The trio climbed out of the carriage with Elizabeth leaving Pudding inside wrapped in the vehicle's two quilts. Her eyes widened at the sight of what was blocking their path. With the width of a semi-truck and the height of a tall building stood a horrific beast that the teenager couldn't categorize. Her legs felt like jello as the terrible monster licked its swollen lips and roared.
[WELCOME ❗️WELCOME]
[YOU HAVE BEEN ENTERED A TEAM BATTLE]
[DEFEAT THE MAMMOTH ❗️EARN YOUR PRIZE]
“That thing is supposed to be a mammoth?” Elizabeth asked with a tremble in her voice. She hadn't expected to enter a fight so soon after the bat attack.
Yuki laughed and took her broadsword off of her back. The sword was so massive that it broke the soil and grass beneath the woman's feet just by gracing it with its blade. The veiled woman lifted it in front of her body daring the beast to attack her.
Jake was doing the same having taken out his weapon, a skinnier sword that resembled that of a musketeer. Selene didn't have a weapon and neither did Catherine who was watching the gross mammoth without blinking once. They all had successfully gotten ready.
“Eliza,” Yuki called out to the teenager and looked at her. “Do you know how a team battle works?” She held her mighty sword with white knuckles.
Elizabeth wracked her brain before shaking her head. “No. I've never heard about them before.” She had no idea something like this could even happen.
“A team battle is when more than three people are traveling together and encounter a mob. We each will either take a turn attacking the mammoth or healing everyone else on our side. Catherine typically heals us so you will have to attack with the rest of us unless you have potions.” Yuki explained as the mammoth began to rub its calloused feet against the wet ground.
As the beast prepared to charge, Yuki moved her sword so it blocked her face from the gust of snow that blew into the air. “We each will be given a turn to attack then this dirt ball will have its chance to end us. I would take out my weapon from my inventory if I were you and brace yourself.”
The brunette didn't need to be told twice as she hurried to bring up a menu and access her inventory. She felt her dagger would be best for the fight.
{INVENTORY OPEN}
◇ 1 SNOW BUG SPRAY ◇
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
◇ 1 WICKER BROOM ◇
◇ 1 CRYSTAL VACUUM ◇
◇ 1 MAID OUTFIT ◇
item currently equipped
◇ 1 MAP OF FROST TOWN ◇
◇ 1 MAP OF FROST ESTATE ◇
◇ 1 DAMAGED WEREBEAR COAT ◇
◇ 4 SNOW LION STEAKS ◇
◇ 1 SNOW LION PELT COAT ◇
◇ 1 SNOW LION FANG DAGGER ◇
◇ 2 PUB PASSES ◇
◇ 1 WET RAG ◇
{Would you like to equip a weapon?}
☑ YES ⛶ NO
[☆ SNOW LION DAGGER ☆ EQUIPPED]
Elizabeth gripped the blade that manifested out of the air and wielded it with grace. Her character had long grown used to it, treating the weapon like it was a long-lost limb. This earned her an approving grin from Yuki that soon turned primal as the woman looked at the aggressive mob.
The air changed between the group as everyone gathered their emotions and began to enter their calmest stature. The knight that had previously been goofing around with Elizabeth turned in a mass of steel. Selene had grown claws on her hands replacing what had once been her fingernails.
Her fox appearance was more than just a show and the teenager shivered at how animalistic Selene had become. With a gulp, the girl watched as the mammoth raised its crystal-covered trunk and roared. The monster was composed of decaying flesh and ice, flesh, and snow mixing unnaturally.
Elizabeth couldn't believe that something so disgusting had been plopped in such a carefree game. It only felt right to eradicate the creature on the very spot of land it stood. Her resolve turned cold and her grip became strong. Ice coursed through her veins as the mammoth focused on the players.
{PLAYER 01 ☆ YUKI ATTACK}
With a cocky hair flip, the veiled woman pushed herself forward and became airborne. The dark-haired girl's eyes became wide as the woman practically flew with her broadsword swinging at the creature's flesh.
Her body looked weightless as she aimed right at the mammoth's trunk. The crystallized flesh was stricken by the glowing metal and was chopped off. It didn't happen immediately.
Yuki landed and blood dripped from her blade as she stood there with a heated gaze. After what felt like an entirety the trunk separated and slumped onto the ground. The impact was great, making the soil crack from the massive size of the decaying flesh.
{PLAYER 02 ☆ JAKE ATTACK}
“Good job!” The knight told Yuki who smiled with a faint blush.
Instead of throwing himself at the beast, Jake ran at the mammoth full force. It wasn't a long distance but it did make the attack pan out longer than Yuki's. Still, Elizabeth could tell he was just as skilled a fighter as she was.
The mammoth was docile due to code that controlled team battles but that didn't mean it couldn't be given the choice to attack and go wild. Jake directed his sword to the beast's throat, attempting to pierce it with one strike.
But it didn't work as planned. Unlike Yuki's indestructible weapon, his sword wasn't blunt enough to cut past the skin into the creature's flesh. He just drew an uncomfortable amount of blood and irritated the area.
“Shit,” Jake muttered and scratched his forehead. “I overcalculated.”
{RANDOM EVENT 🐘 MAMMOTH ATTACK}
In a flash the mammoth was given a free turn, skipping the three remaining women to everyone's utter confusion. They didn't have time to dwell as the mammoth swung wildly in pain from being injured so gravely.
Yuki was nearly knocked over, the woman managing to dodge out of the way in time. Jake wasn't so lucky as a leg knocked into his chest with incredible force. Everyone yelled out various declarations of panic as he was thrown back by the kick and landed on the ground.
But he turned to the panicked trio and raised a thumb at them to show he was alright. Seeing this made the brunette more determined than ever to end this monster's miserable life.
{PLAYER 03 ☆ SELENE ATTACK}
Selene looked at Jake wincing on the ground and flexed her claws. She ran straight at the mammoth without a care in the world. The wind blew through her short hair and her legs kicked up puffs of snow. Her arm was pulled back as she came closer to the beast and she slashed at it with her nails.
Blood was drawn and she huffed with frustration. The mammoth moved its legs in pain, obviously wanting to attack but the system was stopping it from doing so. The game was holding the beast back with a million invisible chains that kept it anchored to the ground. The creature roared with its eyes going from charcoal to a sudden crimson full of rage.
“If it wasn't being held back it would crush us both.” Yuki said with a worried glance at Selene and Jake. “I don't know how long this will take.”
Selene just laughed and clicked her claws together. “Not long enough.”