Chapter 26: The Last Stand

"Huff... huff..." Ten minutes had passed since I had engaged the Armored Back Great Bear. Those ten minutes felt like an eternity. I had stopped hoping for Sarah and the others to come to my aid. Negative thoughts started to creep in as the fight dragged on. It was pathetic, I knew I shouldn't have trusted Sarah, but I couldn't help it.

Boom!

"Arrgh!!" I coughed up blood as my body was forcefully pushed back, colliding with a stone wall behind me. "Ha..ha..ha.. I guess this is my limit then." I attempted to move my body, but it was in vain. After enduring so many strikes, my body finally succumbed and fell to the ground, unable to move. Even after discovering the method of using the 36 Warrior Fighting Technique, it only allowed me to prolong the fight.

Seeing me motionless, the monster approached for a final strike.

"Rooaarr!!!"

The monster's claw descended towards me. As I braced myself, I clenched my teeth and held the defense artifact in front of me. I would persist. Even if it seemed futile, I would continue to persist. My experiences during childhood had taught me that the longer you endure, the better the outcome tends to be.

Just as I prepared to receive the attack, a lightning bolt struck down from the sky. It was a level 4 spell, Lightning Strike, known for its paralyzing effect. The monster froze in place, immobilized by the strike. Immediately, it was hit by another level 4 spell, Flame Burst.

A wave of relief washed over me as I witnessed the spells. It signified that the battle was over for me. I could now leave the rest to the others to finish.

The fight had come to an end. Sarah and the others arrived swiftly and deployed an attack formation that quickly subdued the beast, even with its formidable armor.

What surprised me most during the fight wasn't Anna and Thomas's ability to use level 4 spells despite being 4-star mages, but the item Sarah used at the end of the battle.

If I was not mistaken, that item should be an artifact. Artifacts were distinct from magic items. Magic items were objects created using scientific methods and magic spells. They were designed to be used by anyone with the means to purchase them.

Artifacts, on the other hand, were different. They had been discovered by humans on this continent even before the advancement of science. The methods and materials used to create them remained a mystery. It was said that artifacts had existed even before humans had conquered the five continents and had been found and utilized by humans since then.

Unlike magic items, which were graded on a scale from level 1 to 10, artifacts were categorized as magic, rare, unique, and legendary. Normally, only magic-grade artifacts were seen, slightly surpassing magic items in strength. Some high-grade magic items could even outperform these magic-grade artifacts.

Next were the rare artifacts, possessing superior quality compared to magic artifacts. They were the most commonly used artifacts among the upper echelons of mage society.

Unique artifacts came next. While not necessarily surpassing rare artifacts in power, they possessed their own distinctive abilities, making them special.

Lastly, there were the legendary artifacts. These were the most powerful among all artifact types, excelling in both firepower and unique abilities. It was said that just by holding a legendary artifact, one became invincible. However, these artifacts were incredibly rare, and to this day, only three were known to the public.

I wasn't sure of the level of Sarah's artifact, but judging by its appearance, it was at least a rare artifact.

"William, are you okay?" Despite her exhaustion after using the artifact, Sarah came straight to me after the fight concluded.

"I'm fine, though I can't say the same if you guys had been just a little bit later," I replied with a slight smile on my face. Despite being covered in wounds, I could still joke with them, as my mind had grown tougher through daily practice of the Supreme Warrior Scripture.

"You did well," Thomas praised, leaving everyone, including myself, surprised. Thomas rarely spoke, and for him to praise someone, even briefly, was a rarity. His acknowledgment served as evidence that I had impressed him.

"Wow! I never thought you could actually do it. When you said you were going to stall for time, I thought you would fall quickly, forcing us to escape. But you really managed to hold it back," Anna remarked.

Anna's words may have seemed somewhat harsh, but I knew she meant no harm. After all, it had been a grueling battle for me as well, so I couldn't blame her for having such thoughts.

I simply lay there and listened to their conversation. Finally, I could rest.