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The ground outside erupted violently, sending debris and dust shooting into the air. A section of the palace crumbled under the force, and the whole building shuddered as if about to collapse.
The shockwave reached the throne room, making the floor tremble beneath everyone’s feet. Gasps echoed through the room as the walls rattled and loose stone fell from the ceiling.
“W-What was that?!“ one of the guards shouted, wide-eyed as he felt the violent quakes underfoot.
Coby grinned, completely unfazed. “Oh, it seems your little rescue squad didn’t get the job done. Pft, typical,” he mocked, his tone dripping with amusement as he stood tall, his hand resting casually on the throne’s armrest.
Quin’s grip tightened on his sword, the muscles in his arm tensing. His face contorted in rage. “You!“ he snarled, stepping toward Coby, ready to strike.
But Coby’s calm, sneering voice stopped him in his tracks. “Oh, are you sure that’s what you should be doing?“ he taunted. “If I were you, I’d be more worried about the thing outside.“ He chuckled darkly, not even bothering to glance Quin’s way.
As much as he hated to admit it, Coby had a point. Whatever had just shaken the palace was enormous and clearly a threat. His mind raced with worry for the people outside. He had to go.
“Tch,” Quin clicked his tongue in frustration, casting one last glare at Coby before bolting out of the throne room. He left Yufi behind, who remained holding a sobbing Renn at the center of the room.
“Well, well! Looks like the show’s about to start!“ Coby said, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes. “I suppose I’ll go admire my new toy. Guards, with me!“ He strode confidently toward the door, palace guards trailing behind him without hesitation.
Yufi, still embracing Renn tightly, looked torn. Her friend needed comfort, but so did the people outside. For now, she held Renn closer, whispering reassurances.
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Quin sprinted through the palace’s long corridors, the vibrations from the earlier quake still humming in the walls. His breath came in short bursts as he ran, heart pounding not just from the exertion but from the ominous feeling creeping up his spine.
Up ahead, he saw it—a massive opening had been torn into the palace wall, dust swirling in the air like a thick fog. He slowed, cautiously approaching the breach. Without hesitation, he raised his sword, channeling a gust of wind to blow the dust aside.
Whoosh! The dust dispersed, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
There it stood—a monstrous creature, its bull-like face twisted in a grotesque snarl. It towered beside the palace, its height matching the second floor. Its skin was a dark, blood-red hue, and while its muscles were defined, the monster’s lean form gave it an almost predatory elegance. Below it, a massive hole yawned open in the earth, the dark tunnel it had crawled from.
Quin’s breath caught in his throat. What… is this thing? he thought, frozen in place, staring up at the beast in silent horror.
For now, the monster seemed disinterested in him. It stood there, scanning the kingdom with glowing yellow eyes, like it was assessing its new playground.
Moments later, Coby arrived at the scene with the palace guards trailing behind him, their armor clanking as they rushed to keep up. The screams of Veledot’s citizens rang in the distance, creating a grim backdrop of chaos.
“Ooohh! Look at it!“ Coby exclaimed gleefully, spreading his arms wide as if presenting a prize. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he gazed at the towering monster. “So this is Balehorn, my new servant!”
The guards froze, their expressions switching from shock to horror. Some of them even screamed in terror, their fear piercing the air. The noise immediately drew Balehorn’s attention.
The monstrous figure twisted its bull-like head toward the noise, its tail already rising, ready to lash out at the guards on the second floor to silence them. But before it could strike—
“Hey, you ugly bastard!” a voice rang out from the ground below.
It was Willo. He stood firm, his massive claymore crackling with Mana, his eyes locked on Balehorn. Both cores of his claymore surged with energy. “Why don’t you come play with me instead?!”
Nearby, Willo’s men stood poised for battle, their mana weapons glowing as they readied themselves. Their mission was clear: draw Balehorn away from the palace to give Renn’s group a chance to escape. The tension among them was palpable, the air thick with anticipation.
Balehorn’s lips curled into a wicked grin as its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Willo. The beast took slow, thunderous steps toward him, each footfall sending tremors through the ground. Its tail lashed behind it like a whip, cutting the air with a sharp whoosh.
“It’s coming! Get ready!” Willo shouted, though the warning was hardly necessary. The monstrous size of Balehorn made it impossible to ignore.
Then, with a deafening roar, Balehorn charged. Despite its massive size, its speed was deceptive—each of its enormous strides covered the distance of several human steps. Its tail shot out first, aiming straight for Willo.
CRASH! The tail collided with a shimmering mana shield just before reaching Willo, causing the attack to ricochet harmlessly away. One of the hunters had intercepted in the nick of time, the Mana barrier flickering but holding strong.
But Balehorn wasn’t done. Without breaking stride, it swung one of its massive, clawed hands down toward Willo with brutal force. The hunter with the shield quickly rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding being crushed.
Willo, however, didn’t dodge. His eyes stayed focused, his grip tight on the hilt of his claymore. As the beast’s blood-crimson claw descended toward him, he swung his sword with perfect precision, the tip aimed directly at the monster’s hand.
In that instant, he unleashed the charged Mana from both cores of his weapon. BOOM! A violent explosion of wind and lightning erupted from the blade, slamming into Balehorn’s hand.
CRACKLE! The force of the combined elements sent the creature’s arm flying back, its claws barely missing Willo. Balehorn staggered, momentarily thrown off balance, roaring in pain and surprise.
“Shoot!” someone shouted, and immediately the air filled with the sound of Mana bolts whizzing toward Balehorn. Swoosh! Swoosh! Arcs of energy and projectiles lit up the sky, crashing against the beast’s skin in bursts of light. But when the smoke cleared, the sight that met the hunters was disheartening—their attacks had barely scratched Balehorn’s thick crimson hide. The beast barely flinched, its attention locked on Willo.
Meanwhile, Quin, watching from a distance, felt a surge of panic. “Father!” he yelled, his voice laced with concern, but his cry was lost in the chaos of battle.
Coby watched the carnage below with glee, his eyes wide with excitement. “Ha ha ha! This is great!” he exclaimed, spinning on his heel. “I want a better view! To the balcony!” He waved off the guards who were still paralyzed in shock.
Most of the guards remained frozen, their faces pale with terror. But some snapped to attention and followed Coby, desperate to cling to any sense of direction.
Quin, still on the second floor, looked down at the shattered remains of the palace wall. His gaze fell on the piles of rubble below. Turning to the remaining guards, he shouted, “If you’re truly Veledot’s guards, then help us kill this thing!” Without waiting for a response, Quin leaped down from the second floor, using the debris as makeshift platforms, and readied his sword to join the fight.
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In the throne room, the distant sounds of the battle echoed through the palace corridors, but neither Yufi nor Renn moved. The tension hung in the air, but Yufi refused to let go of Renn, offering silent comfort.
After what seemed like an eternity, Renn’s sobs began to subside, her breathing growing steadier. She finally took a step back, her gaze fixated on the floor. “You should go help them,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Yufi’s brow furrowed as she took a step back, releasing Renn from her embrace. “What about you?” she asked, her tone gentle but firm.
Renn remained silent, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. Her personal goal had been achieved—though not in the way she had ever imagined. She was Garland’s descendant, a key player in a larger mystery that involved the hunters and the Mana of the legendary heroes. And the beast outside, that monstrous thing, surely had some connection to the very group hunting them.
But then Yufi’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Renn.”
Startled, Renn lifted her head to meet Yufi’s gaze. Yufi was smiling at her—soft, but determined. “Let’s go hunt.”
For a moment, Renn blinked, unsure if she’d heard correctly. Hunt? Did Yufi mean…?
Suddenly, a realization clicked in Renn’s mind. Yufi wasn’t just suggesting they fight monsters. She was inviting her to keep moving forward, to continue the path of a monster hunter. To live.
Although Yufi’s words sounded a bit blunt—given that Renn was now the last of Veledot’s royal line and the kingdom desperately needed a ruler—they were exactly what Renn needed. Maybe her parents had left her with Tou because they wanted her to live free from the burden of royalty, away from the weight of the throne.
But Renn couldn’t shake the reality: the kingdom needed her help. And she knew she could provide it.
“Right,” Renn finally responded, wiping the last of her tears away. She bent down to pick up Esperanza, its silver sheen gleaming under the dim light of the throne room. “Let’s go.”
The two of them rushed out of the throne room, down the grand staircase, and burst out of the palace into a scene of chaos.
What greeted them was both breathtaking and horrifying. The hunters were scattered, many worn down to exhaustion, their bodies bruised and bloodied. Some were heavily injured, barely able to stand. But most of Willo’s men—along with Willo himself and Quin—stood their ground, still fighting with all their might against Balehorn.
“That thing’s huge!” Yufi gasped, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of the towering creature looming over the battlefield.
“They need help,” Renn muttered under her breath, gripping her staff tightly.
“You got any plan?” Yufi asked, her voice filled with urgency.
Renn fell silent, her mind racing. She had Esperanza and the four mana cores—maybe with the right combination, she could hold Balehorn off long enough for the others to take it down. But the throbbing pain in her body from the arena fight still lingered, slowing her reflexes. She couldn’t push herself to her full limits.
And then, an idea struck her.
“Yufi, can you do something for me?” Renn turned to her, her eyes now resolute, the determination clear on her face.
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Back at the heart of the battlefield, within the palace walls, Willo, Quin, and the other hunters fought fiercely against the giant Balehorn. Every blow of Willo’s claymore was powerful, charged with raw Mana, but each strike took time to prepare—time the others had to buy for him.
Quin had joined the front line, his sword flashing as he targeted the beast’s massive legs. Yet something was strange about Balehorn’s movements—it had stopped using its deadly tail attacks, opting instead for slower, almost playful swipes of its hands. It was like the monster was toying with them, swatting at the hunters as if they were mere insects.
Willo noticed it too. The beast’s deliberate, almost mocking strikes, combined with its unnerving grin, made his stomach churn. It wasn’t just fighting them—it was enjoying it.
Quin, breathing heavily, wiped the sweat from his brow, exchanging a glance with his father. They both knew this fight wasn’t going to be over quickly.
“We’re not doing much damage to it at all!” a hunter shouted in desperation, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
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“Hold it off for me!” Willo bellowed in response, his grip tightening around Lightningstorm. The dual elemental mana crackled dangerously along the length of his claymore as he charged back towards Balehorn. Around him, hunters continued firing mana projectiles, creating brief flashes of light, but their efforts were like rain against stone.
Balehorn, unfazed by the barrage, grinned menacingly. It scanned the battlefield with calculating eyes before grabbing nearby chunks of debris and hurling them directly at Willo.
“Watch out!” Quin warned, already darting forward to cover his father. Willo sidestepped the first chunk, his reflexes still sharp despite the strain. Another piece of rubble came sailing through the air, but Quin intercepted it with a slice of wind-infused mana from his sword, cleaving the debris in two. The hunters around them scattered, dodging the incoming projectiles.
Willo closed the distance, his claymore surging with energy. He swung the blade in a wide arc, channeling the built-up Mana straight into Balehorn’s midsection.
BOOM!
The explosion of wind and lightning mana rippled outward from the point of impact, sending debris flying in all directions. But as the dust settled, Balehorn still stood tall, having shielded itself with a massive chunk of stone. The impact had been absorbed, leaving the beast completely unfazed.
“Damn it…” Willo muttered, eyes narrowing in frustration. His hands tightened on the hilt of his claymore as he stared up at the towering creature.
Balehorn’s tail lashed out violently, like a whip with a mind of its own, sweeping across the battlefield. Several hunters were caught off guard, sent flying through the air as they cried out in pain. The beast’s gaze, however, remained fixed on Willo, its sinister grin widening. It seemed to recognize the challenge, sensing Willo was the most formidable of the group.
Suddenly, there was the sound of rapid footsteps from the side, followed by the unmistakable thud of a giant mana hammer striking the ground. Balehorn’s attention snapped to the noise, just as Renn launched herself into the air.
With her hammer charged and ready, Renn flew towards Balehorn’s face, closing the distance in a heartbeat. The beast’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the sheer audacity of the attack.
WHAM!
The hammer connected squarely with Balehorn’s jaw, the impact reverberating through the air. Its head snapped to the side, staggering under the unexpected force. Dust and spittle sprayed from its maw as it let out a guttural growl, momentarily disoriented.
Renn landed on her feet, but the strain on her body from the arena fight caught up with her. “Ugh…” she winced, clutching her side as the pain surged through her limbs.
“Renn!” Quin shouted, his voice filled with concern as he rushed toward her. “You shouldn’t be out here fighting in your condition!”
“You guys clearly need help—” Renn began to retort, but her senses flared. Something was moving toward her—fast. She barely had time to react.
Whoosh!
Balehorn’s tail came whipping at her from the side, a blur of crimson flesh and bone. Renn quickly raised Esperanza, her mana hammer transforming into a shield just in time to absorb the brunt of the attack. But the force of the strike sent violent tremors up her arms, her grip faltering.
The next moment, the sheer power of the tail sent Renn flying backwards. She crashed into the ground with a dull thud, rolling several feet before coming to a painful stop.
Renn groaned, her body screaming in protest. In her current state, every bruise and cut from her earlier fight flared up, the pain intensifying. If she had been in peak condition, maybe she could’ve handled it. But now… it was taking everything she had just to stay conscious.
“Protect her!” Willo barked to his men, his voice filled with authority. He couldn’t afford to lose focus now—not when Balehorn was still standing. Willo charged at the creature again, hoping to draw its attention back to him before it could target Renn further.
Quin joined him, his sword flashing with wind mana as he slashed at Balehorn’s massive legs. Together, father and son launched into a seamless duo, their strikes swift and coordinated. Quin targeted the beast’s vulnerable points, slicing at the joints, while Willo prepared another charged attack, aiming for the creature’s limbs to slow it down.
Balehorn’s tail whipped and slammed at the ground around them, but its movements were getting sloppier. Perhaps the constant barrage from Willo and the hunters was wearing it down, or maybe Renn’s earlier hit had staggered it more than it let on. Either way, the hunters could feel a shift in the battle.
But Balehorn wasn’t done yet.
With a thunderous roar, it reared back, raising one of its massive hands and preparing to slam it down on the hunters below, intending to crush them all in one fell swoop.
Willo and Quin narrowly dodged Balehorn’s massive hand as it came crashing down, its impact sending shockwaves through the ground. A cloud of dust and debris billowed up around them, obscuring the battlefield for a brief moment. Unfortunately, some of the other hunters weren’t as lucky. Cries of pain pierced the air as they were caught beneath the beast’s crushing weight. The hunters’ numbers were dwindling rapidly with each passing minute.
Further back, Renn was slowly pushing herself to her feet, using her silver staff as leverage. Her entire body ached, and her head swam with dizziness from the earlier impact. She could hear the chaos of battle around her, but her mind drifted back to a conversation she had with Velle, the one that took place right after she received Esperanza.
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“You’re perfectly fine just using the enhancement and physical manifestation cores,” Velle had said absentmindedly, not even looking up from the delicate work on her desk. Tools clinked and whirred in her hands as she continued tinkering. “Since those were the ones you and Mint originally designed for the staff.”
Renn, holding the manual from Alchemist Corp headquarters, furrowed her brow in confusion. “But why did you add two more? Wasn’t the staff finished?”
Velle finally put down her tools and turned to Renn, her gaze sharp but oddly casual. “Honestly? I just wanted to see if a perfect mana weapon could be made or not.”
Renn blinked, caught off guard by the blunt answer. “What?! What about me, the one who has to use this so-called ‘perfect weapon’?”
“I had a feeling you’re a quick learner type,” Velle replied with a shrug, her nonchalant attitude giving little weight to the gravity of the conversation. “So you’ll figure it out. The first three cores work well together, but the fourth one is a bit tricky. I already have my own ways of utilizing them, of course.”
Renn could only stare, trying to process Velle’s words. She wasn’t sure if her friend was showing off her genius or if she genuinely believed Renn would master the complex weapon in no time.
Velle adjusted her glasses, her tone more serious as she continued. “Oh, and one more thing—don’t use the third core too casually. It can spread, and if you’re not careful, it could cause severe damage. I mean, unless that’s what you’re going for.”
Renn raised her hand slightly, her confusion deepening. “I actually have no idea what you mean by ‘spread.’ But thanks for the heads-up. I’ll stick to the first two for now.”
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Renn snapped back to reality, her hands gripping Esperanza tightly. Her heart pounded as she looked back toward the battlefield. Balehorn had killed more hunters—every second of hesitation was another life lost.
“Miss, stay down!” one of Willo’s men called out, rushing toward her as he saw her stand.
“It just killed more people! Don’t you see?!” Renn shouted back, her voice shaking but determined. She braced herself with her staff, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. “I’ll be fine! Go help them!”
Without waiting for a response, Renn took off toward the battlefield, her muscles screaming in protest but her mind focused on the task at hand. She sprinted toward the towering creature, her pace quick and reckless. The hunter who had called out to her could only watch in disbelief.
“W-wait!” he yelled after her, but she was already too far ahead, charging straight into the fray.
Renn, still determined despite her physical state, reactivated Esperanza’s hammer core. The translucent, mana-infused hammer reformed, glowing with ethereal energy. Her eyes were fixed on Balehorn’s legs, planning to cripple the beast’s movement. However, Balehorn’s gaze immediately locked onto her, its senses sharp despite the chaotic battle.
With a swift, predatory motion, Balehorn swung one of its massive arms at her. Instead of dodging, Renn gritted her teeth and swung her hammer in retaliation, meeting the beast’s attack head-on. The force of the impact rattled through her entire body, the sheer size and power of Balehorn overwhelming her. While the beast barely flinched, Renn felt a sharp pain surge up her arms, forcing her to stumble back. Her body screamed in protest, but she refused to back down. Fortunately, Balehorn’s tail was occupied, slamming into hunters trying to flank it.
Quin, witnessing her reckless actions, felt a wave of panic rise. The way Renn threw herself into the fight, it was as if she had no regard for her own life. Quin knew the burden of discovering the truth about her lineage had weighed heavily on her, and now it seemed like she was on a suicidal path.
“Renn, stop! I’m not letting you die here!” Quin shouted, charging toward her. He intercepted her, placing himself between Renn and Balehorn, eyes wide with fear and concern.
“I’m not planning to die here! Trust me!” Renn shot back, panting heavily, her breath ragged. Her muscles were screaming in agony from both the fight and her earlier injuries. “I need to wear it down... before Yufi gets back!”
“What?” Quin blinked, confused by her words. His eyes scanned the battlefield, realizing for the first time that Yufi was nowhere in sight. He hadn’t even noticed her absence amidst the chaos. “What do you mean?”
“Just let me do this!” Renn snarled, pushing Quin aside with all the strength she could muster. She turned her focus back to the massive beast and charged recklessly forward once more, her silver hammer raised high.
With a wild, desperate scream, Renn swung the hammer down toward Balehorn again. The blow lacked the force of her earlier strikes—her exhaustion had caught up with her. Balehorn’s reaction was swift. It casually reached out with one of its giant hands, gripping the hammer with ease before lifting it up into the air along with Renn. Renn’s eyes widened as the beast tossed both the hammer and her aside, her body crashing into the ground, rolling from the sheer force.
Before Balehorn could finish the job, Willo seized the opportunity. He unleashed another dual elemental burst from his claymore, a surge of wind and lightning crackling through the air, striking the beast in its exposed flank. The explosion hit Balehorn dead center, forcing it to roar in fury, its massive frame trembling from the blow. The sound of its cry was deafening, sending nearby hunters staggering back, hands over their ears.
Balehorn retaliated immediately, its tail lashing out in every direction. Willo and Quin narrowly avoided the vicious strike, but several other hunters weren’t as fortunate. They were sent flying through the air, some crashing into the palace walls with sickening force.
Willo’s breath was growing ragged, and his movements had slowed considerably. He was running out of steam. Despite his immense skill, even a hunter of his caliber had limits, and Balehorn’s relentless onslaught was pushing him to the brink.
And yet, Balehorn showed no signs of tiring. It seemed to revel in the chaos, its attacks sloppy but instinctive. Each tail swipe, each hand strike, was becoming more unpredictable, as though the beast were adapting to the hunters’ tactics. Despite its youth, having just been “born” not long ago, it was a dangerous predator, driven by primal instincts that made it all the more lethal.
Meanwhile, on the second-floor balcony of the palace, Coby sat with a smug grin on his face, watching the carnage unfold below. A few guards stood nearby, too horrified to speak, watching as their comrades were decimated by the monstrous Balehorn.
“Hahaha! Look at them die like maggots!” Coby’s voice was gleeful, filled with sadistic delight as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes sparkled with malice as they fixated on Renn. “Wouldn’t it be poetic to see our lost little princess fall to my toy like this, hmm?”
Renn was struggling to stay upright. Her legs trembled beneath her, the enhancement core of her staff putting immense strain on her already battered body. She could feel her stamina waning, her vision blurring. Each breath felt like fire in her lungs. Around her, the battlefield was littered with wounded and dead hunters, their bodies testament to the ferocity of Balehorn’s rampage. Another hunter was sent crashing into the palace walls by Balehorn’s tail, the impact echoing in her ears.
Her first blow had been the only one of real consequence. Every strike since had been weaker, less precise. She had pushed her body to its absolute limit. Damn it! she cursed internally. She wanted to keep fighting, but her body was betraying her.
Just as she was about to collapse, a familiar voice cut through the battlefield.
“Renn! I got it!”
Yufi came running up behind her, panting heavily from exertion. In her hands, she held a vial of glowing, shifting liquid. The very sight of it filled Renn with a renewed sense of hope. She held the vial up in the air before shouting.
“I got the Mana potion!”
Quin’s gaze flicked toward the sound of Yufi’s voice. From a distance, he could see Renn drinking something hastily from Yufi’s outstretched hand. He squinted, unable to make out exactly what it was due to the smoke and debris clouding the battlefield. His first thought was that it must’ve been some kind of healing potion, something to patch up her obvious injuries.
But when he turned back to face Balehorn, something felt... wrong. The beast had stopped dead in its tracks, its massive body suddenly tensing. Its fierce, almost playful expression contorted into something unfamiliar—its eyes wide, its lips curling in a grotesque mix of anger and fear.
Balehorn, the monstrous juggernaut that had been effortlessly tossing hunters like ragdolls, was now... hesitating.
“What... What’s going on?” Quin whispered under his breath, his eyes darting between Renn and the beast.
Before he could shout a warning, Balehorn threw back its head and roared—this time not in fury, but in a desperate, primal frustration. Without hesitation, it charged, its enormous form tearing across the battlefield straight for Renn and Yufi. Every footfall was an earthquake, sending debris and dust spiraling into the air, obscuring Willo, Quin, and the others.
Quin’s heart sank. “Renn! Yufi! Watch out!” he screamed, his voice barely cutting through the rumble of the beast’s approach.
There were only seconds before Balehorn would reach them. Everything seemed to move in slow motion—the pounding of the beast’s footsteps, the tremors in the earth growing stronger as it closed in. Quin and the others scrambled, but they couldn’t reach her in time.
In that critical moment, Renn drained the glowing potion, feeling her strength rapidly return as the fatigue and pain melted away. The vial slipped from her hand, hitting the ground with a soft clink. She clenched Esperanza tightly, her body restored to its peak condition. Her heartbeat steadied, her mind focused—no longer clouded by exhaustion.
She had no excuse now.
With a single breath, she reactivated Esperanza’s enhancement core, her body surging with speed and strength once again. But this time, she didn’t stop there. She let her fingers trace the familiar engravings on the staff, activating the third core with a determined flick.
Suddenly, her body became a blur of motion, moving faster than she ever had before. The ground cracked beneath her feet as she launched herself at Balehorn, her movements now almost instinctual. The hammer core materialized at the end of her staff, but this time it wasn’t just the usual translucent mass.
It crackled with electricity.
Tendrils of light blue lightning snaked around the hammer, the air itself humming with the raw energy of Mana. She could feel the power coursing through Esperanza, dangerous and wild, waiting to be unleashed.
As she swung the hammer to the side, the sound of crackling lightning grew louder, the energy growing more intense. And then—BOOM!
The force of the blow was cataclysmic. The lightning bursted alongside the strike, and the impact wasn’t just felt—it exploded. The massive hammer, now infused with lightning, connected with Balehorn’s skull, and the beast was flung sideways, its enormous body thrown like a ragdoll. The shockwave from the hit rippled across the battlefield, sending debris flying and forcing those nearby to shield their faces.
The lightning from the core amplified the strike tenfold, and even the mighty Balehorn wasn’t immune to the devastating power of the combined two mana cores. The beast’s body trembled as electricity coursed through it, the sheer force of the hit stopping its charge dead in its tracks.
Quin stared in disbelief as Balehorn’s hulking form crashed to the ground, its limbs twitching involuntarily from the shock. “What... what was that?” he muttered, his eyes wide in shock.
Renn landed softly, though her legs shook from the power she had just unleashed. As she glanced down at Esperanza, the hammer still crackling with residual electricity, it dawned on her just how powerful this staff actually was.
This was the power of Esperanza’s physical manifestation combined with its third core, lighting element, in Renn’s most perfect condition.
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