The screaming of the mutated Caverwraith made Jack's head throb with pain, but it was no big deal to Marvin. The mayor dashed away like a bullet, leaving behind no less deafening sonic booms. As soon as it was closed enough, the Warfists of Fleeting Might released its aura of destruction. Lightning-fast punches were unleashed on different spots around the Cavernwraith.
The monster swung its tentacles chaotically, squealing even more painfully. It instinctively recoiled backward. That move somehow caused Marvin's attack to miss a beat, as if he stumbled over a stone right in the middle of the air and fell to the ground.
The Mayor quickly jumped back to his feet, but the exhaustion prevented him from bouncing up for another attack. The Cavernwraith slowly got its mind together again. Its roar changed from that of pain to anger. Its four mana cores had been destroyed, and had it failed to dodge the last blow just now, that would have met the conditions for its complete death.
The monster tilted its head to look at Marvin, who was standing on top of the ruins he had just created, its teeth gritted with hatred. It no longer cared about preserving itself but floated quickly toward its enemies. It had enough awareness to realize that the person in front was now no more than a fish on a cutting board.
Marvin lowered his body only to find that his whole body was no longer following his mind, as it shook in futile. He gritted his teeth, took out projectiles like Crusader grenades, and threw them forward. But they were all knocked away by the tentacles or easily dodged before they could explode. Irritated, the Cavernwraith shot one of its claws, cutting off the headmaster's right hand with the treasure ring. It raised the edge of its lips like a smirk of contempt, its mouth opening, going straight for the human prey’s head.
Then, a fireball shot straight through the monster's shoulder, causing it to stop. It tilted its head to look down at the spot that was once its last mana core. The Caverwraith, although with powerful mutation, had been worn down as much as its two enemies. It no longer had enough mana to defend itself. The monster turned its head again to look for the one who had delivered the finishing blow. It hissed like a final curse for the boy who was pointing the smoking muzzle at it and fell down like autumn foliage.
Just to be sure, Jack casts a few more Firebolts at the monster's head and mutilated body. The town didn’t need any more of these dangerous zombies, especially one of this size.
You have used 6 stat points.
Your Spirit Attribute increased from 70 -> 88.
You have used 3 skill points.
Firebolt (Herald, Active, Magical Damage, Multiple Targets)
Level: 6 (requirements for next level: Spr >= 112)
Mana cost: Low mana per use.
Cooldown: 5s.
Effects:
Deal Fire damage upon impact.
+27% Fire damage.
You have contributed to the process of killing a High Crusader Mutated Cavernwraith (Level 39). Experience Granted.
Marvin's eyes widened, exactly like how Jack was also baffled by the results in front of him. He himself did not think that everything would go that smoothly, even with the upgraded skill, using Shadow Eyes to find weaknesses, as well as the damage enhancement feature from his artificial arm. It seemed the monster had been already bled dried, to the point where there wasn't enough mana circulating inside to protect itself.
Jack waved his arm to transform his cannon back to normal, for it was showing signs of overheating, probably a result of the Firebolt magic that had become way stronger than in the previous experiment. He took a second to add an arm upgrade reminder to his to-do list in his mind before turning to pick up Meinhard, who was collapsing from exhaustion.
“Are you alright?” Jack asked.
“A rest will do,” the principal answered with a whisper.
“And will you have the time for that rest?” Marvin said as he staggered forward, holding his amputated arm. He didn’t have any spare energy to ask Jack anything.
Jack nodded. Menihard would be needed in other places too.
“You two think I’ll be going anywhere with that still there?” Meinhard pointed at the wall at the north.
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Jack and Marvin soon realized the situation at the spot was just as no less urgent that everywhere else. On the other side of the wall that Meinhard and the Arcanists had created, the lava was still pouring down from the top of Blackpon. The current kept crashing against the hardened stone like the waves of the ocean. Soon enough, it would get through and run the town down.
“What to do now?” Marvin said with a discouraged voice, his other hand so numb that it couldn't even fold.
“Can you?” Jack asked Meinhard.
“Is there any other way?”
“Then give me the sword.”
Without much talking, the principal complied and gave up his Black Lightning Blade.
Marvin frowned. This time he had to question something.
“What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be holding on to it for dear life? Is there a single soul in this town capable of using it?”
Meinhard leaned his head toward Jack.
“Trust him!” The principal tried to calm his friend. “He’ll find a way.”
The Mayor of Oxdale looked around to see the ruin of his beloved town, then stopped his eyes at the body of the Cavernwraith. If it hadn’t been for the kid, he would have been gone by now.
“Alright! Alright! Go, kid! If things went south, just ran with the weapon too!”
Jack gave the men a solemn nod, then dashed away with the Black Lightning Blade in his hand.
“What if we had pulled the blade out sooner?” Marvin started chatting while looking for a box from his inventory ring, one that looked like it had been hewn out of an iceberg, to store his severed hand.
“Will that make any difference? Even at its weakest, that thing was as tough as it gets.”
“Who knows? Don’t just straight up deny me like that!”
Meinhard didn’t continue the conversation, closing his eyes to regather his mind. After a while, Marvin opened his mouth with a weary voice.
“Things would have been a piece of cake if we had had an Archon!”
“Things would be fine if you could just shut up for a while, you know!”
“...”
Jack rushed off with a burdened heart, unsure of mother Sophie and Thomas's safety. While turning a street, Jack caught sight of Julia and Juan, or rather, Julia and what's left of Juan. The Warrior teacher at Rolerra only had his upper half intact. In the middle of Juan's chest was a hole the size of his hand. Next to them were the carcasses of two rhinoceros monsters, blood still dripping from the tops of their horns.
Julia was in tears with her face down by the side of her colleagues, whose eyes were no longer moving. The surrounding monsters all stood away from the teacher Maester, forming a circle. The aura and the medicinal herbs she released were enough to keep them at bay for now, surpassing even the resistant threshold of the crazy monsters and making them falter.
Jack approached, jumping on the roof to keep a safe distance from both sides. He used his stealth skill lest he risked warning the monsters of his presence.
“Miss Julia?”
Julia raised her head, her face sobbing and her eyes drearily lost. It seemed that the relationship between the two was more than just colleague to colleague.
She didn’t bother questioning why a young pupil was here in the middle of a forest of monsters, focusing on stroking Juan's sideburns. Her mouth couldn’t stop making sobbing sounds.
“Miss Julia,” Jack continued. “The town needs you, and I can help you get to the east gate. If you keep going like this, they'll come for you eventually."
The dome of protection Julia had created was extremely mana-intense. She herself was most aware of this. The teacher's eyes turned toward Jack, miserable and confused. She bit her lip as a fight broke out in her conscience.
“He would want you to revenge him!” Jack played his trump card.
Finally, Julia clenched her teeth, so much so that blood flowed out from the corners of her mouth. Her face hardened, and her gaze changed, giving way to anger and resentment.
She nodded at Jack. He jumped down from the building, heading straight to the east.
A fireball was shot out from his mechanical arm, his other arm throwing out Crusader grenades to paralyze the monsters.
“Go!” Jack called out.
The upgraded fireball pierced through a few beasts before exploding. Jack and Julia quickly dashed through the gap that had just been created.
Every few steps, he repeated the process. It wasn't like he was afraid of being suspected if he was to use the Fleeting Might set, but rather, fighting on his own would drain his energy very quickly, hindering his backup plan.
Julia was so burdened by grief that she couldn’t care less about Jack's actions. After a few minutes, the two made it to the east gate.
The Crusaders and Heralds of the Artificer guild were all struggling while the monster was still vigorously floating around with its long sharp claws.
“Fall back!” Julia cried out.
Everyone stared at her with astonished eyes, Jack included.
Julia, regardless of whether or not people listened to her words, walked steadily forward. Her hand vibrated with each wave of mana released.
Quickly enough, everyone could feel the pressure spreading through the air, especially the Heralds. Julia's Aura was so powerful that even the other Crusaders felt the urge to back off.
The Cavernwraith stopped its attack and stared at Julia, it let out a screeching sound.
Julia responded with a low, hoarse cry, filled with anguish, despair, and loneliness.
In her area of aura, flashes of lightning blipped.