Chapter 103: Teamwork in Action
The Guardian of Nature, sensing the unfolding events, erupted in fury and lunged at Alexis. Its massive hand, as colossal as a mountain, came crashing down with unstoppable force. Alexis, however, did not flinch. He raised his shield to meet the blow, the impact echoing like thunder through the air. The force drove him backward a few steps, yet he gritted his teeth, knowing his duty was clear: he must protect his teammates at all costs, and under no circumstances could the Guardian of Nature break through.
“Hold your ground!” Alexis bellowed, planting his feet firmly, muscles taut as he continued to absorb the Guardian’s relentless assault.
Seizing the opening, Carl sprang into action. His eyes locked on the Wind Speaker, ensnared tightly by the writhing vines, and without a second thought, he leapt onto one of the thick vines. Beneath his feet, the vine felt as solid as a bridge, holding him steady as he climbed with breathtaking speed.
“Wind Sword!” Carl shouted, his voice slicing through the chaos above the Wind Speaker’s head. Years of mastering his magic sword technique had culminated in this moment. The basic Wind Sword, the cornerstone of his skill, was also his strongest attack. He focused every ounce of his magical energy into the blade. Wind elemental power coiled around the steel like a living storm, erupting in a blinding flash of light, as if tearing the very sky apart. His figure streaked downward like a meteor, aimed straight for the Wind Speaker’s vital point.
“You cannot escape anymore!” Carl’s words rang with unyielding determination. The sword carved a perfect arc through the air, infused with raw wind energy, and plunged deep into the Wind Speaker’s form.
A piercing, agonized shriek tore from the Wind Speaker’s throat. Its body convulsed violently under the strike, and the vines holding it shuddered under the shockwave. The once-majestic wings were utterly shattered, and the creature’s massive form collapsed downward, striking the earth with a deafening thud, sending up a cloud of dust.
“Well done, Carl!” Shirley cried out, eyes sparkling with admiration. She knew this strike was not merely a blow against their enemy—it was a surge of morale for the entire team, a moment of triumph that would lift their spirits.
But the Guardian of Nature did not pause. Enraged, it turned its wrath toward Carl, intent on countering with its earth magic. The ground trembled violently, and massive stones erupted from the earth, hurtling toward him with lethal speed.
“Carl, watch out!” Alexis shouted, spinning around to intercept the oncoming attack with his shield once more.
“I’ll handle this!” Dilia reacted instantly, pulling a vial of potion from her pack and flinging it at the Guardian. The liquid burst in midair, scattering into a shimmering green barrier that absorbed the impact of the stones, shielding the team from the deadly barrage.
Exhaustion hit Carl the moment the Wind Speaker fell. His magical reserves were little more than that of an ordinary person; his strength came largely from years of relentless physical training. His body felt drained, his sweat-dampened brow evidence of his effort.
“I… I need to recover…” Carl panted, struggling to regulate his breathing.
At that moment, Dilia quickly retrieved two glowing vials of mana-restoring potions from her bag and tossed them without hesitation to Carl and Shirley.
“Mana restoration potions—drink them immediately!”
Carl caught the vial with gratitude, quickly opening it and tipping it back in one gulp. The liquid melted instantly, flooding his body with warmth and energy. Fatigue ebbed away, and his magical reserves began to replenish steadily.
“Thank you, Dilia!” Shirley said as she drank her potion, feeling a refreshing power coursing through her veins, gradually lifting the weariness from her limbs.
“No time to waste—hurry!” Dilia’s tone tightened, her gaze locked on the raging Guardian. With the Wind Speaker defeated, its fury intensified. The earth shook violently, and the surrounding plants seemed to writhe under its dark influence.
Dilia’s heart sank as she watched the vines she had so carefully manipulated to trap the Wind Speaker begin to rot and twist under the Guardian’s shadowy aura. They darkened, warped into instruments of destruction, the very tools of their strategy now turned against them.
“Damn it!” Dilia exclaimed, panic tightening her chest. “I’ve lost control of the magical vines!”
The corrupted vines responded instantly, lashing out like animated serpents under the Guardian’s command. They radiated a suffocating darkness, eager to consume all light in their path. Carl and Shirley had no choice but to throw themselves into defense, their swords and shields clashing desperately against the onslaught.
“Move!” Carl roared, swinging his blade to carve a path through the writhing vines. Yet the corruption had hardened the tendrils; the wind slash tore through them but could not completely sever their forms.
“Fire! We need fire to burn these magical vines!” Dilia cried. She didn’t have fire potions ready, but materials lay in her spatial ring; she just needed time to craft them.
“I need time to prepare fire potions!” she yelled.
“I’ll hold them off!” Alexis charged recklessly, raising his shield to block the approaching tendrils. Though his shield was sturdy, even it seemed fragile against the corrupted vines. One strike sent him sprawling to the ground, pain flaring in his shoulder.
“Alexis!” Carl’s heart lurched. He wanted to rush to support him, but another vine lashed toward him, forcing him to dodge desperately.
The vines twisted and surged violently under the Guardian’s control, sweeping aside anyone in their path. They coiled like serpents, closing in on Dilia and Shirley with terrifying speed.
“Run!” Dilia’s voice was nearly drowned in fear. The two barely had time to react, staring in horror as the thrashing vines struck toward them like enraged serpents, leaving them with a creeping sense of hopelessness.
Then, at the most desperate moment, a deafening roar erupted from the distance, shaking the very air as if the heavens themselves were trembling. A torrent of fire surged from the horizon like a river of molten flame, racing toward the magical vines. The blaze illuminated the battlefield, warm and fierce, consuming the advancing tendrils in an instant.
Carl and the others turned toward the source of the flames and saw Senior Yuna. Even amidst the shadowy tendrils of “Stacie,” surrounded by countless dark appendages, she still found the strength to aid the four of them in their struggle.
“Stop staring—help us!” Carl shouted, shaking Dilia and Shirley from their stunned daze. They leapt back into the fray against the Guardian, hearts pounding.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the battlefield, Yuna fought desperately with “Stacie,” her face lined with worry even as she extended her aid to Carl’s team. Her eyes flicked toward another point—the place where Merlin had been struck and thrown.