1 vs 4

A few weeks had passed since Al, Cesar, Ellie, and Jin departed from the Blood leaf's 15th Mortal Ring and embarked on their journey towards the Blood Leafs 5th Immortal Ring located in Lake Huron states away from where they were.

The group found themselves crossing into Illinois, with plans to run straight into Indian and enter Michigan. As they traversed the open lands of Illinois, the morning sun pierced through the horizon, casting a golden glow upon their determined faces.

"We should reach the Blood Leaf's Immortal Ring in approximately 8 hours," Al exclaimed, his voice laced with anticipation. The four of them dashed forward, their footsteps echoing through the vast expanse. The talismans that granted them enhanced speed had been exhausted at different rates, each individual's endurance tested in its own unique way.

The hours wore on, and despite the initial boost from the talismans, they could now feel the strain of pushing their limits. Their ultimate destination awaited them at Lake Huron, specifically the Blood Leaves' 5th Immortal Ring. It was there that they hoped to find two additional individuals who could join their phantom ring, for a complete formation usually consisted of six members.

Cesar spoke, his breath slightly labored. "We should acquire a map of Indiana. The path in Indiana won't be a straightforward sprint like Illinois."

After a few hours, the group departed from a gas station, having successfully negotiated for a map. The store owner had hesitated at first, stating, "Normally, I wouldn't trade a map for some fish, but you all seem like good kids. There's been a lot of talk about folks sighting a swamp monster. Heck, just keep the map and stay safe." Cesar was about to inquire further, but Jin swiftly pulled him back by the shoulder. Ellie gratefully accepted the map and the group left, expressing their gratitude to the store owner.

As they continued their journey, running through the woods of Illinois, the group aimed to steer clear of populated areas, especially the city of Indianapolis, which lay at the heart of Indiana. "I really wanted to ask him more about that swamp monster," Cesar lamented, his curiosity piqued. Their footsteps slowed by the dense foliage, a sense of urgency propelling them forward.

"It's possible that the swamp monster could be a Hybrid, indicating the presence of a dark acolyte nearby, im just curious on who exactly saw it." Al asserted, his expression stern and determined.

(A few Kilometers South)

Loh' and Asoto' had entered Indiana, their journey leading them predominantly through the swampy lands. Weeks ago, to shield themselves from the sun's harsh rays, they had begun coating their bodies in swamp mud, a makeshift protection against its scorching heat.

"I have a strong gut feeling that we should go left," Asoto' voiced, his intuition guiding him. However, Loh' responded with unwavering confidence, asserting, "Your 'gut' is mistaken. I know precisely where I am heading. The surface world provides us with numerous cues for orientation, thanks to the Sun in the sky. For instance, green stuff tends to grow more abundantly on the northern side of 'trees' due to its lesser exposure to sunlight. Additionally, the Sun itself rises from the east and sets in the west. So, if we make a left turn, we will be heading west."

With his explanation concluded, Loh' left Asoto' behind and ventured forth, diligently searching for the stones and minerals from the surface world that his teacher had taught him were edible for their kind.

Asoto' had provided help against the wild predators of the foreign land they walked acting almost as a personal guard of Loh'. So in return Asoto' had begun collecting the food for them. The pursuit of sustenance and survival drove him onward, his knowledge serving as a guiding compass in the unfamiliar terrain.

(A few kilometers Northwest)

The group of four ventured deeper into the swamp-like terrain, their pace gradually slowed. Sensing something amiss, Ellie spoke up, her voice barely audible as she faded into invisibility. "Do you feel that?" she whispered. Al, recognizing the sensation, responded, "Yes, it feels like a dark acolyte is nearby. Cesar, what do you think we should do?" Al suppressed his impulsive urge to confront and eliminate the threat immediately.

Cesar paused, carefully weighing his options before replying, "Allowing it to live is akin to letting a person die." With their decision made, they abruptly made a sharp right turn, heading in an East-South direction. However, their progress was abruptly halted by the appearance of a peculiar figure emerging from the right.

The being emitted smoke as though it were engulfed in flames, yet no visible fire danced upon its form. In an instant, it towards Jin, who instinctively released a surge of his electric might, manifested as brilliant blue lightning. The electrifying blast dispersed the smoky figure, and its deer-like resemblance. The smoke transformed into a cloud of smoke, the creature swiftly reassembled itself as a deer and bolted southward.

Without hesitation, Al and the others abruptly halted their movement and set off in pursuit of what assumed was a dark acolyte. As the mysterious creature darted ahead, swiftly vanishing from sight, Al, leading the group, lost visual contact.

Just as they began to come to a halt, a sudden blast reverberated through the air, and Al crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach in pain. "I've been shot! Someone shot me!" he shouted, urgently warning his team.

Cesar and Jin scanned their surroundings, searching for any signs of the shooter, when another gunshot echoed, finding its mark and striking Al once more, just as he was attempting to recover from the initial attack.

"I got him. That one should be out," Asoto' silently affirmed to himself, positioned about thirty meters away, skillfully concealed from view. Setting down his hunting rifle, he stealthily maneuvered towards Cesar and Jin, determined to reach them undetected.

Al, now lying in a pool of his own blood, desperately clung to consciousness, his ring faintly glowing. Unaware of the imminent danger closing in, Cesar and Jin remained oblivious to Asoto's presence.

Advancing rapidly, the Tonovian giant closed the distance, honing in on Jin, who appeared unarmed compared to Cesar, who wielded a spear. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light erupted, illuminating the face of what they thought was the swamp monster, temporarily blinding Asoto'.

To Jin's surprise, it was Ellie, still concealed and hidden, who had unleashed the dazzling light. Caught off guard, Asoto' instinctively reached into his pouch, retrieving a transparent crystal. Ingesting the crystal, he tapped into the ancestral essence contained within.

Ellie was able to slow down Asoto' enough for Jin to perceive the approaching figure, appearing to be a towering being molded from mud.

Without hesitation, Jin unleashed a powerful blast of lightning from his gauntlet, targeting Asoto' with precision, striking the Tonovian warrior's right shoulder. The impact sent Asoto' spiraling backward, his body crashing to the ground.

Shaking off the effects, Asoto' swiftly regained his footing, though his right shoulder now bore the marks of burned flesh, devoid of the protective mud covering.

Undeterred, Jin fired off another electric blast, this time aiming directly at Asoto's chest. However, to Jin's surprise, the lightning seemed to now have minimal effect. Asoto' absorbed the brunt of the blast, exposing his blue skin showing only mild irritation.

Asoto' charged towards Jin, his massive frame closing the distance rapidly, shrugging off the subsequent volleys of electric blasts that Jin unleashed in a desperate attempt to halt his advance. Each successive blast seemed to have a diminished impact, rendering Jin's attacks increasingly ineffective.

Cesar took decisive action, swinging his mighty spear with all his might, conjuring a razor-sharp gale aimed directly at Asoto's head. However, Asoto' swiftly raised his left arm to shield himself, the clash resulting in a spurt of blood as Cesar's wind strike cut into the blue flesh. Despite the injury, Asoto' remained undeterred, his determination unyielding.

Observing the diminishing impact of his electrical assaults and witnessing his companion's assault being deflected, Jin realized he was about to get pummeled. With focused breath and concentration, Jin subtly activated an electric field that enveloped him, serving as a defensive barrier. However, Asoto' proved impervious to Jin's defense, delivering a devastating blow that sent Jin smashing straight into the ground, rendering him unconscious.

Witnessing Jin incapacitated, Cesar, understanding that projectiles were no longer effective against the herculean figure before him, charged at Asoto' with his spear aimed directly at him, determined to find a way to overcome this formidable opponent.

Asoto' swiftly moved on from his incapacitated target, disregarding whether his previous strike had been fatal. His focus shifted to his next opponent, Cesar, who was coming fast at him resolute with his spear in hand.

In a split second, their paths converged, and Cesar unleashed a powerful swing with his spear, harnessing the full force of his Wind Will, imbuing his strike with hurricane-like strength. Caught off guard by the sheer power behind Cesar's attack, Asoto' was sent hurtling backward, crashing into a nearby tree. However, his recovery was swift, and he swiftly returned to his feet, charging relentlessly toward Cesar. A gaping wound on Asoto's right arm.

Bracing himself for the oncoming assault, Cesar assumed a Muay Thai stance, ready to meet his opponent head-on. In the blink of an eye, their bodies clashed, exchanging blows with formidable strength.

While Asoto' struggled to land clean punches, Cesar's strikes were delivered with the same power each time, delivering one forceful blow after another. "His body is adapting to my attacks, just like Jin," Cesar realized, much like Jin had experienced earlier. Cesar understood the need to find a decisive finishing blow. Unfortunately, it was too late; his spear could no longer pierce Asoto's flesh.

However, before he could formulate a plan, a blinding flash of light illuminated Asoto's face once more, courtesy of Ellie's timely intervention. Capitalizing on the distraction, Cesar swiftly disengaged, leaping meters away towards Jin to make sure he wasn't dead.

As Asoto' recovered from the blinding light, he suddenly felt the presence of a blade attempting to pierce his back. Al, having regained his composure and retrieved a knife, stood poised, locking eyes with the 10 foot blue warrior. The confrontation intensified, with Asoto' clearly displeased by the unexpected attack directed at his vulnerable rear.

With a tremendous burst of speed and power, Asoto' propelled himself toward Al like a cannon, his reinforced hide granting him both increased durability and power. He unleashed a devastating punch, striking Al with such force that, despite his attempt to put his arms up in defense, his arms instantly snapped under the impact. Al was sent hurtling past trees, disappearing into the distance, a mere speck in the aftermath of the blow.

Witnessing the devastating blow delivered to Al, Cesar fought to keep calm, channeling his breath just as Jin had done previously, summoning a faint sphere of wind around him for protection.

In an instant, Asoto' closed the distance, his fist swinging with the same tremendous force as before. Cesar instinctively raised his spear in defense against the incoming attack. While the wind sphere helped to slightly impede Asoto's assault, the impact still shattered the protective barrier and almost snapped his spear. Cesar shot like a comet backward, crashing forcefully into a nearby tree.

Asoto' redirected his attention toward Jin, who remained unconscious and vulnerable. Just as he prepared to deliver the final blow, a figure emerged, steadily walking toward Asoto'—it was Ellie.

Asoto' speculated that this newcomer, with her longer hair, might be their strongest warrior as that was customary for their people. Not willing to take any chances, Asoto' retrieved another crystal and consumed it, fueling himself with ancestral essence. He lunged at Ellie with even greater force than he had displayed against Jin, Al, or Cesar.

To his surprise, Ellie stood her ground, anticipating the devastating impact. She raised her own fist, ready to meet Asoto's attack head-on. At the moment of collision, a brilliant light erupted from the clash. Ellie's image distorted, briefly mirroring Asoto's punch.

A resounding boom reverberated through the surroundings as the colossal Tonovian was sent spinning through the air, crashing into a massive tree. His right arm appeared to have exploded like dynamite, the aftermath of the powerful strike.

As Asoto's reflection transformed into a giant floating mirror, Ellie stood next to it, her true form. Surveying the scene, she noticed that Jin and Cesar remained unconscious, while Al was nowhere to be found. Although she suspected Al would fare better than the others with his Stubborn Will, Ellie contemplated whether to eliminate the blue savage who had attacked them.

Suddenly, rustling from a nearby bush caught Ellie's attention. To her surprise, another mud-covered blue Wildman emerged from the foliage, holding a basket filled with rocks and crystals. Something told her that this individual wouldn't pose as much of a threat as the previous one.