Chapter 26: Ace Avalanche
Soon, the Silvervest Bear smelled the fresh air through the cave mouth. The scent mixed with blood—the result of one human killed and several others wounded.
The bear had paid for its rampage. Deep cuts ringed its arms and torso, turning its silver coat a muddy red.
Ace, Chaewon, and Alex had inflicted those wounds, and the bear hated them most.
Driven by hunger and rage, the bear dropped to all fours and charged after Alex.
The other humans poured out of the cave, scrambling to escape. Only the stubborn Rook(tank) stayed in the doorway, shield raised.
The shield’s rim sent the bear into a fury. It reared up to shred Alex, but he ditched the shield, rolled aside, and slid past the claws, leaving the beast trapped between the boulder halves.
"Close," Ace whispered.
At once, the split boulder of the Bank Grotto rumbled shut, clamping around the bear. The stone slammed against its forearms, and it barely braced in time to avoid being crushed. Muscles trembling, the monster strained to hold the walls apart and howled at the humans.
Ace met the Silvervest Bear’s gaze. The gates might jam with it stuck. We have to finish this before it breaks free.
Only two could hurt the bear—Chaewon and Ace—but with Chaewon drained, the final blow fell to him alone. Chaewon had burned her temporary strength boost saving a Don Capo member, so she was drained. Right now, Ace was the only one who could finish the job.
Chaewon had evolved, and Alex had too. Mercer was still just a healer with one spell, and the rest couldn’t handle a fight like this. It’s on me to grow stronger now, Ace told himself, walking toward the bear without a word, daggers in a standard grip.
[Dagger Proficiency V