One. Sorin's dagger, aided by a thin aura of tarnished gold, barely penetrated the three-star horror's rubbery flesh. A carefully calculated dose of poison entered its flesh via the Hand of the Medicine God and Veridian Spell Blade, quickly spreading through its blood and nervous system. Potent acitoxins, necrotoxins, and manatoxins dispersed, melting and rotting its flesh and freezing its mana in place.

Two. The horror barely felt the sting of Sorin's short spear, so Sorin pulled it out and pierced it into another point two meters away. He alternated between hands as convenient, making sure to avoid the creature's flailing tentacles and any undamaged and open eyes. A large patch of flesh began melting away, and a few tentacles even fell off.

Ten. By now, Sorin had caught the horror's attention, and several thick tentacles were flying his way.

Sorin immediately used Adder Rush to evade. One of the tentacles managed to lock onto his position, but a hastily summoned acid fireball destroyed it, while poison-coated arrows blasted two others.

"Buy me time while I analyze this data," said Sorin, retreating out of the creature's range.

Above Pandora and separated by several seals and concealment spells, the Ophiuchus constellation shone brightly as it processed information through its link with Sorin. The simulation included estimated damage over time and projected poison resistance and susceptibility. It also produced a preliminary map of the creature's body and anatomy to corroborate Sorin's initial map obtained via Patient Viper's Analysis.

The simulation took thirty seconds, and by the end, he'd already fine-tuned his poisons for another round. The next batch of experiments was more heavily skewed toward necrotoxins, neurotoxins, and hemotoxins. Manatoxins and acitoxins were the main damage dealers, but strictly speaking, it was better to prioritize spread when dealing with such a creature.

Sorin immediately prepared the next batch of experimental mixtures using the Ten Thousand Poison Canon and Veridian Spell Blade, then used his Wraith Hare Boots to appear next to the creature once again.

Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. The newest formula increased Sorin's long-term damage by threefold, according to the simulation, as this more virulent mixture easily spread to other appendages.

Unfortunately, this meant that Sorin had to be more active when finding uncontaminated targets for further data points. He used a combination of Adder Rush and Python Coil to run along its rubbery hide, timing his movements to coincide with attacks by Melinoë, Michael, and Charles.

By taking his time, Sorin was able to finish up the last twenty strikes and retreat once again. This time, however, the horror did not cease attacking him, and Stephan was forced to pull back and defend him using his effective combination of Ice Hell Prison and Ice Hell Armor.

Daphne also upped her game to buy Sorin the time he needed. With Gareth's arrows and Astley's minions forming a protective cage around her, she started chanting to empower her spells and even incorporated Sorin's blood to empower them. Lawrence, who'd spent much of his time trying to hide from the creature, suddenly emerged. He emerged from his hiding place just as Sorin pulled back and used his short sword, also enchanted with Veridian Spell Blade and poisoned with Sorin's blood, cut away at the attacking tentacles.

Sorin entered a trance as he executed another round of simulations. Neurotoxins and hemotoxins are both effective in spreading the poisons, but it's possible to overload its system with these toxins, destroying its blood and nerves rather than carrying other poisons as it's meant to. Necrotoxins also can't be too pronounced, as death and decay naturally inhibit blood flow and nervous activity.

He slightly tweaked his formula and incorporated a detailed map of the creature generated via a deeper execution of Patient Viper's Analysis. Unsurprisingly, he discovered that, to date, the damage he'd caused was mostly superficial. This was because its critical weak points were located deep within its flesh in locations accessible by a simple dagger.

Spear it is then, thought Sorin as he used Spear in a Haystack to create a ten-foot weapon. "Daphne, Gareth, and Lawrence, I need you all to cover me. Astley, do you have anything in that grimoire of yours that can buy me time?

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"I can paralyze it for a short while, but the ability is very draining," said Astley. "Also, I'll need to give up my minions."

"Are you sure about this?" Gareth asked Sorin. Sorin confirmed. "Then let's do it. I'm worried about the effects of corruption in this space. Also, the creature's seal is unraveling fast. We need to finish this earlier rather than later."

Sorin once again used his Wraith Hare Boots to teleport, this time to the space directly above the horror that was currently being bombarded by light, fire, and poison spells. Most of the creature's body was covered in chitin, but Sorin quickly found a flaw and pierced through it with a poisoned spear.

His attack struck an organ, provoking an immediate response from the creature. It opened its closed eyes and blasted Sorin with a paralyzing attack. As a result, he was unable to respond as ten tentacles attacked him from different directions.

Five fireballs, clearly cast in advance and by Daphne, exploded in Sorin' proximity, destroying six of the tentacles and obscuring the creature's vision. Lawrence appeared from the shadows and destroyed two tentacles with Triple Stab Execution, while Gareth took out another two, preventing Sorin's immediate death by impalement.

Sorin counterattacked using Cobra's Glare. While this allowed him to break free from his paralysis, Sorin was struck by a heavy spiritual backlash. Having already paid such a great price, Sorin pierced two more spears into the creature's body and watched as its most critical organs worked to spread the poison throughout its body.

Tentacles began to rot and melt away. The creature's chitin began chipping off under the bombardment of spells, and Melinoë's nightmares took advantage of the situation to rip out chunks of flesh with their claws, spines, and bladed wings.

Though most of the immediate damage was being dealt by others, the three-star demon was clearly aware that Sorin was responsible for its current situation. Another wave of paralysis struck Sorin, and in his weakened state, he was unable to resist.

Dozens of madness-filled spikes pierced into Sorin's flesh. Lawrence pulled tried to pull him away through a tightening cage of tentacles, but it soon became clear that they wouldn't make it. Fortunately, another wave of fireballs and arrows tore open a hole in the tentacle prison, and Astley, now dressed in a dark cloak, appeared just outside the cage of tentacles and lowered her hood, revealing serpentine eyes and a mop of wriggling snakes on her head.

"Myth Impersonation: Gorgon!"

The horror, mentally weakened by Sorin's neurotoxins and Melinoe's nightmares, froze in place for three whole seconds, allowing Lawrence to pull Sorin to safety. The backlash of paralyzing such a huge creature for so long came at the price of rendering her unconscious.

The other four teams didn't waste these three seconds. Arrows pierced through the creature's main eyes, and Melinoë's nightmares dove into its wounded flesh.

"I'm fine," said Sorin as Lawrence let him down. "These wounds aren't that bad." Most of them were already healing over, thanks to his armor's life-siphoning ability.

"There are literally holes in your body," said Lawrence, refusing to let him go.

"Were," said Sorin, drinking back a vial of harmonized poison and using toxic metabolism to feast on the corruption in his wounds. "I'm durable, remember? By the way, what's your read on the creature?"

Lawrence frowned. "That attack did a lot to it, but it looks to me like it still has a lot of vitality left."

Sorin confirmed Lawrence's words and analyzed the condition of his companions and the other four teams. "This creature is drawing out the fight. Everyone's corruption levels are currently unmanageable, and they don't even know it. " He used Hand of the Medicine God to rip out the bulk of the madness now infecting his companions, then used Toxic Metabolism to digest the majority of it. He shivered as the influx of corruption awakened the Violence in his blood and once again caused the Divine Bone Rot in his body to accelerate.

"We need to end this fast," said Sorin. "And we're not doing that right now. Cover me while I go talk to Michael." Sorin sped past the creature using Adder Rush, Python Coil, and his Wraith Hare Boots. Two minutes later, he arrived.

"What are you doing here, and why aren't you dealing damage to it?" said Michael when Sorin arrived. "And I don't recall the Ten Thousand Poison Canon being so effective. Are you hiding something like the rest of us were?"

"Medical knowledge and poison can be very lethal when used together," Sorin replied. "At least that's what your ancestors said when they persecuted my family a hundred years ago."

"That… can we focus on this fight?" said Michael, drawing and releasing another arrow. "That creature's not anywhere near dying."

"Roughly halfway by my estimation," said Sorin. "But that can quickly change if I can use my poisons to overwhelm its critical systems."

"You came here for support despite the less-than-friendly relations between our clans," muttered Michael.

"This is in Delphi's best interest," said Sorin.

"Fine," said Michael. "What do you need?"

"A path to the middle, where its main eyes are located," said Sorin. "Do you have a way to communicate with the others?"

"Not from here," said Michael, shaking his head. "I'm not a utility archer. All my abilities are geared around dealing damage."

"Then damage will have to do," said Sorin. "Blow me a path into the center, and hopefully, the others will catch on."

"You realize its spikes are densest there, don't you?" said Michael. "One wrong move and you'll become a living pincushion.

"Are you helping me or not?" asked Sorin.

Michael shrugged. "It's your funeral."