Chapter 17: Hidden Temple? Unexpected Treasury {2}
The gap between Rank C and the lower ranks—G, F, even E—was vast, like the distance Between it Survival wasn’t just unlikely it was impossible without a miracle.
The moment the Cyclops rose from the lake, towering like a building, its sheer presence crushed any illusion of safety. Panic clawed at my spine. We instinctively tried to retreat, only to find ourselves trapped—an invisible barrier sealed the area, caging us in.
Clara immediately unsheathed her blade, her golden eyes focused, determined. Althea, floating above the battlefield, began casting something powerful—something immense. Her hands glowed with divine blue energy as she locked her gaze onto the monster.
"Cover me," she commanded, her voice calm but strained. "I need at least one hour."
My eye twitched. One hour? Was she serious?
Still, I clenched my jaw and nodded. That hour could mean the difference between life and death. I needed a plan—fast. My thoughts raced like lightning, processing everything I knew about the Cyclops.
Its weak points were obvious: the eye and the hearts. But the problem? It didn’t just have one heart—it had eight, buried within its muscular abs. To make things worse, it could regenerate unless all of them were destroyed quickly.
"Clara!" I shouted over the chaos. "Each of its abs holds a heart. Hit them! I’ll distract the eye!"
Clara didn’t respond, but the way her body tensed told me she understood. The Cyclops roared, slamming its massive fist toward her. Its speed was terrifying—easily E+—but Clara’s instincts were sharp. She leapt just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow. The branch she had been standing on shattered like dry twigs.