he got too close and it also swatted him away—this time with enough force to cometeply knock him out.

Jasmine saw this, and quickly bound Adam's legs with thick roots. And when Adam came to, the roots already felt like concrete around his wrists and ankles. He pulled, twisted, used his full strength against them.

Nothing.

"Stay down, Creep," Jasmine snarled, her remaining hand pressed against her severed wrist. "We'll deal with you after!"

And once again, the fight became two versus one. And slowly, but surely… they chipped away the Emperor's health.

Baraka's fist connected with the Emperor's jaw, actually staggering the creature. Jasmine immediately followed up, her vines wrapping around its arms.

[Health: 37%]

Adam watched as the two Heroes found their rhythm again. They were… winning. The Emperor's movements were slower now, its responses more labored. Dark fluid leaked from cracks in its armor.

"No…" Adam whispered.

He had to get free. Had to stop them.

Adam gritted his teeth and pulled. The roots held firm. He pulled harder, still nothing.

The Heroes pressed their advantage. Baraka's punches came faster now, each one driving the Emperor down while Jasmine kept it bound.

[Health: 15%]

And when Adam saw the Emperor's health going down fast… he made his choice.

He no longer want to tear the roots and vines, no. Not against the chains—but through them.

"Kh!" He gritted his teeth further as he started pulling his limbs out. His flesh started to tear from his bones, ripping his muscles. His blood, spraying—no. His blood showered across the sand as he literally pulled himself free. The sound it made was… indescribable.

And soon, he left chunks of his legs and hands behind the wooden restraints. The pain was incredible, but he was already healing.

Adam crawled forward on his elbows and knees, his legs still reforming. The Heroes were too focused on the Emperor to notice him. Baraka landed another devastating blow. Jasmine's vines tightened around the creature's throat.

[Health: 12%]

And when Adam's body had fully regenerated, he ran to get the Shion and lunged—he knew who the problem was between the two Heroes.

It was Jasmine. And that was who he was going to attack from now on. Adam swung with everything he got, but Jasmine sensed it coming at the last second. She threw herself sideways, the sword slashing her shoulder instead.

This seemed to have pissed Jasmine off, however, as she glared at ADam.

A massive root erupted from the sand beneath Adam, its sharpened tip punching through his armor and into his gut. The wooden spear lifted him off the ground, not allowing him to attack again.

And as if that wasn't enough, Baraka spun away from the Emperor and drove his fist into Adam's face. The impact shattered his skull, sending fragments of bone into his brain. Adam's vision went white, then black, then slowly cleared as his head rebuilt itself.

But it wasn't fast enough.

[Health: 3%]

[Health: 1%]

As Adam opened his eyes, he watched as Baraka's fist once again connected with the Emperor's chest. The armor cracked… and his fist went right through it's torso.

The Emperor staggered back, pulling itself away from Baraka's arm as its weapon dissolved. And soon, it dropped to its knees—and as the light of the Administrators slowly took it away…

…it looked Adam straight in the eyes and once again smiled.

And then…

[Health: 0%]

It was gone.

[The Emperor has been slain by the enemy team!]

"No…"

[The Emperor will deploy…]

Shut up…

Adam stared at the empty space where the Emperor had stood. The two Heroes were already celebrating, their voices distant and hollow in his ears.

Useless. Fucking useless. I killed them all. I kill all those people. All of it for nothing. You need to accept that you're a hypocrite. Not again. We need to win this Game. We… I.

I need to win.

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