Thwack!

​Akhil's jaw tensed as he sliced through another thick root.

The beast titan was relentless, showing no sign of letting any of them leave the cavern alive. Roots shot out like bullets, one after another, and the group was slowly being overwhelmed.

But thanks to his 'air walk' Akhil kept a safe distance, only needing to engage the roots that sensed him upon direct contact. This relative safety, however, came at a steep price.

He could feel his energy rapidly leeching away just to stay airborne, and dodging the massive branches that swiped at him was becoming more difficult. He was running on fumes.

Samxon and Hale, on the other hand, didn't seem to be doing so well.

But the two were relentless in their attacks.

Not because they wanted to, but because they knew what would happen the moment they stopped.

Samxon created a field of electricity around him, completely nulling any of the roots that made their way towards him.

Hale, on the other hand, created a small fiery furnace around her.

The roots were burnt to crisps the moment they came towards her.

Her methods were the most ruthless and perhaps also why she had the full attention of the beast as more and more roots made their way towards her.

Soon too, the pufflings fell from the branches, their small pitch black, puffy eyes opening up.

They looked like demonic angels as they all moved in Hale's direction.

As though sensing their mother's troubles.

While Akhil had much less to deal with, he wasn't particularly safe either.

He could feel his energy leeching away the more he stayed up in the air.

Keeping the air walk ability active was obviously draining.

And not only that, avoiding the branches the moment they noticed him wasn't easy either.

'This crazy monster sealed us here with it... Now I have to find an opening to cut through to the center and destroy the core.'

Even while being a level 2 mutant, the strength of the beast titan wasn't to be underestimated.

"Samxon, this— I think this is the boss," Hale said as she sent out another wave of hot flames.

The fiery flames burned through the roots.

"Yeah, isn't that painfully obvious?" Samxon gritted his teeth.

Among the three, he was having the hardest time.

Still recovering from the backlash of his abilities, he now still had to deal with the beast's outrage.

"There's no way to get close to that thing at all! We've been stuck here since the start... The freaking thing can't even move!" Samxon's angry voice echoed through the entire cavern.

Akhil turned to the two, glancing towards the body of the dead beast that was on the ground.

Akhil took a deep breath. 'If I work with them, maybe I'll be able to figure out something.'

His thoughts were interrupted as several large roots curled up together before darting straight for him.

'Damn!' Akhil cursed, dodging narrowly as the spike grazed past his skin.

'I can't keep up like this.' Akhil quickly moved towards the ground.

He moved in a direction where the bodies of all the dead beasts were much more concentrated.

It was also very close to where Hale was.

"Who the heck are you?" she asked, looking at him.

The question had been on her mind ever since seeing him in the cavern.

While she had been suspicious that someone was also in the cavern with them, she still couldn't hide her surprise when she saw Akhil.

Strangely enough, this person had the green skin of the orcs.

But there was something oddly different about him, something that didn't make him out to be an orc.

He neither had their distinct pointed ears nor did he have their large canines that stuck out from their mouth.

His colour was also much lighter than the rest.

With enchanting red eyes that seemed to stare deep into her soul.

For a moment, Hale was lost in those eyes that she had even forgotten about the deadly roots that were coming for her.

"My identity isn't important at the moment, I believe what's more important are these killed roots," Akhil said calmly, his gaze fixed ahead.

Hale quickly returned her gaze back to the roots, sending out another storm of flames.

"I can tell you're not as exhausted as the two of us, so can I ask a favour from you?" Akhil asked calmly, staring at her.

"Why would I want to help you?"

"Because if you don't, you will die, and him too..."

"And you won't?" Hale shot back with a smirk, refusing to be baited. She couldn't waste precious energy on a stranger's whim.

​"Nah, I'm not dying here," Akhil bluffed, his voice cold. "I can fly. The beast will focus all its energy on you two. Once you're gone, I'll get a free pass."

​It was a calculated lie.

Everything he said was the truth, but he didn't tell her how he didn't have much energy left to even do as he said.

Hale frowned upon hearing what he said.

"So what's your plan?"

"I need a distraction. The beast has its focus on you already, but I need you to cause a little more havoc. I'll use that to attack the beast. I know its weak point... So all you have to do is to clear the middle for me," Akhil said calmly.

His gaze fixed ahead.

Hale looked at the straight path leading to the beast.

That was a task she could accomplish.

Taking a deep breath, with no questions asked.

A powerful wave of energy burst forth from her, and with her two hands placed in front of her, a powerful flame vortex converged.

"You better make sure this is worth it!" Hale yelled as she hurled the flame vortex ahead.

The vortex tore through the cavern, scorching everything in its path.

The thrashing roots turned to molten slag, and a sizzling shriek filled the air as a clear path was momentarily carved open.

Seizing the opportunity, Akhil quickly got into his action.

He raised his hands towards the dead beast.

A thick mist of blood curled towards him.

{Large Blood Essence absorbed from low level beasts!}

{Blood essence: +5000}

{3000 blood essence used!}

The system's notification didn't even register in his eyes.

All he could think of was the mission before him.

The mission he had to complete.

To kill the beast.... To win.

The misty red cloud came out from his body, forming into a thick red sword.

The sword pulsed with power.

The raw energy could be felt within the blade.

Without wasting any second, Akhil darted forward.

He sprinted towards the tree from the clear track Hale had made for him.

His gaze fixed at the center of the tree trunk.

Where the bright core was embedded, pulsing with vibrant energy.

With the powerful momentum, he leapt into the air.

His blade pointed head first towards the core.

'If I destroy the core, then it'll all be over,' Akhil thought, his eyes shining with determination as he came down with brute force.

He aimed the blade toward the opening in the trunk—

Where the bright core glowed brightly.

The blood sword pulsed in his grip, energy rippling outward.

The core of the beast was just right there before him.

Bare. Unprotected.

"Arrrghh!" he roared coming down with the blade, full force.

But just as he was about to drive the blade into the Core.

He saw something and sight before him, made his body freeze.

His grip on the blade slipping.

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