With hope in his heart that the monsters had died, Alex exited the interdimensional farm, only to be met with a shocking sight that left him paralysed.
Utilising his mana vision, he beheld a gruesome spectacle. One of the barely surviving monsters was feasting upon the dismembered remains of its companions.
The minuscule flicker of mana within the creature intensified as it devoured more and more flesh, a spectacle invisible to anyone but Alex.
"Shit!" he cursed as he materialised near the tier 4 warriors.
His outburst caught the attention of the warriors, including Kalina.
"What is it?" Kalina inquired, concealing her exhaustion.
"Something terrible," Alex responded in a sombre tone, his voice altered. "One of them still lives, feasting on the dead body of others to grow stronger. We must slay it before it gains its strength back." He offered his advice with a sense of urgency.
The situation deteriorated with each passing moment, necessitating swift action.
Following Kalina's lead, the warriors unleashed a barrage of long-distance attacks upon the monster simultaneously. Temporarily, it faltered. However, it quickly regained its composure and began absorbing the scattered flesh and meat surrounding it, remnants of the earlier explosion.
With alarming speed, its strength surged to unprecedented heights as its body underwent a rapid transformation. Consuming its fellow monsters had a profound impact on its physique, effortlessly propelling it to a towering height of 20 feet.
Powerful muscles rippled across its newly formed body as bones and flesh fused together. In a matter of moments, it had fully regained its formidable strength.
The creature displayed astonishing agility, deftly evading the incoming assaults and even deflecting some with ease.
Yet, its insatiable hunger for power knew no bounds. Transitioning from tier 4, it effortlessly grew in strength, rivalling that of a tier 5 warrior. The energy radiating from its being created ripples in the surrounding air, while clouds of dust rose from beneath its feet with each resolute step.
"Boom…" Each footstep could be felt by the rumbling ground below the warrior's foot. Fear crept into their hearts slowly.
They had unleashed the most powerful attack they can. Yet, the monster survived it.
Initially, they believed they were given an opportunity to vanquish the monster when it froze. Little did they know that they were unwittingly paving the way for their own demise. Instead of contending with three weaker monsters, they now found themselves confronted by a single, immensely powerful adversary. This grim reality sent a chill down their spines, instilling a sense of foreboding within their minds.
"Do you have a plan?" Kalina finally asked Alex after seeing the condition of the beast. If there was someone with a plan with all possible scenarios accounted for, it would be Alex. And she knew it.
"Why are you asking me?" A robotic voice escaped the white-robed man's lips. Alex didn't know why she was trusting him. After all, his current persona of the white-robed man didn't warrant any attention from her. He was just an unknown variable on the battlefield.
"If you have something to say, say it now. Before it's too late. From the way you act, it seems like you have more information about that monster than anyone here." Kalina stated as a matter of fact.
Kalina's words carried reason and logic. It was undeniable that Alex possessed the unique knowledge and ability to ensnare the monsters, offering them a fleeting opportunity to kill them.
However, the unfortunate turn of events was not a consequence of any misstep on Alex's part. Rather, it stemmed from their collective inability to obliterate the creature completely. The blame did not lie with Alex but with their own shortcomings in achieving total destruction.
Realising this, the warriors didn't stop Kalina from asking for help.
"There is a way," Alex replied after a brief moment of contemplation.
"What is it?" Kalina asked while all the other warriors had the same thought.
"Based on my observations," Alex conveyed, "the monster has reached its zenith in terms of strength. The internal energy within its body has ceased to grow further. Presently, it possesses the ability to engage in direct physical combat with a tier 5 warrior, relying solely on the surging energy to fortify its physical form. However, it lacks the capacity to employ any specialised skills.
"And as we know, the monster is crazy insane. But, there still is one thing that it tries to do even after all that." Alex ended his words.
"Care to elaborate?"
"Of course, the monster is trying to find food that it can consume. So, the question here is, why would a crazed monster need more food when it has stopped growing?" Alex asked the question while turning towards Kalina. His face, concealed by the hood and a piece of white cloth, swiftly brought the audience's attention to the heart of the issue.
'Why.' Everyone thought simultaneously.
Taking a moment of pause to think, Alex began to elaborate. "The monster is built in an unsustainable way. There is nothing natural about its strength. The strength it has is artificial and temporary.
"After reaching the peak of its capabilities, each time it uses its energy. The rampaging energy would riot inside its body, tearing its inside into pieces. The blood, muscles, bones and everything were quickly being overwhelmed and being destroyed by the second.
"Then, how can it survive if it was dying from the inside?
"The fundamental reason lies in its incomprehensible regenerative capabilities," Alex explained. "The monster possesses the remarkable ability to grow and reshape tissues within its body to adapt as required. This unique trait enables it to attain an unparalleled regenerative prowess."
"Let's cut to the chase," Alex paused before continuing. "Why would a deranged monster require additional sustenance if it has ceased growing?"
"Indeed," he continued, "it is to nourish its failing body," Alex stated this with straightforward clarity.
Alex was proud of his explanation. He raised his head high hoping to see eyes of awe. But, what he saw was a confused bunch of warriors.
Alex came to a realisation that despite their strength, the reasoning abilities of those around him seemed to be lacking. Only a select few were able to grasp the essence of the problem even after his explanation.
Nonetheless, he decided to end his explanation by providing them with a plan to take down the monster.
"Let us recall what we have learned. The monster is tier 5 in strength with no ability to use long-distance attack skills. Even then, were are no match for it in a direct confrontation. Secondly, the monster will kill itself if it cannot repair its body in time. So, what we are going to do is simple."
"A diversion tactic to delay the monster from consuming flesh." Suddenly Kalina interjected and said with sparkling light in her eyes.
'Well, you made me explain almost all of it. And now you want to interject.' Alex looked at Kalina while sighing. 'Anyway, it is better than not understanding the plan at all.' He thought.
"We may not possess the strength to directly attack the monster," Kalina acknowledged, "But if we collaborate, we can evade its attacks. The frenzied creature will instinctively target weaker animals, and now that it has reached tier 5, it will attack all of us. We can capitalise on this behaviour by encircling it, preventing its escape from this area. Our objective will be to maintain a safe distance, one that allows us to evade its assaults effectively. Once in position, we will systematically draw its attention one by one while steadily draining its life."
"Correct, this will be an endurance battle." Alex agreed. "By doing so, we can win without it being life-threatening to us."
The newly formed plan quickly elevated the mood of the warriors. They were significantly happy to know that there is a way to take down the monster without causing harm to themselves. So, they agreed with Alex's plan and besides that, there were no alternatives.
"Let's encircle the beast, the members of the void fish tribe and the white-robed…" Kalina paused to look at Alex. "....The white-robed individual will stay back and use their ability to teleport to save those who are in immense danger or to shift the attention of the monster. Try to recover your energy while I and the other warriors grab its attention." Kalina said it before running towards the monster to capture its attention.
Despite her commanding presence, Kalina's authoritative aura compelled everyone to obey her words, with no one daring to question her leadership. Her actions resonated more powerfully than any words she could utter, as she embodied the very commands she issued. Leading by example, Kalina took the initiative, deftly redirecting the monster's focus and skillfully luring it into a relentless pursuit, flawlessly executing her designated role
Her spirit guardian possession state allowed her to fly across the sky quickly to escape the monster's assault.
Unaware of the enemy's strategy, the frustrated and enraged monster persistently pursued Kalina, its senses consumed by its own madness.
Seizing the opportunity, Alex utilised the available time to reconfigure all his cores into an energy recovery state. Like a voracious black hole, he absorbed the mana present in the surroundings. He would be ready for battle within minutes.
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