In the heavy silence that settled after the tumult of the previous scene, everyone stood frozen, petrified by what they had just witnessed. Then Maïli, in a calm voice, broke the quiet:
"Emma, please come and heal our dear hero. We still have a mission to complete."
Emma snapped out of her daze and rushed to Shawn, who lay on the ground like a helpless worm. The others gripped by worry and dread gathered around as Emma began administering first aid with careful diligence.
While Emma tended to Shawn, Maïli swept the surroundings with sharp focus. Beyond the burned-out village, the entire area had been reduced to ash. Trees that once towered with pride were now charred silhouettes twisted, skeletal branches clawing at the sky. Even the soil, once lush and green, had turned into a desolate expanse, a coal-black scab testifying to the fire's devastating fury.
She moved cautiously toward the village gate, scanning every angle. Before she even crossed the threshold, a murderous blaze erupted. With a reflexive sidestep, she narrowly avoided a massive fireball that roared past her its heat licking her face as she hurled herself out of its path. The explosion that followed tore through the air a few meters away, rocking the ground beneath her and flinging incandescent debris in every direction.
In an instant, she faced a serpent wreathed in flames, advancing toward her with sinister slowness followed by a daunting procession of other serpents, each one just as ablaze. Without hesitation, she sprang back to rejoin the group, who were now staring at the creatures.
"There are many of them," Maël cried.
"It doesn't matter," Maïli replied, voice utterly steady.
Behind her just as in her earlier fight multiple orbs of air formed like sentinels ready to guard their mistress, swirling into an effervescent choreography and priming themselves for a barrage. Knowing the threat before her, she immediately judged that fire would be of little use here and chose wind instead.
"Let's try this," she said with a brief smile.
The air-balls behind her sharpened into menacing blades. With a precise gesture, she marked her target, and the blades came down in a lightning storm upon the first serpent. Each blade pierced the creature's hide with ruthless efficiency, like needles slipping through cloth. With a final cry of agony, the beast collapsed its life snuffed out by the blistering assault.
"I can do the same!" Maël declared, confident in her own ability.
With a swift motion, she unleashed a series of water orbs at one of the serpents. But—confoundingly despite water's elemental advantage over fire, the serpent pressed forward, undisturbed, as if the attack had done nothing at all.
"What?!" she exclaimed, stunned by the strike's inefficacy.
Meanwhile, with disconcerting ease, Maïli felled three more serpents as if they were nothing but flies.
"Needs more training," she teased, the jab underlining the gulf in their skills.
"Tch!" Maël hissed.
"Let me show you how it's done. Windblade Tornado!"
The wind gathered around Maïli in an instant, then reared up into a sizable tornado. It ripped the serpents from the ground, whirling them like clothes in a washing machine. At her command, wind-blades merged into the vortex, shredding the monsters until there was nothing left but ruin. When the tornado faded, only the corpses remained.
The wind rallied to her again with remarkable swiftness, answering her call to form a towering funnel. With devastating force, it tore the serpents from the earth and spun them through a chaotic ballet an infernal washer of death. Wind-blades laced into the storm at Maïli's will, carving the monsters into formless scraps. When at last the funnel dissipated, silence fell, leaving behind only the lifeless remains of the fallen creatures.
"Incredible…" Maël breathed.
"What are you staring at? We're not done. That was just the appetizer," Maïli said, still focused.
At her words, dozens more creatures began to appear, encircling them on all sides. She glanced at her companions and noted that Shawn was now fully recovered.
"Well then let's go," she smiled.
The five heroes launched into battle against the creatures marked for extermination. They faced a surrounding horde, each drawing on their skills and experience to push the enemy back.
"Emma, buff me!" Shawn shouted, urgency tightening his voice.
A light poured from Emma's hands and wrapped around him, flooding him with amplified strength. Without missing a beat, he lunged at the nearest serpent, his sword cutting the air with deadly precision as he took its head in a single stroke. No sooner had he finished than another threat crashed in from his flank but Shawn reacted with inhuman agility, cleaving the assailant in a flash.
Meanwhile, Méverick barreled toward a serpent that had turned on Shawn, ready to defend his comrade with unbridled ferocity.
He slammed into the serpent with devastating fury, unleashing a rapid, punishing flurry that hammered his target with relentless precision. Thanks to Pain Resistance, he ignored the burns searing his skin and pressed the attack without falter. Tough Skin added an extra layer of protection, slightly mitigating the hostile elements gnawing at him.
After a quick heal from Emma, he switched targets with unwavering resolve. Gripping his gigantic axe, he began a macabre dance, hewing monsters one by one with terrifying efficiency. Every blow showcased his brutal strength, reducing enemies to ragged scraps in a whirlwind of unrestrained violence.
Thorfin Axe:
1st effect: +20% Attack while equipped.
2nd effect: When you kill an enemy, you gain physical stats.
3rd effect: In Berserk mode, your axe deals +10% damage and all your stats increase by 15% (stacking with Berserk state).
Thorfin Armor:
1st effect: +30% Defense.
2nd effect: Amplifies your natural element by 10%.
Level Up: 40 ➔ 44
Maïli faced five serpents at once as they spewed torrents of flame; she held firm behind her shield.
Jewel Shield:
1st effect: All blocked magical/elemental attacks are converted into mana for the user.
2nd effect: Can create an impenetrable barrier around its bearer for a short time.
3rd effect: Protects the bearer from all abnormal status effects.
4th effect: Accelerates the bearer's healing, allowing faster recovery from injuries.
Golden chains shot from her shield, binding the monsters. In the same motion, she charged her wind blade, which gleamed with a fine green light before she loosed it in a series of slashes. Each arc took a head cleanly their bodies slid and toppled to the ground moments later.
Level Up: 50 ➔ 59
Jay found himself facing three ferocious beasts, their eyes burning with savage light. With nimble steps, he slipped past a volley of fireballs, moving with liquid grace.
Suddenly, he focused his energy, summoning water to sheathe both short swords in a shimmering current. With his blades now water-imbued, his presence turned more menacing; his movements became even smoother, more fluid.
He advanced without the slightest pressure as crackling sparks danced over his body. He infused himself with the Lightning element to stimulate nerves and muscles sharpening his reflexes and speed.
Skill:Electrical Stimulation increases your speed according to the intensity of the current coursing through your body.
Tightening his grip on his blades, Jay focused intensely, channeling the electric energy coursing through his body. In a flash, he vanished from his enemies' sight, melting into the shadows of battle only to reappear suddenly behind the serpents.
His blinding speed had caught the creatures completely off guard, and before they could even comprehend what was happening, they were already lying lifeless on the ground. As Jay's water-forged blades clashed with the serpents' flames, a cloud of vapor rose into the air a fleeting fusion of water and fire, a brief harmony born amidst the chaos of combat.
Level: 40 ➔ 45
Meanwhile, Emma fulfilled her role as priestess, healing her comrades the instant they were wounded and bestowing empowering buffs to strengthen them in battle. Yet, despite her support role, she was far from defenseless. When several creatures lunged at her, she swiftly cast a buff upon herself before summoning a torrential rain of lightning. Bolts fell endlessly from the heavens, striking her enemies with relentless fury.
But she didn't stop there. In the next instant, a radiant aura enveloped her entire body, flooding the battlefield with a brilliant white glow. Channeling that divine energy into her staff, she unleashed a powerful white beam of staggering intensity. The ray struck several serpents head-on, vaporizing them instantly reducing them to ashes beneath the sheer force of holy light.
Level: 35 ➔ 40
Maël, however, struggled despite her efforts. She should have been stronger she possessed several elemental affinities but her control over them was chaotic and unstable, reflecting her severe lack of training and perhaps a limited natural aptitude. Her spells burst forth in clumsy surges, wild and unrefined, betraying her inability to wield her powers with precision.
Time and again she was wounded, her erratic attacks leaving dangerous openings for the serpents' counterstrikes. Fortunately, Emma's vigilance kept her alive her healing spells arriving just in time to close Maël's wounds. Eventually, Shawn and Méverick rushed in to assist.
Shawn sprinted toward Méverick, adrenaline surging through his veins as he shouted,
"Throw me!"
Without hesitation, Méverick seized him and hurled him forward with tremendous strength, launching his comrade through the air like a spear of light. Empowered by the force of the throw, Shawn soared toward a cluster of four serpents, his sword blazing with radiant brilliance.
In a blinding flash, he brought his blade down with lethal precision, unleashing a whirlwind of light that engulfed the serpents in an unstoppable storm. The creatures were hurled backward, obliterated by the sheer might of Shawn's devastating attack.
Level: 43 ➔ 48
At last, the battle came to an end with the annihilation of the monsters. Each hero had grown stronger, yet it was clear they had struggled badly. Their teamwork was clumsy and disjointed; they lacked both experience and discipline. Overconfidence had dulled their instincts.
In stark contrast stood Maïli and her team, who had trained relentlessly every single day under the unforgiving eye of their mentor, Zem, who never once went easy on them. His merciless regimen had pushed them to their limits and beyond, forging them into warriors of iron resolve. That rigor and discipline had carved a vast, undeniable gulf in strength between the two groups.
Where each of the others had managed to kill only a single serpent, Maïli had slain five a testament to the immense disparity in skill and power.
And they all realized it both during and after the battle when, before them, lay a mountain of serpent corpses at Maïli's feet.
Standing amid the carnage, her flaming sword and gleaming shield in hand, Maïli looked every inch a warrior goddess. The blood of the serpents streaked her face as she gazed calmly over the battlefield unshaken, unchallenged, and utterly victorious.
While the others had struggled far more to overcome the ordeal, the return to the castle took place in utter silence. The heroes and the few soldiers accompanying them kept their eyes fixed on Maïli. As she gazed absently at the landscape passing by, her thoughts drifted once more to Logan's face.
Soon, the city walls came into view on the horizon, marking their imminent return. The capital was likely awaiting their triumphant arrival, but in truth, the heroes sat quietly, weighed down by their own thoughts. Each of them wondered the same thing how they could possibly close the vast chasm of strength and discipline that separated them from Maïli.
Status Sheets
Name: Maïli | Race: Human | Age: 19 | Profession: Paladin | Level: 59
Vitality: 190 | Magic Power: 155 | Attack: 145 | Defense: 144 | Speed: 140 | Endurance: 130 | Agility: 168 | Intelligence: 160 | Physical: 153 | Willpower: 220
Skills: Fireball, Wind Ball, Wind Blade, Fire Blade
Unique Skills: Beast Tamer, Windblade Tornado, Wind Tornado, Wind Slash, Fire Slash, Fire Shield, Water Shield, Fireball Barrage, Waterball Barrage
Legendary Skills: Twin Blades, Shield of Life, Reflection
Exclusive Skills: (None)
Elements: Fire, Wind
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
Name: Shawn | Race: Human | Age: 19 | Profession: Hero | Level: 49
Vitality: 146 | Magic Power: 134 | Attack: 131 | Defense: 120 | Speed: 118 | Endurance: 121 | Agility: 131 | Intelligence: 139 | Physical: 130 | Willpower: 165
Skills: Fireball, Water Ball, Light Ball, Thunder Ball
Unique Skills: Mana Source, Regeneration, Light Slash
Legendary Skills: Holy Sword, Heroic Boost, Miraculous Strike
Exclusive Skills: (None)
Elements: Water, Fire, Light
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
Name: Emma | Race: Human | Age: 19 | Profession: Holy Priestess | Level: 40
Vitality: 120 | Magic Power: 105 | Attack: 100 | Defense: 90 | Speed: 95 | Endurance: 96 | Agility: 99 | Intelligence: 100 | Physical: 90 | Willpower: 180
Skills: Heal, Water Ball, Light Ball, Thunder Ball
Unique Skills: Purification, Recovery, Advanced Heal
Legendary Skills: Forbidden to Die, Angelic Grace, Return to Zero
Exclusive Skills: (None)
Elements: Lightning, Light, Water
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
Name: Méverick | Race: Human | Age: 18 | Profession: Great Warrior | Level: 44
Vitality: 137 | Magic Power: 115 | Attack: 125 | Defense: 130 | Speed: 101 | Endurance: 120 | Agility: 110 | Intelligence: 100 | Physical: 130 | Willpower: 160
Skills: (None)
Unique Skills: Pain Resistance, Tough Skin, Herculean Strength
Legendary Skills: Berserk
Elements: Wind
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
Name: Jay | Race: Human | Age: 18 | Profession: Magic Swordsman | Level: 45
Vitality: 137 | Magic Power: 128 | Attack: 120 | Defense: 115 | Speed: 121 | Endurance: 115 | Agility: 136 | Intelligence: 125 | Physical: 122 | Willpower: 150
Skills: Water Ball, Thunder Ball
Unique Skills: Aqueous Blade, Electric Blade, Lightning Slash
Legendary Skills: Electric Stimulation
Elements: Lightning, Water
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
Name: Maël | Race: Human | Age: 19 | Profession: Mage | Level: 30
Vitality: 132 | Magic Power: 57 | Attack: 61 | Defense: 59 | Speed: 62 | Endurance: 70 | Agility: 65 | Intelligence: 61 | Physical: 62 | Willpower: 100
Skills: Fireball, Water Ball, Earth Ball
Unique Skills: Fire Resistance, Water Resistance, Earth Resistance
Legendary Skills: Tempest
Exclusive Skills: (None)
Elements: Fire, Water, Earth
Titles Acquired:
• (None)
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