Aranto's deformed arm cut through the air toward his neck.
Elio's superhuman perception allowed him to see the attack, but his body barely responded. With a supreme effort, he interposed his own arm.
Elio: (Defense 20) x (Defense buff)(Emblem buff) (80)
Aranto: (Attack 50) x (Frenzy)(Metamorphosis) (200)
Elio Resistance: 309.85 - 120 = (80/200) Resistance / (109.85/2000) Armor Resistance
Elio Mana: (15/100)
Quick Charge: 0
The sound of torn flesh and broken bones resonated in the air. Aranto's malformed arm hadn't found perfect control, but the damage was done: Elio had sacrificed a limb to keep his head in place.
Aranto's monstrous mouth, now closer than ever to Elio's head, could end everything with a single movement. Its strength of 80 and attack of 200 would do the job in an instant.
Elio, with only one functional arm, felt his grip weakening. Half his strength had gone with his shattered arm. There was no way to dodge what was coming.
Aranto lunged forward, its jaws open for the final blow.
The winged salamander pulsed in Elio's consciousness. Its next move ready.
There was no doubt. No hesitation.
There would be no more moments of indecision in his life.
Time slowed almost to a stop as Elio faced Aranto's jaws. His mana wasn't completely depleted, but without accumulated charge, only the salamander could generate an attack.
"Fire!" he ordered mentally to his summon.
But for the first time since its creation, the winged salamander resisted. The bond between them vibrated with denial as Elio raised his remaining arm.
The creature would not sacrifice its summoner, not even when Elio's vengeful feelings ran through its mana being.
But Elio didn't give up...
He had already made a decision.
Quick Charge: 0
Their swifts responded in unison, the control over helium granted by level 8 manifesting in precise and efficient impulses.
Only 16 mana points each, a cheap price for flying with impulses to save the life of the man who had just eliminated an Artromus.
As they headed toward the wall's safety, Selene studied Elio's half-destroyed face that the system armor was already regenerating, her expression showing both concern and pride.
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Even unconscious, his features showed a peace they hadn't felt since Micah's death.
♢♢♢♢
The hours dragged by with unbearable slowness. Zara consulted her book for the thousandth time: 8 hours.
With the power level Elio had reached, the deposit's first half should have been only a trivial long walk.
He was taking too long to come report his victory...
"Guard the portal," she ordered her four companions after another hour of fruitless waiting. "I'll go see what's happening."
The journey to the other portal only served to increase her unease.
She found Elio's team, but the leader's absence was like a tangible void in the group.
"Where's Elio?" she asked without preamble.
"He went to check the construction a few hours ago," Taron responded, though something in his tone didn't sound entirely convinced.
Kriz let out a nervous laugh. "He's probably showing off his new level 10 powers somewhere. It took us less than 6 hours, can you believe it? And we couldn't even fight, our new boss is..."
The slap resonated in the tunnel before anyone could blink. Kriz staggered, more surprised than hurt.
"You're an idiot!" Zara's voice trembled with fury and fear. "You all are! How could you let him go alone? He hasn't even gotten over Micah's death!"
Color drained from Kriz's face as realization hit him. Brok and Arnaud exchanged looks of growing horror.
"I thought that..." Taron stopped, his own words sounding hollow even to him.
"You didn't think," Zara cut him off, already running toward the tunnel heading to the city. "None of you did."
'Please,' she begged mentally while accelerating. 'Please, don't let him have done anything stupid.'
But in her heart, she already knew she was too late.