Chapter 306
The former Central Defense chief let out an inhuman roar as it charged forward toward Tillienne, the arrow in its shoulder not seeming to impede it in the slightest. Defensive skills were activated, but the loose perimeter that had formed around Reynolds was broken as the whirring blades from each arm ripped through the skills and forced the D Grades to retreat. One woman wasn’t quite fast enough, and she was sent to the ground in pieces.
On C.H.A.D.D.’s map, Kyle saw Tillienne was already on the move. With impressive speed, she’d gotten out of the path of the rampaging monster, and fired another massive arrow. This time, however, the projectile was deflected by one of the spinning blades, as was the arrow that followed.
Fortunately, Reynold’s decision to interpose one of his weapons also created an opening. With a cackle of delight, Skippy rushed beneath the spinning blades to get underneath Reynolds. Flaming strikes pounded into him from below, dull thuds echoing out across the battlefield as Skippy’s assault began to ramp up.
The power radiating off of the skrell was no less impressive than Arhades had been, and despite the dire situation, Kyle felt the ember of hope kindling. They had a chance. He released another blast of Repel at the same leg he’d struck before, while tendrils of Parasitic Resonance reached out to connect. Reynold’s Willpower was much higher than the hodags’, but Kyle still felt confident in at least disrupting larger-scale skills, even if it would take a while for the incremental effects of Parasitic Resonance to take hold.
Reynolds roared in pain as the attacks poured into him, each impact doing little on its own, though each strike contained slightly more power. At first, the abomination tried stomping on Skippy, heavy legs piercing deeply into the ground as blades whirred and deflected projectiles and elemental attacks alike. Skippy was too nimble to get caught by attacks that broad, so Reynolds shifted tactics.
Kyle swore as he felt the mana surging through Reynolds. It was torrential, and it took everything Kyle had to slow it down, entirely unable to stop it completely. Fortunately, Reynolds wasn’t the only one Kyle connected to with Parasitic Resonance. Storm Shelter erupted around Skippy, knocking Reynolds off-balance as it lifted him off the ground. At the same time, thousands of fungal spears and lashes snaked out from the bulbous stalk, attempting to bind and pierce Skippy.
Skippy tossed a quick grin Kyle’s way, his expression nearly manic with excitement. Storm Shelter was still holding on against the attack as Reynolds extended its legs further, no longer remaining high-centered on Kyle’s barrier. The distraction created another opportunity for a silver arrow to slam into the crown of the mushroom, burying itself deeply near where Reynolds’ face was frozen in rage.
A moment later, Kyle got a ping from his nav bracelet, which he had play aloud.
Out of arrows. Going to try to join the melee.
Kyle wasn’t able to pay much more attention, however, as small cracks began to form in Storm Shelter. The roots and spears Reynolds used had nearly engulfed the barrier, the pressure on it growing to a level that was quickly becoming unstable. In most circumstances, one could have safely assumed that the person trapped within the barrier would be fearful; preparing for their inevitable demise. As Kyle saw Skippy’s smile widen, he was reminded that these were anything but most circumstances.
The skrell was standing calmly, holding his stance as he held his right wrist with his left hand. The moment Storm Shelter broke, Kyle felt mana and heat pour out as Skippy activated his skill, through a simple, vertical palm strike. A pillar of gold and violet flame erupted as the towering form of Reynolds was blasted skyward; the roots and spears all burned to ash in the attack.
Still, Skippy wasn’t done. The small gray alien vanished, appearing in the air above as the flames released by his attack joined his swirling cloak, then condensed around his fist. A moment later, he released the stored power in a single beam of searing energy, scorching Reynolds’ already burnt form even more. The skrell landed lightly, smiling broadly despite his chest heaving.
Despite taking such a big attack, Auric Perception made it clear that Reynolds was still in the fight. Trying to capitalize on the damage, Kyle unleashed a full-powered Repel, aiming for the leg he’d been striking before. Reynolds staggered as he tried to rise, the impact causing a crater on the sizzling flesh. Still, as Kyle watched, the scorched and cracked body was beginning to heal. Wriggling violet veins pulsed and expanded as the burned pieces fell away.
“He’s a tough one,” Skippy panted, stepping up next to Kyle.
Kyle nodded his agreement, wracking his brain to find a solution. The D Grade mercenaries, Tillienne excepted, weren’t much help. The ranged attackers were almost entirely neutralized by the spinning blades, while the melee fighters were overwhelmed by the onslaught of Reynolds’ attacks. Ultimately, they’d just be in the way. Using their reprieve, Kyle signaled them to retreat.
“How many more times can you use your skill?” Kyle asked, feeling the instability in Skippy’s aura.
“Depending on how many hits I can get in the combination, anywhere from one to three more times,” Skippy buzzed.
“Combination?” Kyle questioned, not fully understanding.
“Nothing has ever survived past the second hit before,” Skippy said. “And if the strain keeps increasing with each stage, the third hit will probably take me out of the fight.”
By now, Reynolds was slowly advancing toward them, moving with caution as his eyes were fixed on Skippy. The other mercenaries were already making their escape, using Reynolds’ caution as an opportunity. All save one, that is. Behind him, Kyle spotted Tillienne, wielding a lance, shield, and a battleaxe in a two-handed overhead grip.
Despite her strength, he wasn’t sure how much help she would be. One of the fae woman’s greatest weaknesses was her lack of powerful finishing moves, and those would be the deciding factor against a C Grade with such incredible natural regeneration. Chipping away at him blow by blow would take ages, and any one attack from his weapons could prove to be deadly.
Kyle wanted to encourage her to run, but stopped himself. She was choosing this fight, just like he and Skippy did. Whatever her reasons, he wouldn’t disrespect her resolve. If she and Kyle could create an opening for Skippy, his combination attack might be enough. If not… Well, I won’t have to worry about it if not, Kyle thought.
He felt C.H.A.D.D.’s resolve through Pack Leader’s Instinct, and sent a mental affirmation. They’d be holding nothing back in this fight.
“I’m getting us some backup,” Kyle whispered to Skippy, feeling mana being drawn out from the pack. A dozen chaddlings appeared behind him, along with two of the stump-like ranged variants.
[DO YOU WANT ME TO ATTEMPT TO GET INTO THE AIR, DR. MAYHEW?]
Kyle considered for just a moment before shaking his head. “These spores are designed to lock down air support. I can’t risk you and the pack getting caught up in them.”
Even if their plan didn’t involve C.H.A.D.D.’s finishing blow, Skippy’s combination attack was still capable of dealing significant damage. The goal would be to implement the same strategy, with Skippy dealing the large attack from below instead of dropping it from above. Now all that was left was actually creating the opening, and surviving.
“Skippy, stay behind me!” Kyle shouted, charging directly toward Reynolds, the melee chaddlings following suit. Echoes of thunder rumbled behind him as the ranged variants began their bombardment, the whirling blades raising at the last moment to intercept the shrapnel-producing projectiles. This created an opening on Reynolds’ left side, and the chaddlings eagerly ran beneath and began to hack away at the monstrosity’s sturdy legs.
Kyle joined the chaddlings on the other side, watching Reynold’s right arm move toward them in a lazy arc. The whirring blades were like a buzzsaw, effortlessly slicing through several of the chaddlings that were unable to dodge. Kyle released a blast of Repel into the shoulder at a distance, followed quickly by releasing a blast vertically from one of the chaddlings he was connected to.
The acorn-like soldier was pressed hard into the soft ground, while the combination attack threw the trajectory of the blades high and out of the way. The arm that was preoccupied with blocking the ranged bombardment descended, but was stopped a moment later as Reynold’s whole body lurched backward.
Kyle felt the surge of power, and smiled as he saw Tillienne removing her battleaxe from a leg, only to strike the opening again with her lance. Her form was wreathed in power, spectral wings opened behind her as her boosting skill was being used. She deftly dodged a swipe from the injured leg, and raised her shield to meet one of the whirling blades as Reynolds turned to face her.
She deflected the first strike, scoring a counter thrust with her spear. The second strike was evaded, while the third smashed into her shield head-on, leaving a nasty gouge in the metal but not breaking through. Kyle mentally directed C.H.A.D.D. toward the injured leg, with the chaddlings following his direction and focusing their attacks. Tillienne had traded her battleaxe for more shields, blocking the endless attacks as best she could. Still, it would only be a matter of time before either her gear would give out, or she would.
Auric Perception warned Kyle of mana building up inside of Reynolds, and he shifted his focus. Parasitic Resonance was already connected, and Kyle threw his full Willpower against the forming skill. He gritted his teeth with the strain on his own mana network, the challenge of directly opposing the C Grade pushing him to his limit.
He felt a stirring in his Core of the Parasitic Devourer, not hunger this time, but something… different. Before he could focus on the feeling, Tillienne disengaged, throwing one of her broken shields at the monstrosity before flying backwards and into a safe range. Kyle saw an opportunity as Reynolds stepped to follow, and with a roar, he activated Storm Shelter on the surrounding chaddlings.
Reynolds slammed into the barriers, more appearing around him as he found himself pinned in. If he’d turned more quickly, he would have seen that there was a narrow pathway left behind him, leading directly to a diminutive gray form surrounded in golden fire.
“Now!” Kyle screamed, already feeling Skippy’s approach.
The skrell was moving in a blur, condensed mana blazing around his hand. In an instant, he struck Reynolds with another brutal uppercut, the pillar of golden-violet flame engulfing his entire form. Watching more closely this time, Kyle realized with wide eyes that Skippy didn’t just jump to get in the air, he teleported skyward where the power was condensing.
As before, the flames from his attack slammed into Reynolds in a single, focused beam, searing the fungal monstrosity and putting huge pressure on Storm Shelter. Reynolds was screaming in a mix of pain and fury, but the skrell wasn’t done yet. An inferno of gold and violet erupted behind Skippy, propelling him straight down toward his target.
Both of Reynolds’ arms rose to meet the charge, blades beginning to spin in an effort to slice through Skippy before he could land the final hit of the combination. Before they could, Tillienne rushed to Reynolds’ shoulder, leveraging her boosted Strength to pull the arm slightly off-course. C.H.A.D.D. was on the case with the other arm, thick vines lashing out to restrain the arm and slow the blades.
It only bought a moment, but it was enough. Skippy slammed into Reynolds with the force of a meteor, and all of the ambient flames from the skill that had dispersed flowed into the monstrosity, burning it from the inside while Skippy’s strike pulverized it from without. The shockwave cracked the array of Storm Shelters around Reynolds as a massive plume of dust rose.
Tillienne and Kyle both disengaged, and C.H.A.D.D. wrapped Skippy in vines before pulling the barely-moving skrell out of harm’s way. The third strike of the combination exceeded Arhades’ ultimate attack in power, and the backlash from using it was clearly immense. And still, it wasn’t quite enough. Kyle could feel the presence of the C Grade within the cloud of dust. The only question remaining was whether or not he and Tillienne had enough power to finish what they’d started.