['Norn (★★★)' is on the brink of death. Her life is in danger!]
['Unified Grand Magic 'Raining Sun (★★★★★)' has been activated!]
[Caster - 'Yuxia (★★★★)']
['Yuxia (★★★★)' is experiencing mana overflow.]
['Darius (★★★)' has been inflicted with heavy burning.]
As the pain slightly settled and the haze in my vision cleared up, I witnessed what had unfolded before me.
Shanny and Devisha were fighting hard to keep the minions away from me whom had collapsed.
Beyond them, by the chimera, Jonah was limping around with his spear.
The shepherd was fending off everything that were trying to reach the collapsed Darius by him whose entire body had been heavily scorched.
I fought the great pain within me and spent the last remaining drops of my mana to teleport both of those men back to our position.
Swoosh!
Once Jonah and Darius successfully teleported to my side, I reached for the Healing Stone in my dress and smacked the rock on the ground.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has activated the Healing Stone!]
Rays of warm light burst from the stone's fragments and penetrated my comrades and I.
All our wounds were rapidly healing, including the big gash on Jonah's calves. My intense pain had become more bearable too.
But severe burn wounds remained on Darius. Moreover, he had also lost a leg and the remainder of his left arm. Several gaping wounds were scattered all over his body as well.
The middle-aged man was still in deep suffering. Our Healing Stone was not potent enough to heal all of his severe injuries.
Screech!
The chimera had set its sight on us now that Jonah had withdrew from it.
Responding the threat, Shanny rushed into the enemy lines toward the mutt.
"I will distract the chimera again! Jonah, Devisha, you two protect Darius and Serafina!"
Immense energy suddenly exploded from her.
['Shanny (★★)' has gone berserk!]
Once the former maid stampeded through the hordes of minions and finally engaged the chimera, I turned my attention back to our heavily injured comrade.
['Darius (★★★)' is on the brink of death. His life is in danger!]
No. This would not do.
I immediately reached for vials of health potion from the supply crate Master summoned for us through the dimensional portal.
"He saved my life, Fina."
Jonah said to me as he threw an exploding throwing spear at a group of Night Terror.
He continued while I poured vials of health potion on the dying man.
"Darius charged through the enemies, ignoring the wounds the monsters inflicted on him, and pushed me away from the chimera's attack."
I spilled as much potion as I could on the archer, trying to heal all the wounds on him.
But his breathing became weaker by the second.
"My lady…"
Darius spoke raspingly. His vocal chords had been ruined.
"Save your breath as I heal you, Darius. And didn't I tell you to call me by my name?"
I replied while splashing more health potion on him.
His breath still turned weaker despite my effort.
Darius's injured body was severely frail that his gaping wounds immediately reopened and continued bleeding after the potion healed them.
It must have something to do with the chimera's attacks. Its flames and thorns likely had properties that countered the effects of health potions.
The archer kept on speaking nonetheless.
"G-give this to…Tarran."
He said as he moved his right hand where his enchanted ring was on.
"He's b-better…than me. H-he should…have it."
Jonah and Devisha heard the archer spoke.
The three of us knew he was not getting any better. His condition would only continue to worsen from here on.
I nodded to Darius as I took the ring from his hand.
"Should the boy survive this trial, he will receive the ring and your bow."
['Tarran (★★)'s Basic Archery has levelled up to level 10!]
['Tarran (★★)'s Basic Archery has reached its maximum level!]
['Norn (★★★)' has returned to the Goddesses' embrace! Her fighting spirit will be remembered forever.]
['Zecht (★★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Berserk'!]
['Zecht (★★★)' has gone berserk!]
The movement on Darius's chest was turning slower.
I could feel his pulse weakening and becoming faint, very faint.
"I've…done my duty. Haven't I…my lady?"
The former knight asked.
I nodded to him.
"You saved me earlier. I lied back then. If it weren't for you, the Dark Spawn would have hurt me."
I then turned to Jonah fighting by us.
"And you also saved him. I don't know how to repay you for such immeasurable deed."
Darius curled his scorched bloodied lips into a smile.
"You need…him. And he…need you. The two of you…can't lose each other."
"Thank you, Darius. You've been a fine comrade."
I told the dying knight lying before me.
As the smile remained on his disfigured face, Darius breathed his last.
['Darius (★★★)' has returned to the Goddesses' embrace! His fighting spirit will be remembered forever.]
Screech!!!
The chimera's scream turned my attention away from my comrade's corpse.
The Quintal Trial was not over yet.
Shanny was still hard at fighting the three-headed mutt while Jonah and Devisha were fending off the unstoppable waves of unkillable creatures.
"What do we do now?"
Devisha finally asked.
I rose back to my feet with weak trembling knees. Facing my hand toward the raging chimera, I drew some mana from my vessel to cast the Sixth Circle spell once more.
THUMP!
A great pain immediately rushed through my body as soon as I tried casting my spell.
"Gragh!"
More blood streamed from my mouth. I collapsed to the ground once more.
Jonah looked at me with agonized stare.
He clenched at his spear and turned back fighting toward the hordes of enemy before him.
"Fina has done all she could! It's now our turn to do the same!"
"How are we going to kill the chimera?"
Devisha asked him.
"We'll just keep attacking it until we find a way to kill it! We'll keep fighting! We won't give up!"
The shepherd shouted strongly as he pierced through six Deathbringer at once.
The Tsahanam assassin nodded to him and summoned her scimitars to her hands. Her enchanted ring began to glow brightly.
"I've given my pledge to Serafina. I shall give my all as well!"
[Ring of Malaikat (A-) is taking effect!]
['Devisha (★★★)'s strength, agility, and stamina, have increased by 7 for a period of time!]
"Raahhhh!!!!"
Shanny's powerful scream echoed from the chimera's direction.
The former maid kept on engaging all the enemies around her and unleashed as much carnage as she could.
['Djhotti (★★★★)' has been inflicted with heavy bleeding. His stamina will be reduced at a fast rate.]
['Ulrica (★★★★)' has been inflicted with heavy bleeding. Her stamina will be reduced at a fast rate.]
['Graihan (★★★★)' has been inflicted with heavy bleeding. His stamina will be reduced at a fast rate.]
[Things aren't looking good on our side, daywalker! All these preys are starting to overwhelm the human girl and me! What should we do?]
Graihan reached out to me with the communication blessing.
[I also require your wisdom, Great Mage! I am not sure how long Mage Vallerynne and I could withstand these enemies!]
Djhotti shouted.
[Southlander, Matrias and I can't keep this up much longer! Have you figured out a way to complete the mission?]
Ulrica asked.
I failed to find the words to convey to them.
With me being in the mana overflow state, I could no longer cast any spell.
Jonah and the others intended to keep attacking the chimera and find its weakness. But they would not be able to kill the mutt considering its regeneration ability.
We had no real plan whatsoever. Not anymore.
The mission's failure was upon us.
How was I supposed to tell the party leaders that bitter fact?
But apparently my own silence conveyed that exact message to them.
[I see... So that's how it is… One last stand.]
Ulrica said acceptingly.
She continued with a bright voice, however.
[Don't be sorry, southlander! I understand why it came to this! I will still give my all till the end!]
Graihan chuckled.
[Haha! A shame this will be my last hunt. But it's been very exciting. So I have no regrets!]
[May the Spirit of Agni be within you all, my comrades. And thank you, Great Mage. You've done your best to lead us.]
Djhotti said solemnly.
Their words brought me to a realization. Of a fear that had been lingering in my heart.
The fourth Quintal Trial, the twentieth floor mission, had turned to be the challenge that was impossible for me to overcome.
The chimera was rampaging stronger than ever.
And we needed to kill it so we could complete the mission and further our climb.
That objective was an impossibility at this point.
My mana was all spent. I could not cast any spell. All my comrades were starting to reach their limit too.
The chimera and its minions would soon overwhelm us and failed our mission.
It was impossible for us to succeed. Victory was impossible. Our fate was already sealed.
Everything that went on in this Quintal Trial so far convinced me it was so.
The question was…what would I do about it?
Surrender?
Now that victory was impossible to achieve and everything seemed at lost, should I just give in and let us all die?
Since our mission had been turned into a hopeless endeavor by an enemy much stronger than every hero in the lobby combined, should I just accept this terrible fate thrusted upon us?
Should I just surrender myself to the inevitable?
Should I?
"AS IF!"
I shouted as I desperately climbed back to my feet.
Fighting all the excruciating pain running through my body, I crushed my mana vessel to expel enough energy to cast a spell.
THUMP!
[Call upon them…]
Yes!
I refused to accept this horrible fate thrusted upon me!
I refused to fail and die in this fourth Quintal Trial!
I refused to give up saving my world!
[Reach out to them…]
I might be powerless and weak. But I would keep on fighting to fulfill my grand mission, even if it was impossible!
I would give my all and keep on fighting forever and ever!
I would keep on fighting to save my world even if it would take an eternity to accomplish it!
[And thus you have owned them and they have named you 'Master'!]
[Master, 'Serafina (★★★★)'s body is undergoing drastic changes!]
Whoosh!
A powerful stream of flame suddenly burst forth from my palms.
The fire pillar slithered through the rise and engulfed all the enemies before my comrades and I, reducing them into mounds of dark flesh, including the giant chimera.
It was such an overwhelming magic equal to a Fifth Circle sorcery.
A spell which I previously did not have the mana for.
[Ding!]
[Seal Evolution!]
[The seal of Hero 'Serafina (★★★★)', 'Wings of Malaikat (F-)', has evolved to a higher grade.]
With an ocean of tremendous power surging within me, I sounded a declaration on the burning rise, the stage of our fourth Quintal Trial.
"This is the end of our defeat.
"Our victory begins now.
"And it shall last forever."
['Serafina (★★★★)'s seal 'Wings of Malaikat (F-)' has evolved into 'Wings of Ananta (U)'!]