Sharp Claws

After engaging in an intense discussion for approximately 30 minutes about formations and designations, the team swiftly exited the circular toroidal room. Their footsteps are silent through the woods as they sprinted forward, led by Cesar, who set a blistering pace.

The transformation they had undergone in just two weeks was astonishing—they had surpassed the limitations of mere humans, their physical abilities enhanced by the awakened Will flowing from their A.R.C.

Cesar's movements were a blur, unsurprisingly followed closely by Al, who seemed unaffected by the speed. Al calmly seized the opportunity to share his strategic insights with Cesar. "Based on our information, it's likely that anything in the higher trigram of the Mental Domain possesses its own set of unique spells," he explained, his voice steady and composed.

"Given this, I believe it would be best if Yusuf and I take the lead. My regenerative abilities and his steel defense will allow us to endure projectiles more effectively than the rest of the team. You and Jin should position yourselves right behind us, ready to swiftly assist with your mid-range attacks. On the other hand, Louise should focus on seizing opportunities to deliver decisive blows. As for Ellie, she can manipulate the battlefield, confusing our enemies."

Al's words carried a thoughtful analysis, a well-considered strategy that aimed to maximize the team's individual strengths. Although Cesar had his initial plan, he couldn't deny the logic behind Al's proposal. However, he had one condition: he insisted that Louise take Al's place at the forefront, fighting alongside Yusuf. Al's instincts bristled against this arrangement, recognizing the vast difference in power between his Stubborn Will and Louis's Tense Will.

Nevertheless, Al chose to withhold his objections, unwilling to undermine Cesar's authority in front of the others. He reluctantly nodded in agreement.

As they sprinted through the dense forest, Cesar gradually stopped, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. His eyes settled on a tree with a distinct marking, and he walked over to it, his movement deliberate and purposeful.

"We should be close by. I left that marking before we departed," he announced, his voice tinged with assurance. Turning to his teammates, he continued, "Yusuf, Louise, come to the front. Jin, you'll be next to me. Al, keep watch over our rear."

Before Cesar could mention Ellie, she vanished into thin air. With its high-pitched tone, her voice rang out nonchalantly, "Yeah, I know. I'll stay hidden and manipulate the battlefield."

Cesar glanced around, momentarily perplexed, before refocusing his attention on the team. "We're going to be entering the hole in this formation, maintaining utmost silence," he instructed his words carrying a weight of caution. Each team member silently nodded in agreement, their movements careful and calculated. Slowly, they advanced together, Yusuf and Louise leading the way.

Soon, they reached their destination—a small hole approximately three meters in diameter. As Yusuf and Louise approached it, they peered down, observing the sunlight filtering through, indicating a manageable drop.

They silently turned for Cesar's approval, and after receiving his nod, Yusuf closed his eyes, gripping a peculiar brown belt over his gray robe. In contrast, Louise lightly tapped the drum she carried, producing a subtle sound, before swiftly leaping into the hole. Yusuf followed suit, both landing with grace and ease. The hole served as the entrance to a massive tunnel, branching off in two directions.

Now, it was Jin and Cesar's turn. Jin, clutching his ancestral stone medallion, and Cesar, wielding his magnificently adorned spear, positioned themselves by the tunnel. Without hesitation, they synchronized their actions, leaping into the air. However, just as they were mid-flight, a shadow lunged towards Al.

Reacting swiftly, Cesar thrust his spear into the mouth of the tunnel, stopping his descent, while Jin had no choice but to land inside the tunnel alongside Louise and Yusuf.

Harnessing the momentum of his fall, Cesar swung himself up, the wind seeming to guide his movement. With a graceful landing, he uttered soft words that carried on the breeze, "Ellie, join the others and proceed without us." The air carried his message effortlessly, obfuscating his need to shout.

After a momentary pause, a young woman materialized out of thin air, accompanied by a colossal floating mirror that distorted light. Without hesitation, she, too, plunged into the tunnel, disappearing from sight.

In a whirlwind of events, Cesar swiftly raced towards where the shadowy figure had taken Al. The entire incident unfolded within mere seconds. Yet, before the attack occurred, Al had experienced a peculiar occurrence that he had chosen not to share with the rest of the team.

His ring, which was his etheric shell, spoke to him similarly to Martin's bracelet. Martin was the Stubborn Will user whose experience was recorded in the rune stone Romann had given him. His etheric shell was a bracelet.

It was a voice only he could hear. "Careful, on your left," Al's ring warned. Not wishing to instill unnecessary paranoia, Al dismissed it. Nevertheless, he remained on high alert, his senses sharpened and his guard up. His gaze remained fixed on Cesar and Jin as they leaped into the hole.

Without warning, a maw brimming with razor-sharp teeth lunged towards Al. Acting swiftly, Al halted the creature's advance using his small, twisted knife.

Still, the attack propelled him backward, sending him hurtling several meters before he regained control. The immensely powerful creature clamped its jaws firmly around Al's blade. Its face was as hairy as the rest of its body, reminiscent of a small werewolf.

While Al had successfully stopped the creature's bite, its claws remained free. It unleashed a furious swipe, its right claw tearing through Al's arm, leaving it in tatters, and launching him through the air.

Unfortunately, the chain and ring connected to his knife; Al was abruptly arrested mid-air. Wielding its mighty jaws, the creature refused to let go of Al's knife and swung him forcefully, hurtling him towards the approaching Cesar. The collision between Al and Cesar was jarring, momentarily stunning them both.

Taking advantage of the opportunity it had created, the creature lunged at both Cesar and Al. However, Cesar's agility proved superior, and he swiftly maneuvered to push Al out of the way.

Rising swiftly, Cesar unleashed a forceful strike with his spear, striking the creature's side with tremendous power. The impact sent the creature flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree. Blood trickled from its wound, a serious injury. It had not anticipated Cesar to be so swift and formidable. Despite sensing the comparative weakness of the energy emanating from its enemies, Cesar had inflicted a deep gash upon the hybrids flesh.

Observing that Al was beginning to rise, the creature swiftly bolted, seeking an escape. "Oh no you don't! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Cesar exclaimed; his determination unwavering.

Instantly, he launched his spear, a gust of wind trailing in its wake as it sliced through the air. The weapon found its mark, tearing through the creature's lower abdomen and impaling it to the ground, halting its desperate escape.

Turning his attention to Al, Cesar's concern was evident. "Your arm, it's covered in blood. Are you alright?" Al wiped his arm, revealing no visible injuries beneath the bloodstains. "See? I'm telling you, my regeneration makes me the ideal frontline," Al declared, his voice confident.

However, he withheld the fact that healing severe injuries significantly strained his A.R.C. Death would be absolute if his A.R.C. failed to produce the Stubborn Will necessary for regeneration.

Cesar regarded Al with a hint of skepticism; nonetheless, their bond of trust remained unshaken, and Cesar chose to accept Al's assurance.

In a split-second decision, Al swiftly pushed Cesar aside, narrowly avoiding the spinning spear that was hurtling toward him. The force of the throw embedded the spear two feet deep into the ground. No longer resembling a small werewolf, the creature had undergone a terrifying transformation.

It now stood at a towering eight feet tall, its muscles bulging with raw strength. It was very menacing, with the body of a giant gorilla and a panther's lethal claws and hind legs.

Undeterred, Cesar calmly moved to retrieve his spear, his composure unshaken. "This hybrid appears stronger than the slug hybrid we encountered. It doesn't matter we have to hurry. We need to catch up with the rest as swiftly as possible," Cesar remarked, his voice laced with urgency.

Al stood by his side, prepared to engage in combat. The gorilla hybrid charged towards them, moving on all fours, slightly slower than before. As it closed in, Cesar began a graceful dance with his spear, its movements fluid and deliberate. "Get ready," he whispered to Al, who focused on the Spearmint breathing technique, replenishing his Stubborn Will.

Just as the gorilla neared striking distance, Cesar concluded his dance, pointing his spear directly at the approaching hybrid creature. In an instant, a torrent of dominating winds descended, powerful enough to snap trees. The hybrid gorilla was smacked straight into the ground, snapping bones.

Seizing the opportunity, Al leaped towards the beast, intending to plunge his knife into its neck. However, the creature's tail lashed out, snatching Al by the waist. Yet, Al's swift reflexes allowed him to swing his knife, severing the creature's tail in one swift motion.

Without hesitation, Cesar swiftly impaled the creature's temple with his spear, ending its life. A mist emanated from the hybrid in its demise, which Cesar's spear absorbed.

Sensing a change in his weapon, he felt its sturdiness and increased sharpness. "When we vanquish anything with Awakened Will, their essence as it dissipates can enhance our connection to our etheric shell, making it more resilient. It's crucial we understand that if our etheric shells break, we're fucked," Al explained.

Returning to the hole, Cesar and Al realized they had lost sight of their teammates' direction. Al proposed the notion of splitting up to meet the rest of the team as quickly as possible. Cesar agreed, recognizing Al's astuteness in decision-making. With that, they swiftly departed, each heading in opposite directions.

As Al ventured deeper into the tunnel's darkness, he could see clearly as someone with their Will in the material plane could see despite the absence of light.

Al's speed seemed unparalleled as he moved through the tunnel. However, the seemingly endless passageway offered no respite. Suddenly, the piercing scream of a woman echoed through the darkness, accompanied by a man's desperate shout. Al immediately recognized the high-pitched scream as Ellie's, igniting a surge of determination within him. His pace quickened, his strides elongating until they no longer resembled ordinary running. It was a blur of motion.

Gradually, a faint opening came into view, emanating a bluish glow. Al maintained his relentless speed, shooting through the opening and revealing a harrowing scene.

Yusuf, drenched in his blood, stood amidst a sea of wounds. Ellie, pursued by the monstrous beast, vanished just in time to evade being torn apart. The creature had transformed into its towering, 8-foot form.

Al's momentum carried him forward, hurtling toward Ellie, who was hiding behind her floating mirror. At that precise moment, the beast appeared before him. Al's reflexes were too swift. With his blade raised, he met the creature's extended claws head-on, but his strike was much swifter. The beast's exposed neck welcomed Al's blade, which sliced through its tough hide effortlessly.

The sound of a tear-filled the air, and Al found himself 15 feet away from the decapitated corpse of the chimera. The creature, bewildered, watched its lifeless body stumble aimlessly before collapsing into a pool of its blood.

Yusuf and Ellie stood in shock, marveling at Al's heroic entrance, their gratitude immeasurable.

Regaining his footing, Al rose from the ground, blood dripping from his side, forming a puddle beneath him. The creature had managed to shred its claws into him, making a mess of his ribs.