Erik gazed upon the terrified villagers, their faces marked with fear. Yet a stubborn fire burned in their eyes, filling him with hope.
They stood firm, holding their weapons with unwavering determination, refusing to back down.
His breath hitched as a rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins. He felt a pang of helplessness; his mana reserves were dangerously low. Yet, he had been trained and didn't stop training during these months in the art of the sword. However, all that training was meant for moments like this; he received basic combat training to face situations where mana was insufficient.
Tired yet resolute, Erik leaped into battle's midst, clutching the Flyssa firmly in his hand.
The world seemed to shrink as he stood there, leaving only the beasts closing in, their hisses filling the air and the villagers' faces etched with worry.
Erik possessed great strength, nearly matching the villagers, who were quite skilled in combat. However, he was still a bit weaker than them, without a doubt.
The young man had enough physical strength to fight against the creatures almost on par with the villagers, who were all around the ν (NI) level, yet, he was weaker than them.
However, Erik made up for his relative lack of strength and speed thanks to Nathaniel's brain crystal power, which he used to increase his speed to higher levels, matching the villagers'.
He couldn't use other powers now since he would end his mana amid the fight, putting him in a dangerous situation. Still, his Flyssa was sharp enough to kill the Acidspitter Arthropods, who were dangerous only because of their numbers. Erik swiftly weaved through the swarm of hissing creatures.
His gaze locked onto Ethan, who stood back-to-back with a fellow villager, bravely defending against a horde of Acidspitter creatures. Erik's heart froze with apprehension as he saw a creature's claw inch dangerously close to Ethan.
He couldn't bear to see his friend harmed. Erik's heart raced within him; his breath was steady as he dashed forward. With a single, graceful swing, he brandished his Flyssa, a blade of gleaming steel that cut through the air with a haunting sound.
The Acidspitter was caught off guard as a razor-sharp blade sliced through its tough outer shell, causing a shower of blood to stain the broken ground below.
The beast emitted a piercing screech, its limbs convulsing, before it crumbled to the ground, devoid of life.
[MULTIPLE ACIDSPITTER ARTHROPODS KILLED IN THE SURROUNDINGS: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 400 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
Ethan's head snapped towards the piercing cries of the dying beast, his eyes widening in astonishment as he laid eyes upon Erik.
"Erik!" He yelled, relief evident in his voice. "Get on Jordan's side; he needs help!"
The awakener nodded, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield. His heart sank as he beheld the monstrous horde.
As he arrived, his presence breathed new life into the others, despite the overwhelming enemy forces. They appeared to grow in stature and wielded their weapons with greater ferocity, their cries resounding through the war-torn land.
Erik's eyes scanned the fierce battleground, finally fixing upon Jordan. The seasoned man found himself right in the middle of the action; his expression hardened with resolve as he fought against the Acidspitters.
With deadly precision, Erik moved through the horde of creatures. Their sheer numbers, however, proved too much for him to handle. With unwavering determination, the kid dashed ahead, his Flyssa shining menacingly in the faint glow of the Aclaitrium.
He dived headfirst into the horde of creatures, his blade cutting through the air with swift and precise movements. Each strike he made was a fierce declaration of his unwavering resolve to destroy the looming threat of these abominations, to kill all of them, leaving none alive.
His sword clashed against the hard exoskeletons, creating a satisfying crunch with every defeated creature. Each fallen beast brought a small taste of victory; moreover, with every Acidspitter Erik defeated, the burden on his friends lightened a little. He felt a sharp awareness of his diminishing mana.
He wielded his force manipulation cautiously, using it only when necessary—a gentle push, a swift slice—preserving his dwindling energy. But the situation was dire. The horde grew more numerous as more Acidspitter Arthropods joined the fight, their high-pitched screams echoing through the battlefield.
The eerie sound of their sharp claws scraping on the old floor reverberated through the thick atmosphere, forming a chilling melody that foretold imminent danger. Erik's heart plummeted as he witnessed the monstrous creatures charging toward him and his comrades in arms.
The Acidspitters' eyes shimmered with a chilling wickedness that tingled his spine. They moved together like a well-oiled machine. Their clever positioning and coordinated advance showed a chilling level of intelligence.
Their reinforcements had arrived, and they were showing no signs of retreat. The initial lull was over; the storm was about to unleash its wrath.
Erik could almost taste the renewed vigor of the beasts, their onslaught promising a battle more fierce than before. The air around him seemed to grow denser with the impending menace and the scent of blood, the hope of victory growing dimmer with each passing second.
Erik gritted his teeth as he felled yet another batch of creatures, his energy reserves depleting with each swing of his blade. However, he was constantly gaining experience as the biological supercomputer absorbed the mana from the creatures the young man and the others killed.
However, that was just a tiny victory. The truth was, staying put without reinforcements or Samuel's help meant certain death. He could only pray that the older man was doing well within the military building.
Erik's ears were filled with the din of battle, but his focus shifted to the imposing entrance of the military base. He could see a hazy silhouette, its details obscured by the shadowy interior of the base.
With a chill running down his spine, he realized that Samuel must have fallen if it was the humanoid Thaid stepping out into the dying light.
His heart raced within him, its thumping reverberating through the passing moments that seemed to stretch forever, all while he observed the mysterious figure drawing near.
His hands tightened into fists, the strain causing his knuckles to pale. He realized he was holding his breath.
His entire being trembled with an insatiable desire for it to be Samuel, alive and triumphant, emerging from the depths.
As the figure came into view, his heart skipped a beat. It was Samuel. The man was alive, and apparently, he was victorious!
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