The Ironfang Devourer's roars shook the treetops, each movement leaving deep cracks in the forest floor. Its armor, once almost impervious, had now shattered along multiple fissures. HP: 41,000 → 12,500 flashed in Blade's HUD, red and pulsing rapidly.
Blade kept his Tactical Awareness active, visor glowing faintly under his hood. He fired left-right Exploding Bullets at the largest crack along its flank. Sparks erupted on impact.
Nyx spun through another Blade Flurry, her sword striking every exposed segment. Each impact sent a shiver through the Devourer, cracking the bark further.
Cyberius rolled backward, firing a synchronized Revolver Barrage, then switching into Quick Draw, targeting joints and tendrils to destabilize its stance. A tendril lashed, knocking him sideways, but he landed on his feet, spinning his revolvers again.
Optimus_Prime leapt forward, Sword Arc slicing across a weakened plate, followed by Shield Slam against a massive limb. He grimaced as a swipe grazed his side, but the armor absorbed most of it.
Blade analyzed its stance. "All attacks now. Hit the exposed core and keep pressure!"
Nyx dashed beside him instinctively, sliding under a swinging tendril. "On it."
The Devourer let out a low, trembling growl and swung wildly, breaking small trees. Its HP now below 10,000. Every strike it made was berserk but sloppy, leaving openings.
Cyberius fired his revolvers in continuous Quick Draw, forcing the monster to stagger. Optimus_Prime followed with Shield Bash + Sword Arc, driving the creature off balance.
Blade fired Exploding Bullets in perfect rhythm with Nyx's spinning strikes. Sparks flew, bark shattered, and the fissure widened to expose the glowing core fully.
The monster roared violently, lashing out at Nyx and Optimus_Prime. She slid back, landing close to Blade. Optimus raised his shield just in time to absorb a crushing blow.
Blade adjusted his aim, firing twin barrels directly into the exposed core, each shot exploding with a concussive force.
Nyx leapt high, spinning in the air, slashing directly at the vulnerable core with her Swordmistress Finisher. Cyberius unleashed his full Revolver Barrage, bullets tearing into the gaps in the plating. Optimus_Prime slammed his shield into the creature's legs, then drove his sword in with full force.
The forest trembled violently. The Devourer's final roar echoed through the trees, its HP bar flashing red, dropping to zero in a single pulse.
Cracks spread across its body. Roots and dirt shifted violently as it collapsed, tendrils convulsing once before laying still.
Silence fell.
Blade lowered his guns, visor still scanning. "It's down."
Nyx exhaled, lowering her sword. "Finally."
Cyberius wiped sweat from his forehead. "I think I aged five years."
Optimus_Prime let out a slow breath, sheathing his sword. "That… that was worse than the first Royal Layer encounter."
Blade smirked faintly. "Team effort."
A system notification appeared:
Victory! Ironroot Devourer Defeated.
XP Gained: Blade 5,000 (Lv 25 → Lv 30)
XP Gained: Nyx 2,200 (Lv 29 → Lv 31)
XP Gained: Cyberius 2,500 (Lv 29 → Lv 31)
XP Gained: Optimus_Prime 3,000 (Lv 30 → Lv 32)
Loot: Rare crafting materials, Ironroot Core, Royal Commission reward applied.
Blade's Tactical Awareness quietly scanned the battlefield, highlighting small weak points in the collapsed creature—data for future strategies.
Nyx glanced at him, her chest rising and falling. "You… you calculated every movement, didn't you?"
Blade's headgear flickered. "Predicted responses, yes. You handled your side perfectly."
Cyberius groaned, lifting both revolvers lazily. "I just hope nothing else shows up in this forest."
Optimus_Prime gave a small chuckle, sheathing his sword. "I think we earned a rest after that."
Nyx looked toward Blade, still slightly flushed. "I'm… glad I fought with you."
Blade's fingers brushed his gun strap. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, his visor calculated movement patterns around them, but internally he felt the pull—a rare feeling he hadn't experienced since Summerland.
"Noted," he finally said, almost to himself.
The four of them moved to the clearing's edge. The Ironfang Devourer lay defeated, its body slowly fading from the forest floor. Birds began returning cautiously. Sunlight filtered through the canopy again.
Blade glanced at Nyx, her pink hair catching faint light. For the first time, he wondered if some things weren't just calculations.