Chapter 23: Monster Attack (2)

'Fuck! This is really bad!'

At that critical moment, as the monstrous mass of black slime descended toward Adriel, it felt as if time itself ground to a halt. A seed of doubt sprouted within me, taking root in the fertile ground of my fear and uncertainty.

'Can the hero of this world truly die? Is it possible for him to meet his end before fulfilling his ultimate duty decreed by fate and confirmed by the Oracle of Delphi?'

These questions swirled in my mind, casting a shadow over my thoughts. The black mass loomed ever closer, inching relentlessly toward Adriel's vulnerable body. It was a matter of mere moments before Adriel would be consumed by darkness.

*Swoosh∼*

"Aargggghhh!!"

Suddenly, a silver arrow sliced through the air, trailing a radiant streak of divine energy behind. The monster's ominous advance was abruptly halted as the arrow struck with unerring precision, embedding itself in one of the glowing, red-eye-like circles on its grotesque face.

A deafening groan erupted from the creature, its misery evident in the guttural sound. The monster's assault on Adriel was disrupted, its hands instinctively clutching its wounded eye. It staggered backward before collapsing onto its butt, causing the ground to tremble under its massive weight.

When I turned to see who had fired the arrow, it came as no surprise that it wasn't Amelia. Instead, it was Nadia who stood grounded with Amelia's bow in hand. Though likely her first time wielding such a weapon, her aim was nearly flawless. After all, her lineage traced back to Artemis, the goddess of hunting. The skill seemed encoded in her very DNA, a natural inheritance of her divine heritage.

The monster, though momentarily staggered, quickly recovered from the arrow's impact. It rose to its feet, determined to finish the gruesome assault on Adriel it had begun. However, a few seconds bought by Nadia's arrow were all Eleanor and I needed, giving us more than enough time to arrive at the battleground in time.

Before the monster could advance on Adriel, I raised my arms and summoned a sand barrier from the ground. This time, the wall was significantly thicker and taller than any I had created before. The exertion of high divine energy sent a sharp cramp through my arm, but the barrier successfully emerged, momentarily baffling the monster.

Seizing the opportunity, Eleanor swiftly grabbed Adriel from the ground. We quickly retreated to join Amelia and Nadia, seeking refuge behind the newly formed wal while the monster was still disoriented by the sudden obstacle.

"Any plan?"

Nadia asked her smile tinged with nervousness. I stole a glance at Adriel, his form marred by bruises and wounds, his pale complexion drained of its usual vitality. It was evident that he had endured numerous broken bones.

"Eleanor, can you heal Adriel too?"

"No. While it's fine as long as I use it on myself, the strain of extending it to others requires too much divine energy. I don't have enough divine energy to possibly use it consecutively."

"I see..."

With Adriel sustaining heavy injuries, and our own strength depleted from the arduous battle, the odds seemed insurmountable. I racked my brain, trying to recall the details of how Adriel had triumphed over this monstrous adversary in the novel.

Then it hit me. I couldn't help but slap my forehead in disbelief at the oversight. How could I have missed such a crucial detail? In the novel, the main characters discovered that the two glowing red circles were the monster's Achilles' heel, finding it after assaulting the monsters altogether.

The fact that that huge monster was knocked down by just a single arrow, which had hit right in that red circle, served as undeniable evidence of its vulnerability. I scrutinized the face of the monster, obscured beneath layers of black slime, was a telltale glow of a red circle, nestled amidst the darkness.

'Just one circle?'

The other circle that got hit by the arrow had lost its glow and become hollow.

'So that's how it is...'

"You all see that red glowing eye-like circle on its face? That's its weak spot! If we can strike at its last eye, just like Nadia did, we may have a chance."

"Are you sure that's its weak spot?"

"Yeah, just trust me."

Eleanor nodded, choosing to place her faith in my words. Even though it was vague, a plan began to take shape, born of desperation.

"Amelia, take Adriel and Nadia and escape to the camp, it shouldn't be that far away from here. Call for help as soon as you get there."

"No! We can't leave you two behind! This monster might kill you!"

"Don't get me wrong, I am not sacrificing myself. I am just getting rid of burdens."

"W-What... What do you mean?"

"How are you going to help us in any way if you can't even shoot an arrow?! Just go so that at least we can focus all our attention on the battle."

"B-But..."

Looking at her with dead eyes, her hesitation tested my patience, and I could barely hide my annoyance. It baffled me how she couldn't get her head around such a simple fact. Thankfully, before I could say something really hurtful, Nadia stepped in.

"Amelia! Let's go! He is right, we are only being a burden for them..."

Amelia cast one final glance at Eleanor and me, her expression a tumult of emotions. Her head bowed, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. With a trembling breath, she clenched her fists and bit her lip, wrestling with her inner turmoil. Yet, in the end, she relented, and resigned to comply with my request.

"Okay..."

As they prepared to depart, Adriel, lodged on Nadia's back, with a fleeting moment of consciousness, whispered subtly before they turned to flee in the opposite direction.

"Don't you guys die..."

'Like I would die here.'

With Amelia and the others gone, Eleanor and I found ourselves facing the boss monster alone. As it shattered through my sand wall and advanced toward us, each thunderous step reverberated through the ground. I reached out instinctively for the hilt of my daggers, only to find empty air awaiting my grasp.

*Sigh...*

'I forgot to retrieve my dagger since we hurried our way here to help Adriel...'

"Uhh... Just so you know, I don't have my daggers on me."

"Really?"

*Roar!*

The deafening roar of the monster echoed through the air as it leaped high, intent on crushing us beneath its massive body. Reacting swiftly, I rolled to the right while Eleanor darted toward the left, evading the monster's impending attack. As the beast landed with a thunderous thud, chunks of sand were sent flying into the air, obscuring our vision.

As the sand particles settled down, I caught sight of the monster rushing towards me with lumbering steps. It swung its massive fist in my direction, but its movements were surprisingly cumbersome.

'Seems like it is already weakened from losing one of its eyes.'

With a surge of determination, instead of avoiding the punch, I opted to meet the monster's punch head-on, channeling my divine energy into my fist. A swirling vortex of black and red hue enveloped my punch as I braced for impact.

As the slimy mass descended upon me, I shifted my weight, sliding my right foot back to ground myself. I unleashed my punch, meeting the monster's blow with all the force I could muster. The collision resounded through the air, sending shockwaves rippling outward and scattering grains of sand in every direction.

Though pain shot through my arm, it was a small price to pay for the devastation inflicted upon the monster. The power of my punch transmitted into its limb, causing the black slime to ripple and wobble with the force propagating through its entire arm. A wave of pressure surged along its surface, culminating in a violent explosion as its arm was blown apart from within due to high pressure, revealing the grotesque sight of what seemed like its skeletal structure. Drops of slimy black matter were flung into the sky, scattering like ominous raindrops before cascading down upon the battlefield.

The monster paused, taking a few moments to comprehend what just happened to its arm. This brief bewilderment proved to be a critical advantage for us. Eleanor seized the opportunity, springing into action. Her sword, aglow with green-blue divine energy, became a blur as she lunged at the monster from behind.

With a war cry, Eleanor thrust her blade toward the back of the monster's head, aiming to pierce through its skull and obliterate the remaining red eye. The divine energy coating her sword crackled with intensity, promising a fatal strike if her attack found its mark.

Unfortunately, the monster reacted just in time, raising its remaining arm to shield its vulnerable head. Eleanor's sword, blazing with green-blue divine energy, sliced cleanly through the monster's arm, severing it entirely. The severed limb, a mass of black slime, thudded to the ground with a disturbing squelch.

Though it was able to block the lethal blow, the monster was now completely disarmed, its grotesque form diminished and its defenses severely compromised. Black slime oozed from its wounds, and it swayed unsteadily, its red eye glowing with desperate fury.

Despite losing both of its arms, however, the monster still possessed the means to fight back. With a swift and powerful motion, it swung its leg at Eleanor. She raised her sword to block, but the sheer force of the kick sent her flying through the air. She landed in the sea with a splash, which was not so much of an intelligent choice on the monster's part considering she was the daughter of the sea.

The monster retreated a few steps, assessing its situation, while Eleanor emerged from the sea, riding on a current of water that carried her through the air. She landed gracefully beside me, droplets of water glistening on her skin.

"I thought we had to destroy those red eyes to defeat it. It seems like it'll be dead before we even reach the eye."

"Don't be so hasty. We're just getting started..."

"Hmm?"

Following my words, the giant monster began trembling, its last eye glowing intensely. The trembling escalated until it suddenly stopped, leaving an eerie silence hanging in the air. Moments later, masses of black slime flared from its shoulders, coalescing into two newly formed arms.

Eleanor stared at the monster in disbelief, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"I told you. We're just getting started..."

"I guess you were right..."