“Attack formation 2!”
The soldier’s voice rang out with authority, and the unit instantly shifted into a defensive formation of eight sides, each soldier covering a direction. Their movements were fluid and practiced, showing their training and discipline.
The formation was designed to counter threats from all directions, and it was clear they had dealt with similar situations before.
The Darkened Chimpanzees, however, were no ordinary beasts. Each one was as strong as a two-star Awakened, and when they worked together, their collective intelligence made them even more dangerous.
They moved with a predatory grace, their eyes glowing with a fierce hunger as they circled the soldiers, sizing them up.
The soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons, their expressions grim but focused. They knew they were up against a formidable foe, but their training had prepared them for such challenges. They kept their formation tight, shields and spears ready to intercept any attack.
One of the Darkened Chimpanzees made the first move, darting forward with incredible speed, its claws aiming for the soldier directly in front of it. The soldier reacted instantly, raising his shield to block the strike while another soldier on his left lunged with his spear, aiming to pierce the beast’s side.
CLANG!
The chimpanzee’s claws met the shield with a powerful impact, but the soldier held firm. The spear found its mark, stabbing into the creature’s flank, but it wasn’t a fatal blow.
“Gugugaaaa!”
The chimpanzee hissed in pain and anger, retreating just as another of its kin leaped at a different soldier from the opposite side.
The Darkened Chimpanzees coordinated their attacks, each strike calculated to probe the soldiers’ defenses. They didn’t attack recklessly; instead, they used their speed and agility to wear down the formation, forcing the soldiers to constantly adjust and react.
A third chimpanzee attempted to flank the formation, its eyes gleaming with cunning. It lunged low, aiming for the legs of a soldier, trying to knock him off balance. But the soldier was ready, swiftly stepping back while another soldier behind him thrust his spear downward, driving the beast back.
“Keep the formation tight!” the lead soldier barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The soldiers held their ground, their movements precise and coordinated. They had the advantage of formation and discipline, but the Darkened Chimpanzees had numbers and ferocity.
The battle was intense, with neither side gaining a clear upper hand.
The chimpanzees snarled and screeched, their frustration growing as their attacks were repelled time and again.
They were intelligent enough to realize that brute force alone wouldn’t break the soldiers’ defenses. Instead, they began to target specific points in the formation, trying to isolate a soldier and overwhelm him before the others could react.
One chimpanzee feigned an attack on the left side, drawing the attention of the soldiers there, while another two simultaneously launched a coordinated strike from the right.
The soldiers reacted quickly, but the maneuver forced them to split their focus, creating a momentary gap in their defense.
A chimpanzee lunged into that gap, its claws slashing at a soldier’s side. The soldier grunted in pain, his armor taking most of the impact but leaving him staggered.
The creature pressed its advantage, claws flashing as it aimed for the exposed flesh.
“Hold the line!” the lead soldier shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
The soldiers quickly closed ranks, their spears darting forward to drive the chimpanzee back. But the beast was relentless, its attacks growing more vicious as it sensed weakness.
The soldiers fought back with everything they had, their spears and swords moving in a deadly dance to keep the beasts at bay.
Despite their best efforts, the Darkened Chimpanzees were proving to be a formidable challenge. The soldiers were well-trained, but the chimpanzees’ intelligence and teamwork were pushing them to their limits.
The formation was holding, but barely, with the soldiers forced into a defensive posture as they struggled to fend off the relentless assault.
The beasts worked in unison, communicating with sharp, guttural sounds as they adjusted their tactics. Their eyes gleamed with a predatory cunning that spoke of their intelligence, and it was clear they were far from ordinary mana beasts.
The battle was a test of endurance, with both sides locked in a deadly struggle for dominance. The Darkened Chimpanzees were determined to break the soldiers’ formation, while the soldiers were equally determined to hold their ground.
But I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass.
As the soldiers and the chimpanzees clashed, I prepared to strike from the shadows. While this was not something that I had specialized in or trained with, the chaos of the battle provided the perfect cover for me to slip in unnoticed, my estoc ready to deliver a lethal blow to any soldier who showed a momentary lapse in focus.
I moved silently, circling around the formation, waiting for the right moment to strike. The soldiers were too focused on the beasts to notice me, and I knew that even a brief distraction could be enough to tip the balance in favor of the chimpanzees.
One soldier, slightly separated from the others as he fended off a particularly aggressive chimpanzee, caught my attention. His movements were slower, the strain of the battle clearly taking its toll.
I could see the opening, the vulnerability in his defense.
SWOOSH!
Without hesitation, I darted forward, my estoc piercing through the air.
STAB!
The blade found its mark, sinking deep into the soldier’s side before he could react.
“Argh!” he gasped, his body convulsing as the blade penetrated his flesh.
The soldier’s gasp of pain drew the attention of his comrades almost immediately. The moment they saw me, their eyes widened in shock and recognition.
“He’s here! The target is here!” one of them shouted, his voice filled with a mix of alarm and determination.
The soldiers quickly adjusted their formation, trying to account for both the Darkened Chimpanzees and my sudden appearance. But they were already strained, and my presence only added to their growing desperation.
The chimpanzees, too, noticed the shift in the battle. Their eyes flickered between the soldiers and me, their predatory instincts kicking in. They were intelligent, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before they realized I was as much a threat to them as I was to the soldiers.
I couldn’t afford to let that happen. I had to keep the balance in the fight, using the chaos to my advantage. If the chimpanzees identified me as the primary threat, they would likely turn their full attention on me, and I’d be overwhelmed.
SWOOSH!
Another soldier lunged at me, his sword gleaming in the dim light of the forest. I parried his strike with my estoc, deflecting the blade with a sharp twist of my wrist. The soldier staggered, off-balance, and I took the opportunity to drive my estoc into his chest.
“Argh!” he cried out as the blade pierced his heart, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining soldiers hesitated, their formation faltering as they tried to process the new threat I posed. The chimpanzees seized the moment, launching a coordinated attack on the weakened soldiers. The beasts moved with lethal efficiency, their claws and fangs tearing into flesh as they pressed the advantage.
But that was not the case for every one of them. Three chimpanzees were now locked onto me, looking at my eyes.
‘They are quick….Not bad.’
It seemed that for such monsters to survive in this forest, much intelligence was needed.
“But for a mere beast….You have quite the bloodlust.”
「 Void Starfall Blade. Storm of Blank Star.」
The command resonated through the air, and the estoc responded. The starlight intensified, casting a pale glow across the darkened forest. The three chimpanzees hesitated, their instincts warning them of the danger they now faced, but it was already too late.
SWOOSH!
I moved with the speed of a falling star, my estoc slicing through the air in a blur of motion. The first chimpanzee barely had time to react as the blade cut through its chest, the starlight searing its flesh with a blinding flash. It let out a pained screech, its body convulsing as the light tore through it from the inside out.
“SCREEECH!”
The second chimpanzee lunged at me; its claws extended in a desperate attempt to strike me down. But I was already anticipating its move. I sidestepped, the starlight trailing behind me as I brought the estoc around in a wide arc.
The blade met the creature’s neck, slicing clean through with a single, fluid motion. The chimpanzee’s headless body collapsed to the ground, the starlight still shimmering in the darkness.
The third chimpanzee, sensing the fate of its comrades, let out a guttural snarl and tried to retreat into the shadows. But I wasn’t about to let it escape. With a burst of speed, I closed the distance between us, my estoc humming with power as I thrust it forward.
The blade pierced through the chimpanzee’s heart, and the starlight erupted from the tip of the estoc in a radiant explosion. The light engulfed the creature, its form disintegrating into nothingness as the stars claimed it.
The forest fell silent once more, the echoes of the battle fading into the night. The starlight slowly dimmed, the estoc returning to its normal, unassuming appearance. The three chimpanzees lay defeated, their bloodlust extinguished.
I stood amidst the carnage, my breath steady as I surveyed the battlefield. The soldiers were still locked in combat with the remaining chimpanzees, but their numbers had dwindled significantly. The balance of the fight had shifted in my favor.
I could see the fear in the soldiers’ eyes, their confidence shattered by the sight of their fallen comrades and the power I had unleashed. The chimpanzees, too, were beginning to falter, their earlier aggression giving way to hesitation.
I had done what I needed to.
The battlefield was mine.
‘You are all my prey from now on.’
———————–
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