Chương 79: The Third Day of Tests – Part 1/3

Time was passing quickly. The creatures kept appearing in greater numbers and with more aggression. Some now came in coordinated groups, attacking from multiple sides at once. The crystal on the pedestal already had three thin cracks, and its blue glow had grown weaker. Joker wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and spoke, his voice low but clear: — They're testing us. The more time passes, the more of them come. We won't be able to hold like this until the end.

Harley spun her hammer once, breathing heavily: — Then we change how we fight. She looked at the others and gave quick orders: — Astrid and Rina stay in front with me. We break whatever we can. Sylvara and Marina protect the sides. Lirien stays near the crystal singing to confuse them. Kuroe keeps using runes on the ground. Joker… you climb up a bit and use your shadows to catch the ones coming from above. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

No one questioned it. The group repositioned immediately. Astrid advanced to the front line, punching and throwing creatures with raw strength. Rina used her fire tails in wider movements, creating a barrier of flames that burned several at once. Harley stayed in the middle, using her hammer to create impact waves that pushed entire groups backward. Sylvara made thicker, more resistant vines grow around the pedestal, forming extra protection.

Marina increased the amount of vapor, creating a denser mist that hindered the vision of creatures coming from farther away. Lirien stayed very close to the crystal, singing a low, constant melody. Her voice created small illusions that made some creatures attack the wrong spot or hesitate for a few seconds. Kuroe continued placing runes on the ground. Whenever a creature stepped on one, it became confused and attacked other creatures around it, helping reduce the number of enemies.

Joker climbed up onto a stone structure that had appeared in the arena. From there, he used shadows to grab creatures trying to descend from the ceiling or attack from above. His shadows were more aggressive than at the beginning, reflecting the tension of the moment. Even with the new strategy, the number of creatures kept increasing. Around the 11th minute, a larger wave came all at once. Several creatures managed to get past Astrid and Rina's defense.

One of them jumped over Harley and went straight for the pedestal. Kuroe reacted quickly and threw a rune on the ground right in front of the crystal. The creature stepped on it and stopped, confused. But right behind it, two more were coming. Lirien sang louder, trying to distract them, but one of the creatures ignored the illusion and advanced. At that moment, Joker dropped down from the shadows with a leap. He appeared right in front of the crystal and extended his hand.

Several shadows rose from the ground at the same time, forming a dark wall that stopped the creatures from getting any closer. He stayed there, holding the defense alone for a few seconds, his face serious. — Keep protecting! — he shouted to the others. — I'll hold here! Harley looked at him for a second, then nodded and went back to attacking with more force. Time was running out. And the creatures didn't stop coming. End of Part 1/3 (continues in Part 1/4)