Kapitel 33: 41; FIERCE BATTLE

[Part 2 of chapter 1]

The barren expanse at the base of the cliff was a graveyard, littered with the skeletal remains of formlings. Shattered bones jutted out of the dry, cracked earth like macabre monuments, while the lifeless husks of mutant creatures lay scattered, their green blood staining the ground in ghastly pools. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of spilled blood, mingling with the faint stench of decay. Amid this desolate scene stood Leo, his posture calm and unmoving, his black hair catching the faint glow of the sun peeking through the gray clouds above.

He tilted his head up toward the cliff's edge, his blue eyes narrowing as he locked gazes with the formling commander standing above. The creature was massive, a grotesque amalgamation of insect and man. Its hulking form bristled with chitinous armor that shimmered faintly under the pale light, and its long, spindly legs ended in razor-sharp claws that dug into the rock. Its head, more insect than humanoid, was crowned by jagged mandibles that clicked menacingly as it grinned down at Leo.

A long, forked tongue darted out to lick its cracked, slimy lips. The formling commander's glowing red eyes glinted with hunger as it mourned for Leo's flesh. Raising one of its segmented arms, it let out a deafening screech—a sound so shrill and piercing that the very air seemed to tremble.

In response to the commander's cry, a tide of formlings surged from the shadows behind it. The creatures poured over the edge of the cliff, their grotesque forms tumbling down the rocky face like an unstoppable, living waterfall. Their guttural screams filled the canyon as they cascaded downward, clawing and scrambling over one another in their mad rush to reach their prey.

Above, a new threat revealed itself. The sky darkened as bird-type formlings circled overhead, their leathery wings beating the air in chaotic rhythms. Their shrill screeches echoed across the canyon as they tightened their formation, encircling Leo from above like vultures preparing to descend on a dying animal. Their beady, glowing eyes fixated on him with predatory intent, their metallic feathers glinting menacingly.

Despite the overwhelming odds, Leo stood his ground. He remained still, his expression calm, even indifferent. His glowing blue eyes never left the formling commander, whose grin widened at what it assumed was resignation in its prey.

Leo's voice broke the silence, low and calm. "hmpn,You should've brought more."

The commander's grin faltered for a moment, but it quickly turned into a snarl as it motioned for its forces to attack.

The tide of formlings reached Leo first. The ground shook beneath the weight of the creatures as they charged, their claws slashing through the air and their malformed jaws snapping hungrily. Leo moved at the last possible moment, his body a blur as he sidestepped the first attack. The formling's claws raked harmlessly through the air where he had stood, its momentum sending it crashing into the ground.

Another lunged at him from the side, but Leo twisted his body, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. His movements were fluid and precise, like a dancer weaving through a storm of blades. Each time a formling struck, it met only air or the jagged rocks surrounding them.

But the assault was relentless. For every formling Leo evaded, three more took its place. Their numbers were endless, and their attacks came from every direction. Above, the bird-type formlings swooped down, their metallic feathers slicing through the air like daggers. Leo barely had time to avoid the razor-sharp projectiles, each one embedding itself into the ground with a metallic *clang*.

The pressure was mounting. Leo's muscles tensed as he dodged another swipe, his boots skidding across the blood-soaked dirt. The formlings screamed in fury, their attacks growing more frenzied as they failed to land a single blow.

Then, in a single breath, everything changed.

Leo's calm façade cracked, his glowing blue eyes narrowing into icy slits. His body coiled like a spring, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The next formling lunged at him, its claws aimed directly at his chest. This time, Leo didn't move aside. He stepped forward, meeting the creature's attack head-on. His fist collided with its face in a brutal arc, the impact shattering its skull with a sickening crack!

The formling crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The others hesitated for a split second, but it was enough for Leo to close the distance. He lashed out with a powerful kick, sending another creature flying into the air before it crashed into a jagged rock. Blood and green ichor sprayed everywhere as Leo tore through the horde, each punch and kick leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The bird-type formlings above screeched in frustration as they watched their ground-based allies fall. Recognizing the futility of their aerial attacks, they descended, their monstrous forms shifting as they landed. The once-graceful creatures morphed into humanoid shapes, their wings folding into their backs as their limbs extended into long, blade-like claws.

Leo was now surrounded, the circle of enemies tightening around him.

He didn't falter. His fists were a blur as he fought, his movements growing more feral with each passing moment. Blood sprayed in every direction as he punched, kicked, and dodged, his body a whirlwind of violence.

But even Leo had limits. The constant barrage of attacks was beginning to take its toll. His breaths came faster, his muscles screaming in protest as fatigue began to set in. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever.

His glowing blue eyes flicked toward the formling commander, who still stood atop the cliff, watching the carnage with a sadistic grin. If he could just reach the commander and take it out, the horde might scatter.

Leo made his decision.

He broke through the circle of formlings with a roar, his fist shattering the jaw of a bird-type creature that blocked his path. He surged forward, his eyes locked on the commander. But before he could reach the cliff, a massive figure appeared in his path.

It was a vermilion-level formling, its towering form bristling with power. Its chitinous armor gleamed in the light, and its glowing red eyes narrowed as it lunged at Leo with a feral roar.

Leo barely had time to react. The creature's kick slammed into him with the force of a freight train, sending him flying backward. He skidded across the rocky ground, his boots digging furrows into the dirt as he tried to slow himself.

As he finally came to a stop, Leo rose to his feet, a smirk spreading across his bloodied face.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his voice dripping with defiance.

The vermilion-level formling snarled and charged again, its claws poised to strike.

But this time, Leo didn't move.

The ground beneath the formling began to tremble. Cracks spiderwebbed through the earth, and suddenly, massive bone spires erupted from the ground. The formling barely had time to react before it was impaled, its glowing eyes widening in shock as it let out a final, guttural scream.

The other formlings froze in place, their movements halted as more bone spires burst from the ground around them. The spires pierced through their bodies in an instant, skewering them like insects on a pin.

The battlefield was silent.

Leo stood in the center of the carnage, surrounded by a forest of bones and the lifeless bodies of his enemies. He looked up at the cliff, his glowing blue eyes meeting the commander's gaze once more.

The commander's grin was gone, replaced by an expression of pure, unbridled fear.

Leo smirked, his voice carrying across the canyon. "Your move."