While the beastly foe was held in the grip of the stone hand, he used the other conjured appendage to double-up the hold before taking in a breath, having to focus further as he turned the soil around the figure into mud.
Ensnaring the man-eating savage’s feet in the quicksand-like mud, he then manipulated the natural biome around to summon sturdy vines, wrapping them around the gripped figure for further safety.
Using multiple spells and shifting elements required a level of concentration that was difficult to maintain in a stressful situation, causing a momentary lapse in his strengthening in the stone.
It was that single break in concentration that allowed the berserker to flex through the stone fingers, shattering them before roaring out.
“Raaaagh–!” The man’s yell echoed through the forest.
Shit! He thought.
In the span of a second, the enraged savage was already charging towards him, stomping through the forest as it rumbled, quaking beneath his powerful steps as the tree branch the young mage stood on wobbled.
Just what is this guy?! He wondered.
Losing his footing, he tripped backward, waving his arms around as he found himself plummeting straight into the path of the human tank charging forward with saliva trailing behind him.
Not good! He thought.
“Halt, heinous beast!”
–From seemingly nowhere, a boisterous, masculine voice echoed out as Emilio found a figure intercepting the savage man.
It was a large man himself, clad in heavy-duty silver armor, holding a thick shield in front of him that reflected the berserker’s charge.
Emilio flipped around, catching himself on his feet as he looked forward in confusion at his unknown savior.
Another recruit? Emilio wondered.
“Worry not, friend! I am here!” The boisterous man in armor called.
Before the berserker could retaliate, the armored recruit stomped forward with force that whipped up the lying leaves, causing the shield he held in front of him to momentarily burst with an emerald glow from the jewel embedded in its center.
The result was knocking the savage man back, allowing Emilio to join up with the shield-holding stranger.
Surprisingly, despite the difference in stature between the two, he found the armorclad stranger to be in a similar age range as him by his youthful glow and expression with energetic, sky-blue eyes and a smile that was missing a tooth.
“Err, thanks,” Emilio looked up at the figure, “That big guy there is tough–nothing seems to hurt him.”
There were clear chinks in the burly shielder’s armor, covered inelegantly by leather straps or rags, though it seemed he polished it daily as the silver reflected the amber light above.
“Is that so? Well, I happen to be pretty sturdy myself! That is my fate bestowed to me by my name itself–’Everett Shieldholder’!” The ginger-haired, helm-wearing youth proclaimed.
A little on the nose there, no?…Emilio thought.
There was hardly time to do so, but he felt it appropriate to give his name, if for no other reason than an easy way for the two to communicate, “I’m Emilio!”
“Alright, Emilio! Let’s win to live another day!” Everett energetically proclaimed, rushing forward.
It was confusing to encounter somebody so standup and righteous in the valley of death; as jaded as Emilio was, he found himself glad to have some assistance against the seemingly unstoppable force of savagery.
“Raaagh-!”
“Aaagh-!”
The savage man and the armorclad shielder clashed, with their collision resounding through the dense forest. It was the beastly foe that slammed his palms against the shield, as if unfamiliar with the weapon itself as he clawed at it and gripped, trying to get to the person behind it.
“Now, Emilio!” Everett called out.
Already on it, Emilio summoned a massive force of intertwined vines, wrapping it around the berserker’s ankles and hoisting him into the air.
“Ngh!” Emilio gritted his teeth, guiding the veins.
The limb of verdant nature that sprouted from the soil swung around, slamming the berserker through trees and against the ground as he was helpless to the inertia.
“Is it working?!” Everett watched.
Though even after being sent through wood and stone alike, the berserker was uninjured, finally managing to reach around and use his monstrous grip strength to peel the vines from his legs, leaping free.
“–!”
As the massive, cannibalistic man neared the young mage, the shielder intercepted once more, using his wall-like blockade to slam it straight against the savage’s nose.
Circling around while Everett held him at bay, Emilio sent cuts of wind towards the bristly-haired berserker, though it proved to, once again, be a futile gesture as the skin of the brute was unlike anything he’d seen.
“Look out!”
Just as Everett called out, Emilio found himself having to flip to the side as the beastly human rushed him.
The course of the savage led him to crash straight into a tree, bashing against its trunk with his burly shoulder, snapping it in half easily.
Glad I didn’t get hit by that, Emilio thought.
“Hooorah!”
Leaping in with unsuspecting flexibility, Everett landed, using his shield as a bludgeoning weapon as he smacked it against the berserker’s head.
The impact echoed, though the beastly foe was unfazed as he knocked the shielder back with a wield kick.
“Hey–crap!” Emilio yelled.
…Well, if I can’t hurt him, it’s time to get risky! He decided.
As he was the prime target in the eyes of the animalistic man-eater, he quickly cast his desired magecraft as moisture conjured in the air, swiftly forming into a sphere that entrapped the savage man.
Caught within it, the berserker flailed his limbs around, making it difficult for Emilio to hold its stable form as he held his palm directly against it.
“Alright…let’s hope this works,” he mumbled.
Closing his eyes, he concentrated fully, keeping his hand pressed against the exterior of the water prison as he felt its temperature begin to drop slowly. What was slow then became rapid as before he knew it, what he touched wasn’t liquid, but a frosted solid.
As he opened his eyes again, he found himself relieved, “–Yes!”
Everett coughed out, picking himself up as he witnessed the result of the young mage’s solution, “You…froze him solid?! Nice thinking!”
Shocked it worked, Emilio looked at the savage encased in ice for a moment, feeling as though it wasn’t a permanent solution, but only a bandaid fix.
“…Yeah, well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of sticking around here,” he said.
Everett seemed to share the same idea, “Yeah, even frozen, that goliath is giving me chills.”
Before moving away, Emilio opted to double-down on keeping the impervious berserker sealed, creating a hole in the ground that perfectly buried the cube of solid ice within it.
“Not taking any chances, are ya?” Everett asked, watching.
Emilio shook his head, brushing his hands, “Against something like that guy? Not in a million years.”
After the man-eating savage was buried adequately, a simultaneous sigh of relief left both of the recruits’ lips before they faced each other.
Though there was a part of him that was cautious, Emilio put that aside as the youthful smile of the armorclad shielder put his suspicions at ease. Holding a relieved smile, he extended his hand to Everett.
“Thanks for the help–you saved me,” Emilio said with gratitude coating his expression.
Everett laughed bashfully, taking his gauntlet off before accepting his hand, “Don’t mention it! That’s why we’re here to become adventurers, aren’t we? We’ve got to look out for each other, and help out when we can. That’s what it’s all about!”
“Yeah…you’re right,” Emilio agreed.
It was rare to find somebody so open and friendly, though he felt lucky to encounter somebody like Everett rather than a lurking evil like Amon.
“So, I’m guessing you’re not part of a group?” Emilio asked.
“Nope! I was hand fishin’ down by the river until I heard some rumbling in the trees–then I found ya’ being chased by that goliath,” Everett told him.
“I see…”
“What about you?” Everett asked.
That question brought to the forefront of his mind what he was worried about in the moment as he glanced around.
Melisande, he thought.
“Actually, I am with somebody, but we got separated when that guy attacked,” Emilio told him.
“Oh, need some help then?” Everett offered with a smile.
“…Really? I mean, you don’t have to,” he was surprised by the generous offer.
Everett laughed, sliding his gauntlet back on as he strapped his shield to his back, “Of course! To tell you the truth, I’ve got nothing better to do. It’s quite dull waiting around in the forest, after all.”
“True enough,” Emilio sighed with a smile, “Then, let’s get going.”
“Lead the way!” Everett jovially said.
Heading into the depths of the forest, Emilio led the search as he tried to recall the direction the silver-haired girl went off to.
–
[“The Charred Lands” | The Valley of Parmesus]
In the shut-off region of wildlands, a stretch of the valley was burned; blackened by flames, it was a place no other beasts dared to step foot on, as one, mighty entity ruled the territory.
[“Among the world-class applicants, there tend to be exceptional recruits. However, exceptions of the exception exist.”]
Sprouting from a colossal cave was the very ruler of the charred land: an onyx-skinned hydra, roaring out with a cry that shook the valley.
It awakened the moment the fool who dared step into its borders arrived.
Nonetheless, the recruit held a look devoid of worry.
[“Of all the recruits, there is one man who stands above the rest. Coming all the way from the continent of demons, he possesses the potential to become a void rank.”]
Stopping as the massive hydra stomped through the charred valley, the man, wearing a black t-shirt and matching pants, slowly unsheathed the dark-handled claymore from his back.
[“His name is Asher Devilheart.”]
The unsheathing of the blade gave way to a mountain of nebulous energy, oozing off of the man’s position in such volume that even the tyrannical goliath halted.
[Devilheart System Awakened.]
[Current Stage: 3/10 | Hell Walker]
It was a perfectly controlled transformation; the young man condensed it, allowing his arms to be clad in organic gauntlets of a black, hellish hide with horns sprouting from his forehead.
The heads of the blackfire hydra roared out, swaying high like trees in a storm as their cries shook the charred valley.
“Come on.”
With the challenge quietly issued, the onyx hydra called out before breathing out black flames that swept through the burnt section of the valley, moving towards the enigmatic man.
Before any flames could graze his body, Asher vanished, moving fast enough to completely subvert the beams of black fire, rushing forward with his blade in hand.
The heat was enough to peel the stone ground, causing it to bubble up and melt further yet the Devilheart moved unimpeded by this temperature.
[“In every sense, the black hydra that ruled the charred lands was a disastrous force in itself; a roaming natural disaster that rivaled dragons in their might. An S-rank monster that leveled multiple villages, reducing thousands of people to ash. Many adventurers failed to put it down, resulting in it ultimately being transported into the Valley of Parmesus by the ‘Porters’.”]
Despite its renown as a terrifying creature, in all but a minute, the dark-clad recruit reached it, slashing his blade with an etching of darkness that beheaded all six heads of the beast.
[“It was a proclamation. Asher Devilheart was well aware that through his own capabilities, he’d no doubt secure a high rank after the trial. Nonetheless, he chose the most troublesome creature right at the beginning and dispatched it. I suppose we should just count ourselves lucky he’s on the side of humanity.”]
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