If only Broken could level up by killing monsters and gaining experience points, he would have already reset his Mana, Health, and Stamina. Unfortunately, he could only level up passively due to the blessing that was attached to him. Meanwhile, his Ethereal Form was on a one-hour cooldown, meaning he couldn’t afford to die here. If he did, Alora would surely perish as well.
He wondered whether an All You Need Ticket and an Item Grade Enhancer Ticket could provide any assistance in this situation. He wasn’t sure, but if things turned dire, he would need to use every resource he had, including summoning Gaia.
Yet, Gaia could only be summoned for five minutes, likely to last just two waves of monsters. That wouldn’t be enough if the waves continued to escalate without end. He didn’t know how long they would have to endure this onslaught.
Holding the Wavebreaker Spear, he prepared to unleash his area-of-effect skills to deal massive damage to the approaching demons.
“Do you have any sort of ancient artifact from your ancestors, or maybe some hidden powers that emerge when things get desperate, Princess?” Broken murmured. “Perhaps your grandfather or great-grandfather left you with some kind of emergency power?”
“I wish I had something like that, but sadly, no,” Alora replied. “I’m sorry if that disappoints you, Baron Broken.”
“Not at all. I’m just a bit on edge,” he admitted.
“Why’s that?” she asked.
“Because I’m afraid…” his voice trailing off.
“Afraid of losing me?” she giggled. “Are those supposed to be sweet words?”
“I’m serious.”
She laughed lightly, “What about you? Do you have one?”
“Well, I do have a summoning ability, but it only lasts for five minutes. Let’s do our best to stay safe before I use it in case of an emergency,” he explained.
“They’re coming,” Alora warned.
Broken nodded, readying himself to cast his skills. The monstrous growls grew louder, and the ground shook with their advancing footsteps. He would have to fight valiantly and strategically, relying on every ounce of his skill and the support of his companions.
Broken quickly unleashed his set of AOE skills from the Wavebreaker Spear. Massive waves surged through the arena, followed by a rain of water spears and a wild water boar that charged in unpredictable directions. The chaos these abilities caused was enough to chip away at the health of the demons, proving effective for crowd control.
Switching to the Moonvine Knuckles, he knew he couldn’t summon Dendros yet-the cooldown was still in effect. With no other option, he had to confront the immediate threat head-on. The area-of-effect skills had given them a brief respite, but now it was all about precision and skill.
[Nature Warp Strike (Active Skill)]
Vines erupted from his knuckles, ensnaring a demon and yanking it toward him. Broken immediately launched into a flurry of punches, each strike landing with the brutal efficiency he had refined through studying Muay Thai. He aimed for the demon’s abdomen, then its jaw, delivering punishing blows that left it reeling. Grabbing its jaw, he smashed his right fist into its face, a devastating follow-up.
Taking a step back, Broken summoned another skill.
[Vines of Torment (Active Skill)]
Five wild vines burst from the ground, seizing another demon in their relentless grip. Broken dashed forward, delivering a final, crushing blow.
Determined to stay close to Alora, he positioned himself back-to-back with her, constantly checking to see if she needed help. Polly darted around them, her agility proving invaluable as she distracted and outmaneuvered the demons, keeping them off balance.
But the tide of battle was shifting. What began as a strong opening now felt increasingly chaotic. Broken realized that the Moonvine Knuckles, while superb in single combat, were not ideal for facing multiple foes simultaneously.
“Damn,” he muttered, knowing he needed a weapon capable of dealing massive area damage. The chaos was overwhelming, and seeing the growing threat, Broken switched back to his spear, shifting to a more defensive stance. He knew their current situation was far from ideal. His eyes caught sight of Alora, who, despite having killed more demons than him, was now visibly overwhelmed. She received a devastating blow that sent her hurtling backward, straight into Broken.
Their situation became critical. Acting quickly, Broken caught Alora and held her close as she fell. He shielded her with his own body while activating a skill from his armor.
[Invincible Force Reflection (Active Skill)]
He braced himself, allowing the relentless attacks to hit him. The brief moment gave him the chance to heal Alora.
[Healing Touch (Active Skill) Lv. 3]
Green energy flowed from Broken’s hands, sealing Alora’s wounds and bringing her back from the brink. Seconds passed, and then the damage absorbed by the skill reflected outward, blasting demons in every direction and giving them a momentary reprieve.
Broken and Alora stood, regaining their footing. The battle was becoming increasingly difficult, and Broken couldn’t fathom how Alora had managed to survive the earlier waves alone.
The situation was in their hands-they knew this was the moment to launch a counterattack.
Without hesitation, they sprang into action, delivering relentless strikes to the demons whose health had already been significantly depleted. Slowly but surely, the tide of battle began to shift in their favor.
One by one, the demons fell until the last remaining creature found itself impaled through the eye by the Wavebreaker Spear, ending the wave.
Broken stood, panting heavily, his exhaustion evident. Fighting Tristan and his minions had already taken a toll, and now another grueling battle had left him utterly drained. He could even feel the sweat pouring down his real body.
He turned to Alora, who was equally worn out but managed to smile at him.
Broken approached her, and they stood face to face as a notification appeared before him.
[Wave 5 of the Abyssal Arena completed.]
“Are you okay?” he asked softly.
Alora smiled, “That monster wave was worse, but it got better because you’re here.”
“Are those supposed to be sweet words?” Broken teased.
Alora giggled at his comment. That small, light-hearted laugh was enough to lift some of the heavy pressure they were both feeling, ensuring they didn’t lose hope entirely.
Exhausted and drained, they collapsed onto the floor, leaning against each other to recover what stamina they could. They had only two minutes-a barely conceivable reprieve after the brutal intensity of the previous wave.
Broken could quickly restore his health and mana, but stamina-stamina was a different beast. It wouldn’t regenerate so quickly; it only did with rest or sleep. If their stamina was completely depleted, they would really pass out. They were being tested to their very limits. “Khe khe khe… that was an extraordinarily entertaining show, meow,” a disembodied voice echoed through the arena, its origin unclear.
Broken and Alora immediately stood up, weapons at the ready, scanning the arena for the source of the voice. It sounded like a young man in his twenties, with an oddly cheerful and slightly quirky tone-did it just say “meow”?
From one side, a portal opened, revealing a figure-a massive cat, easily as large as a tiger, yet far more imposing than any natural feline. Its lean body was cloaked in black fur, marked by striking white patterns. Stranger still were the large, buffalo-like horns protruding from its head, and its red eyes bore into them with an unsettling intensity.
“Hi, human… and… half-elf, meow…” the cat purred, its voice calm yet dripping with an unsettling charm. “Nice to meet you. My name is Flauros, but please call me Duke Flauros… I’m a named demon with ranking, you know… meow.”
[Duke Flauros – Felhorn Lv. 227] [Named Demon – Ranking 64]