Astra quickly switched his weapon to a sword, leaving his gun on the ground as he climbed a tree to get a clearer view through the thick blue mist.

Below him, Agro staggered backward, his fingers clenched tightly around his spear. His breath came in shallow gasps, his wide, darting eyes desperately searching for any sign of the creature hidden in the mist.

Fear gripped his chest, making his pulse thunder in his ears as he tried to gather the courage to face what lurked just beyond his sight.

“Die, you monster!!” He shouted.

Agro lunged forward, thrusting his spear wildly into the mist, praying it would find its mark. But it hit nothing.

But suddenly, a claw shot out, aiming directly for his head. He barely had time to react before an arrow tore through the mist, slicing through the creature’s arm and deflecting its attack off course.

The arrow showed the monster's whereabouts for a moment. Agro stumbled back, but the claw still caught him in a grazing blow.

She can see through the mist? What can’t her third eye do? Astra thought, astonished, as he moved to another branch.

A sickening, wet rip sounded as the monster’s claws tore into Agro's left arm, slicing through flesh and muscle.

"Ahhhh!"

Agro’s scream filled the air—a raw, unfiltered howl of agony that echoed through the cavern, shattering the silence. Blood gushed from the wound, running down his arm and pooling at his feet.

He fell to his knees, clutching the torn, bleeding flesh, his face twisted in horror and pain as he looked down at his own mangled arm.

Thwack.

Suddenly, a loud impact shook the air. The creature’s body was thrown backward, crashing against the cavern wall with a deafening crack. The bluish mist was gone, and blue blood splattered across the stone, staining the rock in thick, viscous streaks.

The monster’s insides were visible; it lay smashed like a pancake, its head severed cleanly on the ground—though no one had sliced it.

Asa took the chance when the arrow revealed the monster's appearance. He stood where the monster had been, his energy shield bent and cracked from the force of his blow, but his grip was unwavering. Asa's muscles bulged, fueled by the power of Aria’s blood coursing through him, giving him the strength to hurl the creature like a bullet train at the same speed as Biya's arrow.

Without pausing, Asa raised his hammer high, his gaze fierce as he brought it down in a brutal arc. But the creature recovered with terrifying speed, its body reformed like slime, now shorter than Asa, altering its movement. It moved in an unnatural, impossible way.

It growled angrily, red blood spilling from its mouth—the remnants of Hylax. Its claw snapped up to catch the hammer mid-swing. Asa gritted his teeth, pushing with all his might, but the creature’s strength matched his, its claws grinding against the head of the hammer.

A shiver ran down Astra’s spine as he watched. The monster was healing—its wounds knitting together even as Asa strained to hold it back. The faint blue light slowly reemerged.

Biya’s frustration grew as she watched from a distance, unable to take a clean shot without risking Asa’s life while he fought the creature in close combat. The monster was too strong for Asa, pushing him back until he was near an ancient tree.

“Aria, go help Ejio and Agro,” Biya murmured, her voice low and urgent.

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Aria turned to her, with a shaky voice.

“C-can… we just leave?”

Biya felt a surge of anger rise within her at first, but as she looked closely at Aria, her heart softened. Aria’s small, fragile frame resembled that of a scared child, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and her body trembling with fear.

She couldn't tell if Aria was a child or if her appearance was due to her race's characteristics. No one had ever thought to ask her age.

“No, Aria, we have to help them. It’s okay; I’m with you,” she whispered slowly to help calm her down.

Biya then took Aria behind her back and ran toward them.

What should I do? What is its weakness? Asa has already smashed its body like a pancake, but it’s still alive…

Biya has a special eye that lets her see through darkness and far into the mist, but I don't think she’s shown us all her abilities. Maybe she can spot its weakness?

Astra raced through his mind, trying to find a way to exploit its weakness.

Far away, Ejio staggered to his feet, using his sword as support. With a bloody body, his eyes were filled with red fury, and he gritted his teeth. Agro also stood, then staggered forward, raising his spear in his one good hand, blood dripping in a steady rhythm as he moved. His movements swayed like a leaf.

"Hit its head!” Biya shouted, her voice raw with desperation.

Agro rushed to the scene and thrust his spear deep, but instead of hitting the monster, he accidentally stabbed Asa. Asa gasped, his eyes widening in shock as the strength drained from his limbs.

He staggered back, his hammer slipping from his hand. Blood trickled from the wound, staining his side as he stared at Agro, his expression dazed as if he were under a spell.

Asa, staggering from the wound, Asa swung his hammer, sending Agro flying, but the impact left him gasping for breath. Asa’s breaths grew ragged, each inhale burning his lungs as the mist seeped into his body, sapping his strength. He stumbled, his legs barely able to support him. The mist thickened around them, obscuring them from view.

“No!”

She stumbled back, her heart racing, and fell to the ground, her hands trembling as she gripped the dirt.

“Damn it all!” she shouted in desperation.

Swoop.

In a sudden flash, a blade sliced clean through the air from above the branch. The monster’s head split apart in a single, precise strike, and its body fell limp, collapsing into a heap on the ground. He had waited, biding his time in the ancient tree's branches, and when the opportunity arose, he struck with brutal efficiency, severing the monster’s head in two with one swift blow.

Astra realized the monster’s weakness from the sequence of events. When Biya shot an arrow at its head, the monster dodged with incredible speed, avoiding the fatal strike and confirming that it could move quickly enough to protect its head.

When Asa struck, moving with the same speed as Biya's arrow, the force of his attack in that split second caused the monster to sever its own head in a desperate bid to save its life.

Notifications appeared before his eyes.

[You have slain a strong enemy!]

Reward: 22,000 EXP

[You have leveled up! 15 > 16]

[You have leveled up! 16 > 17]

[You have leveled up! 17 > 18]

[You have leveled up! 18 > 19]

[You have leveled up! 19 > 20]

Congratulations!

You have successfully reached Level 20!

To proceed with your evolution, ensure that the following conditions are met:

Nourishment Status:

[██████████████░░░░░░] 70%

Action Required: Consume 30% more nourishment.

Sleep Quality:

[████████░░░░░░░░░░░░] 40%

Action Required: Get 60% more sleep

Astra grinned as he looked at the notification screen.

The mist began to thin, its hold fading as the creature’s life drained away. Biya looked at the scene, her third eye closed and her normal eyes widening in shock and confusion. Ejio mirrored Biya's expression but quickly shifted to anger. Behind Biya, Aria stood, her small frame shaking with fear.

Asa, struggling to remain conscious, watched the scene through half-closed eyes, his face a mask of pain, embarrassment, and confusion. Agro lay unconscious nearby, his breath shallow but steady, blissfully unaware of the tense scene unfolding around him.

Astra stood beside the monster's carcass, his sword dripping with thick blue blood. His expression was a mix of exhilaration and relief as he looked at a notification screen only he could see. The crazed smile on his face made him appear unhinged.

𓆩✧𓆪