The three creatures naturally didn't care about the discomfort and annoyance that appeared on the faces of those three people. Their job here is simply to catch, or kill intruders who dare to enter the domain of their master and even enter her sacred pond.
"How's your progress?" Clyde asked Samuel and Leyan.
"90%" Sam replied.
"Same," said Leyan.
Clyde progressed slightly ahead of them because he entered the pond first. However, he didn't know if he would be able to finish it before the three creatures attacked.
'Or maybe, I can lure them in and fight in here?' thought Clyde.
"Hey, they don't seem to want to come in here," said Leyan.
His words made Clyde and Samuel turn toward the three creatures. It turns out that what he said was true. They stared at the boiling water in the pond with troubled expressions on their human-like faces.
"Get out of this pond, intruder!" the muscular creature in the middle shouted while pointing its huge forefinger at the three of them.
Samuel, Leyan, and Clyde looked at each other.
"Looks like we don't have to worry too much. It seems like this is a sacred place for them so they don't dare to enter here," Samuel said.
"Yes, I can see that," Clyde said, grinning. "Let's just wait until the progress is complete."
And so, Samuel and Leyan regained their composure when they realized that the three creatures would not dare to attack. When the three of them were in this pond there seemed to be nothing to worry about.
The expression on the faces of the three creatures became increasingly ugly. It was evident that they were very furious, but couldn't do anything, thus making them even more angry.
[ The process of purifying and absorbing heat energy is underway. ]
[ Progress: 97%. ]
When nearing the end, their progress bar gets faster, somehow. Clyde, Samuel, and Leyan just kept silent while holding their own weapons in the pond. While the three creatures stood stupidly on the edge of the pond with furious expressions.
But suddenly, a voice came from above as if it came from beyond the sky. The voice said:
"You can attack them!"
The sound echoed in this place, shaking the leaves and grass. It was a voice that seemed to be that of a woman with such power.
Immediately, the three creatures spat out grins with huge teeth showing inside their mouths. They began to take big steps closer as if they couldn't wait to get closer to Clyde, Samuel, and Leyan.
"Oh, shit. Looks like we've been found out," said Leyan. "Can we use Mana when our progress isn't finished yet?"
"I don't know," answered Clyde. "But I don't think we have a choice now, do we?"
Leyan also saw that Clyde was holding his sword underwater. So he was getting ready to use his bow.
The female voice that had just sounded was clearly the voice of this domain master's Celestials. She somehow didn't come directly and just sent these three creatures, maybe she was too proud to handle them.
But that was a good thing because it meant the Goddess couldn't use her abilities to bind Samuel and Leyan.
Clyde still remembers that his power of system is different from the others. He also knew from one of the members of the Order of Mindweaver who contacted him and make his head hurt. He said, if there is no bound that can make the Celestials bound him.
Clyde will keep the secret to his advantage. Maybe, just maybe... he can kill a Celestial if he doesn't have a bound that prevents him from fighting them.
"We have to get out of here before the Celestials come," Samuel said fearfully. He knew that his power of system would be limited as soon as he faced Celestials so he was obviously afraid to face them head on.
Leyan nodded in agreement.
The three creatures started running. Then they jumped high into the air, a moment later they landed in the pond while splashing hot water around.
[ The process of purifying and absorbing heat energy is underway. ]
[ Progress: 99%. ]
Samuel and Leyan saw their almost-finished progress. And they can take a little sigh of relief because it means they don't have to be afraid of failure. At least if these three creatures managed to force them out of the pond, their goal had been achieved because there was only a little bit left, their progress would be finished.
However, Clyde's progress has been completed.
[ The process of purifying and absorbing heat energy is completed! ]
[ Progress: 100%. ]
[ The fire elemental power within your body has been strengthened by the energy from the Sacred Spring! ]
[ A small amount of impurities in your body has been removed! ]
Clyde felt a new power in his body. He also felt that his body was fresher than before.
The three creatures lunged through the boiling water as if it was nothing. Two of them headed towards Samuel and Leyan, while the other one rushed towards Clyde.
However, instead of being afraid, Clyde smirked. 'Come here, big guy. You will be the first to feel how powerful I am now.'
That creature that didn't possess high intelligence couldn't realize that it was walking toward danger. The grin that appeared on Clyde's face couldn't be processed by its brain, so instead of feeling wary, the creature actually quickened its steps.
Clyde also walked over to it with the Elderglass Sword he still held underwater. Until finally they were near and facing each other.
The creature raised its bulky fist and aimed it at Clyde's face. Instead of dodging, Clyde raised one hand to catch the fist.
*PAKK!*
The creature's massive fist stopped as it smashed into Clyde's palm. Only then did the creature reveal a shocked expression on its face.
'Hmm... this isn't bad,' Clyde thought.
But the creature didn't take long to return to its original destination. It raises its other fist and plunges it into Clyde.
But this time Clyde chose to retreat so the big fist only hit hot water.
'If I waste any time here, Goddess Pele will soon come and kill the rest of the party. Can't let that happen.'
"HRAAAA!!!"
The creature let out a loud scream as it dashed towards Clyde and again swung its fist. Clyde finally channeled Mana into Eldgerlass Sword and lifted him from the water. He then thrust the sword into the creature's chest.
*CRAATT!*
The Mana shot created a gaping hole in the creature's chest. It collapsed into the water, and soon a fiery red liquid like lava came out of the pond.
Clyde charged towards the creatures that Samuel and Leyan were facing and slashed the Elderglass Sword, decapitating them in a swift motion. The two creatures probably didn't even realize what happened before they died.
Clyde gets a notification that he managed to kill the warrior from Goddes Pele and get a fraction of her power. He also gained a decent experience.
"Let's get out of here," Clyde said to Samuel and Leyan.
Samuel and Leyan, who were used to Clyde's overpowered strength, were immediately released from their dazed state. They immediately came out of the pond and then put on their clothes and armor again.
But Clyde frowned when he saw something strange in his folder.
"They don't move," Clyde said.
"Who?" he asked.
"Our other members."
Samuel and Leyan also immediately opened their folders and it turned out that what Clyde said was true. It's not that they don't move, the blinking spots on their map keep moving but don't leave that place. It was as if, they were fighting something.
"Let's go!" Clyde said.
They dashed towards the forest. And it didn't take long for them to discover a huge ice tower in the distance. It's definitely a tower that Kiara made to attract their attention.
"You two go that way. I'll go the other way," Clyde said. Without waiting for Samuel and Leyan's response, he had already run towards the other group of blinking spots.
Samuel and Leyan immediately ran over to Kiara's group. With his speed, it didn't take long for Clyde, to find Albert, Lola, Rosie, and Wiley who were fighting against the three muscular humanoid creatures that had just approached him.
Albert as usual was fighting at the forefront of facing those creatures. While the others attacked from behind.
Clyde sped up his run; one of the creatures noticed Clyde's arrival and immediately lunged at him. Only to get a slash that instantly separates its head from its body.
Albert, Lola, Rosie, and Wiley were surprised to see that. Especially when Clyde immediately rushed toward the other two creatures and killed them instantly with almost no effort.
Without wasting time, Clyde said to them. "Go towards the portal."
The four of them immediately turned towards the portal with tense expressions realizing how dire their situation was. They had been found out and it wouldn't be long until powerful warriors came along, or even the Goddess Pele herself.
~~~
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶