As soon as visibility returned, they dived into the heart of the chaos.

While the mana level rebalanced itself following the ether beam that had left behind nothing but destruction in its wake, Lauren activated her Terror Aura.

Her human appearance sloughed off like melted wax, revealing a terrifying alien predator. Her midnight black eyes seemed to absorb all light while her fingers lengthened into wickedly sharp claws of solid shadows.

The already confused crocodilians found their senses assaulted by an overwhelming dread, their minds grappling with an inexplicable terror that muddied their thoughts and paralyzed their limbs.

This confusion was precisely what James needed to recover from the exertion of his attack. The Etheric Manipulation had taken a significant toll, more than he had anticipated. Drawing deep breaths, he steadied himself, refocusing on what his senses were telling him. The mystics were gone, obliterated in an overwhelming strike, leaving the warriors leaderless and in disarray.

Confused roars shook the village as the crocodilians tried to reorganize, but Lauren's form flitting through them, slitting throats and taking limbs, didn't allow for any significant success.

Without further hesitation, James leaped forward, targeting the densest clump of crocodilian warriors. His approach was not silent; the very air seemed to quiver with the power he wielded. Telekinesis, the most eclectic of his abilities, allowed James to prepare the environment with terrifying accuracy.

He slammed the warriors together, disorienting them further, before unleashing an explosive punch powered by a condensed burst of mana just as he arrived. The impact sent shockwaves through the group, scattering them like leaves in a storm.

However, the crocodilians were not without their defenses. Despite the surprise and the initial losses they suffered, those who remained were quick to react. They rallied, activating defensive skills that seemed to lessen the impact of James's assault.

Enchanted armor glowed with protective runes, absorbing some of the force, while others managed to maneuver out of the way in time to avoid the brunt of the attack. Still, several were heavily injured, though at least three managed to maintain enough strength to counterattack.

Among them was a particularly large warrior James had marked as a significant threat during his earlier reconnaissance. This crocodilian, standing out not just for his size but also for the intensity of his mana signature - at the edge of the C-rank - led the charge. Armed with a spear that crackled with elemental energy, he was a formidable opponent, his movements suggesting training and experience beyond the average warrior.

The duel that ensued was frantic and brutal. James used every advantage his rank-up afforded him and manipulated the battlefield with Eidetic Echo. Given how much information it fed him, the skill acted like a form of precognition. It allowed him to anticipate movements and position himself with uncanny accuracy, dodging spear thrusts that seemed to multiply, each charged with elemental fury or aimed with lethal precision.

But James was not purely on the defensive. Telekinesis acted as an extension of his body, a weapon as versatile as it was unexpected. With it, he parried spear thrusts, redirected attacks, and manipulated the swamp's mud and water to hinder the crocodilians' movements.

The group's leader, the largest crocodilian, roared in frustration, breaking from the formation in an attempt to surprise James since it seemed like he completely controlled the flow of the battle.

This mistake was immediately punished. James dodged under the coming spear, allowing Mana Absorption and Ethereal Leech to deal with the lightning that accompanied it. He twisted below the extended spear and crafted a telekinetic platform under his feet with the absorbed mana to give himself sure footing. A devastating mule kick followed, empowered by a significant amount of mana, which snapped back the muzzle coming for his shoulder.

A groan of agony followed, but it wasn't over yet. Another kick, this time to the crocodilian's midsection, sent him flying back into his companions, who were quickly closing in. Their attempt to help their leader only sealed their fate, as James took advantage of the reprieve to unleash Soul Rend unto them.

With precise, controlled bursts of mental energy, he reached into the minds of the disoriented crocodilians, finding the fragile threads of their consciousness and pulling with ruthless efficiency. The invisible psychic attack was devastating.

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One by one, the warriors collapsed, their minds unable to withstand the onslaught. James moved methodically, ensuring that none who had felt the brunt of his first attack would rise to challenge them again.

However, his systematic elimination was abruptly interrupted. A surge of primal fury washed over him, a rage so potent it momentarily clouded his senses. Feeling the same oppressive wave of anger, Lauren began to withdraw towards James, her shadow form flickering with unease. She was being pursued by something far more formidable than the warriors they had been easily dispatching.

James pivoted on his heel, the weight of Lauren's distress pulling him away from the fallen warriors and towards the new threat coming from the village's center.

As he approached, the source became clear: an enraged matriarch crocodilian was barreling through the debris with single-minded ferocity.

The matriarch was a towering figure, her scales a dark, bloodied green that spoke of past battles, while the red aura covering her showed the depth of her fury.

James recognized her from his earlier surveillance. He had noted her as a potential threat, but the raw power she displayed now far exceeded his initial assessment. The necklaces adorning her neck, pulsing with a soft, ominous glow, were now apparent as more than mere ornaments. They were likely powerful talismans, their magic amplifying her already formidable strength. Given her slavering jaws and absence of coherent thought beyond incandescent rage, James decided they weren't as overpowered as they initially looked but that the threat they represented still needed to be addressed immediately.

Blazing with an unholy light, her eyes locked onto Lauren and then James, seeing the architects of her village's ruin in them. With a roar that shook the remaining structures, she launched herself at James, her massive jaws snapping with enough force to crush stone.

Before she could reach them, he turned Soul Rend onto her, driving a spike of psychic energy into her mind, but was surprised to find it didn't affect her charge. Her mind was a fortress made of pure rage and thus impervious to the nuanced assaults he was capable of in the limited time he had. Recognizing the need for a change in tactics, James shifted his focus to more direct confrontations.

Meanwhile, Lauren pelted her with shadow arrows from multiple directions, succeeding only in slowing down the charge but not in stopping it. Undeterred by the matriarch's resistance, she intensified her assault.

Arrow after arrow, crafted from the deepest darkness, flew towards their target from all directions, each aimed precisely at the soft points where her armor didn’t reach. Though they didn't do much individually, usually glancing off the scales, the scattered arrows began to coalesce with each hit, merging into a larger, more potent form.

A massive blob of darkness surged forward to envelop the matriarch from behind, sending her crashing into what remained of a nearby hut.

James, meanwhile, turned his attention to the stragglers attempting to flee or regroup. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed waves of telekinetic force, sweeping them off their feet or pinning them against the ground. Mental attacks, sharp and disorienting, ensured none could mount a coherent defense or escape to warn other tribes.

As the dust settled from Lauren's shadowy assault, the matriarch emerged once more with a roar, her rage undiminished by the setback. The talismans around her neck flared brighter. It was clear this battle would not end until one side lay dead.

The matriarch charged forward with reckless abandon. James answered her with a charge of his own, pulling upon the ether to fuel his body. Strength flooded his limbs, and he closed the distance in a flash.

A large, clawed hand reached for him, trying to skewer him. But just as it was about to hit James phased, allowing it to pass through his form.

He materialized again on the other side of the matriarch and unleashed the gathered energies into her back.

The force of James's attack sent the matriarch rolling forward, a pained roar echoing through the shattered village. Though hardened by countless battles and enhanced by the magic of her talismans, her scales showed signs of cracking under the relentless assault, and he felt several bones break.

Yet, she was far from defeated. The necklaces around her neck pulsed with a renewed vigor, weaving threads of regenerative magic that knitted together torn flesh and mended broken scales before their eyes. It was a display of resilience that bordered on the unfair, showing just how different fights between separate ranks were.

Seeing the matriarch's regeneration kicking in, Lauren acted with decisive brutality. The blob of shadow that had previously knocked the matriarch off her feet now morphed into a smothering veil of darkness, enveloping her head and seeking to suffocate her. The matriarch thrashed wildly, her powerful tail demolishing what little remained of the surrounding huts, but Lauren's shadows were relentless, tightening around her with a predatory squeeze.

The matriarch's struggle grew more desperate, her roars muffled by the encasing darkness. Yet, even as her physical might waned, the glow of her talismans burned brighter, a testament to a will that refused to yield. But in the end, even the village's mightiest fell, and with a final convulsive shudder, the matriarch's movements ceased. Lauren's shadows receded, revealing the fallen titan, her chest still, her eyes dimmed. The swamp fell silent, the echoes of battle fading into a somber stillness.

James took a moment to finish up the few remaining crocodilians. Though they likely would die if left on their own, given the significant brain damage he had inflicted on them, it felt needlessly cruel to do so. He quickly went through them, mercifully ending their suffering.

The two Awakeners stood amidst the ruins of the village, the scale of their victory - and the devastation it had wrought - laid bare before them. The ground was scarred and blood-soaked, the water stained with the remnants of the conflict. Where the initial ether beam had landed was a crater that was slowly filling up with dirty water and would likely become a new pond. Here and there, the bodies of crocodilians lay strewn. Almost none were face down save for the youngest. They had all died facing their fate directly.

Breathing heavily, James felt the rush of experience flooding through him, the essence of the fallen matriarch and her warriors fueling his ascent to new heights of power.

Oof. That's a lot of EXP. It's just four levels since I'm in the third tier now, but damn, it feels good. Well, I can't say I particularly like exterminating villages like this, but they were a threat. I doubt Mr. Julian would have let them go unscathed if he had evidence they kept attacking humans… Hmm, that's probably why he sent us here. He knew about this and thought to get two birds with one stone. That old man is crafty.

Turning to Lauren, who still maintained her terror form, the ferocity of her features softening as the adrenaline of battle ebbed away, James managed a weary smile. "You might want to switch back before you give me a heart attack," he joked the humor a thin veil over the fatigue that clung to his bones.

Lauren's form shimmered, the darkness receding like a tide, revealing her human visage. Her smile was tired but genuine.