The Asura let out a guttural roar, shaking the very foundations of the chamber. The ancient carvings on the walls seemed to pulse with energy, reacting to the presence of their ancient guardian. The air buzzed with a palpable tension, the atmosphere heavy with impending danger.
The three had formed a tight circle around Leon, their weapons at the ready. Fear and determination flickered in their eyes as they faced the colossal entity before them. Their breaths came in quick, shallow gasps, and beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads.
"Don't stay close," Leon shouted, his tone urgent and commanding. "Spread out!"
For a giant this big, staying in a tight formation was no different from asking to be stomped to death. The recruits hesitated at first, their instinct to stay together battling with Leon's command. But the urgency in his voice pushed them into action. They each moved to different sections, scattering across the chamber.
"Master, any advice?" Leon called through the voice transmission, his eyes never leaving the Asura.
"There should be a core of this ruin somewhere," Merlin replied, his voice calm and steady. "As long as you destroy it, the barrier should disappear."
"Core?" Leon echoed, his mind racing.
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"Yes. It could be a crystal ball or a runic formation on the ground," Merlin explained.
Hearing his master's words, hope reignited in Leon's eyes. He shouted to the three recruits, "I'll distract the giant. You three search for the core of this ruin. It looks like a crystal ball or a rune formation."
"But Sir Leon, will you be okay?" asked the bald recruit, his voice tinged with concern. His eyes darted nervously between Leon and the monstrous Asura.
"Yes, now go while it's focused on me." Leon's tone was resolute. As the strongest in the group, he felt the Asura could sense his strength, as its gaze didn't leave him.
Meanwhile, the three frantically searched the chamber for the core. The bald guy, now more focused and determined, scanned the ground for any signs of a rune formation. His eyes squinted in concentration, and his breath came in measured bursts. The other two climbed over piles of treasure, their eyes darting around for any sign of the core.
Leon continued to distract the Asura, drawing its attacks and keeping it away from the others.
But after a while, the Asura stopped its advance towards Leon. Realizing it was pointless to attack him, it turned its attention to the three recruits scrambling around the chamber. With two swift steps, it arrived in front of them.
"Sh#t," Leon cursed, snapping into action. With his enhanced speed, he zoomed across the chamber toward the giant.
"Stop, brat!" Merlin called out through the voice transmission. "That's a trap—"
But before Merlin could finish his warning, Leon had already gone after the Asura.
The giant noticed Leon moving toward it and turned its body, swinging a massive leg at him. This time, it was too fast, and Leon was caught off guard. He couldn't dodge in time.
Desperately, he conjured a large stone wall in front of him, but it couldn't stop the Asura. The giant's leg smashed through the stone wall and struck Leon's body.
Bam!
Leon was flung back like a ragdoll, smashed against the invisible barrier. His armor fell apart, pieces scattering on the ground, unable to withstand the blunt force of the attack. He groaned in pain, the impact having knocked the wind out of him.
The Asura roared triumphantly, its eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction. The chamber trembled with its fury, the ancient carvings on the walls seeming to dance in the flickering torchlight.
Leon struggled to his feet, his body aching from the impact. He could see the three recruits staring at him in horror, their earlier determination replaced by fear.