Chapter 120: Fighting as a Team
Liam watched as the Ancient Forest Giant’s enormous leg began to wobble.
Ivy’s vines had wrapped around it while Duncan pushed from underneath.
It was the opportunity they needed.
"We have to take advantage of this."
Liam stood up.
"We’re going to help them."
Emily and Carol nodded at the same time.
"Let’s go!"
Both of them shot out from the bushes.
The Ancient Forest Giant roared as it tried to free itself from the vines trapping its leg.
Duncan, who was standing beneath its enormous foot, glanced to the side.
"Ivy, what’s happening?"
The orange-haired woman kept both hands extended.
"More aspirants are showing up."
Duncan smiled.
"Then we should take advantage of it."
He looked toward the new hunters.
"Let’s work together."
Emily was the first to attack.
A flash of electricity coursed through her body, and she disappeared.
An instant later, she appeared in front of the giant’s face.
BAM!
Her fist slammed into the monster’s cheek.
Another flash.
Emily disappeared again.
She reappeared on its shoulder.
BOOM!
A kick struck its jaw.
The giant roared and swung an enormous hand toward her.
Emily disappeared again.
The hand passed through the spot where she had been just an instant earlier.
Another flash, another strike, and another disappearance.
The Ancient Forest Giant began wildly swinging its arms, desperately trying to catch the tiny nuisance that wouldn’t stop hitting it.
Meanwhile, Carol headed toward its feet.
She extended her hands, and her skin began to take on the appearance of stone.
Her knuckles warped into small, sharp points.
"Let’s see if this works."
BAM!
She punched the giant’s foot.
BAM!
Another punch.
BAM!
And another.
The attacks looked like someone trying to chop down a tree with their bare fists.
"Don’t think you’re getting away!"
The giant moved its leg, and Carol quickly backed away.
"Jordan!"
"Coming!"
The hunter appeared beneath the enormous leg.
Duncan was beside him.
Jordan looked up.
"Need a hand with that leg?"
Duncan smiled.
"A hand never hurts."
Then he looked Jordan up and down.
"But what could someone like you do?"
Jordan didn’t answer. He simply positioned himself beneath the giant’s foot.
"My job is pushing."
He placed both hands against the enormous sole.
"So help me push."
Duncan let out a small laugh.
"I like you."
He moved beside him, and the two of them pushed.
The result was disappointing.
The giant barely moved.
Jordan gritted his teeth.
"It’s heavier than I thought."
Duncan strained as well.
"Looks that way."
Jordan planted his feet more firmly.
The salt from the chips he had been eating still covered his hands.
"Come on!"
They both pushed with all their strength.
The giant’s leg moved only a few inches.
But that was enough for Ivy’s vines to tighten even further.
"We’re moving it!"
Ivy shouted.
The giant roared and tried to regain its balance.
◇◆◇
Farther away, Liam watched the situation.
Emily continued attacking.
Carol hammered at its feet.
Jordan and Duncan tried to lift one of its legs.
Ivy kept the vines wrapped around it.
The young man who could manipulate air ran around the giant, concentrating a sphere between his palms.
"Now!"
He extended both hands.
The sphere of air shot forward.
BOOM!
The impact barely pushed one of the giant’s legs.
It wasn’t enough to move it very far, but it was enough to make it stagger.
The female hunter in the green suit took advantage of the moment.
A liquid began dripping from her fingertips.
It fell onto the ground.
Within seconds, the terrain around the giant began to be covered by the slippery substance.
Liam smiled.
Everyone was doing their part.
Chuck appeared beside him.
"So, Boss..."
Liam looked at him.
"What?"
"What about that famous secret weapon?"
Liam smiled.
"I’ll tell you when the time comes."
"Why all the mystery?"
"I like adding a little mystery."
Chuck stared at him for several seconds.
"You’re enjoying this way too much."
"You could say that."
Then Liam received a message.
[Lydia: Honey...]
[Lydia: Do you want me to do something?]
Liam looked toward where his teammates were.
"Not yet."
[Lydia: Are you sure?]
"The group is handling the situation pretty well."
Liam paused.
"Besides, you need to save your energy."
Lydia took a few seconds to respond.
[Lydia: Won’t that make the sub-captains think we aren’t participating in the fight against the boss?]
Liam smiled.
"Don’t worry."
He looked at Chuck.
"Lydia is the secret weapon."
Chuck’s eyes widened, and he began laughing.
"I wouldn’t expect anything less from you!"
Liam shook his head.
"We’ll see if you’re still laughing when the time comes."
◇◆◇
Emily was beginning to get tired.
She had lost count of how many times she had hit the giant.
Her fists and kicks struck its enormous head, but the result was practically the same every time.
The giant barely seemed to feel them.
"What is this guy made of?!"
A roar answered her question.
The giant swung another hand.
Emily disappeared in a flash.
The hand passed by, but the monster didn’t stop.
It swung its arm around.
Emily appeared again.
And this time, the hand was already there.
"Damn it!"
She tried to retreat.
The enormous fingers came dangerously close to catching her.
Then...
BOOM!
The hand exploded.
The wooden surface shattered into pieces.
Emily froze for a moment.
"What...?"
Wooden fragments fell all around her.
Everyone looked toward the trees.
A hunter was holding a rifle, aiming at the boss.
Then a laugh came from the branches.
"I made it just in time for the party!"
Liam immediately recognized that voice.
"Robert..."
Robert Hanks slowly stepped out from behind the tree.
He wore that arrogant smile.
He held the rifle in one hand, while with the other, he pressed his thumb against his fist.
The same gesture that seemed to activate his awakened ability.
Robert looked at the giant.
"I see you still haven’t managed to deal with this thing."
Chuck let out a laugh.
"Did you really have to show up?"
Robert ignored him and looked at the other hunters.
"By the way..."
He paused.
"Aren’t you tired?"
Liam frowned.
Something was happening.
The hunters began to feel it.
The exhaustion that had built up after fighting the monsters began to disappear.
Emily took a deep breath.
"I feel... better."
Carol looked at her hands.
"Me too."
Jordan let out a sigh.
"This is really coming in handy."
The air user opened and closed his hands.
"I got my energy back."
Even the female hunter in the green suit looked surprised.
"What did you do?"
Robert smiled.
"Me?"
He rested his rifle on his shoulder.
"Don’t thank me for bringing support to the fight."
Robert pointed toward one of the branches in the trees.
Liam narrowed his eyes and spotted him.
A white-haired man was scattering some kind of sparkling powder over the battlefield.
The Ancient Forest Giant roared, and its legs began to wobble again.
Jordan and Duncan pushed.
Ivy tightened the vines.
The air user once again concentrated energy between his hands.
The woman in green spread even more of the slippery liquid across the ground.
Emily prepared for another attack.
Carol raised her stone fists.
And Robert aimed his rifle.
Liam smiled.
Now they might actually be able to defeat it.