The Smiling Death

First to reach there was Arnold. His sword swung at its bulged leg. A cut appeared on its right leg.

Taking that moment, Arnold kicked the fallen crimson spear of Marcus, sending it behind, where Marcus was coming.

Marcus caught the spear with his left hand. Fire started to erupt from his spear, covering its blade with blazing fire.

He thrust the spear at the open slash wound on the monster's right leg, the same cut made by Arnold.

Crushed!

Splashed!

The sound of flesh tearing came from it. The spear dug deeper. Marcus took it out immediately, making distance from it.

The monster roared from the attack. Its eyes gazed at Marcus, but it got no time to attack Marcus.

Multiple mana arrows shot at the monster from its backside.

BOOM!

BOOM!

They exploded in small explosions. It turned its head back.

A golden line formed straight. The light trajectory slashed at the back of the monster.

"Good one, Seraphina," Amon commented from the other side. Beside him was Aisha. Her greatsword was covered with mana.

She bent her knees and jumped high above, her sword's huge blade moving in a diagonal arc. A cut appeared on its left hand.

Amon's left hand moved in lightning speed. The hatchet left his hand, spinning while tearing the air. He held his sword with both hands.

The shadow beneath his feet rippled. It moved like liquid and wrapped itself around the silver blade. Mana moved through his hands toward the sword.

[Umbral Veil Sword Art: First Form – Crescent of Dusk]

The beautiful crescent-shaped black slash released from his sword horizontally.

The monster was already weakened and confused.

Slashed!

Splashed!

The shadowy arc slashed at the monster's torso, leaving a cut, while his hatchet perfectly crushed at the same place where he had cut it before with the hatchet.

'Got you, bastard'

The Goremaw staggered from the blow. Its massive body wobbling, thick drool spilling from its crooked mouth. But despite the countless wounds across its skin… it still didn't fall.

Instead, its mismatched eyes burned with frenzy.

GROOOOAAARRR!!

It swung its massive, misshapen arm wildly. The air shrieked as the claw swept across the battlefield. The ground trembled in its anger, from its frenzy.

Aisha landed on the monster's left sid. But,

"Watch out!" Amon shouted.

The Goremaw's oversized arm slammed down where she had just been standing.

BOOOOM!!

The shockwave shook the entire ground. Aisha barely rolled aside, dust exploding around her.

"Tch—this thing still has so much strength!?" she growled, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth.

Marcus dashed in, fire igniting around his feet. "Aisha, fall back!"

He stabbed his blazing spear forward, aiming at the monster's abdomen.

But the Goremaw twisted unnaturally, its thin left arm snapping forward like a whip. Too fast and too flexible.

CRACK!!

The claws nearly caught Marcus's chest. He jumped back, barely avoiding the monster's attack.

"Shit–that was close!" he cursed.

Arnold appeared behind him, grabbing Marcus's collar and yanking him out of the path of another crushing blow.

"Focus, Marcus! You're too reckless!"

Marcus clicked his tongue but didn't argue.

On the opposite side, Seraphina moved like golden lightning. Her feet glowed with light with every step she took. She slashed at the monster's bent legs again,

CLANG!

Her blade hit bone this time. Sparks burst.

"It's hardening its mana!" she warned loudly. "Its defense is rising!"

Seraphina continued to slash at the monster's legs. Multiple gold trajectories clashed against its leg.

Eliana, perched on a branch above, clenched her teeth. Another mana arrow formed on her string as blue energy surged through her arm.

"Then we just have to hit harder!"

She released,

FWOOOM!

The arrow shot like a streak of light. But the Goremaw jerked its head with unnatural speed.

BOOM!!

The arrow exploded against its cheek, ripping flesh, but the monster didn't even flinch.

Amon dashed in from behind, shadow swirling behind him like smoke.

"Damn thing… just fall already!"

He aimed for the open cut on its torso,

But the monster suddenly twisted its long arm backward, aiming to grab him.

Amon's eyes widened. "Too fast–!"

A massive blur rushed past him.

Aisha.

She intercepted the claw with her greatsword, sheer force blasting both of them back.

BANG!!

Her boots dug into the soil, but she held the line.

"Are you trying to die!?" she yelled at him, teeth gritted.

Amon exhaled sharply. "I-I didn't expect it to twist that far!"

"Then expect it, idiot!"

Before he could reply,

The Goremaw reared back.

Its chest expanded unnaturally. Its swollen eye flashed a sickly yellow.

Seraphina's expression hardened.

"Get ready! It's going berserk!!"

The monster slammed both hands into the ground.

BOOOOOM!!!

A shockwave erupted violently, kicking up dirt, rocks, and broken roots.

Everyone was thrown back. Its impact was too strong.

Amon crashed into a tree, coughing. Aisha slid across the dirt, her sword acting like a shield. Marcus and Arnold were forced to retreat several steps. Seraphina dug her blade into the ground to stabilize herself. Eliana nearly fell from her tree perch.

The Goremaw rose slowly.

Its muscles bulged grotesquely.

Steam-like breath escaped its mouth, burning the ground beneath.

GROOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!

The forest trembled.

Its power… surged.

Amon wiped the dirt from his cheek, breathing heavily.

'This thing… is finally showing its full strength.'

Seraphina narrowed her glowing eyes.

"Eliana! Aisha! Arnold! Marcus! Amon!"

Everyone looked up at her.

She tightened her grip on her sword.

"Prepare yourselves."

The Goremaw charged again and all six of them moved at the same time.

Amon pulled out his revolver from his storage ring, holding it in his left hand.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The mana-covered bullets shot forward. Their speed was faster, even more than that of Eliana's arrows. By constant practice of shooting, Amon's aim had become a lot better.

The first bullet hit the monster's forehead, leaving a small dent. But the second one hit perfectly at its glowing left eye. Blood splattered from its eye.

ROOARRRR!

It roared again in pain. Its hands randomly hit in any direction.

Aisha conjured a magic spell of lightning. Three lightning spears appeared above her head.

Eliana stretched the string of her bow, while multiple wind arrows formed around her.

Marcus summoned three huge fireballs.

All three of them shot their spells at the same time.

The battlefield was filled with different colors of light and spells. But the moment they collided against the monster.

BOOOOMMM!