[https://i.imgur.com/sfHqwWT.jpg]

Blue shields of Murus block the massive black pincers from clamping in Drac's torso. He created another platform and pulsed high. The centipede minion chased after him, wiggling from its hole. Another platform sidestepped Drac to the monster's left. Heilong was unsheathed and slashed down on the giant insect’s carapace. It doesn't make scatch.

Hundred per cent from the start, farmboy!

The centipede turned down to follow Drac. It's too fast for its size. Drac created another platform to dodge pincers coming for his back and flipped. He landed in the back of the monster and covered his gleaming sword in aura. Before he could stab, the monster shook him off and followed him as he was flung through the air.

Drac smiled.

Ventus and Ignis tuned, he flew away from the pincers, slashing at the insect as slipped by. The centipede screeched as it trickled green blood.

The minion went berserk. With its thousand creepy legs, it crept with incredible speed towards Dracs. Drac tried outmanoeuvring the large monster, but the bug still followed.

Summon back some copies.

Wait, don't! We need to guard the lady.

You need your guard mouth. You saw what she is capable of. Do it, Drac.

Drac agreed and split into four.

All four launched an aura wave at the centipede. Its armour cracked around its eyes.

It's not deep enough!

Dracs flew away from pincers. The centipede took a sharp turn and followed a Drac. The original.

How is it following us!?

Drac unsummoned his copies and flew into the woods. The centipede still followed. A thousand legs scuttle on the leafy ground with incredible speed. Then it paused.

What is it doing?

The monster lifted its long body above the trees and dove into the ground.

Fuck me….

I can't aura sense through the ground.

Sound!

Drac agreed and tuned Auditus.

The bats in my cave use sound to find their way.

Drac focused.

Thirty degrees to the left.

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What's a degree?

Oh, brother…

It's coming!

Drac stepped backwards before the ground broke where he stood. An aura coat blade slashed the monster as it rose from the hole. A long gash on its armoured body gushed green blood.

The screeching grew louder. The centipede dropped down on Drac. In his stance, he was ready to counter.

The insect hit a blue wall and bounced back in pain.

“Having some trouble, lil bro?”

Marina arrived riding a large black wolf with Flida. The large priest ran beside them.

The centipede found new targets. In a burst of speed, it rushed toward the woman and gent. An amber shield of light bounced the minion. Holy light burned the insect. An arc of amber light flew from Bob’s great sword at the monster. The gash on its stomach gets worse.

“Drac, watching your strange exploits got me thinking!” Marina put her hands up and moulded Murus into a large cone. Its point faced the enormous insect.

She tuned into Ignis.

“What if I did crazy stuff too!?”

She placed her hands on the base and ignited. The cone blasts into the gash, skewing the monster. The cone goes completely through the monster, trailing green organs and blood. The screeching faded as the monster breathed for the last time. It fell, crushing trees with its immense weight.

Hey, we were going to kill that!

Does the lady have a knight? I'm available.

Drac gives a thumbs-up to the fair lady.

“I finally got the spotlight,” said Marina with a grin.

Marina knocked on the centipede's thick armour. “The tree?”

“Yes,” Drac answered. “But to think that it has weakened this much. We are leagues away from the tree, yet they have reached this far. Make sense why there are so many refugees.”

Drac dropped his head. The amount of lives lost already if it gets worse?

Flida harvested some of the skin of the monster and its poison and said, “At least we yall can take on demons easy peasy.”

“Eh, not sure about that, Flida.”

She turned as she finished filling a container with venom. “What do you mean?”

“That fly was a C-class demon. I was not Gargantuan’s master. The book states that when a demon dies, its minions die with him. Only class As can make minions.”

“Book?” Marina asked.

"But minions out this far and this many with their master nowhere to be seen? Probably an S."

“Oh lord…” Flida crouched down with her hands on her head. “What the fuck is going on?! This is a job for saints! For swordmasters! Not us!”

Marina joined in and said, “Whatever that old priest is working on, he believes it's more important than demons by the great tree.”

The thought put a chill through Drac’s spine. He saw Isaac's awe-inspiring power in person. What would get the attention of someone like him?

Who is Issac?

Someone strong.

"Don’t worry, Flida. The great tree forrest is the bastion for warriors. Fighters come from all over the world to slay beasts for materials. Aura masters and sorcerers are a common sight in the forest. We will not be alone.” Bob spoke calmly as he reassured the tracker. Flida looked at the large priest and was calmed by his words. "And I will be there, shielding you from dangers. So worry not." She smiled softly at the gentle. Bob called to everyone, "Come, everyone. Let's go.”

When Drac’s party left for the caravan, he stayed by the large corpse. Flaring his aura, he assumed a two-handed stand with the grip near his chest. His aura coalesced into a long aura sword that reached high into the air. With his feet wide, he slashed with full strength at the corpse. The white blade of aura cleaved the huge insect's head and the ground under it. Drac restrained his aura, and his white sword of flaming aura disappeared until he could sheath Heilong. He turned around to meet his friends, leaving a large crevice in the ground deep enough that light could not escape.

This battle brought him to the realisation that it wasn't fear giving him jitters and goosebumps.

It was a joy.

He doesn't need to kill another human for a while.