The forest was covered in thick mist and dust rolling like a wave everywhere. Limbo stepped forward first. He already has two cores and one more he wanted to cure Gaja. That's what he had been told by the system.
But the Alpha fragments... have not fully integrated yet, he reminded to himself.
Behind him, Rin was ready with her vines, waiting for Limbo's signal. Gaja stood in the place.
He was sensing a pull from the beast. The beast came to him, locating an unknown source within his body. Gaja wasn't able to understand or sense it, but he always felt a strange presence since he came into contact with the beast, and this feeling increased the last time when the beast almost trapped him.
Limbo exhaled.
The link is still present. The beast came chasing Gaja. He was looking in the direction of Gaja. Limbo wanted to sever the connection and to obtain that he need the cores.
But to do that, he has to defeat the beast.
Limbo was gathering information, whatever he could get.
He was observing every tiny detail.
A growl echoes through the mist.
Branches snapped and fell on the ground. As the massive beast marches forward.
As the beast approached forward, the view was getting clearer.
The shadow has now taken the form of a wolf-like creature with black smoke surrounding it in waves across its body. It wasn't just angry. It was hungry and drooling saliva from its mouth.
And the food... Gaja.
Everyone saw a wolf beast, but Limbo was seeing something different.
The body of beast was glitching like a unstable code.
When Limbo saw it first, he thought it was a mistake, but after second time it was clear.
Limbo narrows his eye,
There, those flickers... System.
The beast raised his leg and was about to smash Limbo on the ground.
Rin shouted. "Limbo moved!"
It's attacking.
But.
He was ready.
This was already in his prediction, so he quickly shifted to the side.
His mind was running a simulated battle inside, reading movements to predict possibilities of attacks, like a coder thinks about his code logic.
Limbo's instinct was on Full on fire.
He was predicting the trajectory accurately.
The system was also helping him to predict while observing his move, movements.
Left side exposed...
Limbo raised his hands, gathering mana in his palm as he had tested earlier.
A new command line came to his mind.
Which he commanded on the system console.
[ Skill prototype: slip(). Shake the ground under the target. ]
Without delay, he executed.
Mana burst from his palm like a shockwave. The beast was forced side by wave and one of his legs slipped, but the beast regained his balance again.
Rin stared with wide eyes. "You learned a new spell?"
Since when?
Rin was waiting for Limbo's signal to act.
Limbo didn't answer. His gaze was locked on the beast's core.
He wanted badly to uncover the mystery of how the link binds... and how to break the connection.
Gaja stepped forward to the Limbo side. It's calling...
Ignore that, brother. Remember who you are. "You're Gaja... A warrior."
"A wepon master... I mean Sword Master."
The beast roared again, the roar wasn't just a roar, it was a whisper only Gaja could understand.
Limbo's patience was running out. He wanted to end quickly.
"No more waiting."
He rushed forward.
Taking every step by calculated.
After analysis:
Distance: 12 meters.
Beast is preparing to jump.
Wind direction is Stable.
Fragment resonance is increasing...
As he predicts, the beast jumps.
Limbo slid under its claws, the beast's palm slammed on the ground. Beast attacked on Limbo, but it failed.
A burst of white light erupted under the beast's belly.
The beast shook. His body spam, as it's corrupted energy, fought to reject command.
This was the signal he gave.
Rin takes advantage of its distraction and uses vines to bind its legs. And a shoot few rounds of stone and vine missiles.
"Limbo, I think it's weakening!" Rin thought.
Meanwhile,
Gaja trembled while holding his head. "The connection... It's tearing me apart!"
Limbo tightened his teeth.
So this isn't enough.
The link has layers.
Emotional?
Spiritual?
Or whatever?
He leaned forward.
Forcing more mana into the attack.
This time he uses his Light skill.
System, open Admin mode, compile modifications on the light skill.
If user.lightskill=true.
Modify.light into LightBullet/thunderBullet.
Add subeffect.shockwave
Compress.
In an instant, it successfully completed.
He created a new attack spell,
"Thunder ShockWave Bullet."
Limbo shot the bullet while aiming at the beast's upper eye, but due to the beast's constant motion and poor aim.
It hit one of its legs.
That leg burns from the inside and is paralyzed.
Beast growl loudly, filled with rage.
But it's speed wasn't fast like before.
It's slowed down a little.
Gaja! Stay conscious! You can't be reckless like last time.
"I'm trying...!"
The beast started to move again.
Limbo quickly responds and uses a light skill.
"Flashlight..." Boom..
Lightning flashed into the beast's eyes and blinded it temporarily.
This wasn't enough.
This was the first skill Limbo had mastered earlier.
Limbo raised his hands again.
The command panel appeared,
[ Skill evolution: lightning bullet-> lightning cannon ]
High chances of failure...
Apply forced evolution.
[Forced evolution: Lightning cannon successful.
User may suffer drawbacks. ]
Activated auto recovery.
Limbo sharpened his eyes.
With a smirk on his face. Now avoid this if you can... You dammn beast.
The beast roared...
The beast senses abnormal mana gathering around Limbo.
It started to launch a counterattack.
It turns his head up... While gathering energy.
And aim towards Limbo.
Rin senses abnormal mana.
She tries to use vines to bind the beast.
But the beast breaks free from the vines in an instant.
While still gathering the energy.
Limbo and Beast aim at each other.
And shoot.
The attack collided with the force.
Boom...
The huge shockwave generated
After the two energies collide. Limbo's Cannon blast manages to cancel the three-eyed Wolf's attack.
Limbo's eyes sharpened.
The shockwave pushed both of them back. Taking advantage of this situation, Rin used her vines to interwind and formed a strong vine rope to bind the beast's legs.
This time beast struggles to maintain balance and falls.
Gaja gathered courage after seeing Rin in action.
He drew his swords and unleashed the sword Fury on the beast. He unleashed many attacks on different parts.
And cut one of its legs.
And quickly back out in ready position to the next attack, just in case.
That's it brother... Limbo said from back.
Hold it back!
Limbo was summoning his spear.
He closed his eyes, opened the console and do something.
As he opened his eyes, the golden aura glowed around a spear and also reflected in his eyes.
"Together..." he shouted.
Everyone nodded.
Gaja locked Wolf's neck with trembling arms. Rin holds it back in one place.
Gaja and Limbo jump, attacked at once.
Limbo stuck his spear.
SHRAAAK—!
The beast roared loudly, struggling.
AAOwwww.......
Their attack pierces through the hidden vital points like the heart.
The energy explodes out like a blast.
The beast collapsed on the ground instantly.
Gaja fell to her knees, while gasping.
It's... over, right?
The voice has gone...
Limbo exhaled while sweat dripped from his chin to the ground. The fragment floated above the beast's dead body.
Shining in a glow while giving a strange pull.
He caught it carefully.
It felt... different.
It was one of the keys that could help Gaja. And The Alpha.
Rin approached carefully.
Limbo.
Limbo was staring at the fragment.
His mind was running faster.
Breath was heavy.
He had finally completed the core collections.
He was smiling. Gasping.
System pop-up,
[ Core network: 3 active nodes. ]
[ Core Synchronisation: 3/3. ]
[ Unknown signal Source: Detected.
Approaching rapidly. ]
[ Alert,
Multiple Signals detected. ]
What?....
What is approaching towards them?
Is it caused by the wolf, or is someone else on the move?
Stay tuned to know what's coming next...