"Don't stop!" Leon rasped, his voice strained yet commanding. "Find the core!"
The recruits nodded, their faces pale but resolute, and hurriedly resumed their search. The chamber echoed with the sounds of their frantic efforts, the atmosphere thick with tension and the scent of dust and ancient stone. An almost palpable sense of dread hung in the air as if the ancient walls themselves were bearing witness to their desperate struggle.
Leon struggled to his feet, panting heavily. His armor had shattered into pieces, revealing his bloodied white dress beneath. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, the sting of his internal injuries burning through him.
"Damn, this brute," he cursed, staring at the blood on his palm. Although he knew the giant was strong, he hadn't expected it to smash through his enhanced stone wall and reach him so easily. He could only lament his current predicament, his mind racing with the grim reality of their situation.
The Asura's red eyes fixated on Leon momentarily before it turned away, completely ignoring him, and began walking toward the three recruits. Its movements were slow and deliberate, each step reverberating through the chamber like a death knell.
"This thing!" Leon cursed, frustration boiling over. "It's ignoring me."
As the Asura walked away, Leon raised his palm towards its back, preparing to attack.
"Stop, you brute, come fight me!" His voice echoed, a mixture of desperation and fury.
"Why are you hesitating?" His master, Merlin's, voice reached Leon through the voice transmission. The master's tone was sharp and insistent. "Destroy him."
"No... Not in this enclosed space," Leon gritted his teeth, glancing at the three recruits still searching. "Those three are here with me."
Light shimmered in the surroundings as Leon conjured multiple spells. With a gesture, he sent them charging towards the giant. The chamber was filled with the sounds of small blasts, each explosion sending shockwaves through the air. Dust and debris swirled around, creating an almost surreal battlefield within the ancient stone walls.
Yet, once the sound settled, the giant remained unbothered, standing tall. The small wounds around its body began healing at a visible rate, the regeneration ability working rapidly, knitting flesh and bone back together almost as quickly as they were damaged.
Leon's frustration grew.
"This thing is almost invincible," he muttered under his breath. He watched as the Asura's wounds closed, his mind racing for a new strategy. He needed to buy more time for the recruits, who were still frantically searching for the core that could potentially end this nightmare.
Leon threw himself at the Asura again, each strike more desperate than the last. His movements were becoming slower, his strength waning. The Asura, sensing his weakened state, swung its massive arm, catching Leon off guard once again.
Noticing the struggle in Leon's expression, the bald man steeled himself, his voice trembling. "Sir Leon, I know you've been holding back because of us. Please, don't restrain yourself. Use your full power."
"But—"
The bald man interrupted his voice firm despite the fear in his eyes. "As long as you kill this thing, I don't mind dying here."
"You can't hesitate now, brat," Merlin's voice suddenly reached Leon through their telepathic link. "You may not have noticed, but your body won't hold up much longer. This might be your only chance."
Leon swallowed hard and gritted his teeth, clenching his fist as he stared at the Asura. His body lifted off the ground, glowing with a radiant golden aura. The surrounding air grew hot as if a pool of boiling lava had suddenly appeared in the chamber, and the magical energy became increasingly chaotic.
Leon raised his palm forward as if delivering a final decree. "I don't care about this ruin; I don't care about anything here. I will destroy everything." Read the continuation on m_v_l_e_m_p_y_r
Leon glanced at the bald man cowering near the corner. In that brief moment, he conveyed his silent farewell. With this spell, he would obliterate the giant, the ruin, and everything within.
Just as he prepared to unleash his maximum capacity Inferno, the large chamber door creaked open. The shimmering barrier of light shattered like glass, scattering shards of brilliance across the room.
A group of white-armored soldiers marched into the chamber, their movements synchronized and precise. They cast a large, shimmering chain towards the giant with practiced ease.
Each soldier held one end of the chain, attaching it to the giant's body. The Asura seemed to freeze, the enchanted chains restricting its movement.
Wraaaaahhh!
The giant let out a deafening roar, trying to intimidate the soldiers. However, they remained stoic behind their armor, showing no signs of hesitation or fear as they continued to hold the chain firm.
Leon drained of all stamina and riddled with internal injuries from the giant's attacks, could no longer keep himself conscious. His body swayed briefly before falling from the air.
"Got you," a voice echoed in Leon's ear just before he lost consciousness.
Through his fading vision, he glimpsed a blurry figure surrounded by a green, radiant light. The figure's presence was calming, a stark contrast to the chaos of the battle.