In a flash, he summoned the wind-imbued energy from his boots—a burst of speed magic—and launched himself forward, a blur of silver and motion.
"Move!" he shouted, but Veyla had only turned halfway when—
Jin slid in front of her, crossing his twin swords just in time to meet the beast’s deadly horn. The impact was explosive—sparks flew as metal met steel.
The ground trembled beneath his feet. The sheer force of the blow pushed him back, his boots skidding along the floor, leaving scratch marks and dust trails.
His arms shook, his shoulders strained under the pressure—but he didn’t fall. He held.
Gritting his teeth, Jin growled, "Don’t just stand there! MOVE!"
His voice snapped the rest of the team out of their shock.
"Cover them! Now!" someone yelled.
The tank sprang into motion. He charged from the side, raising his massive tower shield high. With a shout, he slammed it against the Ironback’s rear leg—a thunderous blow that made the monster reel and snarl in irritation.
"Take this!" the archer shouted from behind. A flurry of sharp arrows shot through the air, aimed at the exposed joints. A few found their mark—embedding deep between the Ironback’s plates, drawing a low, rattling growl of pain.
"Binding it—now!" Lani, the team’s support mage, clapped her hands together, her voice rising in a sharp chant. Glowing sigils appeared beneath the beast, swirling like ancient runes.
The magic exploded upward in a lattice of binding light, anchoring the monster’s limbs.
The Ironback’s movement slowed, its limbs resisting the magical force.
"This is our chance!" Jin shouted, his eyes flashing with fierce determination. "It is the weak point, hit it,NOW!"
Veyla, now crouched behind him and catching her breath, raised a glowing hand and whispered,
"Blessing of Bloom—Resonance."
Although Veyla is a healer, she can also use magic as well.
A wave of green healing light surged from her fingers and wrapped around Jin like petals in the wind. His arms stopped trembling. His grip tightened.
Empowered, Jin lunged forward again, his swords gleaming. This time, his aim was not the armor, but the soft joint between the Ironback’s neck and shoulder.
(And this time... it wouldn’t bounce off.), Jin thought.
Jin’s eyes burned with a calm but deadly fury. He gripped his twin swords tightly, the wind around him stirring as he dashed forward with explosive speed.
"Wind Fang!" he roared.
His blades spun in a spiraling slash, slicing into the Ironback’s exposed leg joint with a sharp crack of metal against flesh. The beast staggered, its movement faltering for just a second—but Jin didn’t waste the opening.
He twisted his body, his two swords spinning like twin stars, leaving streaks of silver light as they tore into the Ironback’s softer flank.
Chunks of flesh and sprays of blood burst out as the creature let out a deafening roar. Its massive body thrashed wildly, shaking the ground with every movement.
But the battle wasn’t over.
With a violent swing of its armored tail, the Ironback smashed into the nearby wall.
Stones shattered, and part of the wall collapsed with a thunderous boom. Dust and debris filled the air.
"Ah!" one of Jin’s teammates cried out. The poor boy, who had only just managed to get back on his feet after being knocked down earlier, was crushed under falling rubble again.
Jin’s heart lurched with frustration.
"Damn it, again!" he shouted, his voice echoing with anger. "Fall back next time or stay behind where it’s safe!"
"But I—" the teammate stammered, his voice weak and ashamed.
"No excuses!" Jin growled, stepping closer, his tone like a blade. "One mistake costs us all. You’re not a rookie anymore—start acting like it!"
The Ironback roared again in the background, the battle far from over, but Jin’s words were clear: survival depended on discipline.
The room fell silent.
Only the sound of the Ironback’s ragged panting echoed in the ruined corridor. Its breaths were slow, heavy, and uneven now—each one weaker than the last.
Dust floated in the air, lit by faint shafts of light through the broken wall.
Jin exhaled, feeling the tension in his arms as he slowly lowered his twin blades. Sweat dripped from his chin, mixing with the blood spattered on his armor.
"Finish it," he said, his voice calm but firm.
Tank gave a determined nod. His shield arm trembled from exhaustion, but he stepped forward with steady resolve. With a grunt, he swung the edge of his shield like a hammer, slamming it into the Ironback’s already wounded leg.
The creature’s massive body buckled under its own weight. Its legs gave out, and it collapsed to the stone floor with a heavy thud that shook the ground.
The archer didn’t hesitate. Two sharp whistles of arrows cut through the air. Both sank deep into the beast’s right eye.
The Ironback gave one last, weak shudder... and then it stopped moving.
For a moment, no one spoke. Only the faint wind whispered through the broken walls. Then, as the tension left their bodies, the team released a collective breath of relief.
"It’s... over," Veyla murmured, her voice shaky. She dropped to her knees beside the wounded, glowing light gathering in her palms as she began healing them.
Jin wiped his swords clean on the Ironback’s rough hide. His face, once sharp with anger and focus, softened to a calm with firm expression.
Jin gave the fallen Ironback one last glance. The massive beast’s body lay still on the cracked stone floor, its blood pooling around the rubble. Steam rose from its wounds in the chilly air.
He turned his eyes to his team, scanning each of them—tired, bruised, but alive.
He walked over to the boy who had been pinned under rubble twice during the fight. The young warrior’s armor was scratched and his hands trembled as he tried to catch his breath.
"Hey," Jin said gently, crouching slightly to meet his eyes. "You alright?"
The boy hesitated, then gave a small, sheepish nod. "I... I’m sorry. I froze. I just... couldn’t move
"You did freeze," Jin said bluntly, his voice firm but not unkind. "But you’re still breathing, and that’s what matters right now." He paused, letting the boy feel the weight of his words.
"Just—next time, listen to my orders. No second warnings on a real battlefield. A single mistake can kill the whole team."