By the time the light first graced the horizon, the Zeus, Hera, and even Thor familias had gathered, geared for battle. Maxim held his helm at his hip, and smirked, giving an approving nod after a quick look over of his allies. Placing the Helm on his head, he turned around.
"Behemoth Elimination squad… Move out to battle."
The march in formation began. Thor familia members periodically casting their spells to prevent the deadly erosion of the Behemoth's dead land, Dedine. The plants around here showed clear signs of struggle in their attempt to grow in such a barren environment.
"You can actually see the plants withering if you look at them for a few seconds." Gale mentioned with a heavy heart.
The Thor familia captain's eyes went wide. "Maxim! It's coming!"
"I don't sense it yet-"
"It sensed us already! Plants begin visibly wilting in the direction of its movement. It's heading our way… See, right there!" What they pointed to was nothing more than a mountain, or perhaps… A large hill?
Maxim looked over in the direction his new ally pointed. I don't see it… Wait… What's that? That very large hill moved… Holy shit! That sure is massive! Thank the gods it's slow as molasses. Or we might have been fucked.
"Everyone, prepare for combat. Our target is headed straight for us. Let us go and meet our foe!"
Lyca howled her heart out to raise her fighting spirit. Zald smirked, activating his skill. Empress activated her own skills. Gale followed after, and then, the massive leap Maxim made… To those not used to seeing such a sight, the shock was momentarily overwhelming to say the very least.
"It's like they all just leveled up? So this is the difference between adventurers inside, and outside of Orario."
"Haha! We're all exceptions to the norm. Even if others came around to reach our levels, the closest one… Well, there's one exception, he may one day surpass all of us combined. But enough of that. Let's fight that tiny pebble!"
"Huh? Sir Maxim cutting off there is too confusing… You'd better tell me about it later."
"Fight hard enough and maybe I will." Maxim smirked.
Geeze, you're the one who started it. Oh well, I kinda like this ability to laugh before fighting this massive thing… It's killed so many of us over the years… It's time for it to get its come uppings!
The Behemoth's mouth opened, and out came a fire breath, along with a deafening roar. One loud enough it thoroughly ticked Alfia off. Evasive maneuvers occurred not too soon, nor too late. And then Maxim & Empress, true to their strength, led the charge, as the forward vanguards.
Maxim's single massive blade, and Empress' twin blades, all hit at the same exact time, the force of this impact prevented the Behemoth from advancing any further. However, the damage done to its body was minimal at best.
Even with the slashing energy traveling up and around the Behemoth's body, it was simply too thick for their attacks to cut straight through it… At least, ones that weren't fully enhanced.
"Damn, this thing really is tough. Though, I doubt we can't kill it."
"You're right, this thing's body is massive, but we have enough power to win."
"Heh, it won't be easy…"
It was then that both Maxim, and Empress activated Afterglow, further amping their power by another level, shocking their allies, who finally managed to catch up.
"Such an amazing ability…"
"If they're using that on this mountain, we might not be needed."
"No, you will, this thing is just in its normal phase. Once it fully realizes its combat potential… It'll be much stronger."
"How much stronger?"
"This won't be enough."
Zald gulped, silently. Seems like plan B was a good plan… "Maxim, find that core!"
"Why? We can handle this thing, just be ready to intervene if we need that hone shot tactic-"
Maxim was cut off by the sudden increase in power from the Behemoth… A thick, evil, and monstrous aura surrounded it.
"Empress! Plan B"
"Got it!"
Gale and Lyca joined in the assault, not to further damage the monster, but to increase the chances of something falling off… It was fruitless but they still provided wonderful distractions.
Unwilling to let this go on, Zald jumped in following the path that Maxim's afterglow carved into the Behemoth. The wound healed up with him inside.
"Wanna swallow me up? You must not know my name. I am the glutton!" Zald shouted through the rough flesh, chomping down at the super toxic flesh. His skill immediately went into overdrive.
Zald's body emitted a thick aura as his skills, his basic abilities, his senses, everything enhanced several folds higher. With a swift twist of his core, he began to cut away the monster's flesh at a rate faster than it could heal. He continued carving the monster up from the inside, searching for the crystal. He found it.
"Alright, now we just need to time it right…"
Zald charged up his afterglow, temporarily boosting beyond the one level amp. And sent the slice upwards, careening through the Behemoth's flesh, and into the morning sky.
"Alfia, FIRE!"
"I know! Genos, Angelus."
With her spell a massive bell spawned over her head, it rang once, twice, three times, then a fourth… The frequency of the sound caused the Behemoth's head to explode, into a plume of black sand.
Just as its head was starting to regenerate, the rest of its body disintegrated in a similar way, the monster now nothing more than a pile of toxic dust. Zald cut his way through, emerging from the pile and shook his armor clean… A feat that began abundantly easier with Gale casting a wind spell on him.
"Ah, that feels much better, thanks Gale-" Zald spoke, and then began violently vomiting up a deep black blood. "Damn, that shit's eating me away from the inside."
"Should we return to get the boy to heal you up first?" Maxim asked, seeing just how bad the situation truly was.
"No, it's not that serious. Those girls lived for 12 years with something like this. What kind of man could I call myself if I didn't tough this out for a while."
"Alright then. Let's get out of here, and bring some of that stuff with us, perhaps there's a cure?"
"Yeah, but I won't hold my breath for it."
With the Behemoth conquered, and them being down their strongest physical attacker, they left the Dedine to the Thor familia, and made their way to the place known for being the Leviathan's favorite place… An island reef far out in the ocean, one where Poseidon familia had confirmed it liked to sleep at.