Screech!!!
[The Cursed Abomination has gone berserk!]
The chimera suddenly went on a bigger rampage than it had ever been before.
Its lion head rapidly launched dark thorns which exploded into pools of poisonous fog, which would then summon mutated Night Terror.
The lizard head continuously released streams of dark liquid which drenched the entire rise with monster-spawning pools and shot out giant-hatching eggs.
And its bull head frequently unleashed torrents of black flames which burned the dark pools and giant eggs all over the rise, summoning more mutated Dark Spawn and mutated Deathbringer.
"We'll have to buy ourselves time until Party 5 reached their objective! Attack the heads to suppress the minions' number! Darius, help us out!"
I ordered my comrades.
Our archer immediately nocked four explosives to his bow and launched them at the lion head.
Boom!
Darius continued to nock another four, fired them, nocked another four, and fired them again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After firing sixteen exploding arrows, the archer had reduced the lion head into an unrecognizable mass. Its mane of thorns was now a jumble of fragmented black spikes.
Even with the chimera's regeneration ability, it was taking a while before the lion head would recover completely.
Long enough for Darius to keep sending his explosives at it.
Boom! Boom!
I followed his examples and launched Third Circle fire assaults at the bull head and the lizard head.
Crash!
My flames shed their firm scales.
Our vanguards immediately took the openings I provided.
Shanny extended her blade and ran her sword along the lizard head's throat, destroying the eggs within and spilling streams of dark liquid which then dissipated into nothing.
Jonah threw his exploding throwing spear and obliterated the bull head.
Boom!
The two organs rapidly regenerated themselves.
But I sent another elemental assaults to maintain their injured states. Jonah and Shanny aided me to worsen them.
The chimera's minions rapidly decreased in number since we were constantly injuring their heads.
While the four of us were focused on attacking the chimera, Devisha and our golems were rushing about the rise to kill the remaining minions.
Shing!!!
I suddenly felt my fatigue being swept away. New energy began reinvigorating my body. All my comrades and I.
No need to wonder what was happening considering it had happened to us three other times before.
['Party 5' has occupied the fourth altar.]
[The fourth altar's powers are taking effect.]
[Master, the Goddesses' blessing has been strengthened!]
[All heroes' stats have increased by 25%!]
[All enemies' stats have decreased by 25%!]
[The power of the Cursed Abomination has been suppressed!]
I turned my gaze toward the rocky hill beyond the rise.
Pirate corpses littered the paths along the slopes. Even more on the garrison at the top of the hill.
The ape-looking beasts were lying dead in a bloodied pile.
The muscular woman had been beheaded, arrows were riddling her corpse.
While the scarred woman had lost both of her arms. Fresh clawing wounds were scattered all over her body.
[Daywalker, we've done the job! What now?]
Graihan reached out to me.
"Good work! Now keep protecting the altar till we finish this monster off!"
[Sure!]
Shing!
Peculiar lights flashed in the sky. A signal from Sigyn.
[Modifying battle instructions for an enemy type.]
[Enemy Type 1: Cursed Abomination Lv.52]
[Combat Tactic: Active Immediate Elimination]
[Combat Directives: aggressive coordinated confrontation, maximum mana-cost magical attacks, physical direct attack, physical projectile attack, kill priority, maximum exertion cost]
A full-on assault against the chimera.
Sigyn had made their order very clear.
"Master's orders are here!"
I announced to my comrades.
"We're killing the chimera now! Injure the mutt as much as you can as I prepare a spell to kill it off!"
Upon my instructions, each of my comrades reached for the Power Potion in their pouches and gulped the vials down.
['Jonah (★★)' has consumed 'Power Potion (B+)'.]
['Jonah (★★)'s strength and stamina have increased by 13 for the next 10 minutes.]
['Shanny (★★)' has consumed 'Power Potion (B+)'.]
['Shanny (★★)'s strength and stamina have increased by 15 for the next 10 minutes.]
['Darius (★★★)' has consumed 'Power Potion (B+)'.]
['Darius (★★★)'s strength and stamina have increased by 9 for the next 10 minutes.]
['Devisha (★★★)' has consumed 'Power Potion (B+)'.]
['Devisha (★★★)'s strength and stamina have increased by 11 for the next 10 minutes.]
Once the potions had taken effect and further enhanced the enchantment given by the altars and my enchantment stones, my comrades charged at the chimera.
Screech!
Darius channeled cold energy to his arrow and launched it at one of the chimera's legs.
Swoosh! Krrsshhh!
His arrow struck the chimera's leg and burst into thick sheet of ice which trapped the chimera's leg still.
With its movement hindered, Darius had a clear target and was able to riddle the chimera with explosives.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The archer's assaults caused all the scales on the chimera to be shed off from the creature, exposing its vulnerable parts.
And the scales did not regenerate. They remained broken and kept the chimera's flesh exposed underneath.
The fourth altar did this. With the chimera's regeneration power suppressed, we would finally be able to kill this mutt.
Jonah quickly rushed to one of the chimera's legs which had been made vulnerable permanently.
He then clenched at his enchanted spear very tightly and pointed its shining tip to the exposed part of the chimera.
The shepherd thrusted his spear forcefully and unleashed the powerful energy generated within the enchanted weapon.
ZOOOM!!!
His assault tore the chimera's entire leg off.
The creature could not regenerate its limb. It fell to the ground, immobilized by the severe injury.
Screech!
The chimera was almost paralyzed because of Jonah's attack, which provided an opportunity for his comrades.
['Shanny (★★)' has gone berserk!]
Intense energy exploded from the former maid. She began charging at the crippled chimera.
A mutated Deathbringer tried to intercept Shanny, but Devisha rushed ahead of her and swiftly beheaded the giant with a halberd.
Screech!
The lion head noticed Shanny's charge and set out to launch its thorns at her.
But Devisha saw the attack coming and quickly summoned a bow and crimson-streaked arrows to her hands.
She immediately took aim at the lion head.
Boom! Boom!
The Tsahanam assassin prevented the lion head's assault by destroying it with explosives, clearing the path for Shanny.
[Ring of Malaikat (A) is taking effect!]
['Shanny (★★)'s strength, agility, and stamina have increased by 26 for a period of time!]
The former maid jumped on top of the chimera and jammed her glowing enchanted sword into the bull head's skull.
Crack! Krrchh!
She forced her blade through the bull head's skull and split it into two.
[Skill Awakened!]
['Shanny (★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Indomitability'!]
Shanny then leaped and descended toward the lizard head's throat at the chimera's rear.
Her enchanted sword was shining brightly like the sun, signifying the great level of her rage.
['Shanny (★★)'s Berserk has levelled up to level 4!]
['Shanny (★★)'s strength, agility, and stamina have increased by 29 for a period of time!]
Swoosh! Krrchh!
The former maid sliced through the chimera's tail.
She severed the lizard head completely from its main body.
['Shanny (★★)'s Basic Sword-Shield Technique has levelled up to level 10!]
['Shanny (★★)'s Basic Sword-Shield Technique has reached its maximum level!]
Having completed her assault, the intense energy swiftly dissipated from Shanny.
['Shanny (★★)' is no longer berserk!]
SCREEECH!
The chimera screamed in great pain.
My comrades had done an excellent work injuring the three-headed beast.
It was wounded so severely that the creature had stopped attacking and was only thrashing around in extreme suffering.
The chimera could not regenerate itself anymore. All its wounds were rapidly bringing the critical mutt closer to the state of death.
This wretched beast would die right here and now!
[Davah Jwala Haljantarr Jalagnih Shashanam]
A blinding crimson orb of lava manifested above me.
Intense heat emanated from the molten sphere, lightning bolts flickered about its burning globe surface.
This was the Fifth Circle fusion spell I used against the guardian in the Advent Dungeon.
The Cursed Abomination might be stronger than that knight statue. But in its current dying state, the chimera should also face its defeat with the same assault.
[Come forth!]
I chanted.
['Unified Grand Magic 'Hellstorm Dragon (★★★★★)' has been activated!]
[Caster - 'Serafina (★★★★)']
The crimson orb transformed into a burning winged-serpent.
With lightning-flickering flames serving as its wings, the crimson construct sped fast toward the chimera at the center of the rise.
Screech!
The dying chimera roared a terrible scream upon my assault.
It knew that the powerful conjuration would obliterate the creature completely and reducing it into nothing.
And just as the burning serpent was about to strike the chimera…
Just as the powerful magic was about to annihilate the Cursed Abomination…
Right when our victory in the fourth Quintal Trial was only a hair's breadth away from our grasps…
…everything stopped.