The boars in the lead were only a few steps away from their now-panting target when they lost their lives. Becky had overexerted herself while running stacked AoEs.
She could have used normal spells to take care of both the boars that were approaching her. That would have been a more mana-efficient choice.
But the mage wanted to show off a bit. She wanted Eren and everyone in the team to see her in a better light. Subconsciously, she hoped Steve, Renita, and the rest to pay her the same amount of respect they did to Eren.
'Haah! I hope that guy saw what I have done here and will let me cast my spells more from now on.'
Becky thought and sat down on the ground that had been covered with blue fire, which was diminishing with each passing moment. The boars' stiff bodies plopped one after the other.
'I wonder how Steve is doing'
Becky thought and looked in another direction which was assigned to the team's official berserker.
***********************
"Earth Armor!"
Steve yelled out the name of his spell as he saw a group of Earth Suidae approaching him. For some reason, he was excited. He felt like these boars and he were so much alike.
First, they had the same elemental affinity. Second, their spells also made them use their element to form armours around their bodies, just like him. Lastly, these beasts represented the path of a berserker at its core; controlled aggressiveness and undying tenacity to win over their opponents at any cost.
Steve had decided that he would work hard and take up any solo Besanc missions he could find and complete them in his free time. With enough Merps, he can buy the beast contract spell Eren was using and form a contract with one of these Earth Suidae one day.
Steve was left to man this alone by Eren. He had realized that the butcher showed confidence in his ability to handle the beast by doing this. So he didn't want things to end on a disappointing note.
Steve also realized that Eren had done this due to the similar elemental affinity and defensive spells he and the beasts shared. It would be easy for the berserker to stall for time with his defensive spell. Steve's teammates could then help him deal with the beasts assigned to him after they had handled their share of boars.
But the berserker in him knew this was his platform to truly test the mettle of his earth element spells. He rushed to the battlefield as soon as he saw his opponent.
"Earth Armor!"
Steve's limbs started getting covered in earth-element armour soon after he finished executing his defensive spell. Then he used his multi-use spell to launch himself in the air.
"Earth Spike"
As Steve was running towards his opponents, an earthen pillar-like spike of 12ft appeared immediately under his right foot. The speed of the earthen spike formation was so abrupt that it launched the berserker into the air.
Steve had adjusted the orientation of the spike's formation so that he would be launched forwards towards his approaching enemies. He flew in the air at an incredible speed– his black hair was blown back as it was pushed by the wind pressure.
Steve didn't mind his hair getting messed up. His heart was beating at a rapid pace when he saw the beast's hateful gazes following him as he flew towards them.
"Hahaha! Take this, Spike Armor!"
Steve combined his two spells and created a combo attack. His earthen-armoured limbs suddenly grew spikes over their outer surfaces. The berserker's flying trajectory began to descend in altitude as soon as he was ready with his combo.
"Bleeeeeergh!"
One of the boars cried in pain as soon as Steve's punch landed on its head, near its eyes. It had executed its defensive spell. But just like in Eren's case, it failed to protect the beast's eyes. And that became the spell's bane as one of Steve's earthen spikes lodged itself in the beast's eye socket.
The beast was still not dealt with, however. It tried to shake off its enemy by making exaggerated and wild moves. Steve felt like he was riding a wild bull in a drunken haze.
But the berserker knew what to do. His grip on the beast was soon about to be lost. And the beast still could see with its other eye, which remained fine even after his attack. Steve decided to change that.
He punched at the beast's remaining working eye with his spiked armour hand, while he was still on the beast's head. The beast cried in pain again and tried to shake Steve off its head with even more vigorous moves.
Steve decided to use the now-blind beast against its peers. He used his hands that had their spikes lodged in the beast's eyes and pulled them towards himself. It was the beast's subconscious way of diverting the pain it felt.
'Perfect. I can make use of this pork patty to take care of another of its kind.'
Steve thought and yanked his hands in another direction, towards a particular area. An area that was crowded with the other beasts in the group that were trying to observe the weird battle.
Earth Suidae would never harm another of their kind. And their enemy was currently riding one of their members. So they could only watch from the sidelines while making their dissatisfaction and anger towards their enemy known to him with their loud snorts.
But soon those snorting noises of anger turned into the snorts of panic and alarm. They saw Steve leading a blind member of their group toward them with threatening momentum.
"Blaaaaargh!"
"Bleurgh!"
"Bloooor!"
The beasts tried to warn their blind members of their current position. But the beast was too much in pain and misery to listen to its peers' calls. So the boars that were waiting on the sidelines could only do one thing to get out of the situation.
Too bad for the beasts, Steve had predicted their retreat and prepared countermeasures.
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AN: Thanks to Venom30 for the gift.