The Smiling Death

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!

The only thing that appeared was a huge explosion of bright orange.

CREAKKKKCHHHHH!

The monster erupted a shrill, painful voice.

Both Arnold and Seraphina had taken position to use their strongest move. It was time to end this battle.

The whole surrounding space around the monster was filled with dark smoke from the explosions. The scream of the monster slowly subsided. The only sound that came was its ragged, heavy breathing.

The smoke slowly started to disappear. The Goremaw's rugged appearance came into view of the group. It was too much wounded.

The body had many deep cuts. Its left eye shattered. Thick blood flowing down from its wounds like a stream. The monster was still standing.

"Man! What this guy is made up of?" Amon watched the monster with wide eyes. How come it still standing?

Aisha was standing beside him. Gazing at the scene just like him.

Eliana was a little farther away from them, standing on top of the tree.

On his right side, at some distance, was standing Marcus. His expression was that of an irritated man. He was holding his spear tightly.

There was a wound on his left knee from the fight. But he didn't bother to drink a potion. Eyes locked into the abomination in front of them.

Then all of them looked at Arnold.

Arnold was standing in front of it. Then he raised his sword vertically. The blade of the sword started to shine in silver-white color. The blade shimmered brightly, while releasing star-like beautiful particles from the blade.

The sword now raised above his head. His grip tightened on the sword's hilt. The starlight on it intensified. Shimmering wildly. To unleash tremor upon the world. To shatter anything in its way.

His entire body radiated mana, the air trembling with power.

Arnold exhaled softly. His dark blue eyes full of resolve and confidence. He brought the sword down in a perfect vertical slash.

[Shattering Star]

A colossal slash of silver-white light tore through the forest. Silver starlight shining sparks emitted through the slash beautifully.

The attack roared. It was unstoppable, dangerous. Too strong.

Everyone looked at the attack in awe. Their breathing nearly stopped. Amon had seen this attack before. But now, it was more horrifying, more powerful. More colossal.

"Damn! That's some one hell of an improvement." Amon thought with shock.

The huge slash perfectly collided against Goremaw's body. The monster tried to move, but the deep cuts on its legs made it wobble. Unable to avoid it.

BOOM!

The attack made a thundering sound. It also exploded loudly.

A deep vertical slash formed on the monster's front.

ROOARRR!

Arnold fell on his knee. Holding himself somehow by the sword, the blade dug in soil for support.

But the monster was not going to give up easily. Its one eye shone brightly.

ROARRRRRR!

It roared again at Arnold and the group's direction. Their bodies pushed some steps backward. Arnold was rolled on the ground, not able to handle it.

"Arnold, be safe!" Amon yelled while covering his eyesight with his forearm.

Meanwhile, Seraphina was ready behind the monster's back.

She had bent forward slightly. One leg extended, knees bent. Gripping her sword tightly with both hands, sword held at the back of her right side. Swept back over the shoulder.

Her eyes shining golden. They were cold and detached. Clearly focused. Her entire body glowed brightly, golden sparks surrounding her form. Sword's blade turned into pure heat, pure golden light of incarnation.

The ground beneath her cracked as mana surged through her.

Then, she dashed. A huge spiderweb crack appeared on the ground where she was standing. The ground shattered. Debris flew in every direction.

A golden flash tore across the forest.

A light of pure gold moved in blinding speed at the monster. No one was able to see her. The only thing they saw was a golden flash.

[Lumina Dash]

Her blade struck at the monster's torso.

Slashed!

Splashed!

A horizontal deep cut appeared on its torso, it was so gruesome that its body nearly cleaved in two halves.

GROWLLLLL!

The monster growled loudly. Its shining eye started dimming.

The Goremaw swayed. Its entire frame trembling violently. Thick streams of dark blood poured from its wounds, soaking the ground beneath it.

Its one remaining swollen eye flickered weakly… then dimmed further.

GROOO… oooo… rrrhh…

The monstrous breath rattled in its throat, like its lungs were collapsing from inside. Its legs buckled. The crooked, misshapen arm tried to lift, but only twitched uselessly.

Crack… Crack…

Its massive body leaned forward.

Amon felt the air shift.

"Wait–it's falling!" Eliana shouted from above.

The Goremaw's shadow loomed over Marcus.

Marcus's pupils shrank. "H–Hey–WAIT!!"

The enormous body collapsed toward him like a collapsing mountain.

"MOVE!!" Arnold roared from the ground, struggling to lift himself.

But Marcus was directly underneath the monster's falling bulk. His feet slipped on the torn-up earth, more so his left knee was hurt. He couldn't dodge fast enough.

The Goremaw's final roar choked halfway, its jaws hanging open as its enormous torso toppled—

THOOOOOOOM!!!

Straight toward Marcus.

His face drained of color.

"Eliana!" Seraphina shouted.

Eliana had already pulled her bowstring back.

A blue glow surged, faster than thought.

FWOOOOSH!!

She released an arrow straight into the monster's collapsing upper body.

BOOOOM!!

The mini-explosion barely slowed its fall.

Dust exploded everywhere as Marcus braced himself, raising his spear in desperation. He gathered his mana around his feet, to move aside. To jump out of this place.

But the entire monstrous corpse was still falling, still coming down, too fast.

Even Aisha was flustered by the turn of events.

Meanwhile, Amon's eyes suddenly sparked. A sudden realization came to him. He covered his feet with dark shadow immediately. Mana surged towards his legs. Strengthening them. His knees bent a little. To force one strong dash towards Marcus.

'Alright, lets use my all strength and save that bastard!' Amon thought with a grin.

"Hehehehe" he laughed, as he dashed forward with all his might.