[HOSTILE INDIVIDUAL KILLED BY AN ALLY: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
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[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
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[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 523 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
As soon as Ava successfully eliminated her target, Erik gained some experience, and he was notified of this event.
Despite the apparent disparity in rank and the number of neural links, there wasn't a lot of evidence to suggest that he was on par with the deceased man regarding his physical strength.
If he fought melee, that would have made it obvious he was too strong, but by using his brain crystal power only, no one found out anything.
This was a benefit of having the system, but it also meant that Erik needed to engage in combat with more powerful beings to advance in levels more quickly.
When he turned to look at Ava, he saw she was running toward Garrett's opponent.
Ava was weak from exhaustion and pain, but she continued to fight anyway. She quickly made her way toward Erik and Garrett by sliding across the snow-covered field, using her ability to glide across any surface. She summoned her mana and moved as quickly as she could.
Garrett and Erik were engaged in combat with a woman with fiery red hair who was a stalwart and resolute soldier from Frant. From the nameplate on her chest, it was evident her name was Sergeant Amelia Reed.
Aside from the fact that she was keeping up with Garrett, who was by no means weak, it was clear that her power had to do with endurance and tenacity.
She fought with a large and heavy shield but held a large War Hammer on the other hand. She was strong, yes, like many at her level, but the fact she wasn't even breathing a sweat gave her away.
Erik noticed that because Garrett, despite the chilling cold, was full of sweat and was panting heavily.
Sergeant Reed made large, destructive swings that kept Erik's comrade at bay while her large shield stopped Erik's vine tendrils from emerging from the ground and attacking her.
Because Amelia's endurance was high, she could withstand the onslaught without becoming exhausted. She moved quickly, and her actions were honed and perfected.
Despite her equipment weighing her down, the woman dodged Erik's vines with surprising agility. Erik had manipulated the vines with the precision of a master, and they had shot out from the ground in an attempt to entangle her.
At the same time, she was able to keep Garrett at bay by using her War Hammer to deflect his sword blows and responding to his attacks with strikes of her own that were equally strong.
Despite this, she was simultaneously engaged in a battle on two fronts: one against Garrett and another against Erik's plants.
Ava picked up her pace as soon as she realized there was a gap in the defenses, and her body became a blur as she slid across the snow. She knew she needed to strike to make his comrades gain the upper hand in this fight.
Simultaneously, Amelia was adjusting her strategy to counter that of Erik and Garrett with every passing second, and she was starting to gain an advantage. Erik did train at the Red Palace but just for a short period.
If it weren't for the brain information injector he got from the Biological supercomputer, he would have never been able to stand against such fighters, who trained for years before enlisting and kept doing so even after.
For Garrett was the same, the gap in fighting skills was evident since he never received official training. His ability only relied on his brain crystal power and what he learned during the years at the village.
Ava needed to take action, and she needed to take action right away. They would only have a shot at beating the formidable French soldier if they did that.
Ava reached Amelia with a swift movement, her twin daggers shining brightly in the winter sunlight. She gave a ferocious war cry and then lunged at the Frantian soldier, aiming for the exposed side of her body.
However, Amelia was quick and responded to the new danger almost immediately. She swung her heavy War hammer, the reach of which was significantly greater than Ava's daggers, compelling the younger woman to retreat or risk being crushed by the lethal weapon.
Garrett sprang into action simultaneously as he saw the woman's distraction. As he thrust his sword in Amelia's direction, his weathered face assumed the expression of intense concentration.
Nevertheless, she blocked Garrett's strike with her shield. Despite Ava's unexpected intervention, he didn't manage to kill her since the woman brought her shield around swiftly and fluidly and blocked his attack.
The sound of the sword striking the shield echoed throughout the frozen battlefield and clearly indicated the force behind the attack.
It was at that point that Erik decided to act. The strain of using his power was evident in the beads of sweat that dotted his forehead as he struggled to contain Amelia using his Plant Master power.
Even though he only had a small amount of mana left, he had no choice but to try. He pointed his finger toward the snow-covered ground while expressing unwavering resolve.
The thick vines emerged beneath the white blanket and began to wind toward Amelia. Their tendrils were reaching for her in an attempt to bind her.
Amelia groaned as the vines entangled around her armored legs and torso and pulled her backward. She fell to the ground after being momentarily thrown off balance.
She let out a guttural, defiant roar, pushing her heightened endurance to its limits. She quickly freed herself, and as soon as she could, she struck back.
The woman aimed her War Hammer at Garrett, who had barely enough time to raise his sword to defend himself before she struck.
As the two weapons collided with a clatter that could be heard for kilometers, the atmosphere vibrated with the force of the swing. As Garrett struggled to cope with the aftereffects of her blow, he was thrown backward, and his boots slipped and skidded in the snow.
Ava kept circling to find the chance to strike, but Amelia was not stupid. Every one of her attacks was wide but weirdly fast, so she had problems approaching the Frantian soldier.
Her eyes were darting between Amelia, Garrett, and Erik.
However, it was a challenge. Amelia was like a raging storm, and her War Hammer and shield were like an impregnable fortress.
Her enhanced endurance meant that she never got tired and felt no pain, and even the wounds Garrett inflicted were superficial at best.
On the other hand, Erik's strength was visibly deteriorating due to the diminishing supply of mana, which was taking its toll on him.
Erik knew that If things continued in that direction, he would have no choice but to fight melee.
Ava's heart was pounding, and she couldn't take her eyes off the scene before her. She knew she needed to take action and locate a strategy to turn the tide of the conflict. The question that arose was how. They were engaged in combat with an adversary who was skilled and unyielding.
An opponent who had a brain crystal power that allowed her to fight in top shape until she had mana available while they were struggling. Besides, her training allowed her to keep up against three people simultaneously. It was not a good situation.
[HOSTILE INDIVIDUAL KILLED BY AN ALLY: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
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[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
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[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 604 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
The young man smirked, and it was at that moment that an arrow soared through the crisp winter air.
The arrow cut a sleek path, moving with such speed it was nearly a blur. It emerged from the cover of skeletal trees, a testament to the archer's skill and precision. Time seemed to slow as the projectile made its approach, a deadly missile aimed with lethal intent toward Amelia.
The Sergeant was engaged in combat with Ava and Garrett, her War Hammer swinging in lethal arcs while her shield deflected the combined onslaught from both of them.
Her back turned to the incoming arrow and focused solely on her opponents. Even as the sharp whistle of the arrow sliced through the chilly air and rapidly closed the distance, she was oblivious to the danger, too focused on the fight before her.
Erik smirked as he followed the arrow's trajectory; it was clear what would happen. The world fell silent except for the beating of his heart and the chilling wind that carried the arrow toward its target.
The arrow struck true, its sharp tip penetrating Amelia's helmet and embedding itself in her skull. There was a moment of utter silence, the battlefield holding its breath as Amelia stood rigid, her Warhammer halfway in a swing, her eyes wide in shock.
Then, with a sickening sense of finality, she went down. The fallen Frantian soldier bled all over the snowy ground as she lay on the ground after collapsing. Her War Hammer fell to the ground with a dull thud after slipping from her grasp. Her life had ended, and the feathered mana tail on the arrow served as a solemn flag to mark the occasion. Her body lay motionless.
The sudden turn of events left Erik, Ava, and Garrett standing there with their mouths agape and their eyes widening in shock. The only things that broke the silence on the battlefield were the gentle whistling of the winter wind, which carried the final repercussion of the deadly arrow's flight, and Alexia's laugh.
[HOSTILE INDIVIDUAL KILLED BY AN ALLY: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
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[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 559 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
"Did you miss me?" Alexia remarked as she looked at the three warriors, who were utterly dumbfounded.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶