Battle

One by one, hands clasped with Theus; one by one, the Banshees stood up from the sea with resolute eyes.

Banshees were never weak creatures; they were willing to use their own blood to defend their home.

It didn't take long for all the Banshees to sign the Symbiotic Pact with Theus.

As the Life Pool expanded, the injuries Ash had sustained became almost negligible.

She looked in surprise at the gruesome scar on her waist—yes, under the infusion of life force, the wound had already transformed into a scar.

Ash stretched her body, feeling her frame brimming with power; it had been a long time since she had experienced such a feeling of being filled with life force.

The rest of the Banshees also stood up from the seawater. They were all tall and sturdy, and as they stood together under the moonlight, their scales glinted with a cold light, resembling a frigid city wall.

Theus looked at them and couldn't help but sigh. In the age of cold weapons, once these Banshees donned heavy armor, they would be nothing short of killing machines.

A few roars echoed from outside the cave. Theus looked in that direction; Connor had been leading the monster that Monica had become on a chase, and they had circled back.

That was—

"How did she get so big!?"

The Banshees' expressions turned grave.

The wailing monster no longer bore any trace of the Monica they once knew. Masses of corruption churned and gathered into a grotesque monstrosity the size of a church.

At this size, was it even something humans could contend with?

Theus looked at the Banshees beside him with concern.

The Banshees, in turn, looked at Ash.

Standing on land, the contrast was even more apparent. Ash's physique was several times larger than the other Banshees, and one could sense the explosive power contained within her toned frame just by looking at her.

But even such a powerful warrior might not be able to contend with that mountain-like monster, right?

"Monica..." Ash whispered to herself, then shook her head, turning around with a determined expression.

"Lord, we can handle her. Please, step back."

A hint of sorrow appeared on the faces of the Banshees.

Their tribe had never been large in number. After the battle with the Fishmen, the remaining members were so few that a single cave could hold them all.

Because of this, the Banshees were incredibly united, and the bonds between them were deep.

Monica was the youngest member of the Banshees. She was cute and whimsical; no one could help but love her.

Unfortunately, the corruption within her had reached a point of no return. The Banshees might be able to defeat the monster she had become, but they lacked the strength to restrain her and attempt to alleviate the corruption.

This was the best outcome; there was no need for further sacrifice. Both the Banshees and Theus had done their best.

It was just that, even though they had finally found a home, Monica had to bid them a final farewell.

The Banshees lowered their heads one after another, suppressing the grief in their hearts as they followed Ash out of the cave. They had no time to waste.

The monster Monica had become was growing stronger with every passing second.

Enduring suffering and tasting every dish fate served them—the Banshees had experienced too much, and today was merely another parting.

The Banshees felt a connection, looked at each other, and then closed their eyes in unison.

The power of their minds linked them together.

A moment later, they opened their eyes and looked ahead, nothing but resolve remaining in their gazes. They quickly separated; that momentary connection had been enough for them to discuss their tactics.

It was time.

Not far away, Connor was circling on horseback. Seeing the Banshees had recovered their state, the expression on his face relaxed slightly.

His forehead was covered in sweat. Although the monster was as massive as a mountain, its speed was not slow at all. If it hadn't been slightly clumsy when changing direction, Connor might have been caught long ago.

Even now, he was at the end of his rope. The horse beneath him was panting heavily, wheezing like a broken bellows.

The horse's stamina had reached its limit; if not for his desperate efforts to control its direction, it would have barely escaped the pursuit.

Thankfully, they had made it.

Connor looked up. A Banshee in the distance signaled to him, and he nodded in understanding.

The massive monster roared and charged over. Connor pulled the reins, and the horse swerved violently to the side.

The monster brushed past him, roaring as it clawed at the man and horse, but it missed by just a hair.

Its massive body struggled to brake, leaving deep furrows in the ground. Black corruption transformed into multiple arms that braced against the ground ahead to slow it down. Once it came to a near stop, it began frantically clawing at the dirt, twisting and writhing as it prepared to turn.

It was about to move again.

At that moment, a Banshee charged over, slamming her entire body into the monster.

The black corruption rippled like a bloated balloon as it was struck, wailing as it wrapped around the Banshee, attempting to devour her.

However, the Banshee touched and retreated instantly. The clinging corruption slid off, emitting frustrated curses.

In the moment of impact, she had activated her Flesh Magic, preventing the corruption from consuming her.

Once she was a safe distance away and confirmed that no corruption remained on her, she deactivated the Flesh Magic to conserve her energy.

The massive monster was caught in that awkward phase where its old momentum had faded but its new strength had yet to surge; not only was its charging acceleration interrupted, but it was also knocked off balance, nearly stumbling.

It can be done!

Ash's eyes lit up. This was the tactic of the Banshees: they constantly harassed the monster from its blind spots to wear it down.

Meanwhile, Ash, patrolling in the distance, would search for an opening, attempting to land a killing blow on the monster.

She held a long trident in her hand, one she had seized from a Fishman. Not long ago, she had used this very weapon to carve a bloody path out of the Abyssal Trench, leading her kin to Castel.

"It's a pity I can't use magic," she whispered to herself.

The vitality brought by the Symbiotic Pact had only healed her wounds; the effects of her mana exhaustion still lingered.

Suddenly, she turned her head.

"Nini?"

Nini had abandoned her position and was heading toward the grotto.

Ash was somewhat confused and was about to question her, but then she noticed Theus waving at her from the grotto.

"I have a plan! Just stall for a little longer!"

Theus's voice echoed in her mind, a capability granted by the Symbiotic Pact that allowed them to communicate over short distances.

Ash nodded without hesitation and turned back to fill the gap left by Nini's departure.

She did not know what idea her lord had come up with, but she knew she only needed to execute it.

She trusted her lord, and Theus had never let her down.

She was willing to be Theus's longsword, cutting through the thorns on his path; she did not need to think about so much.

This gave her a sense of peace.

Yet, she failed to notice that, deep within her heart, a sense of anticipation had begun to grow.