SSS Class Mythic Beast Master

Darkness swallowed them as they crossed the threshold into the pale tree's interior. Reinhard's boots hit something solid, not ground but roots. Massive intertwined roots that formed pathways spiraling upward through the hollow trunk.

The interior stretched impossibly high, the top invisible in darkness that even their enhanced vision couldn't penetrate.

Golden light from the Melo warriors provided illumination, casting shadows that danced across pale bark. The interior walls showed golden veins of darker wood spreading in organic patterns, pulsing faintly with something that might have been life force.

Reinhard and the others started moving up, their feet finding footing on the roots. The root pathway curved upward at a steep angle, forcing them to lean forward to maintain balance. Ahead, the root split into multiple branches, each one leading higher through different trajectories.

A faint whisper echoed through the hollow space, barely audible over their footsteps.

Stop! Stop-

Reinhard's head jerked toward the sound, but nothing visible existed in the direction it came from. The voice carried a desperate quality, as if trying to warn or plead, but the words cut off abruptly, leaving only silence.

He shook his head, dismissing it as the forest voice trying to influence him, like many times before.

The root pathway they followed connected to another, this one perpendicular to their direction. Reinhard leaped without slowing, boots hitting the new surface mid-stride. The others followed immediately, and the transition was smooth despite the awkward angle.

It was then the root-humanoids materialized, emerging from the pale bark as if passing through water, and then gazing at them. Reinhard saw dozens of them rising before they began rushing over, and forming root weapons.

Marie's two spectral wings appeared behind her, spreading fifteen feet on either side of her. The Edge Blades activated immediately, the wings transforming into weapon forms. She swept them forward in crossing arcs, and the blades cut through root-humanoids swiftly that ignored their wooden armor.

The constructs fell, cut cleanly despite showing no visible wounds. Mental and physical pain had destroyed them from within.

Joseph's Arondight erupted in flames, and it rushed over the lance's length, the light grey metal glowing orange-red from the heat. He thrust forward, and the fire extended beyond the weapon's physical reach.

The lance blasted through three root-humanoids in a line, the flames spreading across their bodies. They burned with unnatural speed, consumed completely within seconds as they screeched out.

The pathway ahead split again, three branches leading in different directions. Reinhard chose the steepest, trusting Amiya's navigation sense, and they leaped to the new root, which angled upward at nearly forty-five degrees.

Night Terrors drifting from darkness above, their white eyes glowed with hatred. While the Crimson variants mixed with black, creating a swarm that descended with coordinated intent.

Reinhard felt Fenrir's power surge through him, hidden beneath the stealth mode that showed only one pupil to casual observation. Golden-black markings tried appearing on his arms, but he suppressed them, keeping the transformation concealed.

His mouth opened, releasing Sinner Reflect.

The attack erupted in outward invisible waves that struck the descending Night Terrors, disrupting their coordination. The Night Terrors felt screams of terror, roars of bestial rage, crying pleas for mercy rushing through them. Unable to maintain formation under the mental assault, all of them fell to the ground.

Then Ursa Suppression followed immediately as visible sound waves swept upward, catching the scattered Night Terrors. Where the waves struck, freezing mid-flight, falling as solid masses that shattered against the root pathways below.

Reinhard switched back to Odin instantly, his eyes returning to normal light blue, and then blue ripples spread from beneath his feet.

Drasil Step.

Time slowed to a crawl.

Reinhard rushed forward through the frozen environment, Zenuken carving through the enemies. The sword slashed through one, then chopped the other, bisected the other, and tore through the rest. Ten Night Terrors figures were shattered before him, and then he deactivated Drasil Step.

Time returned to normal speed.

The enemies he'd struck exploded simultaneously, their forms scattering in black fragments. As he continued to move forward, Reinhard slightly flinched as the whisper came again, but louder this time.

The whisper came again, louder this time.

Stop! You– If this continues–

The voice carried emotion beyond simple warning; it was desperation mixed with something approaching grief. But again, the words cut off before completing, and he felt there was more, that the voice was trying to say something vital. But he couldn't hear anything beyond those fragmented pleas.

He shook his head more violently, forcing focus back to the present. He idly wondered if this was the forest's last defense, or if it was just one of its many weapons used to make them hesitate.

Reinhard ignored it, pushing forward with increased speed.

They reached a section where multiple roots intersected, creating a platform twenty feet across. Root-humanoids swarmed from above, below, from the walls, and in all directions. Dozens became hundreds, all coming together in their position.

The Golden Melo Warriors engaged immediately, their spectral forms glowed as they formed a defensive perimeter. Their weapons hacked out in coordinated patterns, each warrior covering the others' vulnerabilities.

Honor's banner swept through clusters of enemies, black aura causing rapid deterioration. His wings of concentrated twilight spread wider, constellations burning within their semi-transparent forms.

Cessation Orbs materialized, rushing outward to catch advancing constructs. Where the orbs touched, breakdown began happening as the wood weathered to dust within seconds.

Veryn created purple walls that blocked attacks from reaching their navigator. Amiya stayed in the formation's center, her eyes constantly scanning for the correct path upward. Her weapon remained ready, but her primary focus was navigation rather than combat.

Janus's crimson claws burst forward, multiplying as they traveled. The replicated weapons skewered multiple root-humanoids, pinning them in place. He thrust his claws into one construct's torso, activating Ripper.

The claws expanded inside the wooden body, and the construct exploded from internal detonation.

Marie leaped into the air, her spectral wings propelling her upward.

Four clones materialized around her, they were perfect replicas that moved. They struck simultaneously from different angles, light swords cutting through enemy ranks.

Arms swirled with light energy, each contact burning wood and disrupting the constructs. The clones vanished after their strikes, leaving devastation in their wake.

Marie herself descended as the fifth strike, Longinus blazing with power. The spear blasted through the platform's center, and light exploded outward in a shockwave that cleared the immediate area.

Joseph manipulated the aftermath. His elemental control seized the light Marie had produced, redirecting it to catch fleeing enemies.

The beams burned through their backs, preventing escape.

He gestured again, and wind from Honor's attacks diverted to create a barrier that blocked reinforcements from reaching their position.