A figure enveloped in golden light streaked through the air, carving a luminous arc toward the rotating beast that strained against the chains binding it. The yellow glow pulsed with each movement, casting eerie shadows across the ruined battleground.
The beast, sensing the approaching threat, launched three twenty-foot spears in rapid succession toward the yellow figure. Each projectile sliced through the air with a banshee-like screech, trailing wisps of its plaque. The beast was readying a fourth attack when the glowing figure landed upon it with a devastating barrage of fists, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the creature's mass.
In desperate defense, the beast's spiked body contorted, transforming its protrusions into razor-sharp blades that sought to slice through the attacker. Yet when these weapons met the figure's form, they bent and disfigured upon contact, as if striking something immovable. The momentary hesitation in the beast's assault created an opening—one that was immediately filled by four-foot energy arrows materializing from the distance and finding their mark with unerring precision.
Sasha stood far from the conflict, her concentration evident in the tight line of her mouth. Though worried, she saw how the distraction bought precious time for Elias and allowed herself a breath of relief as she continued crafting the circle. Still, fresh anxiety settled in her chest—what had happened to Elias? Was he alright after that exchange?
Her hands never stopped their intricate movements, reaching in and pulling out energy to complete the pattern. Though the Calamity Beast was eighty meters away, it sensed her working and reacted with frightening speed. A sharp spear formed from its twisting body and launched toward her, cutting through the whistling air.
In a brilliant flash of white light, Dicing Edge appeared in the spear's path. Her eyes glowed with intensity, her blade's edge shimmering with an unnatural sharpness that seemed capable of slicing through the very atom.
Slice!
She cut through the spear with startling ease, her blade meeting no resistance as the projectile split cleanly. The severed halves continued their momentum, hurling in opposite directions before embedding themselves into the ground with thunderous impacts.
More spears followed, a relentless barrage aimed at overwhelming her. Dicing Edge's hands and body moved with practiced dexterity, each movement flowing into the next as she sliced through them all, her blade leaving trails of light in its wake.
Sasha was ready with her circle, but realized at this range her attack wouldn't be effective enough to end the threat.
Sani Elvin flickered from one location to another, his form blurring between spaces. Buddhist Hand, the only warrior who could match this inhuman speed, pulsed with intensifying power and struck the beast with a devastating punch. Though the creature didn't budge, it immediately turned its attention to this new threat, lashing out with blinding speed.
Vera Lance, briefly grasping the beast's position despite its erratic movements, aimed her energy arrows strategically around it, attempting to create a cage of projectiles to limit its mobility.
Sani Elvin appeared twenty meters from the beast, visibly trembling with fear, before executing a switch with Sasha. Immediately, the same twenty-foot spears that had bombarded Elias earlier materialized above the beast head and launched toward her.
She is the true threat!
Buddhist Hand moved to intercept, but the beast's body swelled grotesquely, its upper portion transforming into a blade of nightmarish proportions. It attacked with such speed that even Buddhist Hand's enhanced perception registered only a blur of motion.
A flash of white light cut through the chaos as Dicing Edge positioned herself before Sasha, her impossibly sharp blade meeting the massive spear. The weapon parted like water around her sword, splitting cleanly and the halves hurling away harmlessly.
"Hoo!" she gasped, her strength nearly spent. Her vision dimmed around the edges, her sword arm trembling as she struggled to maintain her stance.
The beast, sensing weakness, forged another twenty-foot spear while simultaneously pressing its attack against Buddhist Hand...
Elias found himself with a precious building seconds respite, buried deep in the earth, his eyes filled with dust, his body battered from the constant shockwaves of attacks. Those seconds were more than enough for the book to craft stone and harden his defenses.
'What the fuck are they doing not killing it!' he complained internally.
This momentary focus cleared his mind, directing his thoughts with purpose: 'Pulses of talent activation, drifting forever away from...'
Elias's mind couldn't keep pace with the surrounding chaos, but his talent compensated magnificently. With this mental cue, the constant activation of his abilities would have direction. Unlike his unreliable barrier, this would be focused and deliberate.
This singular thought sent a chill through the Beast's core.
Sasha remained composed, holding Dicing Edge before her on one knee. Her talent energy and stamina were critically low as another twenty-foot spear hurtled toward her again.
Brand Skill: Internal Thunder Storm remained active, allowing her to partially track the trajectory of the attack. She noticed energy arrows slamming against the spear's side, attempting to alter its path but failing to deflect it significantly.
Elias Thunderspark watched from a distance, hand clenched, forehead creased with deep lines, heart pounding with anxiety. He was moments from flashing to his sister's side but held back. She appeared too composed, as if everything remained under control. He knew with certainty that Internal Thunder Storm shouldn't have pushed her to this extremity.
Had his sister grown so brave, or was something else driving her? Hunter Elias couldn't maintain his restraint—the spear would pierce through both Dicing Edge and his sister. He prepared to move when a fist of yellow energy swerved around the monster and slammed into the spear, altering its trajectory and enveloping it in a force revolution that shattered its integrity before it could detonate.
The spear passed inches from Sasha's face. She felt both the plague emanating from the beast and the magnificent power of the yellow energy that had saved her.
'This is getting out of hand!' she thought before grasping Dicing Edge and dashing away, her Brand skill granting her supernatural speed as she fled the spear's lingering plague that threatened to break her concentration.