Chapter 15

Dozens of red eyes shined out from beyond the fog.

Growls pierced my eardrums, as they all grew closer, the sound of murmuring continued to echo through the cave, the very personification of madness.

It was time.

"Now, Ver!" Shouted Dalawraith, giving the signal to execute the plan.

"Tempest!" Verica bellowed out as she casted the fourth tier spell, as violent winds burst forth from her obsidian staff.

It blew all of the mist back, revealing all who were hiding behind the haze, the pressure from the spell pressed all of the uncovered beasts, blades of wind ripping and tearing their flesh to shreds.

Simultaneously arrows upon arrows, shot out from behind, boosted by the wind they all pierced their target without fail.

Locking eyes with those of sky blue, understanding flashed between us, and we launched at the enemies letting the current carry us, using it to our advantage, to accelerate beyond our ordinary limits.

I saw snow hair move in front of me, being noticeably faster, tensing his legs, I could feel an intense aura start to surround him, as he drew his sword and vanished.

I was mentally took aback by his disappearing act, as the monsters literally fell apart, dead as one can be. Encouraged by his performance, I also activated my Martial Arts.

Ability Boost, Greater Ability Boost, Acceleration, Pace of the Wind!

I used all of these skills in succession, vastly increasing my base stats, especially my speed. I forwent using Aura Flame Blade, instead using arts that boosted my physical abilities, to be able to sufficiently keep up with Dalawraith.

Though, normally this would mean that I wouldn't be able to cut these creatures' hide in one strike, Verica had temporarily enchanted my sword with fire.

Soft crimson light shone from my weapon, emitting a steady heat. I could see every single movement being made by my opponents, almost as if I was seeing the world decelerated, parrying a blow to the left, chaining it into a cut into its shoulder, sliding into its flesh.

The world returned to normal, the beast in two pieces falling to the ground behind.

Flow Acceleration! 

An ability to temporarily make the mind move faster, its greatest ramification being its massive strain upon the brain.

Using the tip of my blade to dig into the heart of another, I swung its body into an incoming strike, blocking it. I front kicked both, pushing them away, as they slid on the ground.

Leaping into a spinning jump, I dodged three concurrent attacks, aimed at my jugular, stomach and heart, mid air I activated another Martial Art.

Spinning Slash, twirling my sword spun in a circle, decapitating all three at once. Landing on one of the headless corpses, I leaped up in the air, flipping and landing on in a crouch on the ceiling.

Tensing every possible muscle my legs, I could almost feel my veins pop out from my skin, I sprung from up high, shattering the earth above us. 

And as I descended I cut down every avian creature in my path, raining blood upon the battlefield, and despite using Flow Acceleration I started getting lacerations in my limbs, even seeing the world stagnate couldn't let me avoid every injury.

Gripping the handle of my instrument of slaughter with both hands, I thrust it downward with all my strength, targeting the largest monster in the vicinity. Piercing Strike. The blade punctured it from the top of its skull, through its brains and into its spine.

I tore my sword out from the front of its face, cutting in half its head as well as half its chest, blood bursting out, creating a fountain of vermillion.

Dropping to the ground behind it, I moved straight into the center of the fray of battle, every attack that came my way was either blocked, evaded, or landed on my body in a way that wasn't fatal.

Even as my blood dripped and mixed into all the other blood that soaked into the ground, my mind was completely focused, even as fatigue built up within my core, exhausting every facet of my being, I forced my body to move.

For every body dropped to the ground, every death delivered, a wound was scored on my body, eventually they started to accumulate. 

"Light Healing." But this was the benefit of being a Fighter/Cleric hybrid, instantly most of my wounds recovered, as if they never existed.

But this created a moment of weakness, one that I knew these blood starved beasts wouldn't let go unpunished, however as their claws and fangs approached me, they were eviscerated.

A whirlwind of blood and steel ran straight through them, one that had white hair and blue eyes. 

He flashed me a smirk, then spun around me striking at a giant of shadow, spilling a flood of its blood out, covering his back, I blocked a pair of claws, the sound of grating steel grinding out. 

Parrying it, I slashed it in half, adding another body to my counter. Standing back to back, we dance around each other cutting through every beast that stood in our way, him making up for my every blind spot. 

I could continue to see flashes of flying arrows, zooming through the air. Each time puncturing another monster.

Spheres of fire spun around the Adamantite mage, shooting forth with every swing of her staff, exploding on impact, engulfing all in a crimson fiery blaze, incinerating them to dust.

We all continued to slaughter them without any grievous injuries, but despite this, no one was feeling joyous, because we all knew the main threat was yet to come.

Biding its time, ready to exploit us at our weakest moment.

And when then smoke from a fireball obscured my vision for a split second, it all dissipated from a burst of movement.

Greeting me was a pair of scarlet orbs.