Staggering out, he emerged from the base. He was bruised, bloodied, and visibly worn, yet he stood tall with a triumphant look.
His stone armor lay shattered around him, pieces strewn across the ground, a testament to the fierce battle he had just fought.
He had emerged from his fight with the humanoid Thaid. That could only mean one thing. He had won. He had slain the beast that had been their worst fear for so long. But there was no time to celebrate just yet. The Acidspitter Arthropods were still closing in, their eerie gaze now fixed on Samuel. The fight was far from over.
Amid the chaos, Erik raised his voice, straining it above the din of clashing weapons and monstrous shrieks.
"Samuel!" he called, catching sight of the older man's bruised and battered form limping out of the base.
Relief intermingled with concern for the old farmer's visible injuries, but there was no time to dwell on them; every second was vital.
Samuel's tired, bloodshot eyes found Erik amidst the crowd of battling villagers.
He gave a weary, reassuring nod. The seasoned warrior was in no condition for a prolonged battle, his body echoing with pain from his brutal fight against the humanoid Thaid.
Yet there was a grim determination in his eyes. Without hesitation, he gritted his teeth, drawing on his mana reserves, and plunged headfirst into the fray.
Erik watched as Samuel, despite his injuries, began to cut a swath through the monsters with precision and deadly efficiency. He was a masterclass in combat, even in such dire conditions. Samuel's presence seemed to reinvigorate the villagers. With renewed enthusiasm, they fought on, their efforts now focused and coordinated.
Samuel moved like a force of nature, his battered body a whirlwind of lethality amidst the swarm of Acidspitter Arthropods. The older man weaved through the onslaught with uncanny grace, striking out with devastating precision, every blow a death sentence for the horrific beasts.
Even in his exhausted state, he danced a deadly ballet of carnage, dispatching monster after monster with a lethal grace that defied his years.
In a few breathless moments, Samuel laid waste to hundreds of creatures. The sheer magnitude of his prowess held the villagers in stunned awe, their mouths agape as they watched the older warrior fight with a ferocity and tenacity that seemed more than human. The monstrous horde was being decimated, cut down like wheat before a scythe.
[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]
Erik watched in astonishment as every swing of Samuel's fists carved a path through the mass of monstrous forms. The sight was breathtaking in its raw intensity, with Samuel's expertise and ferocity reminding him again of the gap in their abilities. His resolve hardened, and Erik was spurred into action, charging back into the fight with newfound vigor. They would survive this. They had to. They had Samuel.
However, Samuel's gaze swept over the battlefield, settling on Ethan. Even amidst the chaos, his voice rang out clearly and authoritatively: "I can't keep this up for long. I'll carve a path through these creatures. We must take that opportunity to escape and leave this city immediately."
There was no room for argument in Samuel's tone. His words cut through the noise of battle, the certainty in his voice grounding them amidst the chaos. Ethan met Samuel's gaze and nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. Erik and the others echoed the response, their expressions set with grim determination.
"All right," Ethan shouted back, rallying the others with a swift gesture, "You heard him! We leave as soon as Samuel makes an opening. Be ready!"
With a final nod to Samuel, Ethan turned back to look at the fray, his weapon ready. Erik, following his lead, braced himself for the arduous task ahead.
The villagers took their positions, their eyes focused on the relentless horde, waiting for Samuel to create their path to survival. As for the man himself, he turned his back to them, facing the oncoming sea of Acidspitter Arthropods, ready to part it with the sheer force of his fists.
At that moment, Samuel's form seemed to expand; his body was enveloped in a shell of solidified mana that took on a colossal scale. It was as though he had taken refuge in a gargantuan armor suit, turning himself into a behemoth of stone.
His previously human form was now a towering figure, his silhouette monstrous and awe-inspiring amidst the horde of Acidspitter Arthropods.
Samuel charged forward with a thunderous roar that echoed through the underground city, his stone-encased fists swinging and his feet stomping with unrelenting fury.
Each step was a cataclysmic event, the ground trembling under his immense weight, and his movements instantly obliterated numerous Acidspitter Arthropods.
It was as though he had become a force of nature, an unstoppable tsunami of power and wrath that effortlessly carved a path through the sea of creatures.
His armored form moved with terrifying speed and precision, and his attacks were calculated and efficient.
The Acidspitter Arthropods were swept aside like mere insects in his path, their bodies crushed under his heavy footfalls or smashed aside by his mighty swings. His figure was an ever-advancing beacon of death and destruction but a beacon of hope for the villagers.
As Samuel tore through the horde, a path was opened—a clear swath cut through the endless tide of creatures. The villagers, seizing this golden opportunity, followed in his wake, their hearts filled with renewed hope and determination as they dashed toward their escape.
"Follow me!" Samuel's booming voice reverberated through the chaotic battlefield. Encased within his towering stone armor, he was an indomitable force, his voice holding an undeniable command that cut through the clamor of the skirmish.
Hearing the command, Erik and the other villagers sprung into action. They surged forward, their feet pounding against the cold metal floor, rushing into the precise path that Samuel had paved through the sea of Acidspitter Arthropods.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l