As soon as Mira announced her decision, a palpable excitement tingled through the air. The enormous Qi ball was left to hum on its own, buzzing like a resonating gong.
"Hunting?" Asami questioned, her eyes wide and alert. Her training under Mira had bolstered her strength, but the prospect of hunting while still under this pressure wasn't exactly something she wanted to do.
Celaine shot her a quick glance, echoing her nervousness but also a firm resolve. "We can do this, Asami," she said, her voice steady, portraying a level of confidence that Asami hadn't seen in a while.
She glanced at Mira, who stood there with the same indifferent expression on her face as if pain and death meant nothing to her.
'I see. Celaine's so confident because she's here.' Asami thought, but unfortunately, she couldn't feel the same-
"We'll only be hunting Rank 8 beasts exclusively."
"Rank 8?!" Asami shouted, "How do you expect Celaine and I to do that under these conditions?! You're sending us to our deaths!"
Mira's cold, red eyes swept over her, causing her to feel like she was submerged in an icy lake. The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Asami couldn't take the intensity of Mira's gaze and lowered her head slightly.
Eventually, Mira shrugged, "Not my problem."
Nova and the others were speechless, wondering how Mira could treat a friend like that, but nobody dared to speak up for them.
They had already seen how Mira could be when it came to training. They had a feeling that if they spoke up now, they'd either be fighting Mira or forced to take on a Rank 9 beast, with the latter having a higher survival rate. Their only worry was causing trouble with the Beasts Clans. Even in this place, Rank 8 beasts weren't as common as cabbages found on the side of the road. They usually belonged to a Clan.
Meanwhile, Celaine had a nostalgic look in her eyes, a slight smile across her face.
Since nobody had any objections, Mira led the seven of them deeper into the Ancient Beast Mountain Range, with the large mass of energy in the center of them.
As they ventured deeper into the Beast Mountain Range, they could feel the energy around them becoming denser, more potent. They saw a few Rank 6 and 7 beasts along the way, but Mira led them past, focused only on the elusive Rank 8 ones. Even with the pressure of the Qi ball and the potential danger from the Beast Clans, they had no choice but to push forward.
Suddenly, the air around them shifted, a heavy presence descending upon them. Asami's heart pounded in her chest, still wondering if she could do this. They had come across a Low-Stage Rank 8 beast.
It was a massive creature covered in obsidian-black scales that glinted like metal under the sunlight. Its eyes were as red as Mira's, full of hostility and undisguised killing intent. The sight of it made Asami's blood run cold.
But Celaine stepped forward. "We can do this, Asami," she reassured her, her voice steady despite the oppressive atmosphere.
Nova and the others hung back. Their eyes were wide with worry, having grown fond of Celaine during this time, but they believed in Mira's judgment. Not to mention, they'd step in if things got out of hand.
A low rumble echoed through the mountain range as the beast roared, its colossal frame a terrifying silhouette against the sky. As it lunged forward, its obsidian scales gleaming with menace, Asami and Celaine braced themselves.
Celaine was the first to move, her body blending with the wind that suddenly gusted around them. The Saber in her hand turned into an ethereal streak of silver, a blur against the backdrop of the landscape. With a swift, horizontal slash, she struck at the beast's advancing claws, the metallic clink of contact reverberating through the air.
Asami, on the other hand, stood her ground, her pair of fans unfurled. The air around her started to darken, wisps of black shadows coiling around her body. Her fans whipped out, one after another, a whirlwind of dark energy slicing at the beast.
The beast howled, recoiling from their joint attack. But it was far from defeated. With a terrifying roar, it retaliated, a beam of destructive energy bursting from its mouth toward them.
Asami swiftly twirled her fans, the dark energy around her coalescing into a barrier. The energy beam clashed against it, the collision resulting in a shockwave that rocked the ground beneath them.
Meanwhile, Celaine was once again on the move. The wind howled as it danced with her, bolstering her speed and agility. Her Saber slashed at the beast, each hit creating sparks as it scraped against the beast's scales.
However, the beast was a Rank 8 creature for a reason. It was as intelligent as it was strong. Its eyes gleamed maliciously, and with a swift maneuver, it aimed for Asami, taking advantage of her stationary stance.
Seeing the danger, Asami gritted her teeth, her fans twirling at an unprecedented speed. The darkness around her exploded, forming numerous shadow clones that spread out in all directions.
The beast faltered, confused by the sudden multitude of enemies. Taking this opportunity, Celaine lunged, her Saber tracing a deadly arc in the air.
With a swift, decisive blow, she managed to land a hit on the beast's vulnerable underbelly. The beast screeched, falling back. But it was not enough to take it down.
"Keep going, Asami!" Celaine shouted, her voice rising over the noise.
Emboldened, Asami nodded. She focused her energy, the dark aura around her fans intensifying. With a flick of her wrists, the fans shot out, trailing streaks of black energy. They cut through the air like blades, slamming into the beast.
The battle went on for several minutes, or what seemed to be hours, from Celaine and Asami's perspectives. Both sides were covered in injuries, but the side that had taken the brunt of everything was the beast. It was just too big, making for an easy target.
The beast roared in fury, but the damage had been done. Its movements were slower, its attacks less forceful. Asami and Celaine exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They surged forward in tandem, their elements spiraling together.
With a final, joint strike, they felled the beast. Its once fearsome frame now lay still on the ground, its scales dulled and lifeless. Asami and Celaine stood victorious, their hearts pounding from the exhilaration of the fight and the relief of their survival.
"Hah. Haha. Hahaha! W-We actually did it!" Asami cried out as she collapsed to the ground, overcome with all sorts of emotions: fear, awe, anger, relief, and excitement.
As Asami laughed on the ground, panting heavily from the exhausting fight, Celaine was standing next to her, her Saber still held tightly in her hand.
She was also panting, sweat running down her face and arms, but she wore a small smile. The wind was still gently twirling around her, the element seemingly congratulating its user for her victory.
"Yes, we did," she answered her voice barely a whisper as she also dropped to her knees, her strength leaving her in a rush. She allowed the wind to caress her tired body, to cool her heated skin, and soothe her tired muscles. She looked at Asami, her friend who had fought bravely next to her, and said, "You did well, Asami."
Overwhelmed, Asami could only nod. Her gaze fell on the fallen beast, and a shudder ran through her body. They had just taken down a Rank 8 beast. A beast that could easily trample a city in their world was now lying lifeless because of them. The thought made her giddy, her heart pounding in her chest.
Their victory had not gone unnoticed by the rest of their group. Nova and the others approached, their expressions showcasing their admiration. They all looked at the fallen beast, then at Asami and Celaine. Even Mira, who had been watching them from afar, silently walked over.
"Rest for now. We'll move again in an hour," she ordered, her cold red eyes scanning them. It was as if their victory meant nothing to her.
As Mira's words sunk in, Asami felt her exhaustion double. Yet, despite the fatigue, a sense of satisfaction and achievement spread through her. She glanced at Celaine, meeting her gaze. They smiled at each other, their eyes gleaming with triumph.
An hour quickly passed, and the eight continued on their way. They decided they'd leave all Low or Mid-Stage Rank 8 beasts to Celaine and Asami since that level of strength wasn't much of a threat to the rest of them.
However, that just meant those two were able to fight more frequently since they had to stay away from any regions that seemed like might house a Rank 9 beast.
None of them, including Mira, wanted to run into something of that caliber yet.
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