Chapter 85 - Together, One Last Push

"Sol, we're going to need your help on this one," he said, standing back up.

During that moment, it was Yeong-Un who held the tyrannical shark at bay, clashing blades against its fists–all while laughing despite being pressed by the overwhelming physicality of his foe.

"C'mon! I'll turn ya' into sashimi, too!" Yeong-Un taunted.

There wasn't much motivation for Sol when spectating that battle; the speed at which the two combatants moved and fired off lethal attacks, none landing, but each being felt by all parties, was daunting.

"I hear you, but…I'll just get in the way with an opponent like this…" Sol said, looking down as he gulped.

"And that's your problem," he told him.

"Huh?" Sol looked at him.

"If you're already thinking you're going to lose before going into something, then you're for sure going to lose," he said, looking forward, "look at Yeong-Un. He's never scared, is he? I'd say you have more latent talent than him, so what's the big idea?"

"I really don't…" Sol muttered.

It was difficult to convince someone so deeply ingrained in their own shortcomings, but he knew there was one way to motivate Sol.

Taking a step forward, he headed back towards the center of the battle, waving back to Sol, "Alright, guess we'll just die–I guess maybe you're right: if you survive this, you can tell the others what happened."

"Wait, I–!" Sol responded, but was ignored.

It was a bit of bait to motivate Sol, but he knew it wouldn't work immediately–it was a slowly burning flame that was lit right under the man's ass.

Alright, for now, let's do this, Yeong-Un! He thought.

Just before one of the massive fists of the shark could crash down against the dual blades held in a guard by his companion, he rushed by, leaving a set of slashes against the exposed parts of the sharkman's wrists.

"Nice one!" Yeong-Un smiled wide.

The swift, shallow strikes did their job–momentarily halting the shark's attacks as it looked around in quiet anger.

After leaping by swiftly, he ducked and rolled, looking up as dense tremors resounded through the airborne platform, finding the shark sprinting towards him.

Holy shit, that's scary–! He thought.

Before it could reach him, an explosion of flames landed against the tyrant's back, causing it to stop and lean over as the force only seemed to confuse it for a moment.

Of course, it was Yeong-Un who unleashed the attack, laughing out boisterously as he coaxed the shark, "Fight me, you fishy bastard!"

Nice save, Yeong-Un! He thought.

To his surprise, water manifested around the shark's body, being used to snuff out the flames on its back before the water itself clung to his shoulders, flowing downwards into an aquatic cape as it held out both of its arms.

"Whazzit doin'?" Yeong-Un mumbled to himself.

As more water coalesced at its summon, the shark conjured a massive greatsword befit for its size, formed of clear water, along with a giant battle-ax of the same element in its other hand.

To both of the combatants' confusion, the towering, armored shark stood at the side, facing neither of them as it kept its dual weapons raised.

"Huh…? Wait, Yeong-Un! Watch out–!" He yelled out.

"Wha–?!" Yeong-Un called out.

In a massive swing of both of its arms, the giant water dweller swung both weapons down, unleashing a compressed slash of water towards both of them.

He managed to evade it with a [Blink Step], rolling to the side afterwards, but Yeong-Un wasn't awarded such freedom; against his raised forearms, the string of water slashed his muscular arms.

"Ghh–!"

A deep cut was left as blood seeped from his forearms, though Yeong-Un didn't blink as he immediately set out against the shark giant again.

"Yeong-Un! Dammit!"

He wanted to stop his friend from rushing in, but the only choice he had was to go in with him, sprinting in with focus.

Against an enemy like this, martial arts probably isn't my best choice. I think Yeong-Un has the right idea: sashimi it is! He thought.

"Ripper!"

[Spirit: -200. Remaining Spirit: 2500/3200]

Making sure to [Blink Step] there to break the distance between himself and his opponent, he unleashed a series of slashes along the height of the sharkman's body, though most were stopped by its heavy set of armor.

"Huh–?" He let out.

It barely had any effect?! He thought.

In front of him, amidst his fall from jumping up to meet his foe's height, he could see the behemoth shark parting its blood-soaked maw, raising its water-formed weapons with the intent to retaliate.

Against his better reflexes, the swift counter from the sharkman landed, nicking his side with a powerful force.

[Health Points: -400. Remaining Health Points: 2700/3100]

"Ghk…!" He winced.

"Make room, fire-head—!" Yeong-Un yelled out.

That call was enough to set him straight as he used the arm of the great beast that swung down towards him as footing to [Blink Step] away, giving Yeong-Un proper room to do whatever it was he planned to do.

"Nice!" Yeong-Un called before leaping into the air with both of his twin blades crossed, holding a vicious smile as he greeted the sharkman, "--Water folk like ya' don't take too kindly to this element, do ya'?! Cast: Fangs of The Roarin' Heavens!"

Engulfing the length of both blades, lightning coiled around the black-and-white blades, taking on a bright, iridescent azure as he swung before the titanus shark could turn around fully to stop him.

The slashes released into strands of powerful, jagged bolts of lightning rather than compressed slices of air, targeting the unmissable body of their gargantuan foe with shocking intensity.

As Yeong-Un twisted and curved the position of his swords, he guided the lightning, causing it to split and attack the great beast with more curving bolts.

"Nice…! You're hurting it!" He called out.

The sharkman grumbled with a percussion that shook the platform, being left stunned by the lightning that coiled around its massive form.

"What're ya' doin'?! Attack it–now!" Yeong-Un yelled out, planting his boots against the ground as he continued to stabilize the lightning fangs.

"Right–!" He replied.

Just as he sprinted forth, he realized he wasn't running alone–beside him, though with so much hesitance that it seemed a slightly strong wind would turn him the other way, Sol ran.

"Sol?!" He let out with a surprised smile.

"--I'm not going to just sit around, okay?! I-I'm not a coward–!" Sol yelled out, as if trying to convince himself as he held his spear with tear-filled eyes.

"Prove it to the big guy, not me!" He replied.

Together, they launched an attack just as Yeong-Un's stunning electricity reached its limit, freeing the armored, humanoid shark as it stumbled a bit, shaking its head to shake off the residual shock.

Sol launched his attack first, attacking from a distance as he reared his spear back like a javelin, shutting his eyes tight.

"Cast: Malevolent Returnal!"

As Sol launched his spear, it zigged and zagged through the air as if moving by an unseen, propelling force, attacking various points of the sharkman's armor with enough force to weaken its armor before returning to Sol's hand like a frisbee.

Next, it was his turn.

Sage Period, Activate! He commanded his system.

As soon as it was activated, he didn't waste any time, opting to use a recently acquired skill: "Hassan: First Mountain: Nazar Doctrine!"

[Spirit: -600. Remaining Spirit: 1900/3200]

It was a hefty price for a skill, but with that price came strength.

Immediately, his body shifted into a spiritual azure, moving without a physical form as the disgruntled, bleeding sharkman attempted to attack him, but its efforts met only an astral form.

One…

Two…

Three…

Running along the surface of its body in its temporary, astral form of blue flames, his slashes were amplified, damaging the armor while simultaneously embedding its attacks below its protective layer.

Four…

Five…

Six…

Each slash left a trail of supernatural, azure flames that clung to the sharkman with a hungering tenacity, causing the beast to throw a tantrum as it wildly swung its water-forged weapons in a futile attempt to hit the assassin-class adolescent running along its body in his weightless form.

Seven…! He thought.

It allowed seven strikes in total, and ten seconds at maximum to be used, but the seven strikes ingrained themselves into the body of the tyrant with an explosive force, slashing through its armor as a heaping amount of crimson spewed from the sharkman's body.

"Holy–! That was awesome, Jeong-Hui!" Sol let out, excited from the display.

He landed back down directly beside Sol, having flipped back as he caught his breath, "...I'm not too experienced with that one yet, but it's pretty strong."

"Looks like ya' put him on his last legs, fire-head! Let's finish this strong!" Yeong-Un yelled out, meeting up beside the two.

This time, they all pushed together as the bloodied, towering sharkman roared out before slashing its aquatic weapons wildly, unleashing waves of sharp, compressed slices of water towards them.

Cra, crap, crap–! Sol thought.