However, the humanoid thaid suddenly shifted its attention back to Erik, which caused a dramatic change in the tide of the battle. It let out a low-pitched rumble as it charged toward him, its monstrous form tearing through the gap that had been left between them.
The creature moved frighteningly rapidly, its form becoming a blur of muscle and malevolence as it went.
Erik's heart pounded in his chest as he vaulted away, narrowly avoiding another swipe from the clawed hand of the thaid.
He could feel the rush of wind as the attack missed him by a hair's breadth, the force of it almost knocking him off balance.
Erik channeled his mana without missing a beat, feeling the energy surge through him as he pushed off the ground. He catapulted into the air, landing deftly on the side of a tall cabinet.
He started running along the wall at breakneck speed, his feet clattering against the metal surface as he did so. His body, infused with mana, seemed to defy gravity, and his movements were fluid and quick, like those of a bird in flight.
The thaid let out a raging roar as it followed Erik with its eyes, and it became increasingly frustrated. Again, it attempted to attack, but the fake awakener's unpredictability and agility allowed him to stay one step ahead of it, but that was no easy feat. To fight head-on against the monster, Erik was using a ton of mana, meaning he couldn't be helpful forever.
He launched himself off of the wall, performed a somersault over the thaid's head, and landed deftly on his feet behind it.
As Erik scrambled to his feet, he locked his gaze on the hulking back of the beast. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he gathered his mana again as the beast twisted on itself to attack the young man, who was too close to avoid the blow. Erik aimed his supercharged force fist at the beast's broad back, hoping to block the attack as he did before.
A chill ran down Erik's spine as he realized he was within striking distance of the creature's lethal claws.
Just as the beast was about to swing its massive arms at him, a powerful attack blasted it from the side again. Samuel, armed with his stone gauntlets, had delivered a blow to the creature's head that was highly damaging.
The force of the impact was so great that it launched the beast into the air, sending it careening across the room and crashing into the opposite wall. As a result of the force of the impact, the laboratory began to shake, and debris and dust began to fly in all directions.
As Erik watched the creature being sent flying across the room due to Samuel's blow, he took several deep breaths, and his chest began to heave. His expression changed to gratitude as he turned his attention to the older man.
Samuel's voice was strained but steady as he asked Erik, "Are you okay, lad?"
Erik, panting heavily, nodded back at him. His heart still pounded like a war drum, but he was unharmed. For the moment, at least.
But Samuel wasn't finished. His weathered face was a mask of stern concern as he continued, "You're too aggressive, Erik. You're drawing its attention too much. That thing... it's stronger than the average thaid, and you are too weak compared to it."
"I know that…"
The reprimand caused Erik to show a hint of discomfort, but Erik knew that Samuel was right. Because of his eagerness to fight and demonstrate his worth, he came dangerously close to losing his life. If not for Samuel's timely intervention, it might not have worked out...
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet Samuel's gaze. "You're right," he said, his voice shaky but determined. "I'll... I'll try to be more careful."
The more experienced man gave a satisfied nod, and one could see a glimmer of relief in his eyes. However, there was not enough time for a more in-depth discussion.
The thaid was pulling itself together and slowly pushing itself up from the debris-strewn floor as it attempted to recover. Samuel refocused on the monster while preparing his body for the subsequent round of combat.
The only thing that broke the tension of the exchange was the sound of the monstrous thaid scraping debris as it pulled itself from the wreckage of its crash.
The harsh, metallic sound clashed with the relatively peaceful atmosphere of the laboratory, which caused chills to run down the spines of the two men fighting it.
A small cloud of dust and detritus swirled around the creature as it lumbered upright, its hulking figure casting a grotesque shadow on the eerily lit room.
The glow of the torches cast an eerie illumination over the scene, which caught on the beast's sickly-purple skin and made it shine like wet ink. Its knotted muscles contracted and strained under the weight of its bulk, adding to the horrifying spectacle of its recovery from the blow.
The menacing yellow glow from its eyes flickered erratically, indicating that the beast displayed signs of disorientation. Its massive and cumbersome form swayed in an unstable manner as it could not keep its equilibrium.
Erik and Samuel kept their distance, their eyes widening in awe and horror as they observed the scene from a safe distance.
Their attention was immediately drawn to the monstrous head of the beast, which had sustained a severe wound. A hideous wound was exposed right in the middle of the sea of sickly purple.
The flesh around it was torn and ragged, and a darker, almost black substance could have been the beast's blood. The substance's color was purple, mixed with the flesh around it.
The devastating blow delivered by Samuel was the direct cause of the wound. It had caved in a portion of the beast's skull, leaving behind a deep and ugly indentation that was impossible to ignore.
It was a horrific scene, and it served as evidence of Samuel's unbridled power in the form of his stone-encased fists. The older man's face remained expressionless, but as he looked at the damage he had caused, there was a trace of gleeful satisfaction visible in his eyes.
The surrounding lab had not been spared from the chaos of the battle. Several tables had been tipped over, and the yellow liquid contained in the tanks around them had spilled out onto the floor.
Additionally, the floor was littered with shards of glass. There was significant damage, if not complete destruction, to the instruments and equipment.
The room bore the scars of a fierce battle, a fight for survival in the most hopeless circumstances. The room was covered in blood and debris.
Even though the beast was in a fragile state, it exuded an aura of malice. The thaid did sustain some wounds, but it was by no means defeated. Its grotesque mouth contorted into a snarl, letting out a guttural growl that reverberated throughout the room, adding to the oppressive vibe. It was a resounding message that the conflict was far from being resolved.
A brief glance was exchanged between Erik and Samuel, and both of them nodded their heads in unison. They needed to wrap up this task as soon as possible. The beast was injured and disoriented; this was the perfect time to launch an attack.
As the thaid steadied itself, shaking off its disorientation, the two men readied themselves for the next bout, their resolve hardened by the sight of their enemy's injury.
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