DAKU
The creature let out a shriek when Keiro stabbed the exposed flesh underneath its scales. Riko seconded the damage with his ice magic, which was made of sharp ice lances. Thanks to Kenshi, Arano, and Dai for effectively distracting the monster, which made the offensive team's assault possible.
"It's getting weaker," Riko pointed out and alerted everyone.
"Arano, the eyes!" Kenshi ordered.
Arano immediately pulled an arrow and released it. It dashed toward the enemy like a bullet and struck one of its eyes flawlessly. When it came to accuracy, marksmen were at the top.
The centipede shrieked once again and was about to deliver another explosion with its energy orb when Dai jumped a few meters in the air while holding up his battle hammer. He smashed it on the monster's head, which sent a thunderous clamour.
It tried to get up after being stunned by Dai's attack, but because of the impact, it remained on the ground. Keiro climbed on top of its head and held his sword with both hands while pointing it at the weak spot close to the head.
"You're dead," Keiro said and stabbed the sword mercilessly at the creature. "Dungeon conquered."
After the death of the dungeon's boss, the crystal returned to its bluish color, except for the one at the center, where portions of it were still in a purplish tint, and it surrounded the cylindrical object inside it.
"It's the artifact," Kenshi said when he got beside me. He sheathed his sword and stared at the crystal containing the artifact. Now that he mentioned it, it explained why the surrounding color was purple. It radiated dark energy.
"That was, by far, the most challenging fight I've ever had!" Riko announced while resting his butt on the ground. His grimoire was no longer floating as well, an indication of his insufficient mana.
Arano and Dai were no different either. Arano was sitting cross-legged on the dirt while Dai ignored the filthiness of the soil by lying on it. His massive hammer rested beside him.
"Hold still," I told Kenshi. I was about to place my hand on his back when I suddenly felt an ominous presence at the entrance.
When I turned my head to see it, three black objects went past me like bullets. I could barely see it because of their speed, but I knew it was bad news.
"DAI!" Arano screamed and caught my attention.
My eyes widened in shock upon seeing Dai in front of Keiro, holding his shield and hammer. But on the shield were three holes, and through each hole was a giant thorn reeking of dark energy. The thorns were stuck in Dai's body like knives, and oozing from each of them was blood.
"Riko, do something!" Arano pleaded as Dai coughed out blood. Keiro was too stunned as he just stood there, wide-eyed, watching Riko and Arano struggle to tend Dai's wound.
"I'm out of mana! I can't heal him!"
I was about to run to heal Dai, but something suddenly wrapped around my body and catapulted me away from the group. While in the air, I saw that it was a vine that threw me. I could see Kenshi's eyes widen in fear as he watched me being thrown at the other end of the room.
Brought by instinct, I covered my body with healing magic just in time for my body to hit the crystals. Even with the healing magic in effect, the force of the impact and the sturdiness of the crystal sent pain to my back as it made contact. I winced until I found myself resting along with the debris.
I wasted no time standing and assessing what happened. Although my vision was still recovering from the damage, I could still see the entrance of two figures from the dark passage.
On the right was a man of the same age as me wearing a long black robe just like the one Kenshi and I wore when we went to the black market. I was pretty sure he was under the influence of the Evil Remnant because of his appearance: evident purplish-black veins on his neck and portions of his face, and jet-black eyes. His stoic facial expression suggested as well that he had no longer control over his emotions.
Beside him, at his left, was a woman of the same age. Long and straight black hair with bangs that covered her forehead. She wore the same robe but with a slight difference. A black diamond-shaped jewel acted as a button that held the robe in place. It rested just on her chest, thus revealing the cleavage. Tussles also lined the bottom edges of the robe, and the inner satin fabric gave this shiny hue of purple. Unlike her companion, she looked normal and ordinary.
There was no doubt that these two were members of the Dark Order.
Opposite to the two were Kenshi, who was struggling to stand while holding his chest, and Keiro's team, who were struggling to mend Dai's wound.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Keiro recklessly launched himself toward the two, only to be deflected by the woman's magic.
Riko attacked as well, even knowing that he barely had mana left. He was able to send three ice lances, but they were intercepted by the man's thorns. The ice lances shattered like glass, which surprised Riko.
Arano wanted to join the fight, but was interrupted when thick roots sprouted beneath them and held them immobilized. I thought Kenshi as well, but he suddenly disappeared from his position earlier. I searched for him and saw him mid-air above the two. A red magic circle was in front of his palm, targeting the two.
A mid-sized sphere of flame dashed toward the enemy and exploded upon impact, creating clouds of both dust and smoke. Kenshi safely landed but was back on his knees while grabbing his chest as if it was in pain.
The dust and smoke cleared out when a gust of wind spread from where the two enemies were unraveling an unexpected outcome. Several large spikes sheltered the two from the explosion, leaving them unscathed. I realized that the spikes were actually made of soil manipulated to look like thorns. I was unable to discern it at first because it was tinted black because of the Evil Remnant's influence.
I activated Haste on myself, followed by bathing my whole body with healing magic. In an instant, I was a meter away from the woman with my fist ready to hit her. But I was taken aback when her eyes focused on me as if she saw me coming.
And for the first time since earlier, she spoke, "Too slow."
A single root grabbed me by the ankle and smashed me so hard on the ground. Thanks to my healing magic, the pain was lessened, but the impact still made my vision irregular. The force was so strong that a shallow crater was made beneath me.
I could hear Kenshi's voice calling out to me, but my entire body was still stunned by the impact.
The two continued walking until they reached the crystal containing the artifact. The woman jerked her head, signaling the man to do something. The man pointed his right hand at the crystal, and a brown magic circle appeared before it. The crystal escaped a shattering noise as tendrils of cracks appeared. The cracks spread until the crystal broke into pieces.
The artifact flung into the air as the crystal broke, and the woman was about to grab it when something hit it and made it fly a few meters away from the two.
Something dropped behind the two, and when I took a closer look at it, I discovered it was an arrow. But who could've shot it when Arano was being held captive?
I turned my face toward the entrance and saw someone whom I never expected to see.
"Kana?" I mumbled in disbelief.
I thought I was hallucinating, but I was not. It was really Kana, and by how her bow pointed at the two implied that it was she who shot the arrow earlier.
The woman ordered her pawn to go after Kana, which worried me. Kana had no chance against him, especially now that he was being enhanced by the Evil Remnant. She was still inexperienced in real-life combat.
The man took a few steps forward before pointing his hand at Kana. A magic circle appeared once again, conjuring five average-sized spikes.
"Kana, watch out!" I screamed, and a wall of freezing ice suddenly erected before her, stopping the spikes from hitting Kana.
I shifted my eyes and saw Kenshi preparing another magic. By the look of the yellow magic circle, it was lightning magic. My guess was right when a tentacle of destructive lightning targeted the man, erupting into an explosion.
I took this as an opportunity to attack and launched myself toward the enemy. The dust and smoke disappeared right in time for me to locate his head. He noticed my presence, but I was already too close for him to stop me. I pasted my whole palm on his face and brought him along with me as my momentum catapulted me. While in the air, I used my healing magic's purification ability to remove the influence of the Evil Remnant from his body. A smoke of purplish black escaped his body as my magic coursed through him. When the purification was complete, that was when our body slammed into the crystals.
I received multiple cuts and scratches as well as stinging pain as I failed to envelop my body with healing magic, while the man was unconscious, but in the same condition as me. I returned my gaze back to the woman who just heaved a sigh of disappointment at the sight of his comrade.
The woman held out her hand, which was actually holding a Dark Orb. I meant to stop her, but she swallowed it so fast that it was too late. And just like the man we fought back at Geiya Village, the woman underwent the same transformation. And there it was again, the feeling of intense pressure and power.
I regrouped with Kenshi, who was now being assisted by Kana. I was about to scold the young lady for her actions when I realized that now was not the right time to get mad at her. We still have a Dark Orb Wielder to defeat...if the gods allow it.
I decided to channel healing magic to Kenshi, which somehow relieved him from the unknown pain he was feeling earlier. He was now back on his feet with his sword in his right hand.
"Can we win this?" I asked.
"We have no choice," Kenshi replied. "Back us up, Kana."
"I'll do my best, Mister Kenshi."
Kenshi placed Vigor on himself while I stacked it with Haste. I bathed myself with healing magic again, removing all the injuries and damages that were yet to be removed completely. When I felt my body become light and at ease, Kenshi and I attacked.
The woman sent two roots to both of us at the same time, which were now covered in spiky thorns. Now we know that magic could also be affected by the Evil Remnants.
Kenshi and I did our best to evade the roots, but they were too fast. Whenever Kenshi received an injury, I healed him from a distance while keeping myself out of the reach of the roots. Kenshi delivered magic after magic, but none of them landed on the enemy as the roots would block it, and he received the attack instead.
My enhanced strength was ineffective as well because of the roots' thickness. Instead of ripping them because of the great force, they would just be pushed back like punching bags. If this continues and we tire ourselves out, it will be our end.