“No way!? It sensed Zaine!?” Otto uttered in surprise.

Just then, he felt movement from the Tank in his grip. It began to struggle, and with immense strength, it broke free and rushed to retrieve its dented shield.

After that, all the Dogs abandoned their skirmishes, swiftly regrouping into formation around the Mage. Their movements were seamless and efficient, reassembling in mere seconds.

In stark contrast, Triggs’ team lagged behind, still recovering, slowly huddling together like lazy ants, struggling to regain their composure.

“Uuuhhhh… This is fucking annoying,” Monty moaned in frustration.

“Calla, can you still fight?” Lae asked Calla who was struggling to even keep her composure.

Legs trembling and voice breathy, Calla replied, “I can still Move. But I don’t think I can use magic anymore.”

“I believe it's better for you to restore your energy first,” Lae suggested. “Go hide somewhere and rest. We’ll handle this.”

“O… Okay…” And after that, Calla steered her view to find a good place to hide herself. Then, she went to an area where bushes were thick and the glow Star Flowers couldn’t reach.

The others who remained went back to their battle stances, prepared for another round of clash.

“So, it’s a 5 v 5 now, eh?” Otto muttered.

“They fight so well. They’re so coordinated in their offense and defense,” Lae remarked.

Monty then smirked, “Wow, that’s a fancy way of saying we really suck at it.”

“Do you guys always fight like this, even before I joined the group?” Triggs asked.

“Uh… Le - Let’s just say… we always do it freestyle,” Otto answered, scratching his head, a bit embarrassed. “That’s — at least — when Kiel’s not around. He is our strategist.”

“I see…” Triggs muttered. After a short pause, he then added, “I don’t know, but something feels off about that Mage.”

“Hmm? You think it could be their leader?” Otto hunched. “Should we deal with it first?”

“I really don’t know. I’m just guessing here,” Triggs replied. “But there's definitely something strange — with all of them, actually.”

“We’re not getting anywhere with all these talking. Let’s start round 2,” Monty declared, spinning his sling with renewed intensity.

SWOOOM!!!!

A stone shot through the air, aimed at the center of the Dogs’ formation.

CLABAAAM!!!

Once again, the Tank intercepted it with its shield.

Undeterred, Monty’s actions ignited a fire in Otto. With a reckless roar, he charged at the Tank, too consumed by passion to even create a new weapon. “GRAAAAA!!!”

FWOOM!!! FWOOM!!!

2 fireballs streaked toward Otto, causing him to stumble, but they barely slowed his momentum.

BLAGAAAM!!!

He crashed into the Tank, tackling it to the ground, locking it in a crushing grip. "Triggs!!!" he shouted.

Hearing the signal, Triggs moved swiftly, determined to settle his score with the Mage. But before he could get far from his original position, the Rogue appeared in front of him, cutting off his path.

“REVELO!!!”

Zaine appeared behind the Rogue, aiming for a sneak attack, but just like the Berserker, the Rogue seemed to have eyes on its back. It easily deflected Zaine’s strike.

CLAAANK!!!

Their blades locked, each pushing against the other.

"Go now!" Zaine uttered, intending to keep the Rogue occupied

Triggs bolted forward, but his path was blocked again.

“GRAAAAG!!! GRUFF – GRUFF!!” The Berserker snarled like a rabid beast, ready to tear him apart.

SWOOOM–BLACKAM!!!

“BOOM!!! HEADSHOT!!!” Monty cheered as his stone hit the Berserker square in the head, giving Triggs the opening he needed.

Triggs continued on his way, his path clearing as he finally caught sight of his target. But before he could close the gap, the Mage suddenly did a defensive maneuver.

FFFFFFWOOOM!!!

Raising its wand, flames emerged and swirled around the Mage, conjuring a defensive barrier around it.

“Ah, damn it!” Triggs cursed, brought to a sudden halt.

Fueled by determination, he didn’t stop searching for a way to reach his goal. He strutted around, eyes narrowed as he studied the blazing defense, analyzing every swirl and crack and calculating a path through the inferno.

A few feet away, Lae surveyed the chaotic battlefield, searching for an opportunity to turn the tide. Her eyes locked onto Otto, who was grappling with the Tank.

Intending to support her ally, Lae pressed her palms into the forest floor and chanted, “EXCRECENTIA!”

Vines erupted from the earth, twisting and writhing like snakes, snaking around the Tank's body in a bid to ensnare it.

“Good thinking, Lae!” Otto shouted, a grin spreading across his face.

“Get out of there, Kuya Otto!” Lae urged, her focus unwavering as she continued channeling her magic.

Heeding her command, Otto sprang upward, abandoning the Tank to its viney fate.

The vines and other plants continued to surge, wrapping tighter around the Tank, as if the very forest was intent on swallowing the Dog whole.

Seeing its ally’s demise, the Rogue's eyes widened in alarm. It aimed to slip past Zaine, thrusting its Kriss forward with lightning speed.

CHROOOM!!!

The blade grazed Zaine’s neck, drawing a thin line of blood and leaving him momentarily stunned.

Seizing the chance, the Rogue darted past him, targeting Lae to disrupt her magic.

“Oh no, don’t get him near her!!!” Otto shouted.

Suddenly, Triggs, quick as a fox, appeared out of nowhere, sword drawn, ready to strike.

CLANK!!!!

Triggs swung his blade, intercepting the Rogue's attack and halting it in its tracks. “Oh no, you don’t!”

His intervention bought Lae just enough time to complete her spell.

“The Dog is all vined up!!!” she announced triumphantly.

“Good,” Otto grunted, giving the Tank's body a light kick to ensure it was thoroughly ensnared in the vines. “Now we can finish our business,” he said, fixing his furious gaze on the Berserker.

“GRAAAAGG!!!” the Berserker roared, its eyes blazing with madness.

“GRAAA!!!” Otto charged, a force of nature hurtling toward his foe.

The Berserker prepared, raising its battleaxe overhead, poised to bring it crashing down on Otto.

“GRAAAAAAAAA!!!”

“GRAAAAAAGG!!!”

With a deafening smash, the Dog swung its weapon with all its might.

In a bold move, Otto thrust his muscular arms slightly upward, catching the axe’s handle with his bare hands.

BLAGAAAAMMM!!!

The impact reverberated through the air, sending shockwaves rippling across the ground, causing the nearby Star Flowers to glow even brighter in response to the explosive force.

“GRAAAA!!!”

With a powerful push, Otto released his right hand from the axe’s handle. Keeping the battleaxe pinned with his left, he unleashed a barrage of punches into the Berserker's exposed belly.

BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!! BANG!!!

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“GRAAAAAAAAGG!!!” the Berserker groaned in agony, reeling from the relentless blows.

Attempting to subdue his foe completely, Otto drew his right leg back and unleashed a forceful knee strike.

BAAAANK!!!!

The impact made the Berserker flinch, its grip on the weapon faltering as it curled up in pain. Seizing the moment, Otto tackled the Dog to the ground, grappling fiercely as they wrestled.

But unlike the Tank, the Berserker fought back with ferocity, struggling against Otto’s grip and making it a difficult contest.

Meanwhile, the Archer attempted to intervene, loosing three arrows to distract the giants.

CHROOK!!! CHROOK!!! CHROOK!!!

PLANK!!! PLANK!!! PLANK!!!

But Zaine was there, intercepting the arrows with skill and engaging the Archer in combat, leaving Otto’s struggle with the Berserker momentarily interrupted.

“Lae!! Do it now!” Otto shouted, pinning the Berserker to the ground with all his might.

Without wasting a second, Lae began chanting her Word. “EXCRECENTIA!”

Vines began sprouting from the ground, wrapping around the Berserker’s body.

“GRAAAGG!!!”

But the Berserker’s might was formidable; it thrashed violently, tearing through the vines with sheer force.

Lae grimaced as she saw her magic fail to contain the creature, yet she pressed on, determined to keep trying.

In a desperate move, Otto locked the Berserker in a tight embrace, attempting to stifle its struggles, even as he became ensnared by the vines himself.

“Kuya Otto, what are you doing!?”

“Your vines can’t hold it alone!!! Just vine me with this fucking Dog!!!” Otto shouted, his voice strained but resolute.

Lae hesitated, ready to protest, but then realized he was right. With renewed focus, she continued to entwine the Berserker and Otto together in a thickening mass of vines.

The vines enveloped the Berserker completely, trapping it alongside Otto, whose face remained exposed, allowing him to breathe and speak.

Lae hurried to console him. “Are… Are you alright there, Kuya Otto?”

“I’m good. Just go help the others,” Otto urged, passion still shining in his eyes even though he was rendered useless.

Meanwhile, Triggs remained locked in a fierce duel with the Rogue, their blades clashing in a stalemate, each equally matched in skill and strength. Their labored breaths and glistening sweat revealed the toll the battle had taken. But just as the tension reached its peak…

“

SWOOOM!!!

“INCOMING!!!!” Monty shouted.

BRACKA-BOOM!!!!

A rock hurtled like a missile, detonating between Triggs and the Rogue. The impact sent a plume of dust into the air, enveloping them both in a thick cloud, obscuring their figures from view.

“Oh shit…” Monty mumbled, realizing that he overdid his part.

As the dust settled, only 1 figure remained visible: the Rogue. Monty felt a twinge of unease at Triggs’ sudden disappearance. But in his relief, he soon spotted Triggs hiding in a bush a few feet away behind the Rogue, signaling him with an urgent gesture.

Monty quickly understood the signal; Triggs was indicating that he should push the Rogue toward him for a surprise ambush.

Monty then began his act; he picked up a massive stone from the ground, locked it in his sling, and twirled it overhead with flair. Strutting forward with a fierce smirk, he declared, “Two of your friends are already down. Looks like it's your turn to join them in hell!”

Surprisingly, his act worked. As Monty advanced, the Rogue began to retreat, each backward step drawing it closer to Triggs’ concealed position.

“Yeah, that’s right! Back away!” Monty continued his bluff, inching ever closer.

Triggs held his breath, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

“I’m going to get you!” Monty shouted, lunging forward, prompting the Dog to hop backward in response.

Seizing the opportunity, Triggs burst out of the bush like a coiled snake, his blade aimed straight at the Rogue’s back. “SURPRISE!!!”

CLAAANK!!!

“What the!?”

“What the!?” Triggs gasped, his surprise mirrored in the Rogue’s eyes as it effortlessly parried his sneak attack.

Triggs hopped away in bewilderment, trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

“How the fuck is that even possible!?” Monty muttered in disbelief.

“I don’t know. I’m sure he couldn’t see me in that bush,” Triggs said. Suddenly, a jolting sensation ran across his skin, as if an unseen gaze were locking onto him.

He glanced around, searching for the source of his discomfort, only to find the Archer strangely staring straight at him, despite being occupied with evading Zaine’s attacks.

A question mark formed on his face. “Whaaaat the….” Then a sudden realization hit him. “Shit! They can’t be…” he uttered as he began to piece together what was happening.

With the Archer distracted by his stare-off with Triggs, Zaine seized the opportunity to sneak in an unexpected blow.

SLAAAASH!!!!

His blade sliced through the Archer’s left leg, impairing its movement. Sensing weakness, Zaine pressed on with relentless attacks. Though some of his strikes missed, a final thrust found its mark, piercing the Archer’s other leg.

SHROOK!!!....... SHROOK!!!

As Zaine pulled out the Karambit, blood oozed out from the Archer’s limb. The Archer, limp and wounded, stumbled to the floor.

As Zaine withdrew his karambit, blood poured from the Archer's wounds. The Archer, now limp and weakened, collapsed to the ground.

Like a predator closing in on its prey, Zaine pounced and pinned the Archer down.

With the Archer subdued, Lae saw her chance to act, “EXCRECENTIA!”

Vines sprang forth, wrapping around the Archer, slowly ensnaring it in their leafy grasp.

Meanwhile, realizing its comrades were falling one by one, the Mage dispelled its firewall barrier, ready for retaliation.

Trusting the vines would hold the Archer, Zaine turned his attention to the Mage and dashed forward, aiming for a decisive blow.

CLANK!!!

The Rogue intercepted Zaine, parrying his attack just in time.

FWOOOMM!!!!

In the brief opening, the Mage retaliated, launching a fireball directly at Zaine.

With feline agility, Zaine dodged backward, narrowly avoiding the blaze. As he regained his footing, he found himself in a standoff, facing both the Mage and the Rogue — a daunting 2-on-1 duel.

During this tense standoff, Triggs sneaked and quickly regrouped with Monty.

Already sensing a plan forming, Monty smirked and asked Triggs, “What’s up? What do we need to do?”

Triggs leaned in close, speaking in a low, urgent tone. “Monty, find a hiding spot. Wait until I give the signal, then hit the Mage with a rock—hard.”

“Simple enough,” Monty replied, nodding in agreement.

Without another word, Monty slinked away, disappearing into the underbrush. Hidden by shadows and foliage, he waited, poised and ready, as the forest held its breath for the impending assault.

The clash between Zaine and his 2 opponents exploded into action as the Rogue lunged forward, kriss in hand.

CLANK!!!

Zaine deftly parried, throwing the Rogue off balance. But there was no time to breathe; the Mage immediately unleashed two fireballs.

FWOOOM!!! FWOOOM!!!

Zaine dodged with precision, each fireball just grazing past him. But the Rogue wasn’t done yet — recovered from his stumble, it launched a flurry of strikes.

CLANK!!! CLANK!!! CLANK!!! CLANK!!! CLANK!!!

Zaine matched each blow, his reflexes sharp as steel clashed against steel.

In the midst of this frenzied melee, Triggs made his move. He stalked forward, eyes locked on the Mage. With his sword at the ready, he leaped into action. “GRAAAAA!!!”

SHROOO!!!!

But the Mage sidestepped effortlessly, avoiding Triggs' attack. Triggs nearly faltered, but he quickly regained his balance and launched another series of strikes.

SHROOO!!!! SHROOO!!!! SHROOO!!!!

Each attempt was met with the Mage’s nimble evasions, its swift movements making it seem like it was merely toying with Triggs.

But just as the Mage became complacent, Triggs did a very unexpected move; he coiled his blade, looking poised to strike the Mage, but at the last moment, he pivoted and swung toward the Rogue instead.

The Mage wasn’t expecting the move; even Zaine was surprised by the sudden maneuver.

Caught off guard, the Rogue turned to defend, completely abandoning its focus on Zaine.

CLAAANK!!!!

Their blades met with a loud clang, Triggs pressing his weapon firmly against the Rogue's. With the Rogue’s attention now fully on him, Triggs shouted, “MONTY!!! NOW!!!”

“You don’t need to shout!!!” Monty yelled back in jest, poised to jump out from the bushes directly behind the Mage.

The Rogue, alerted by the sudden threat, shifted its gaze away from Triggs to predict where Monty would emerge.

But Triggs quickly moved to block its view. “Hey, eyes on me!” he taunted, positioning himself to completely obstruct the Rogue’s sightline.

SWOOOOOMMM!!!

Monty hurled a rock; the Mage seemed unsuspecting.

Yet, without even glancing at Monty, or the rock itself, the Mage dodged with a single sidestep.

“Huh!? But how!?” Triggs exclaimed in shock, looking around to find out what went wrong. He then noticed that the Archer’s face wasn’t fully covered by vines; it was staring directly at Monty’s location. “I see…” Triggs muttered, as if he had just solved a puzzle.

Triggs then called out, “Lae!!! Make sure that their eyes are fully covered!!”

“Huh!?” Lae replied, uncertain of Triggs’ intent. Nonetheless, she followed the command, weaving the vines tighter around the Archer until every inch of its face was obscured.

With a smirk, Triggs looked back to the Mage and the Rogue. “Now, there are only two of them who can see,” he murmured. “Zaine, keep it distracted,” he commanded.

Zaine replied with a quick nod, diving back into the fray, engaging the Rogue to keep its focus on him.

Taking the opportunity, Triggs dashed toward Monty. He leaned in and whispered a new plan. Monty grinned and snuck back into the bushes, stealthily repositioning for the next strike.

Triggs then turned his attention to the Mage. He strode forward, blade at the ready, moving slowly and menacingly. The Mage, wary of Triggs’ gimmicks by now, stood on guard, its eyes darting around as if waiting for Monty to reappear.

Noticing the Mage’s weariness, Triggs taunted, “Who are you looking for? I’m your enemy here.” He inched closer, his eyes never leaving the Mage. Just as he was within reach, Triggs made his move. He lunged forward, tore off his robe, and flung it straight at the Mage’s face.

FLOOOMP!!!

The Mage, caught off guard, flailed as the fabric obscured its vision.

“MONTY!!!” Triggs signaled.

SWOOOOOMMM!!!!

A rock hurtled through the air, this time aimed at the unsuspecting Rogue, who was fully occupied with Zaine.

BRACKAAAM!!!!!!!

“KRAA!!” The Rogue cried out as the rock struck the nape of its neck.

“AHA! I KNEW IT!” Triggs pumped his fist, his plan having worked to perfection.

“Nice one, Monty!!!” Otto cheered with a grin, witnessing the Rogue’s downfall from his position.

Without missing a beat, Zaine leaped onto the Rogue, pinning it to the ground. Lae quickly followed up, vines snaking around the injured Dog and binding it tightly.

Meanwhile, still struggling with the robe, the Mage was getting frustrated. It lit up its wand, pressing it against the fabric.

FWOOSHHH!!!

The robe was set ablaze, finally freeing the Mage from its struggle.

The robe ignited, freeing the Mage as flames quickly consumed the cloth. Now clear of his obstruction, the Mage surveyed the battlefield, eyes narrowed with fury as he realized he was the last Dog standing. “Grrrr…” it rumbled, teeth grinding as the frustration in its growls echoed its desperation.

In one last, desperate act, it raised his wand high into the air.

“Uhm, guys… I don’t like what he is doing…” Triggs stammered, his eyes widening as he saw flames beginning to swirl around the Mage. The orb at the tip of the wand blazed, its heat intensifying as it glowed like a miniature sun.

“FUCK! TAKE COVER!” Monty shouted.

Triggs, Zaine, and Lae didn’t need a second warning. They scrambled, diving for the nearest trees as they tried to shield themselves from what was coming.

Otto, meanwhile, quickly chanted a Word of protection, a crystalline mask forming over his head.

The Mage swung the superheated orb, building up momentum. With a final, vicious twist, he unleashed the stored energy, sending a scorching heat wave ripping across the battlefield.

ZZZZZOOOMSHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

The fiery blast seared through the area, incinerating everything in its path, including the vines that had ensnared its allies. Leaves and bushes ignited in the wake of the inferno, the surrounding area suddenly ablaze.

As the initial shock of the blast subsided, the team peered out from behind their cover. The battlefield lay scorched, with the smoldering remains of vines and foliage scattered about. The Rogue lay burned nearby; being closest to the blast, it had been accidentally scorched to death.

Incredibly, a few Star Flowers still glowed defiantly amidst the devastation, their blue petals unscathed. Lae’s eyes lit up with curiosity, her inner biologist awakening again. “Fascinating. They must have heat-resistance properties,” she murmured, awed by the flowers’ resilience.

“The fuck!??” Monty blurted out, his voice laced with exasperation. “Forget the flowers! Look over there!”

Through the remnants of the smoky haze, the figures of their enemies reappeared, the Dogs somehow regrouped and looking as determined as ever.

“Ugh, not again!!!” Triggs groaned, seeing their enemies quickly recovered.

“A little help, please?” Otto called out, his voice strained as he lay nearby. Despite the minor burns crisscrossing his skin from the blast, his spirit remained unbroken.

Lae was quick to respond, rushing to Otto’s side and chanting her healing Words. With a firm nod, Otto straightened up, his resolve solidified.

They regrouped, forming a tight circle, their faces a mix of frustration and exhaustion. This battle was wearing them down, their stamina slowly slipping away.

“Ready for Round 3?” Otto asked, removing his helm and bracing himself.

“Ugh!!! I’m fucking tired of this! FUCKING TIRED!!!” Monty whined, clearly at his wit's end.

“They’re very hard to deal with,” Lae stated, her brow furrowed in concentration.

“Well, at least now we know their tricks,” Otto replied, a hint of optimism in his voice. “Or at least Triggs figured it out.”

After what Otto said, the team turned to Triggs, expectantly awaiting his insights.

After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, Triggs said, “Have you noticed? Their movements are so coordinated. It's strange — they do it without even communicating, and I haven't even seen any signals between them.”

“Hmm… I noticed that too,” Lae affirmed, her eyes narrowing in thought.

“I also noticed that they could anticipate our attacks, no matter how unpredictable they seemed. Like when I tried to ambush the Rogue, it easily parried my attack. That moment, I noticed the Archer staring at me. It always happens actually — whenever one of us goes for a sneak attack, there's always a Dog right there, keeping an eye on the attacker.”

“Can we get straight to the point here? We’re still in the middle of the battle — what the fuck!?” Monty clamored.

Otto nodded in agreement with Monty but gently asked Triggs, “So, what’s your conclusion?”

“It's either that they communicate telepathically or share the same mind and senses with one another — like a hive mind. That's why it seems like they can see the attacker behind them.”

The group fell silent, taking a moment to process the unsettling revelation.

“Makes sense. Must be why they fight so well,” Lae said finally, breaking the silence.

“Alright, alright… We’ve figured out their tricks. But what now? I mean, look at them!!! They’re standing there like nothing happened. And here we are, looking like… Vega without makeup!!!”

“Monty!!!” Lae yelled, scolding Monty.

“Uhm… I don’t know… I just gave my observations,” Triggs said.

“Well, we’re already here. Better to settle this once and for all,” Otto stated firmly.

“Are you fucking serious!? Just look at yourself!! You look like a fucking giant hobo with all your clothes torn, and you still want to continue this!?”

As their arguments continued, Zaine suddenly raised his left hand. Nonchalantly, he started walking toward the Dogs’ formation.

Bewildered, Triggs asked, “Uhm… Zaine?”

“I’ll do this alone,” Zaine replied, his voice steady.

“Uhm…” Triggs glanced at his comrades, his expression clearly questioning, What’s happening? Is he serious?

Lae looked on, uncertainty written on her face.

Meanwhile, Monty smirked at Zaine’s advancing figure. “Look at him, acting like the main character again.”

“Uhm… Are we really letting him do this alone?” Triggs asked, concern creeping into his voice. Just then, he felt a hand tap his shoulder. Turning, he found Otto smiling confidently.

“He may not look like it sometimes, but trust me—Zaine excels in solo skirmishes. Given what you said about the Dogs, I believe he’s our best shot at getting this job done,” Otto said.

As those words hung in the air, the area fell silent, all eyes on Zaine. Each step he took was precise, and his gaze bore the chill of the Karambits clutched in his hands. Strutting confidently through the scorched path toward the formation of the Dogs, his intent to kill radiated with a quiet ferocity that stirred the night air with a palpable tension.