I Can See Evolution Paths

The explosion from the previous attack slowly faded. Smoke rolled across the shattered chamber, mixing with frost and dust. Broken pieces of stone continued falling from the ceiling, striking the floor with dull cracks.

Arthur remained still for a moment, Frostheart Bow in his hand. His chest rose and fell.

Around him, everyone was exhausted. Vedas stood several meters away, one hand gripping his golden spear while the other pressed against his side.

Sun was leaning against Long, while Kong crouched nearby, shaking off pieces of stone. Athena held Aegis in front of herself, its surface covered in cracks. Mithra had one knee against the ground, Kusa still firmly in her hand.

Athy circled overhead, her wings moving more slowly than before. Eden hovered beside Luna, golden light flickering around her. Melo’s five tails were spread behind her, the dream mist around her body noticeably thinner.

Arthur looked toward the enormous crater where Rokkaku had fallen. Nothing moved.

Sun slowly raised his head. "Did we actually get him?"

Vedas stared into the smoke. "I don’t see him."

Arthur lowered the Frostheart Bow. For a moment relief crossed his face. "Then maybe—"

A black thread suddenly burst through the smoke. Boom! Arthur’s Guardian Shield appeared just in time. The thread slammed into the golden barrier and sent Arthur skidding backward, his boots carving two long lines into the stone.

"Arthur!"

Vedas immediately rushed forward. More black threads erupted from the crater. Vedas swung his spear. Clang! Clang! Clang! Three threads were cut apart. A fourth wrapped around his spear.

Vedas pulled. The thread pulled back even harder.

"Tch!" He planted his foot. "You’re not taking this!" Golden mana exploded from his body. Vedas ripped the thread apart.

Then the smoke slowly parted, revealing Rokkaku standing in the center of the crater. His black robes were torn in several places, and blood covered one side of his body. Even the demon mask covering his face had cracked across the cheek.

Yet despite the injuries, he remained standing.

Arthur’s expression became serious. "He’s still alive."

Mithra slowly stood, her eyes remaining fixed on Rokkaku. "Look at his wounds."

Arthur looked closer and noticed that the bleeding had already begun to slow. The deep wounds across Rokkaku’s body were gradually closing as faint black threads moved around him, carrying mana back toward his injured flesh.

Sun’s expression dropped. "He’s healing."

Athena raised Aegis. "Not just healing." She watched the black threads surrounding him. "He’s been using those formations to recover while we were attacking."

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He remembered how Rokkaku had spent the previous exchange defending instead of counterattacking. "So that’s why."

Rokkaku finally spoke, his voice surprisingly calm despite the blood covering his robes.

"You gave me time."

Arthur stared at him for a moment before glancing at the wounds that were already closing.

"You planned for that?"

"Of course." The black threads surrounding Rokkaku slowly became denser. "Did you really believe I would continue fighting while injured?"

Arthur smiled slightly. "Honestly?" He raised Frostheart Bow. "I was hoping you would."

Rokkaku’s mask tilted slightly.

Then the Spider General moved.

The enormous Beast suddenly lunged, eight spider legs smashing against the ground. Boom!

Mithra disappeared.

The Spider General’s claws crashed into empty air. Mithra appeared beside it. "Too slow."

Kusa flashed.

Slash! A deep cut appeared across one of its legs.

The Spider General roared and swung another limb toward her, but Mithra ducked beneath it and immediately countered with another slash. She continued moving around the creature, striking from different angles before it could properly turn toward her. Her speed left several afterimages around its body, making it difficult for the Spider General to determine which one was real.

Sun stared at the scene.

"She’s still that fast after all that?"

Athena continued watching carefully. "She’s not fighting it head-on."

Mithra appeared behind the Spider General and she stabbed Kusa into its back. The Spider General roared.

Black threads immediately shot from Rokkaku. Mithra sensed them and jumped, the threads tearing through the stone where she’d been standing. She landed several meters away. "So you’re protecting your Beast too."

Rokkaku said nothing.

Melo suddenly released a wave of dream mist across the battlefield. The mist wrapped around the Spider General, and its movements immediately became less precise. Its upper body swayed slightly as it struggled to maintain its balance.

Mithra’s eyes brightened when she noticed the opening.

"Melo."

Melo’s five tails waved behind her in response.

Mithra smiled. "Good timing."

She disappeared once again, this time heading straight for the damaged leg.

Sun’s eyes widened. "It’s working!"

Kong immediately understood what Sun wanted and charged forward. With a roar, he jumped onto the Spider General’s body and grabbed two of its legs, using his entire weight to keep the enormous Beast from moving.

Sun raised Long. "Hold it!"

Kong tightened his grip. "GRAAAH!"

Sun thrust his staff forward.

[Ember Shock].

A massive shockwave exploded from Long. Boooooom! The Spider General was thrown backward with Kong still attached, crashing into a stone pillar. Kong bounced off its body and landed on the floor, immediately standing.

Sun grinned. "Nice one."

Kong proudly beat his chest.

Arthur couldn’t help smiling. "You two really are getting better at that."

Sun looked at him. "We’re not the only ones." He pointed toward Vedas, who was already charging Rokkaku.

Vedas thrust his golden spear.

[Armor Piercing].

The spear tore through the air.

Rokkaku raised his hand, and black threads formed a wall.

But Vedas smashed through the first layer of threads, then the second, and finally the third. Each impact sent fragments of black thread scattering across the chamber, but Vedas continued forcing his way forward.

"You’re not stopping me!"

Vedas continued forward. Rokkaku suddenly stepped aside, and the spear missed him by centimeters. A black thread wrapped around Vedas’s wrist. Another wrapped around his ankle. Another caught his spear.

Vedas’s expression changed. "What—"

Rokkaku pulled. Vedas was violently thrown across the chamber. Boom! He crashed through a stone pillar.

"Vedas!"

Arthur immediately drew another arrow and fired. Rokkaku raised his black threads and blocked it, but Arthur was already drawing another.

The second arrow followed the first, then a third, and soon Frostheart arrows were filling the space between them. Some froze the black threads they struck, while others exploded with Magic Burst the moment they made contact.

Rokkaku was forced to retreat several steps beneath the constant barrage.

Arthur grinned. "Got you."

Rokkaku looked toward him. "You continue to surprise me."

Arthur pulled another arrow from the quiver. "I get that a lot." He fired. Rokkaku blocked. Arthur fired again. And again. And again. The arrows came faster than before, some freezing the black threads, others exploding with Magic Burst. Rokkaku was forced to retreat several steps.

Sun looked impressed. "Arthur’s really pushing him back."

Mithra landed beside him. "He’s forcing Rokkaku to spend more mana."

Athena nodded. "If we keep this pace—"

Rokkaku suddenly stopped retreating.

The black threads surrounding him went completely still.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

Something was changing.

The next instant, Rokkaku’s mana erupted from his body.

It wasn’t simply a burst of energy. A terrifying pressure spread across the entire chamber, crashing into everyone at once. Arthur felt his body become impossibly heavy, and before he could stabilize himself, his feet were ripped from the ground and his body was thrown backward.

"Arthur!"

He crashed into the floor hard enough to send broken pieces of stone flying around him. Around him, the others were struggling beneath the same pressure. Vedas barely managed to remain standing, while Sun dropped to one knee with Long pressed against the ground for support. Mithra was forced downward despite her speed, and Athena had to slam Aegis into the ground just to keep herself upright.

Even Athy’s wings struggled to keep her airborne, while Melo’s dream mist scattered under the overwhelming pressure.

Luna collapsed. Eden immediately caught her. "Luna!"

Luna gasped. "I can’t move..."

Arthur pushed himself up, his arms trembling. Every breath felt heavy, as if the entire mountain had been placed on his body. He looked toward Rokkaku, whose aura continued spreading.

"This is... Just like with that Silver Rank Beast from before." Arthur struggled to speak.

Rokkaku slowly raised his hand. "You have been fighting the wounded version of me."

And then the Spider General thread rushed out.

Boom!

Arthur’s Guardian Shield appeared, and the golden barrier cracked immediately.

Rokkaku didn’t show any surprise as another wave of threads rushed out. It crashed into the barrier again and then it shattered into golden fragments. Arthur was thrown across the chamber, rolling several times before stopping.

Vedas roared. "Arthur!" He charged.

Rokkaku’s presence pressed down on him even harder.

Vedas stumbled beneath the pressure, but he refused to fall. He gritted his teeth and forced himself forward one step at a time, his golden spear trembling in his hand.

"I’m not..." He raised his spear and glared at Rokkaku. "Finished!"

Rokkaku flicked his fingers. Black threads slammed into Vedas from every direction. Bang! Bang! Bang! Vedas blocked one. Two. Three. Then the fourth struck him in the chest, and he crashed backward.

Sun raised Long.

[Point Shockwave].

A concentrated shockwave tore toward Rokkaku. He didn’t even dodge. His aura crushed the attack, and it dispersed.

Sun’s eyes widened. "No way..."

A black thread struck him.

Boom!

Sun flew backward. Kong immediately jumped after him, catching Sun before he crashed into the wall.

Sun coughed. "Thanks."

The Spider General suddenly appeared above them, its massive body blocking out what little light remained in the chamber.

Kong looked up and immediately realized what was coming.

"Oh."

Sun followed his gaze. "That’s bad."

The Spider General’s claws came crashing down.

Kong reacted without hesitation. He shoved Sun out of the way and took the attack head-on.

BOOM!

The impact shattered the stone beneath him and sent debris flying in every direction. Kong disappeared beneath the dust.

Sun’s eyes widened. "Kong!"

He immediately charged toward the crater.

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