Day 2 part 4

'V,' I muse to myself, tracing our path through the verdant undergrowth, 'despite being less skilled in combat compared to the others, he seems quite capable and knowledgable. But there's something about him that doesn't sit right with me. His records are too...simplistic.'

An orphan who inherited his parents' wealth. His parents were mysteriously killed during an attack while traveling, and their bodies never recovered. A couple of vagabond years, followed by him buying a shop and somehow earning enough to pay not only his own student fee but also that of some girl named 'Seraphina'.

None of this adds up,' I think to myself, my brow furrowing. 'I'm sure Liam must have noticed the same inconsistencies. However, if V proves capable of helping me claim the throne over my brother, I guess I have no choice but to become his ally, regardless of my doubts. Since my brother is such a trickster I need someone that can read his intentions. V seems to already understand what's going on between us and is staying neutral. I despise playing mind games with my brother, someone like him shouldn't be king.

My internal monologue is abruptly interrupted by Rai's stern command. "Everyone stop! It's up ahead."

Cautiously, I inch forward, slipping through the foliage to get a better look. The sight that meets my eyes steals my breath away. It's massive, easily thirty feet tall. This is definitely a mutated beast, apart from its large tusks it has two horns on its head. This beast can use magic although it's probably crude. A chill of excitement and fear sends goosebumps prickling up my arms.

Flora, standing beside me, gives a low whistle. "Wow, look at that," she murmurs, a note of awe in her voice. "No wonder V thought it was bothersome.", Flora is someone that loves nature, does that include creatures as well?

Liam, too, seems impressed. "Mmmh, it is quite big," he agrees, his gaze scrutinizing the beast. "V said that a normal Boex would have bad senses apart from its unusual sensitivity to mana and aura. However that only applies to normal ones, we shouldn't move until we're prepared."

Arin, however, looks more nervous than impressed. "Um, so how are we fighting it? Kaida, Oliver, and I have support-based roles, so there's not much we can do."

Before I can say anything, Isabella retorts with a scoff, "Tsk, why are you all making such a big deal out of it? I'll blow a hole in it before it can react to my magic."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I can't help but roll my eyes at her arrogance. I sigh, choosing my words carefully before responding, "Listen, Isabella, I don't think magic alone will be able to penetrate that hide. If it's a mutated Boex like V suggested, it will likely have high magic resistance. We need to formulate a better plan."

A silence follows my words, a tense moment as everyone turns their attention to me. I feel the weight of their expectation, but I refuse to back down.

"I think the best option will be to create a hole large enough for a direct magic attack to hit it internally," I suggest, keeping my voice steady and confident. The idea is risky, but with our combined skills and strengths, I believe it's the most effective strategy.

"Alright everyone," I start, capturing their attention. "It would be too troublesome to look for V and Isadora. Let's deal with this ourselves."

Looking at the enormous beast, I feel a twinge of apprehension but it's overridden by my resolve. "Based on its size, we should have the advantage in terms of speed. Our weapons might be crude, but with a focused attack, we can bring it down. Rai and I will be responsible for penetrating it. Flora," I glance at her, "please use your magic to tie its legs to the ground."

Flora looks nervous, her gaze shifting from the creature to me. "..Um, it's huge, I..I might be able to hold it down but it won't be for long."

I chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Haha, don't worry, this beast is big but that's all there is to it."

Taking a deep breath, I turn to Liam. "Liam, I need you to ensure it can't use magic."

Rai, ever the enthusiastic one, gives me a grin. "Hehehe, so let's get to it then."

"Hold up, we're not done," I say, raising my hand to stop him. I look at Isabella. "Isabella, I'll leave it to you to finish it. Now, Rai," I turn to him, "do you know how to use aura?"

"Hehehe, no way, but I can use my affinity so don't worry, I won't be as durable as you but I should be slightly faster than you," he replies confidently.

I nod, intrigued. "So you use your lightning affinity to enhance your speed? Are you going to cover your sword in lightning? Wouldn't that break the sword?"

Rai grins, holding his sword up. "Normally it would but V used some of the Boex's bones to strengthen my sword. He said it should now be able to handle it."

Satisfied with his answer, I instruct the others. "Alright then, you guys head up a tree. Let's go, Rai."

I take a deep breath, allowing aura to envelop me, feeling its familiar warmth spread through my body. Beside me, Rai activates his magic. Small sparks of electricity begin to bounce off him, flickering like tiny stars. The second we release our powers, the massive Boex detects our presence. Its massive head swivels around, beady eyes locking onto us.

"Since you're using magic, you won't be doing much damage. Get its attention while I find a weak point," I instruct Rai.

He laughs, the sound ringing out clearly in the silence of the forest. "Hahahaha, alright, leave it to me."

With that, he dashes forward, lightning enhancing his speed as he slices at the right leg of the beast. His attack does little damage, but it's enough to grab the creature's attention. While it focuses on Rai, I run to the opposite side, my eyes scanning the beast's form.

From my position, I note the thickness of its hide, the placement of its joints. I can't find a weak point from the ground level, so I run up a nearby tree, leaping to a branch for a better view. My eyes zero in on the creature's neck - it's the only place with less hide, and the area seems softer than the rest. The ideal spot to land a decisive blow.

With a swift move, I leap from the tree, my hands reaching out to find a hold on the beast's rough skin. The training from the castle has prepared me for this moment - my climbing skills are well honed.

Rai continues to play a deadly game with the beast, drawing its attention by dodging its attacks by mere inches. I'm halfway up the creature when I notice a swift movement in my peripheral vision. It's the beast's tails, three of them, swinging towards me.

Quick thinking saves me. I let go of the beast and raise my sword to block the incoming tails, using the force of the attack to propel myself onto the creature's back. I grip onto the creature's hide tightly as it bucks, trying to dislodge me.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Rai too makes his way onto the creature.

"Now, Flora!" I yell.

As if on cue, dozens of roots burst from the ground, wrapping themselves around the creature, holding it still.

"Finally," I mutter to myself, crawling towards the creature's neck. "This damn thing can die."

Channeling seventy percent of my remaining aura, I thrust my sword into the creature's neck. The beast roars but doesn't go down.

From afar, Flora yells, "Hey, guys! I can't hold it much longer!"

I grimace. "Tsk, this damn thing is tough. Rai, let's get off now and let Isabella deal with it."

As we prepare to descend, Rai channels a blast of electricity into the beast. "This should paralyze it for a bit," he grunts.

We scramble down as fast as we can. I glance back just in time to see a magic arrow, nearly two meters long, in Isabella's hands. With a shout, she hurls it directly into the hole I'd created.

'Now it ends,' I think to myself, hoping that the combined assault will be enough to bring the beast down.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I see. So this is how they handle themselves. Good, good. I muse, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of my lips. Even from up here, the sight of the enormous Boex thrashing against their combined efforts was clear. It was the right choice to stay out of it. Despite our distance, the cacophony of their struggle fills the air, causing Biana to shift in her sleep, a low grumble escaping her.

"See, I told you they would be okay. Their teamwork is great. This is the first time they've fought together. Do you get why we stayed here instead of helping them?" I stretch my arms, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Beside me, Isadora's stoic expression remains unchanged. She gives a nonchalant nod, but her silence tells me she's yet to understand. She's focused, but not on the battle below. Instead, her attention is on a coconut she's holding. With a slight squeeze of her hand, the shell cracks, revealing the fresh meat inside.

"What if we end up splitting up? Doesn't it feel more reassuring knowing whether the group would be fine or not?" I continue, hoping to convey the importance of understanding the group's dynamics. Despite the relative calmness of our current location, we are, after all, in a dangerous world, and we must be prepared for any circumstances.

Isadora still doesn't say anything. She offers me half of the cracked coconut, an invitation for a shared snack rather than a reply. I take it, a smile playing on my lips. At the very least, she's willing to share her food, this is the second time she's offered me a coconut, I'm glad but goddammit! This is her 10th coconut today! Doesn't she get tired!?

From the corner of my eye, I see the climax of the battle unfolding. The flash of Isabella's magic arrow striking the Boex illuminates the scene, and a guttural roar echoes through the forest. The sight brings a sense of satisfaction. They are indeed capable, each in their own way. Rai's speed, Kaida's tactics, Flora's control over nature, and Isabella's raw magical power, they all played their part perfectly.