Chapter 68: Chapter 68: System's Fourth level

A fireball grazed his head, so close that he felt the heat singeing his hair. Elio had instinctively ducked, only to find himself in the path of an ice lance. The projectile impacted his leg, sending a wave of cold through his body.

Elio: 11 mana, 80 armor resistance

Panting from the effort, Elio knew he needed to change the battle's dynamics. With a quick movement, he directed the lance once more, spending another precious mana point.

Elio: 10 mana, 80 armor resistance

Swift: 26 resistance

The swift, wounded but still dangerous, changed tactics. It began flying in erratic patterns, making it almost impossible to predict its movements. Elio felt panic beginning to take over. He needed to find a way to end this quickly, before running out of mana or resistance.

With a desperate move, Elio used two mana points to make the lance describe a wide arc, trying to corner the swift. At the same time, he ordered the salamander to launch another fireball.

Elio: 7 mana, 80 armor resistance

The swift dodged the lance but flew directly into the fireball. The impact was brutal.

Swift: 18 resistance

The swift, already weakened by previous attacks, abruptly lost height. With a shriek of rage and pain, the creature fell to the ground. Elio felt a surge of hope, but he knew he couldn't get overconfident.

Indeed, though fallen, the swift didn't stop attacking. From its position on the ground, the creature launched elemental projectiles with terrifying speed and precision. Elio found himself constantly dodging and jumping, fatigue beginning to weigh on his muscles.

A water ball hit him in the shoulder, immediately followed by an ice projectile that impacted the same spot. The penetrating cold made Elio growl in pain.

Elio: 7 mana, 72 armor resistance

The swift, injured but still lethal, launched another desperate attack. A flurry of elemental projectiles filled the air, turning the chamber into a hell of unleashed energies.

Elio, without mana and with his armor at its limit, had no choice but to lunge forward, dodging what he could. The projectiles hit him mercilessly, each impact threatening to be the last.

Elio: 1 mana, 12 armor resistance

A fireball hit him directly in the chest, causing Elio to lose his breath. But he didn't stop. With a choked cry of pain and determination, Elio threw himself at the fallen swift.

Elio: 1 mana, 8 armor resistance

The world narrowed to that moment. Elio, with his hand firmly sealed over his mouth, pounced on the swift. The creature, in a final act of defense, launched an ice ball directly at Elio's face.

For a terrible moment, Elio felt it hit him. But with a strength born of pure desperation, he dodged just in time. He released his mouth and attracted the spear buried in the swift with his last mana point.

In mid-air, Elio found himself face to face with the swift. For a moment, their eyes met, predator and prey, though it was no longer clear who was which.

The swift managed to hit him 2 more times on the armor, Elio leaned forward to avoid being pushed back. It was all or nothing, he had to land a hit on the core. With a muffled cry that sounded ridiculously high-pitched due to the helium, Elio thrust the spear.

The impact was devastating. The spear pierced the swift just as the fireballs enveloped Elio. There was a blinding flash, an agonizing screech, and then... silence.

Elio: 0 mana, 0 armor resistance

Elio fell to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact. When he stopped, he found himself looking at the disintegrated remains of the swift, its destroyed core glowing faintly before completely fading out.

Swift: 0 resistance

Then, like a warm and revitalizing wave, he felt the energy of level 4 flowing through him. His body healed almost instantly, his mana and resistance fully restored. Elio stood up, marveling at the sensation of power coursing through him.

But the euphoria was short-lived. The reality of his situation hit him hard. Outside, a sea of Locus awaited him. Even with his new level 4 powers, facing them would be suicide.