Greero made his way to the last wall with their tornado ghost leaves patrolling and found himself a bit sad that this adventure was ending so soon. But it is what it is, and the earlier three-headed serpent's ghost breath attack had already given him some insight into what he could expect from the ghost leaf tornadoes. It was a bit sad that the last surprise of this adventure was ruined, but he supposed the three-headed serpent itself had more than made up for ruining the later surprise with the fight it had given him.
So with no real resistance, just a few undead grass elementals desperately throwing themselves at him, he cut them down with ease. Greero soon found himself at the final wall and brought his blade, the Gratana, high in the air and was just about to bring it down, slicing apart the final wall, then proceeding through to defeat the final defenders before destroying the skull once and for all. But just as he was about to do that, Greero got a sense of danger that told him to leap back immediately or he would die, so he did.
Greero was soon high in the air; his leap back put him a few feet in the air, nearly reaching the dome of smog that covered the entirety of the kingdom of necrotic smog. Greero looked down, wanting to know what danger his instincts had warned him about, and he was a bit shocked by what he saw. As what was now where he had just been a moment ago was one of the undead grass elementals that he had been slaughtering since he had arrived.
Though this one was far different from the rest of its kin. For a starter, well, it was one of those angry centipede grass elementals he'd seen by the dozen; this one was ten times their size. Also, the rather sharp grass that the angry centipede grass elementals were known to have was turned into complete blades on this beast. Which is where the danger has come from, as Greero could see the blades on this large example of undead grass elemental rage were constantly trying to cut either against the air or each other.
So the thing likely wanted to take him by surprise, likely by using pure speed, as it was far too loud with it constantly clashing red grass blades on its body to be sneaky. Greero, having taken in the creature as he fell back to the ground, prepared to charge the beast with glee, as he had gotten another interesting opponent. Though just as he landed on the ground, his instincts warned him once again, and so he rolled to the side, barely avoiding a sudden spider leg appearing out of nowhere while having acid coming out of it, nearly running him through.
Greero looked at his ambusher for a moment, taking all the details he could make out, which was a bit of a difficult task. As his ambusher, a giant version of the earlier grass spiders that he had been killing with ease was somehow disappearing back into the grass around them that was far smaller than itself. Just as Greero was beginning to figure out where the giant grass elemental spider might have gone within the limited fields of black grass, the large, angry centipede grass elemental came at him.
It barreled at him at high speed, giving Greero only a moment to prepare himself for the loving caravan of red grass blades. Greero got his blade into position and fought off the thousands of blades that were bared at him as the large, angry grass centipede elemental charged at him. He managed to block them and divert the charge of the creature, but only just. Greero actually found himself breathing more heavily than usual, as he had to put in a bit more effort than usual, and he had several interesting flights before this fight.
Though just as he was getting his breath back from the charge and the subsequent barrage of red grass blade attacks that had taken it out of him, he then found himself rolling on the ground. As almost invisibly and with virtually no warning, the hidden giant grass spider that was four times the size of its kin attacked with its six legs, causing him to have to move rapidly. Especially as one dodge would end up putting him in the path of another sharp spear-like spider leg.
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This meant he was rapidly dodging in one direction only to end up dodging in an entirely different direction. Greero was eventually done dodging the barrage of hidden spider legs, though then he found himself lined up perfectly for another charge by the giant red centipede. "Well, it looks like I'm facing a team once again." Greero said in the few moments he had before he once again had to take the giant red centipede's charge head-on and the swinging of all the red grass blades that came after the initial charge.
Greero handled it as he had done before but found himself pushed back and actually bleeding from some strikes that he couldn't block. This is the first time he's been hurt since his invasion of the necrotic smog kingdom had begun. Though now that he thought about it, Greero hadn't been hurt in a long time period. Though before he could think further on that line of thought, the large hidden spider once again let loose a barrage, wanting to capitalize on the undead red grass centipede's success.
This actually succeeded to a degree as the fourth leg of its second six-legged barrage attempt actually managed to graze him, adding to his wounds, if only slightly. Greero, despite the increasing wounds and danger he was finding himself in, couldn't help himself from voicing one thought that was echoing in his mind. "Where is the damn spider!" Greero said he was not angry at being wounded by it but was wondering how it could attack him so closely without being noticed.
Though Greero quickly had to abandon that train of thought as the giant undead red grass centipede came around, charging once more. Though this charge was different, as about halfway through the giant undead red grass centipede's barrage of red grass blades, the spider made its move, probably figuring with the slight wounds Greero had gained as well as him being busy defending from the red centipede, it would be the perfect time to finish him.
Though just as one of the giant hidden spider's legs was about to run Greero through his blade, the Gratana glowed, and he entered into a kind of super state, moving even faster than before and was able to block all attacks and duck away, gaining much-needed distance. Greero took a moment to gaze at the red centipede that was circling back around for another attack. Then he looked to the black grass fields, where the spiders were no doubt moving around in getting into position for another attack.
Greero then looked back towards the red centipede that was charging back at him and found himself smiling. As heroes and villains had been fighting each other for as long as anyone could remember. The last of any monsters capable of fighting heroes was rendered extinct thousands of years ago, but as Greero felt his small wound drip blood onto the ground, he knew he had found a foe capable of it.
He knew with their slaying and the wounds to show for it, his legend would be great, for he would be the first to slay monsters capable of hurting heroes in thousands of years. So Greero charged forward, going to meet the red centipede's charge, his eyes shining brightly as he thought ahead to the glory he would have.
The battle continued on, neither side truly knowing what was to come, while the ruler of a realm besieged continued his holy work, ignorant of the blood spilled as he continued his work. Though if he was allowed to finish his work, the changes to the world would be profound.