When the snake lowered its head to attack, Jack bravely jumped on its back with precision and stabbed his sword right through its head. The beast hissed, but its long tongue captured one of their comrades and bit him. The soldier disappeared in the array and was out with Ling Li. Google seaʀᴄh novęlfire.net
"Go back!" Ling Li yelled at him with her brows furrowed.
Upon hearing Ling Li’s voice, the soldier jumps back into the magic array without a word.
"Mom, this beast is at the peak of its second level. Are you sending them to fight at this level all day?" Shi Min asked Ling Li.
"It is better for them to practice at this level rather than letting them see the weaker ones. At least they would always be at their highest vigilance. And never underestimate the beast they will face. This is an infant’ chimera,’" Ling Li replied.
After biting their comrade, the snake’s head dropped with a loud thud, sending them into the air. Its tongue was still hissing. Four Eyes and Shun took out their swords and stabbed at its tongue while the others continued to attack its head.
Soon, it stopped completely moving, and it vanished, leaving them with a crystal core. Meanwhile, Fatty and Chatty, together with the others, are still struggling with the lion.
Jack and the rest joined them.
"How could this lion breathe fire?! Dammit!"
"It is already wounded and bleeding. Let us attack it once again!" Jack said. "Ready?"
"At go... Go, attack!"
With renewed energy, the trainees launched their final assault on the demonic lion. Arrows flew through the air with pinpoint accuracy, and swords slashed with unyielding force. The lion roared in pain and defiance, its fiery breath scorching the ground around them.
Once again, half of the group attacked with their bows while Jack’s group attacked with their swords, striking the demonic lion’s neck.
The giant demonic lion roared, exhaling steam at its mightiest. The sound reverberated through the dense forest, shaking leaves from their branches and sending a shiver down the spines of the soldiers. It used its human-like hands to pound the ground, causing tremors that made their footing unsteady. Its eyes, burning with rage, scanned the group, seeking its next target.
With a deafening roar, the lion lunged forward, its jaws wide open, biting two soldiers at once who were sent out of the array immediately after.
Ling Li’s eyes narrowed in frustration as she watched the trainees struggle against the first beast, the giant demonic lion. Their inexperience showed as six soldiers were sent out of the array, leaving their comrades speechless as the lion devoured two of their companions with chilling ease.
Even as the lion teetered on the brink of death, its immense strength kept it dangerous. With a final, earth-shaking roar, it lunged one last time. The soldiers, hearts pounding in their chests, scattered to avoid its massive paws.
"Watch out!" Jack’s voice cut through the chaos.
The team ran for their lives, but they knew they had to make this count.
"It’s weaker. Let us focus and attack one last time! Aim your best shot! Attack!"
Summoning every ounce of courage, they charged. Swords gleamed under the eerie light, bows twanged, and the air was thick with the tension of their final assault. They stabbed and struck with all their might, faces set with grim determination. Another of their comrades fell, dragged away by the lion’s ferocious bite, but they pressed on.
Finally, the beast began to falter. Its movements slowed, and with a final, guttural roar, it collapsed, emitting a blinding light before disappearing completely.
"Fuck! This is one hell of a beast!" someone exclaimed, breaking the heavy silence that followed.
Jack took a moment to assess the situation. "How many were sent out of the array?" he asked.
Seven hands raised in response.
"Alright, we will try to reduce the number of people killed as we continue today’s training," Jack said, his voice steady.
"Come on! We can do this!" Jack knew he had to keep their spirits high despite the toll the battle had taken.
The day wasn’t over. As leaders, they needed to bolster their members’ morale. Otherwise, their motivation to struggle and fight would significantly deteriorate. Jack knew he had to do something to inspire them, to make them feel like they could overcome any challenge.
Throughout the day, the group faced a relentless series of demonic creatures: venomous demonic spiders that leaped from treetops, giant demonic locusts with razor-sharp mandibles, a colossal demonic monkey with eyes burning like coals, and finally, a two-headed demonic wolf whose growls shook the ground itself.
During the battle with the two-headed demonic wolf, Four Eyes was hurled out of the array by a brutal swipe of the beast’s paw. He landed heavily, the air rushing out of his lungs, and found himself at Ling Li’s feet. Her face was set in a grim mask.
"Paps, why didn’t you use your black magic when you knew you would be killed?" Shi Min’s voice cut through the tension, anxious and desperate.
Four Eyes struggled to find words under Ling Li’s piercing gaze. "I forgot," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"You!" Ling Li managed to growl, her voice trembling with fury.
In a daring move, Four Eyes leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Ling Li’s lips, then sprang back into the fray before she could react.
Ling Li, stunned and furious, spat out, "That brat!"
Shi Min could only laugh at the scene, the tension easing slightly as he watched the interplay between his mother and stepfather.
Back in the array, Four Eyes saw his comrades struggling with the monstrous wolf. With renewed determination, he focused his powers, casting a spell that slammed the beast to the ground and pinned it there.
"Attack!" Jack’s voice rang out. The soldiers surged forward, their weapons gleaming as they struck with all their might. The two-headed demonic wolf didn’t stand a chance and was quickly overwhelmed.
"Did the wolf slip and fall on the ground?"
They were all marveling at how the beast ended up on the ground without the ability to fight.
The day ended with the soldiers exhausted but triumphant. They gathered around, ready to face whatever new horrors the next day might bring. The battles were far from over, but their resolve had never been stronger.