Forty Makaqoves on one side, and fifty-two Barbapts on the other. The monstrous creatures darted through the ferns of blue and red, their motives set on harming us and one another. But in the crossfire of their skirmish, I was sure not to allow either of these divisive creatures harm either Zest or the Plelepun.
I swerved, ducked, and struck my foes whenever possible, but the battleground was a blur, an almost familiar place of devastation and fallen figures. However, I maintained focus on my objective.
The Makaqoves, with their arms detached and elongated like nunchucks, allowed the watery chains between their elbows to swirl and slice through the air. They propelled skillfully by the Makaqove's manipulation, a blow which whipped and crushed the heads, shoulders, or whatever body part that their skill known as the [Torrential Nunchuck] could collide with.
Fortunate, but also horrible to witness, the Barbapts were the ones hit and killed, rendered to reel, and after sustaining enough damage from the Makaqoves' attacks—the eyeless monsters burst into a spectacle of particles.
A watery tail swished and tore through the air, and I had to turn quickly to evade being obliterated from tail swipe.
It was a Makaqove, and I engaged it in close-quarter-combat. My ear punched and connected with its jaw, and with a couple stabs at the Makaqove's chest, I took the monkey-like creature down. The Makaqove's particles were absorbed, but I couldn't focus too long on it as another came to replace its fallen comrade.
This one tried to overturn me with a fighting technique—yes, it was good a fighter, I came to recognize, as it tried to entrap me between the watery chain in-between it’s disconnected arms.
With each strike, the Makaqove's arm segments generated intense heat—boiling, transforming into scorching whips that crackled with bubbling gas.
I continued to twirl and dodge, my Merecritt form a blur of movements as I took advantage of my smaller size. My retractable ears, seemingly innocent and fluffy, became deadly extensions of my will, deftly maneuvering my spear to counterattack its strikes.
Lightning crackled and surged around my body, coursing into the weapon, infusing it with electrifying power. As the Makaqove lunged forward, my body and ears darted with lightning speed, parrying the scalding strikes with calculated grace.
This Makaqove was troublesome to deal with, it was an (UnCommon:F+), but as soon as I adjusted my fighting style by grabbing onto its leg, and leading it to crash onto its back—I promptly yanked it into my spears range before delivering the finishing blow.
It howled as I struck it, and once I confirmed its particle dissipation and gained [6:APeX] units from its defeat, my thoughts swayed to the current state of Zest and the Plelepun.
First I ensured I had no opponents to deal with, I did not see the Plelepun—my eldritch elephant pal—and I guessed that the Plelepun might have been burrowed underneath the ground.
Zest's whereabouts were quick to catch my attention as I spotted a crimson flash through the foliage.
Zest, with antlers aglow and sparks arcing around them, weaved through the smaller forms of the Makaqoves and the Barbapts. The eldritch deer evaded the scorching chains with acute discernment and instinct.
With each dodge, Zest retaliated, launching bolts of electricity from their antlers. The crackling bolts tore through the air, seeking out the Makaqoves, disrupting their fluid movements and forcing them to retreat momentarily. Other Makaqove were caught underfoot beneath the lightning-infused hooves of Zest's as it stomped down on its adversaries.
Meanwhile, I returned my focus back on the Barbapts that screeched upon their approach, immediately they swung and tried to punch me with their footed-fists.
Their snarling growls reverberated through the dissonance, their vine-like arms lashing out with deadly accuracy. Their hands-turned-feet propelled them with surprising speed, making it challenging to predict their erratic movements as the creatures flipped and hopped around me.
Like twisted little imps and goblins, their every movement was a snarling frenzy, their teeth snapped and bared in a menacing growl. They sought to overpower and overwhelm me with their sheer numbers and never-ending assault.
Allowing my ears to ignite with [Fire], I spun and allowed my ear and the fiery tip of tail to erupt with a bluish flame, activating my [SpectraFire] to dissuade them.
The air sizzled upon clashing with fur—fire igniting the Barbapts into roasted husks. The forest reverberated with the sound of cracking branches, the hiss of scorching flames and heat, and the crackling of electricity after I followed through with a [Doom Zap].
Several of the Barbapts fell victim to the flames and lightning, but I did not relent there. I utilized my Merecritt form's agility increasing technique—[MereSwiftness], and I twirled my spear with my long, stretchable ears to deflect the other Barbapts' razor-sharp daggers.
Shallows cuts made themselves known on my form, but I continued to swing, slash, punch, and cleave through my foes. The clash of my crystal-tipped spear against twisted vines filled the air as I sought to incapacitate the menacing creatures who were brave enough to approach!
But it was becoming apparent that their numbers were growing faster than I could put them down…
So, I unleashed an earsplitting scream, the [Melodious Shout], which the destructive and harmonious sound waves disoriented, pushed back, or left the opposing Makaqoves and Barbapts vulnerable enough to make it easier for me to takedown. And dashing through the field with heightened speed, I swiftly switched to enchanting my spear with [Fire] and [Lightning], and I pierced through the dozens of Makaqoves and Barbapts within my path.
I noticed Zest weaving between the Barbapt's frenzied attacks, striking them with [Doom Zaps] whenever possible.
The Plelepun, its trunk swinging with crushing force, released a seismic blast of sound that reverberated through the forest, disorienting the approaching horde.
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This granted me the chance to cast a [MereSphere] within the palm of my ears, and I hurled it into a dazed mass of Barbapts and Makaqoves.
Amidst the chaos, the Plelepun returned to digging into the ground. Its burrowing skills allowed it to seamlessly navigate the terrain, bursting from the ground with impeccable timing to disrupt the a second wave of Barbapts advancing.
The Plelepun proceeded to dig into the ground and bury the creatures under the rubble of its quickly crafted trap.
And after its victory, the Plelepun appeared at another area of the field before unleashing a trumpet-like battlecry from its nose which echoed through the jungle, warning us of another incoming attack from a swinging squadron of Makaqoves approaching from a cluster of large leaves.
It burrowed into the ground once again, resurfacing with its body surrounded by a halo of earth and foliage. It unleashed a barrage of soil and roots, blinding and ensnaring the Makaqoves in its swiftly prepared traps, momentarily halting their advance.
Seeming frustrated from the Plelepun's diversion, the Makaqoves, pressed on with their assault.
Leaping to the ground they used their fiery fists to unleash punches that left trails of blazing infernos, scorching the forest floor and sending plumes of smoke into the air.
The Plelepun took a strike as it whined, but it toughened up and dug into the ground to evade the Makaqoves continuous and coordinated assault of heated fists.
I could tell that the Makaqoves were satisfied in forcing the Plelepun to retreat, and their attention was switched to me. The squadron of Makaqoves lunged at me, their elongated limbs lashing forth. But I was ready. My ears, attuned to the subtle shifts in the air, detected the surge of heat and the telltale sizzle of impending danger.
In that split second, instinct took over.
Their coordinated assault did not go as planned as they tried to vanquish me with their watery chains and blazing fists which intertwined into a deadly barrage.
It was clear that they had honed their tactics. They were well-trained in fighting as a team, and all I could do for the moment was remain in the defensive and remain keen to disallow direct hits on my body.
Striking forth in response, I tried punching my ears outward with all my might to gain a chance to disrupt their united front.
I struck one Makaqove in the midst of their face with my pseudo-fist, knocking them headfirst into a boulder. Another took a punch to their chest, and a few narrowly able to evade the spear strokes—immediately it clicked that they were far more attentive to the ear that wielded my spear.
The remaining Makaqoves encircled me, and as the Makaqoves prepared to strike, I could feel the temperature in the surrounding air rise, the atmosphere becoming charged with an undeniable heat. The creatures' limb chains swirled and spun through the air, leaving behind trails of shimmering heat.
I had to make a gamble, and taking the risk, I answered with a powerful leap in response. I evaded the Makaqoves' chained arms ending with their [Inferno Fists], and I soared through the air.
As I landed, my ears unfurled like wings, generating a gust of wind that dispersed the searing heat. The Makaqoves, momentarily thrown off balance, stumbled in their onslaught.
Using this opening, my spear sliced through the air, puncturing into the Makaqoves' bodies. The Makaqoves unleashed hisses and howls of pain as the spear pierced into their fur, eliciting a spray of scalding water that dissipated harmlessly in the breeze.
< AERA's APeX >
600 → 668
With every defeated Makaqove, my rank inched closer to F+. The air crackled with anticipation as I pressed forward, my spear cleaving through the more and more Makaqoves trying to obstruct me.
Across the battlefield, Zest and the Plelepun faced their own adversaries. The Makaqoves struck with their heated fists and watery tails. But my teammates were not defenseless.
Zest fired a surge of electricity that crackled along the ground. As the Makaqoves lunged, their heated fists poised for impact, Zest's lightning-infused terrain disrupted their movements. The electrical currents sizzled through the water that comprised the Makaqoves' limbs, throwing off their coordination.
Meanwhile, the Plelepun, utilizing its burrowing prowess, created a network of tunnels beneath the forest floor. The Makaqoves, relying on their agility and their footwork, found themselves stumbling upon hidden pitfalls. The earth shifted beneath their feet, destabilizing their attacks and leaving them vulnerable.
That was where Zest and I came in. Together we blasted into the disheveled area where the Makaqoves stumbled and fell. Eradicating them instantaneously with our lightning.
The Makaqoves' howls filled the air once again.
More arrived and howled, smacking their fists against their chests, but this time they were laced with fury and challenge. They seemed to have finally recognized our presence as a true threat. With a burst of speed, the reserve of Makaqoves leaped from their perch, hurtling towards us with an air of ferocity and wrath.
G.A.I.A. Online!
— DANGER ⚠️ DETECTED
— DANGER ⚠️ DETECTED
— Technique DETECTED: Torrential Nunchuck
— Technique DETECTED: Inferno Fists
"Ready yourselves!" I cried out to Zest and the Plelepun as we hastily braced ourselves, ready to face these formidable opponent head-on.
As the Makaqoves descended from above, we met their onslaught with unwavering resolve. Zest's antlers crackled with electricity, while I tightened my grip on my spear, preparing for the imminent clash.
With a sudden surge of energy, the Makaqoves unleashed their Torrential Nunchuck technique. Their limb chains detached with blinding speed, creating a whirlwind of water and scalding heat.
The torrential downpour of the Makaqoves' strikes came crashing towards us as their arms arc through the air, each blow a deadly representation of physical force and searing pain.
Zest and I swiftly did our best to dodge and parry their assault, our movements synchronized as heated fists and watery tails made an attempt to strike us down.
We leaped and twisted through the field, narrowly evading the onslaught of attacks. The forest around us echoed with the sizzle of water turning to steam.
I felt the searing heat of the Makaqoves' [Inferno Fists] as it struck with devastating force. The explosion of scorching energy sent shockwaves through my body, leaving my fur singed and my muscles throbbing with pain. But I refused to succumb, pushing through the agony with unwavering grit.
I briskly swung my ears, their edges slicing through the humid air, as I grasped branches, launched myself and met the Makaqoves in the trees. Their [Torrential Nunchucks] clashed with my ears, further testing the limitations of my fortitude.
With each clash, I could feel the scorching heat radiating from their attacks, threatening to overwhelm me. But I refused to yield against the Makaqoves!
Using the branches as my allies, I somersaulted and spun, avoiding their strikes with lithesome grace. The forest became my playground, a labyrinth of possibilities as I anticipated their movements and countered with swift, ear strikes of my own.
Makaqoves fell from my strikes and I could see the frustration flicker in their eyes, they were noticeably faltering under my assault.
While I fought among the branches, Zest unleashed their electricity on the ground below. Their antlers crackled ferociously as they engaged the Makaqoves with lightning bolts illuminating the forest floor. The ground shook with the force of Zest's attacks, and the thunderous sounds echoed through the rainforest.
And as the sun arose above the horizon, casting long shadows over the battlefield, our resolve burned brighter than ever as Zest and I found ourselves near a breathtaking waterfall, its cascading waters roaring with a ferocity that mirrored the intensity of our fight.
The river below flowed with a swift current, adding an element of danger to the already volatile battlefield as I parried a scalding strike from a Makaqove's limb chain, a surge of energy surged through me, resonating with the very core of my being. It was a transformative surge, an awakening that propelled me beyond my previous limitations.