“Watching Alister is fun, but we should check out how the others are faring,” Marcus suggested, shifting the feed to the body cams.
Elena then spoke up, “Good idea. Ren’s group is always impressive. I’m sure the audience is dying to see just how well they are doing.”
…
As Ren and his team pushed forward on the other side of the valley, the heat from the landscape intensified. The ground beneath them was cracked and scorched, with occasional bursts of molten lava erupting from the fissures, creating a dangerous environment that demanded both caution and skill to navigate.
The first wave of monsters came into view-massive, six-legged reptilian beasts with thick, armored scales that shimmered in the heat. Their eyes glowed bright red, and their mouths were lined with rows of sharp teeth. These creatures, known as Scorchclaws, were A-rank monsters. They were notorious for their brute strength and their ability to withstand intense temperatures.
“Scorchclaws ahead!” Ren called out, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the advancing horde. “Goro, you take point! We need to break through their front line.”
Goro gripped his massive battle axe tightly. He nodded once, an intense look etched on his face. “Got it. I’ll open the path.”
“Hraaaaaaaaa!”
With a battle cry, Goro charged forward, the ground trembling under his feet. As he approached the Scorchclaws, he slammed his axe into the earth with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground.
“Look at that power! The White Comets are doing surprisingly well,” Elena exclaimed.
“Goro’s earth manipulation is throwing those Scorchclaws completely off balance! Seems he’s making the best he can of the terrain as well.”
“You are right,” Marcus agreed, “and it’s not just that! He’s shifting his weight properly to put more power behind his swings.”
…
The earth beneath the monsters’ feet cracked and shifted, throwing them off balance. One of the Scorchclaws stumbled, its legs sinking into the newly formed crevice, and Goro took the opportunity to swing his axe upward, cleaving through its armored hide with a loud crunch. Behind him, Hiroshi charged forward, his twin daggers glinting in the orange light. He circled around the Scorchclaws, using his wind manipulation to create bursts of air that destabilized their footing.
“I’ll keep them off balance, Goro! Focus on the heavy hits!” he shouted.
Goro grunted, continuing to hack away at the Scorchclaws, each of his swings more powerful than the last.
“Perfect coordination there, this is something else,” Marcus said. “Hiroshi’s wind manipulation is giving Goro the opening he needs to land those devastating hits, and in all the chaos, it seems they are also managing to not get hit. Their footwork is not only mesmerizing but spot on.”
….
Meanwhile, Kaida positioned herself behind Goro, her sword at the ready. Although she was primarily a healer, she could still contribute to the battle.
She waited for the precise moment when the Scorchclaws were disoriented by Hiroshi’s winds and Goro’s earth-shattering strikes. When one of the beasts staggered, she moved in swiftly, her sword flashing as she aimed for the softer spots beneath their scales.
…
“Kaida’s playing it smart, waiting for the right moment,” Elena noted. “She’s going for those weak points!”
…
She swung her sword in a wide horizontal arc, aiming to incapacitate by severing tendons. “Kaida, watch out!” Hiroshi warned as a burst of lava erupted near her position, forcing her to leap back just in time.
The molten rock splashed dangerously close to where she had been standing, leaving the ground smoldering in its wake.
“Thanks, Hiroshi.”
She adjusted her stance, wary of the terrain. “Razogrin, we could use some heavy support up front!”
Razogrin charged forward. “On it!” he yelled, his voice like thunder.
…
“Razogrin’s hammer is going to make short work of these Scorchclaws,” Marcus said.
…
As Razogrin approached, he timed his swings carefully, waiting for the lava bursts to subside before bringing his hammer down with devastating force in a downward vertical smash.
The impact was so powerful that it sent shockwaves through the ground, toppling several Scorchclaws at once. One of the creatures tried to swipe at him with its claw, but Razogrin blocked the attack by swinging his hammer, the force of the blow causing the creature’s limb to crack under the pressure.
…
“And there it is! Razogrin’s raw strength is unmatched!” Elena yelled with excitement, nearly pumping her fist into the air.
“Alright, let’s check out Ren… He appears to be taking on a different approach. He knows those flames need to be hotter than the lava if they’re going to do any real damage,” Marcus observed.
…
Ren, meanwhile, was in the thick of it, flames swirling around him as he unleashed his
attacks.
He had to put in more effort here, ensuring his flames were even hotter than the lava around them. So he distanced himself from the others a bit, not wanting them to be affected by the heat of his attacks.
He used his flames to create a barrier between his team and the monsters he was going to
handle.
“I’ll keep some at bay! Focus on finishing the others off!” Ren yelled.
Ren moved smoothly, directing his flames. One of the Scorchclaws charged at him, but Ren reacted quickly, sending a wave of fire directly into its open maw.
The creature roared in agony as the flames consumed it from the inside out, its body collapsing in a smoldering heap.
…
“That’s brutal!” Elena said, impressed. “Ren’s fire manipulation is just deadly.”
…
The battle was intense, but each member of the team played their role to perfection. The Scorchclaws were powerful monsters, their sheer size and strength making them difficult to take down, but nothing they couldn’t handle.
“Ren, more of them are coming from the east!” Kaida called out, spotting another wave of Scorchclaws advancing.
Ren glanced in the direction she indicated and saw the approaching threat.
“We need to hold the line! Goro, Razogrin, keep the pressure up! Hiroshi, Kaida, back them
up!”
…
“Ren’s keeping them all on track,” Marcus said. “If they keep this up, those Scorchclaws won’t stand a chance.”