Fatima and Ember didn’t dare delay for a moment. A few seconds of delay could even lead to a complete wipeout, after all.
The two rushed down to the flat, blackened ground and set up the artillery. Although it’s a process that usually takes about 30 seconds, with Ember’s help and her clones, they should be able to finish it in under 10 seconds.
While the two were busy setting up the artillery, Ajax finally reappeared behind the Void Beast.
“Die!”
With a shout, he swung his dagger toward the back of the Void Beast’s neck. And, for a short instant, his dagger reached deeper, touching the Void Beast’s skin at the gap between the helmet and the armor!
“Impossible!”
Was Ajax in possession of Void Powers too?! But he shouldn’t have any Void Element monsters under him! His dagger went skin-deep before finally getting repelled by the Void Beast’s shell.
Although he only inflicted a scratch on its skin, the Void Beast turned around, as if triggered, and slapped toward him, like swatting a fly.
“Ajax!”
I shouted in worry, but he seemed to be prepared for the counterattack already. He fired a blast of wind toward the incoming palm, letting the counterforce push him away.
*SWISH!*
The slap missed him by a hair’s breadth!
“Hah! Do you think you can touch me? F*ck off!”
Maneuvering mid-air, he managed to land another swing against the hand that just swung past his face. The same as before, his dagger cut through the shell, reaching the Void Beast’s skin and causing another scratch.
It had already happened twice in a row, so I couldn’t deny it anymore. Ajax is somehow able to bypass the Void Power shell!
The Void Beast deemed him dangerous, seeing how he managed to “hurt” it twice. After that, Ajax became the center of its attention. It was like I was watching an angry man chase a mosquito, with the Void Beast waving and clapping its hands while trying to catch Ajax. .
“Master, we’re almost done!”
“…!”
Ember’s voice called me back to reality. I turned to look at them and saw that the artillery was already in the process of aiming at the Void Beast. The shell was being loaded carefully as she spoke.
“Then… Vermeil, Blanc, and Namia! Please help!”
Right now, with the artillery about to fire, our task would be to distract the Void Beast and root it on the spot. We can’t let it defend against or dodge the shell, or else we’re doomed!
I activated [Lifeblood] without hesitation and rushed forward. With me now at the 9th stage, the skill no longer has an adverse effect on my body. Well, at least while I keep it at or below 100% output, anyway.
Like a flash of lightning, I managed to come close to the Void Beast in an instant. Now that I was closer, the enemy looked larger than when I was looking at it from afar. I almost felt faint-hearted, but I still quickly swung the sword in my hand against the Void Beast’s leg.
*TANG!*
The sword, however, didn’t even leave a scratch on the Void Beast’s shell.
‘As expected, it’s covered in Void Power-based defense!’
Seeing how Ajax was damaging it, I had the urge to confirm. But now, there’s no mistaking it. This thing is protected by his own Void Powers!
“Then…!” .𝒎
I tried infusing my blade with Void Energy and slashed. However, the same as before, the sword just slid past, not causing even a bit of damage to the enemy.
For the third swing, I tried a different approach. I used Void Energy to wrap around my blade before making the firm belief that my blade could cut through anything and everything. It was a grand claim, but with Void Powers, it’s not impossible to achieve!
When I saw that the energy around the blade had turned into a thin film, I quickly swung the sword again. This time, while using a sword skill to pile up the damage, I slashed with all my might.
“[Decapitating Sky Sword]!”
My sword released a golden glow as it swung past the Void Beast’s leg. And, to my surprise, the attack broke past the shell and left a thumb-deep wound on its leg!
*GROOOOOOWL!*
A low howl, as if coming from a wild beast, came out of the Void Beast’s mouth. It was so loud that I could feel my ears ringing even after it stopped growling.
An instant later, the Void Beast switched targets from Ajax to me and lifted its foot as if to stomp me into the ground.
“Will, move!”
Just as I was about to dodge, I heard Vermeil’s voice coming from above. From the radiant heat I could feel on my back, I could tell that she had already fired an attack, heading to where I was.
“…!”
I quickly used [Shadow Teleportation] and got out of the way, retreating a few hundred meters back.
Just as I did, I saw a gigantic fireball, about as big as I was tall, land at the part that I injured. However, as expected, the Void Beast’s shell had already recovered itself, and the attack only singed the ground and the surrounding plants from Psi’s domain.
The Void Beast didn’t even bother to look at Vermeil and quickly tried to catch me. However, if it moved, then Ember and Fatima would need a few more seconds to adjust the aim!
“No choice!”
I used [Shadow Teleportation] once more and appeared right before the enemy’s chest. Although that did prevent it from moving out of range, it also placed me within the Void Beast’s attack range.
As expected, the same thing that happened with Ajax also happened to me.
“D*mn it!”
I felt like a f*cking pest, running away from an angry human! Each swipe of its hand, each clap, was deadly enough for me. Not to mention getting hit, just the shockwaves from each attempt were enough to send me rolling in the air!
If not for the Psychic-related skills I got from Minerva, then I would’ve already dropped dead by now!
“WILL!”
A powerful shout from Fatima came from behind. Even without context, I knew what she wanted to tell me.
Without delay, I quickly moved away from the Void Beast before shouting toward them.
“NOW! FIRE!”
𝑖𝘦.𝑐𝘰𝘮