Chapter 219: I see
Azaroth crouched and sent his sword in an upward arc, slashing up at their invisible attacker. The others also lay low, Catena good as far as to do a lying roll to get out of his current position.
It turned out to be well and good because just seconds later, something heavy landed on the place they were standing on earlier with a solid twack!
They raised thei eyes, the air cracking as they all readied their powers. And for a moment there was nothing but then space peeled back like curtain and they finally saw what was hunting then.
Pitch black and humanoid, back hunched, bones jutting out of spines and red eyes that looks at them flatly. The monster is solidly built with corded muscles and it looks more like an ape as it watched them. Bat ears flapped and the monster cocked it's head in their director.
No one made any move. Azaroth started to do some rough calculations. With the size of the monster, even hunched back it's still taller than an adult human and with the apparent strength in its body. He knew this won't be an easy fight.
But the monster seems more curious than anything this, as if it's not seen human before. It sniffed the air gently then again and then it's eyes widen and suddenly the monster became alert, leaning forward with its mouth opened slightly to sniffed then again and this time, rolls of flesh pulled back to show long, sharp fangs.
The monster have decided they are prey, a deep rumbling growls came out of it's mouth and it tense, muscles quivering as it got ready to pounce.
It was facing Azaroth and he sent his senses out to get a feel of it, to see just how strong it is. His hand tightened on his sword when he got the feedback. The monster is Acolyte rank like them but very strong, a high Acolyte rank.
Azaroth knew then that it won't be an easy fight.
The monster pounced, clawed legs scratching the ground as it sped towards him, faster than he thought. Azaroth managed to bring his sword up just on time as the monster slammed its claws down, the force sending him back but not only that, the attack left a ripple in the air, amplifying the attack somehow and it nearly tore his hand from his shoulder.
Azaroth gritted his teeth, not because of the pain but surprise at the strength of the monster. How was it able to do something like that! He should have anticipated some kind of skill from it but it's not too bad, already his body is healing.
The monster followed it attack with another one, claws slashing towards Azaroth left where he's left open but fire streamed out of Azaroth mouth setting the space between them aflame.
That should keep it back! Azaroth thought but what happened next made him blink in actual surprise. It's like Azaroth was feeding water to fish because as soon as his fire touched the monster....it just melted on it like cream.
Although the monster flinched a little from the first skill, it's attack still continue smoothly and the hand caught Azaroth across the jaws, sending jolt of pain flashing through him and blinding as he was slammed into a pillar.
The monster bounced forward, mouth opened and bearing down fast on Azaroth who's just struggling to his feet. Two blue crystals, shaped like a knife blurred forward, one slammed into the monster below its right shoulder in the back but it managed to twist away from the second.
The monster turned, facing Alex, Catena and Stallus with her crystals floating around her. The monster snared in a pain and fury and took a step forward but Stallus snapped her finger abd boom! And explosion of shockwave and blue energy slammed into the monster and sent it stumbling forward, it's right hand fell limp as something cracked and black blood dripped.
The monster looked at them with fury but instead of charging forward, it raised it's left hand and the space in front of it shuddered, covering it and they watched in shock as the monster disappeared.
"What the hell is that thing! It nearly got Azaroth!" Alex said, his voice laced with fear. Seeing the monster sent Azaroth blowing across the room made him panic.
Stallus walked towards Azaroth. "Are you okay? That monster packed a lot of strength."
"I am." Azaroth said, he touched his jaw with his hand, it was tender to touch but no shattered. The monster's strength should have been enough to blow it right away but at the last minute he had concentrated his essence there.
Just then, the air above them shimmering and a black clawed hand snapped out and lashed at Stallus neck, griping it tightly and squeezing fast. She let out a chocked gasp that was cut short.
Azaroth have began to move immediately he saw the shimmer and my the time the monster grabbed Stallus his formation is already ready to use. He compressed fireball to nothing more than the size of an egg. There's nothing like trying out his will, he slammed everything down on the fire and shrunk it until it got even smaller then he brought it towards the shimmer where the hand is coming from. "Make a good essence forge!"
Azaroth said and he released the fire.
There's a sharp snap, a cracking woosh as compressed fire released and tore free, expanding and causing an explosion of rolling heat and sheer shockwave. A beastly scream echoed through the room and the air shuddered where the monster was hiding with its ability.
The monster's hand not only burn but it was ripped away in a bloody chunk. The fire filled the room, blooming like deadly flower and lit up the whole space.
Azaroth increased the amount of essence that went to essence forge together with his fire manipulation to keep the fire away from himself. But he nodded in satisfaction with the way he's hurt the monster. "One good turn."