Chapter 52: Leveling up: unsealing the ghost path (2)
The eight teams were surrounded by flying beasts from all the sides. If it wasn't for the existence of the warriors with their inhuman strength and the magicians with their spells, the formation would have crumpled seconds after the attack, and no one would have survived thus far.
However, things were still far from being good; Just to cope up with the beasts, the warriors and magicians were spending their magic energy like crazy, while the beasts on the other hand, were fighting using their own normal pace!
This meant that the longer this battle goes on for, the more the advantage of the beasts grows, and the worst inhabitants' situation becomes.
Four magicians had already expended all of their magic energy.
The compound's situation was worsening.
The solution to outlive this night was quite obvious – they had to conclude this battle as fast as possible!
However, there was a major problem here… wining this battle was not dependent on the collective effort of everyone here, but, in reality, it was mainly dependent on the compound leader's defeating the tier-2 beast, by either killing it, or injuring it enough to force it to retreat.
Other than that, there was no other option…!
The remaining warriors and magicians weren't trying to actively fight and kill beasts, at least not as much as trying to maintain the formation from crumpling apart.
Of course, if they were to focus on killing beasts, then they'd be able to kill at a lot more at such pace. But, if they were to do that, then the normal people fighting here alongside them will be killed off in no time, which would leave a lot of openings, allowing the beasts to swarm them and annihilate them. After all, the number of attacking beasts was over a hundred, which contained few peak tier-1 beasts, several high tier-1 beasts, with tenths of low and mid tier-1 beasts. While the total number of warriors and magicians was less than 30, including ramie's group, with most of them being at levels equivalent to low and mid tier-1 beasts, and pathetically few equivalent to high or peak tier-1 beasts!
The difference was not only in quantity, but in quality as well, making their odds desperate right from the get go. So, they couldn't afford to fight alone. As such, they allowed an 80 odd normal individual partake in the fight, to improve the chances.
Their hope now was not to win the fight, but to make the win so costly to the beasts that they let go of them, and retreat away.
…
After acquiring the first magical core in this battle, Ramie realized that to get more cores, he needed to take action himself. Thus, he extended his defensive supportive role to an offensive supportive one as well!
On a time, he would use the vines to whip away at the beasts to close the openings in his team, to prevent the beasts from overwhelming them with numbers, which was the defensive role. On others, he would use both of his vines to restrict an attacking beast, and throw it at the planted spears on the ground, or to pull the beast toward his group so that they could stab it to death, which was his offensive role.
Of course, if he noticed a beast with magical aura flaying in range, he would take the initiative to make a move and kill the target to get its core.
He alternated between using either of these offensive and defensive strategies depending on the level of the attacking beast, and on the condition of the team.
If the attacking beast was low or mid tier-1 beast, then he would leave it for the team to kill it, but, if the level of the attacking beast was high or peak, then he would go all out and coil up his two vines around the beast wings, to seal its movement, and bring it down on the planted spears, or bring it down and pull it toward his team so that they finish it off.
As the fight went on, his team members started getting used to this fighting style, which made them more proficient at killing the beasts.
This led to the efficiency of Ramie's team rising to a great extent, and soon, the corpses of beasts started piling up in front of them.
Of course, Ramie acquired another 2 cores in this process.
In this battle, ramie's ability to sense the auras of the beasts and the fighters throughout the battlefield gave him a huge advantage, assisting him in playing his supportive role. It allowed his team that was among the weakest teams to achieve results similar to that of the strongest team in the formation.
However, still, ramie's worries were not eased up at all, as even if he got magical cores, they wouldn't do him any good if the compound lost this battle and the beasts killed them all.
Sensing the beasts' auras vanishing one after another, Ramie could tell that more than 30% of the beasts had been killed so far, but this did not make him happy at all.
For every beast the fighters kill, one of them dies to a beast in the formation.
This confrontation turned into a battle of attrition, not only of their life and magic energies, but also of their numbers.
This meant that this battle was not going their way at all.
'Maybe I should go and help them restrict the tier-2 beast…'
A sudden idea came to ramie. However, he dismissed it away almost immediately.
Even though his vines were very sturdy, and were good to restrict beasts. But the enemy was a tier-2 beast. The beast would probably cut the vines like they're nothing. Not to mention the severe impact his departure would leave on his group, which would ultimately affect other nearby groups. As such, he threw this unrealistic idea to the side.
"FATHER! HELP!!!!"
Throughout the chaotic battle, suddenly, a man's distressed scream rang out.
Among the many distressed, desperate, and anxious screams that have been ranging none stop so far, this one shouldn't have brought a lot of attention. However… considering the identity of man that had shouted, it made all the difference.
"MY SON…! HANG ON, I'M COMING…!"
Suddenly, a roar of an immense rage shook the entire battlefield. It brought about so much pressure, that everything, whether it was human or a beast, were affected and felt pressurized by the bellow. Even the air vibrated due to the intensity of it.
Following which, a figure dashed like an angry rhino throughout the formation toward the man that issued the distressed cry.
The dashing man was none other than the compound leader. And the man that had called for help was none other than his son, which was an earth magician.
To safe guard his son, the compound leader assigned two of the strongest and most skilled two warriors in the compound to son's team, to protect him. He even placed 8 strong men in his team, and had placed him in the rear of the formation, away from the site of his confrontation with the tier-2 beast. Not to mention that his son was Rank-1 magician with Lv.4 artifact, making him the highest level magician in the compound.
However, right now, the two warriors in his group were dead, which lead to his group falling apart under the immensely ferocious attack of the beasts.
A gaping wound was on his shoulder, with one of his arms being torn apart to the point that it was dangling about by a thin strip of skin and meat on his side.
It was obvious that his condition was not good, not to mention the presence of the beast that was almost upon him, preparing to deliver the killing blow.
However, his father, the compound leader, moved at such speed, that left ramie really shocked.
He could sense that there was a strong aura was darting through the battlefield like an arrow, toward the fallen magician.
In no time, the compound leader was already beside his son.
With a wild roar, akin to a beast's battle cry, the compound leader punched out forward, toward the beast that was about to kill his son.
BOOM!!
The punch brought about so much pressure, that it caused the beast to freeze in its place.
With an immense terror gripping his heart, the beast flapped its wing crazily, wanting to fly away as quickly as possible, as it sensed a towering killing intent locks on him.
However, how could a high tier-1 beast escape from the clutches of Lv.2 warrior!
As the punch landed on the beast, a massive volume of kinetic energy rippled toward the beast's body, sending it smashing backward lifelessly.
Not a single bone was left intact inside that beast's body.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The compound leader punched out three more consecutive times, killing three more beasts in a row.
After killing the beast, the compound leader shouted out some orders, which led to his sons team merge with another team. As for his son, he was placed in the center of the formation with the rest of the wounded.
Turning his body, the compound leader wanted to return back to his team to hold off the tier-2 beast. However…!
From the moment when he left his position, dealt with the beasts threatening his son's safety, and wanting to return to his position… several precious seconds were wasted… seconds where the tier-2 beast was left free to do as it pleases, with no deterrence at all…
In these few seconds, everyone witnessed the fate that would have befallen them had they not have the Lv.2 warrior to hold off the tier-2 beast…
It was like a strong wolf running havoc among puny lambs!
The moment the compound leader left his position, the already wounded and furious tier-2 beasts finally found a chance to outlet his accumulating anger on the puny enemies that had tormented it with waves and waves of attacks.
Screech!!!!!!
With an excited screech, the leading beast finally commenced its revenge.
Swooping at them, the beast grabbed two warriors, one with each claw. It crushed their heads, and threw them outside the formation for the other beasts to feast on them. Then, it dashed at the rest of the leader's team.
The sight; was beyond horrendous. The beast killed one person with every attack, lunging itself among them, not fearing any retaliation from these weak preys. The beast indulged itself in a wild massacre.
Everyone could see the beast excitedly tearing apart their comrades as they exerted their all in a meaningless struggle to defend themselves against the swooping tyrannical power.
The deterrence the compound leader provided all this long was no more, albeit for awhile, but very precious while, nonetheless.
Heads rolled, bodies were torn, and blood splattered about in a sight so gruesome that it was painful to watch.
Ramie's heart sank, as he felt the immanent defeat, and the death that'd follow after.
'Should I run away…?'
Ramie couldn't help to ask himself.
The brief onslaught of the tier-2 beast was too impactful, annihilating the compound leader's team and assaulting three other teams all at the same time.
This was a level of power beyond their ability to handle, without a question.
Following the tire-2 beast frenzied massacre, the other beasts got agitated.
Letting out their war cries, the other beasts' attacks got an instant monumental boast in the momentum, leading to them entering a berserker state and unleashing frenzied attacks on the fighters.
Fighters started dying right and left, falling at a frightening rate.
For few seconds, it was apparent that this battle was a lost cause, with no possibility to turn things around whatsoever.
Despair filled the hearts, and smell of death spread in the vicinity, intensifying several time over.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
All of the sudden, an explosive roar of utter fury bellowed throughout the area, causing even the air to throb with intensity. The anger contained within the bellow brought about a heavy and oppressive feeling that caused all the beasts in the area to feel an imminent danger descending on them.
This was the might of Lv.2 warrior going all out without any reservation on his life energy consumption.
The compound leader had been saving up on his life energy up until now, waiting for the right chance to outburst his life energy without restrain, to kill the beast in one attack, and finish this tragic battle in one go.
He did not do so from the beginning, because if he was to fail, then he would waste away his life energy, and the consequences would possibly coast everyone their lives.
However, now, and upon seeing that his team was decimated, with other three teams half annihilated, the formation was only a hair-width away from completely crumpling apart.
He knew, if he didn't act now, then their total annihilation would be a certain outcome.
He knew that this was completely his fault. So, he wanted to put stop to this slaughter as soon as possible.
With things progressing this far, killing the tier-2 beast would be the only way to overturn the situation.
Thus, rotating his life energy at its max, the throbbing power surged throughout his body, his muscles swelled, boosting his physic.
Immediately, his body exerted its max output, and he held up his long spear and prepared to explode in action.
The tier-2 beast immediately sensed the surging pressure, and instinctively knew that this tough enemy was going to go all out against him.
SCREECH!
Unleashing a piercing cry that caused the ears of everyone to whizz in agitation, the beast grabbed at another two warriors with its claws.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
"Helllllp!!"
The two warriors issued a blood curdling cries, in hope of someone coming to rescue them from the clutches of the frightening beast.
As the compound leader was about to dash in action, to answer the call, and against all expectations, the beast flapped its wings in three successive times, and soared into the air, carrying with him the two preys.
Screech!!!!!
The beast then issued a calling cry, and soared away in retreat.
Following which, the other beasts carried their preys with them and followed suit.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the sight, not comprehending that the beasts were actually retreating away.
"Is it… over…?" one man spoke with a shaky tone.
However, there was no answer to his question, as no one had expected this horrifyingly tragic battle to end just like that.
Everyone expected the beasts to make a turn at any time, and sweep down at them again, to finish the job…
However, the beasts seemed to have really decided to withdraw.
They group didn't realize that the leading beast was very intelligent, and sensitive to the compound leader's emotional state, and that when he sensed the compound leader intent to go all out against him, he decided to retreat away, as his goal of collecting food has already been met.
The leading beast had no intention of fighting to the death against his opponent. In the first place, he had fixated on the prey that had caught its attention. But since the target proved to be very dangerous, and perhaps, even capable of taking his life, the beast opted to retreat, instead of engaging in a battle that might not necessarily end up in his favor.
Right now, the people were in state of bewilderment, not believing that this tragic battle had really ended.
Suddenly, and as everyone was staring in trance, two vines shot upward, toward one of the beasts that had picked up a fighter's corpse and started flying away with it.
Like a pair of vicious snakes wrapping themselves around their prey, the two vines coiled around the beast's wings and head, and with great momentum, pulled downward at great speed.
As the beast was being pulled to the ground, it flapped one of its wings, shooting out three streaking feathers at the source of the vines, to retaliate.
The people present in the battlefield were shocked at the sight.
BOOM!
The beast was brought down toward the ground with great momentum, and smashed against it, creating a dull, heavy thud, and giving rise to a shock-wave of dirt.
At the site of the crash, the beast could be seen lying on the ground lifelessly with a spear sticking out of him.
Beside the beast, other beasts could be seen lying lifelessly on the ground, with spears sticking out of them, as if they were skewered meat. On some sites, two or three beasts were skewered on the same spear.
As the people traced where these vines came from, a man could be seen standing, and reaching out his hand toward the corpse, as if wanting to receive something.
Three feathers were sticking out of him; one lodging on his shoulder, one on his arm, and one on his femur, all of the three feathers had struck him on the right side of his body. Apparently, the last attack of the beast had hit the culprit.
However, the man didn't seem to care about the feathers at all. Instead, eagerness was radiating from his yellow shining eyes.
…
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone