A system notification appeared in Jelo's vision, the translucent panel materializing with a soft chime that only he could hear.

**[Opponent Defeated; +40 XP]**

Jelo pulled the sharp pole from inside the Lurker's chest with a wet, sucking sound. Dark blood clung to the metal, dripping in thick drops onto the floor below. He brandished it, holding the makeshift weapon in front of him like a sword, and turned to face the two remaining monsters.

"Which of you is ready to go next?" he yelled, waving his arms in the air.

The two monsters growled in annoyance and response, the sounds low and guttural, vibrating through the air like the rumble of distant thunder. They started coming toward him, their movements synchronized for the first time since the fight had begun. The Breacher shuffled forward with heavy footsteps that shook the floor, while the Bonewarden moved with its jerky, puppet-like gait, bony protrusions scraping against the metal walls as it advanced.

Jelo immediately analyzed the Breacher and the Bonewarden, his mind racing through their stats and comparing their capabilities. The two monsters were similar in many ways. They were both very strong, built like tanks designed to withstand punishment and dish it back out with devastating force. They were also somewhat sluggish, their movements lacking the speed and agility that had made the Lurker so dangerous. And they were quite impregnable, their bodies reinforced with thick skin, heavy muscle, and in the Bonewarden's case, literal bone armor.

Despite these similarities, they had some differences that Jelo couldn't ignore. The Breacher was faster than the Bonewarden, its shuffling gait more efficient than the Ward's lurching movements. It could close distance more quickly, could react to threats with slightly better timing. The Bonewarden, on the other hand, was more impregnable, more durable than the Breacher. Its body was covered in those jagged bony growths that acted as natural armor, and its stamina was significantly higher, meaning it could take a beating and keep going long after the Breacher would have fallen.

But still, they were kind of similar. Similar enough that Jelo felt the same strategy could be employed against both of them. He could use their lack of speed against them, exploit their slow reactions and limited mobility. He could avoid being caught up in their strength by staying mobile, keeping his distance, and striking only when he had a clear opening. He would just have to wear them down, chip away at their defenses bit by bit until they finally fell.

It sounded simple in theory. In practice, it would be exhausting.

Jelo glanced at his health bar, the translucent indicator hovering at the edge of his vision. His health was now at 55 out of 100, moving dangerously close to the halfway point. That was low. Dangerously low. And the problem was that Jelo didn't know how much longer he would have to fight. He didn't know if the scientist had more monsters hidden away, more experiments waiting to be unleashed. For all he knew, there could be a dozen more of these things locked behind other doors, waiting for the signal to attack.

He decided he needed to find a way to end this while conserving his health as much as possible. if he went down, Mira would be defenseless. The scientist would win. That couldn't happen.

At the same time, using so many Dragon Claws and Wing Bursts had made him somewhat weaker, draining his fire energy reserves faster than he'd anticipated. Each use of Dragon Claw cost energy, and Wing Burst, while not as energy-intensive, still took a toll when used repeatedly in quick succession. He could feel the fatigue settling into his muscles, the slight tremor in his hands, the way his breathing had become heavier and more labored.

He needed to find a way to beat these monsters without expending too much energy and also by protecting his health. Efficiency was key. He couldn't afford to be wasteful.

At the same time, he was keeping an eye on the scientist, who was still standing near the far end of the bunker, watching the fight with rapt attention. The man's eyes were wide with fascination, his hands clasped together in front of him like a child watching a fireworks display. Jelo wanted to prevent an ambush attack from the scientist. He knew the man was crafty, calculating, and unpredictable. Jelo felt the scientist might not be above cheating to win this confrontation, might pull out another weapon or activate some hidden trap if he thought Jelo was getting too close to victory.

So Jelo had to watch both fronts. The monsters and the scientist. It was a lot to keep track of, but he had no choice.

Jelo decided that he couldn't fight the two monsters at once. Not effectively. Not without getting himself killed. The smart play was to isolate them, to fight just one while keeping the other at bay. Divide and conquer. It was the oldest strategy in the book, but it worked.

He picked the Breacher to fight first. The creature was faster than the Bonewarden, which made it the more immediate threat. If he could take it down quickly, he could focus all his attention on the slower, more durable Ward without worrying about getting blindsided.

Jelo sent two Dragon Claws at the Bonewarden, the energy projections slicing through the air with deadly precision. The first one struck the creature's shoulder, cutting through one of the bony protrusions and sending a spray of bone fragments and dark blood across the floor. The second one hit its chest, forcing the monster to stagger backward. The Bonewarden stumbled, its jerky movements becoming even more uncoordinated as it tried to regain its balance. It almost crashed into a group of shelves behind it, metal containers rattling and threatening to topple over.

The Bonewarden managed to stabilize itself at the last moment, its thick legs bracing against the floor. But it was far enough away now that it couldn't immediately rejoin the fight. That gave Jelo the opening he needed.

Now it was only the Breacher that was advancing on him.

The creature let out a low, rumbling growl and charged forward, its massive forearms swinging at its sides. Its tiny, beady eyes were locked onto Jelo with single-minded focus, and its mouth was set in that permanent scowl, jagged teeth bared. The floor shook with each heavy footfall, and Jelo could feel the vibrations through his boots.

He tightened his grip on the sharp pole, his muscles coiling in preparation. This was it. One-on-one. No distractions. No interference.

Jelo's mind raced through his options. The Breacher had high strength and moderate speed, which meant it could hit hard and move reasonably fast for its size. But it was still slower than Jelo, and its turning speed was limited. If he could stay mobile, keep circling around it, he could avoid its attacks and strike at its weak points.

The exposed joints. The back of the knees. The neck, if he could reach it.

Jelo shifted his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground. His breathing slowed, his focus narrowing to a single point. The Breacher was almost on him now, close enough that he could see the cracks in its mottled gray skin, the open seams where flesh had been torn and improperly healed.

He waited. Timing was everything.

The Breacher swung one of its massive forearms in a wide arc, aiming to crush Jelo against the wall. Jelo ducked under the blow at the last possible second, feeling the rush of air as the arm passed over his head. The creature's fist slammed into the metal wall with a deafening clang, denting the surface and leaving a crater in the reinforced plating.

Jelo didn't waste the opening. He darted forward, driving the sharp pole toward the Breacher's exposed side, aiming for the gap between its ribs.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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