Alex opened with a Windslicer aimed at the animal's eyes—one of his common tactics.
But the gorilla was a tier 2 advanced creature, which, unlike tier 1 monsters, could actually plan and not act purely on instinct.
The gorilla saw the attack and raised its arm over its face, protecting itself with the vines coiled around it, taking barely any damage.
"Hey, you all right?" Alex asked the girl.
"Yes. Sorry for butting in, but we thought you were in trouble," Marc added.
"No worries. I tried to escape, but the monster is relentless, and without help, I was going to be eliminated—or worse, killed in one hit," the girl said, releasing a sigh.
The bracelet could teleport one to a safe place if they took too much damage, but it couldn't predict how much damage was coming. So, the possibility of dying from a single blow was real.
After exchanging a few quick words, they returned their attention to the monster ahead.
The gorilla, seeing two more enemies enter the fight, retreated a little, crafting its own plan.
The girl, of course, would not let it rest—she quickly cast an Ice Spear toward it.
The gorilla sidestepped, but Marc was on his way.
The monster swung its electrified vines toward him, but instead of hitting Marc, the strike landed on the Water Shield Alex had cast around him.
Still, the Water Shield couldn't withstand the full impact—it shattered, and the vine continued on its path toward Marc, who cast Stoneskin immediately.
He was sent flying, but after tumbling a few meters, he was fine.
The gorilla continued its assault with a Stone Shot aimed at the girl.
Alex took this moment to trade damage for damage, casting Windslicer Barrage for two seconds—six blades of air cut through the space between them.
Meanwhile, the girl cast Ice Wall, blocking the Stone Shot with a sharp crack of frost.
The gorilla couldn't protect itself in time and was hit by four of the six Windslicers, deep cuts appearing across its legs and torso.
Before it could counterattack, Marc landed a Fire Fist on its thigh—an explosion followed, sending flames licking up the beast's fur.
Now the monster had taken real damage and began limping. Yet instead of weakening, it grew more violent—the vines on its arms started writhing on their own, striking out wildly. One hit Marc square in the chest, and even with Stoneskin, he was sent flying again, bones cracking under the sheer strength. Luckily, his bracelet didn't go off, probably thanks to marital artist resilience.
The gorilla bounded after him and leaped, aiming to crush him with a falling hammer blow.
This time, both an Ice Shield and a Water Shield were cast around Marc.
Alex poured a lot of mana into the Water Shield, while the girl reinforced it with her thick Ice Shield.
The attack shattered the Ice Shield like glass, but the loss of momentum allowed the Water Shield to redirect the blow sideways, the impact shaking the ground instead of smashing Marc's skull.
Marc used the moment to land another Fire Fist on the monster's already injured leg—this time with more mana.
A louder explosion echoed through the clearing, and the monster actually grimaced in pain. It retaliated immediately, swinging its arm at Marc, who couldn't cast Stoneskin fast enough.
Under the immense force, Marc's right arm broke, and he was thrown back once more.
Alex seized the opening and unleashed another Windslicer Barrage—this time for six full seconds.
Meanwhile, the girl gathered her power and launched a Fireball as big as a person.
The gorilla was bombarded by eighteen Windslicers and the roaring Fireball.
A deafening boom! followed, leaving behind a thick smoke screen that rolled across the clearing.
Alex was cautious—nine seconds of consecutive Windslicer Barrage and Water Shield had drained him to nearly half his mana.
Before he could check on Marc, the gorilla burst from the smoke, charging forward. The vines on both its arms crackled with electricity as they swept toward Alex and the girl.
Both of them cast their defensive spells at once, but the monster's attack shattered them and struck through.
Alex jumped backward, using his momentum to soften the blow and reduce the damage received—but still, the hit landed hard, sending a surge of electricity through his body.
He barely landed before a Stone Shot came flying toward him.
Once again, he summoned a Water Shield at maximum output, deflecting the stone with a loud splash of mana-infused water.
On the other side, the girl, still on the ground, fired another Ice Spear. The spear sliced through the air and pierced the gorilla's exposed flank.
Marc, who was already partially recovered thanks to his body's resilience, sprinted toward the gorilla's back as it cast the Stone Shot. He leaped, driving a flaming fist toward the monster's head.
The girl's Ice Spear and Marc's Fire Fist landed within seconds of each other—the beast barely had time to react. The spear impaled its side just as the fiery punch slammed into its skull.
A boom echoed, and the gorilla stumbled forward, dazed.
Marc didn't stop—he stepped on the monster's side and launched himself into a jumping Fire Fist uppercut, striking its head again.
Another explosion burst out, and Marc landed heavily, retreating from the now staggering creature.
The gorilla was barely standing, blood and smoke rising from its body.
Alex and the girl took the opportunity to finish it. Alex channeled everything left into ten seconds of continuous Windslicer Barrage, while the girl unleashed a flurry of Fireballs, each as big as a person.
The monster, on its last legs, couldn't defend itself. The barrage tore into its flesh, wind blades cutting deep as Fireballs crashed against its chest and shoulders.
When the smoke cleared, the gorilla lay on the ground, barely breathing. Its skin was charred black, burns sealing the deep cuts from the Windslicers.
"He's not dead after all that?" Marc said, flabbergasted.
The girl didn't hesitate—she approached quickly and drove an Ice Spear through its heart, ending its life for good.
As the monster finally went still, all three teenagers dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. They were almost completely out of mana and badly injured—especially Marc, whose arm hung at an awkward angle.
"Fucking hell, that was hard," Alex said between gasps.
"Yeah… insane," Marc replied, wincing.
The girl caught her breath, then looked at the two boys, noticing they didn't mind that she had delivered the final blow.
She stood, brushed dirt from her clothes, and walked toward them before speaking.