Chapter 24: Got Away

Elias carefully navigated through the ruins, inching closer to Luna's back. 

He calculated the distance between them, aiming to accurately throw the potion at her without being attacked by her extending tentacles. 

After signaling to Isabella, she seemed to understand his plan.

The blood-red shadow darted forward, this time not opting for evasion but bravely charging towards Luna.

Meanwhile, Isabella swung her sword relentlessly, cutting down any tentacle blocking her view. 

Her movements were epic, fearless and unyielding. However, when a tentacle pierced her shoulder, a pained moan forced her to halt.

At that critical moment, with Isabella only a few meters away from Luna's core, the tentacles surged towards Isabella like a tidal wave. 

Elias, like a war hero poised for action, burst forth from the debris. 

Elias leaped out from the ruins in a swift motion, resembling a grenadier on the battlefield, and ferociously hurled the potion at Luna's body.

With a crisp shattering sound, the potion took effect, freezing Luna's tentacles in place as if encased in ice.

[Contamination Level: 85↓]

The contamination level plummeted, creating an opportune moment for action. 

Isabella seized this chance; as Luna's tentacles parted, she thrust her blood-red blade forward with decisive force. 

The crimson beam pierced Luna's chest, shooting towards the ceiling - a symbol of resolute resistance against contamination and a plea to the heavens.

"You monster!" Isabella's eyes were cold and unforgiving. She churned the bloody blade in her hand maniacally, tearing through flesh and bone. 

The piercing screams resonated through the old mansion, a testament to unspeakable pain and fury.

The tentacles, trembling, coalesced into a massive whip-like structure, wielding immense power. 

This force sent Isabella flying, her body crashing through a door, shattering the room's contents and sending dust swirling.

Then, that grotesque face slowly turned towards Elias, locking eyes with his. Elias's heart skipped a beat. Isabella's strike had dealt Luna a severe blow.

Oh boy, Luna's chest now bore a terrifying wound, deeply embedded into her bones, revealing faint glimpses of her pulsating, shattered organs. 

Each of Luna's movements caused flesh and blood to pour out like a flood, the stench overwhelmingly nauseating.

Her eyes wide, Luna fixed her gaze on Elias, resembling a bloodthirsty beast, silently inching towards him. 

She attempted to speak, but her vocal organs were damaged, only managing to utter a few disjointed words.

Elias looked up to see a sea of tentacles slowly creeping towards him, a wave of inexplicable fear washing over him.

Despite her grave injuries, Luna's speed was no longer as astonishing as before.

However, facing this enraged monster, Elias had resolved not to flee anymore. Instead, he raised the third and last potion bottle. 

"..."

Seeing the bottle, Luna's tentacles instantly stiffened, evidently terrified of the item. Elias's previous two sneak attacks had caused her considerable distress.

"We've finally reached the containment conditions," Elias suddenly said with a confident smile.

Confronting the approaching twisted creature and its sky-reaching tentacles, Elias maintained an exceptional calm. 

Isabella, struggling to stand up and emerging from the room, looked on in surprise.

Elias stood fearlessly in front of the beast, even inching forward. The tentacles, one by one, began to retreat. The creature named "Luna" was backing away in response.

Isabella knew the potency of the potion but wondered if Elias had any more up his sleeve.

Isabella, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but express her amazement. "What an eye-opener today," she remarked. "One sibling a monstrous hybrid, the other a mysterious alchemist... Neither is simple."

As the orb-like mass wrapped in black tentacles was cornered at the end of the corridor, Elias glanced at a nearby balcony. 

He raised the potion bottle high, mimicking a throwing motion. Luna, encased in tentacles, shivered at the gesture.

In an instant, she crashed through the balcony glass, leaping mercilessly from the second floor.

"Did it run away?" Isabella exclaimed in disbelief. The fearsome creature, which even she couldn't easily defeat, had been scared off by Elias?

Elias quickly moved to the balcony, staring intently into the darkness. 

Under the dim streetlights, he saw the twisted shadow dash into the forest, soon disappearing into the night.

Isabella, nursing her injured arm, joined him on the balcony. Her deep gaze lingered on the distance, tinged with a hint of regret.

"What a pity... it got away... If I had brought this creature intact to the Holy Order of Knights, my beauty salon expenses for the year would be covered," she mused.

"Ah?" Elias was surprised, not expecting Isabella to consider such things.

"Aren't you a professor at the academy?" Elias asked, puzzled. "Are you short of money?"

"You don't understand," Isabella glanced at him. "In high society, the expenditures are enormous. My annual salary and bonuses combined wouldn't last a month."

"Anyway..." Isabella, noticing Elias's bemused look, felt the conversation was veering off-topic.

"What exactly did you use to intimidate that creature? Are you holding back something?"

Elias shook his head gently, deciding not to share this secret with his professor.

"Maybe it was..." he began.

"Perhaps she felt guilty."