The moment the yellow-skinned monster raised its hand, Kaito's voice rang through the party channel like a whip.
"Move out!"
At once, his team reacted. Mei rin activated her Windweaver Form, her boots stirring the mist as she leapt away from behind the tree to gain distance. Aika, Lucien Dusk, Raven blade, and the others all unleashed their movement skills, scattering in perfect formation just as they had practiced. Leaves rustled and the fog stirred, their silhouettes vanishing into motion.
Kaito alone remained in front, surging forward to meet the monster head-on. His figure blurred as he chained Wind veil Steps with Mana Steps, his boots flickering with twin trails of light. In an instant, he closed the gap.
But the monster was faster. The moment Kaito entered its range, its clawed hand clenched, and a sinister pull gripped his chest.
[Skill Activated: Soul Absorption]
An icy force slammed into him, wrenching at his very essence. A bright red number blazed above his head.
–2,254!
Immediately after, smaller numbers began dripping away like a bleeding wound:
–102, –102, –102…
The continuous drain gnawed at his health bar, eating into him relentlessly. This was the terrifying weakness of Soul Absorption—no matter how much he dodged or defended, the damage would persist as long as the monster lived.
Aika reacted instantly, her hands glowing with restorative light.
[Skill Activated: Heal]
A soft brilliance wrapped around Kaito, and his health bar shot back up to full. But the damage-over-time effect of Soul Absorption continued, relentless red ticks flashing above his head.
Kaito's expression hardened. Enough.
With both the Solstice Blade and Dragon Fang Blade in hand, he lunged, his voice a thunderclap of its own.
[Skill Activated: Odin's Wrath]
Lightning crashed down from the sky, crawling across his dual blades. Sparks roared as the storm answered his call. With a slash that split the mist, Kaito unleashed the first strike.
Strike One— His blades arced forward, bursting with +150% weapon damage and 100 thunder damage. A booming thunderclap echoed, and the yellow-skinned monster was briefly stunned.
–1,032!
Strike Two— He twisted his stance, his blades carving an upward cross. Lightning flared, empowered with +180% weapon damage and 150 thunder damage, tearing through the monster's casting rhythm.
–2,186!
Strike Three— With a roar, Kaito brought both blades down in a crushing strike. The third blow tore through the weasel's defenses, boosted by +220% weapon damage and 200 thunder damage, breaking through 30% of its resistance.
–3,479!
The final blow triggered the combo effect.
Above them, the sky split. A thunderbolt crashed down from the heavens, engulfing the monster in a searing two-yard radius.
–4,152!
The impact hurled the yellow-skinned monster backward, its illusionary robes shredded as sparks and fur flew. The beast tumbled violently across the ground, its health bar dropping in chunks under the combined lightning and sword force.
Kaito didn't relent. As the monster staggered, he shifted his stance again, flames kindling across his blade.
[Skill Activated: Flame Arc Slash]
A crescent of fire cleaved through the mist, smashing into the enemy's chest. The explosion of fire sent the monster tumbling back even further, its body rolling through the dirt as the party tightened their formation around Kaito.
-1,014!
Before the yellow-skinned monster could even steady itself from Kaito's devastating Odin's Wrath and Flame Arc Slash, the rest of the Genesis team surged forward like a storm, each unleashing their most powerful skills in seamless coordination.
Kaede was the first to move. His staff hummed with electric fury as arcs of lightning danced along its shaft.
[Skill Activated: Lightning Chain]
Bolts leapt from his weapon, striking the monster and then ricocheting through its illusion-shrouded form in crackling succession. Sparks flared across the monster's brown fur as it staggered under the jolts. Immediately after, Kaede thrust his staff forward, summoning a spear of condensed thunder.
[Skill Activated: Thunder Spear]
The weapon of pure lightning tore through the mist, piercing the monster's chest with a deafening crack. Damage numbers blazed:
–680, –920!
Following Kaede, Daichi followed up with his fist that were glowing with silver chains of energy.
[Skill Activated: Anchor Shot]
He shot forward, entwining with luminous chains that bit deep into the monster's torso. The force of the attack pinned its movements momentarily, restricting its attempt to rush.
–813!
Beside him, Hiroto charged in, his dual blades glinting like fangs.
[Skill Activated: Twin Blade Slash]
His body spun in a fluid arc, both swords slashing in perfect unison. The twin strike carved glowing scars across the weasel's side, blood spraying as numbers burst in the air.
–640!
From the shadows, Suzune appeared like a phantom. Her daggers flashed in rapid succession.
[Skill Activated: Backstab] – A strike straight into the monster's exposed flank.
–450!
[Skill Activated: Phantom Steps] – Her form flickered as she reappeared behind the monster mid-motion.
[Skill Activated: Eviscerate] – A flurry of dagger thrusts that ripped into its hide.
–580, –416!
The weasel shrieked, stumbling backward under the relentless pressure.
Then came Aika, her hands glowing with holy light. She raised her staff high, the symbol of her priestly class blazing like a miniature sun.
[Skill Activated: Radiant Light]
A searing beam of pure holiness descended upon the monster, washing it in brilliance. Because it was a demon, the damage multiplied, scorching its corrupted essence.
–1,042!
The creature roared in agony, its fur sizzling as the holy light burned deeper than any blade.
Raven blade joined the assault, moving in sync with Suzune. His twin daggers struck with deadly precision.
[Skill Activated: Backstab] – His blade drove deep.
–592!
[Skill Activated: Eviscerate] – Another savage combo of cuts across its torso.
–614!
Before the monster could recover, the ground around it froze. Nina extended both hands, her incantation chilling the air.
[Skill Activated: Frost Blizzard]
A storm of ice and snow engulfed the battlefield, the freezing winds gnawing at the monster's limbs. Shards of frost battered against its body.
–128, –128, –128…
Even as the blizzard raged, Lucien Dusk raised his staff, fire swirling at its tip.
[Skill Activated: Flame Burst]
A compressed orb of fire exploded against the weasel's chest in a thunderous detonation, scorching fur and flesh alike.
–920!
Above them, Mei rin had already drawn her bow. Twisting the bowstring with practiced finesse, she unleashed her arrows one after another, each spinning mid-flight to bend their trajectory.
Again with the same Twisting Arrow Technique
The first arrow curved into the monster's shoulder. –412!
The second cut across its leg, spinning as it struck. –425!
The third slammed into its chest, penetrating deeper from the rotational force. –456!
The monster's body jerked violently under the rain of blows, its health bar plummeting with every strike. For the first time, the yellow-skinned demon howled not in triumph but in pain, its illusion flickering as the true form of the raging weasel threatened to break free.
The relentless barrage from Genesis tore through the yellow-skinned demon's defenses, its health plunging like a falling star. From its original towering pool, the number dipped sharply until it broke past the 85,000 mark. The monster's roar shook the mist-laden valley, its fury now fixed on the one who had carved the deepest wounds into its body—Kaito.
The weasel's eyes gleamed with malice as it raised its clawed hand, arcane power crackling around its fingers. It had chosen its target. The creature knew who the true threat was, who had driven it into this state so quickly. It wasn't Kaede's lightning, nor Aika's holy light, nor the daggers biting into its flanks. It was Kaito—the swordsman who had unleashed thunder and flame upon it.
But Kaito wasn't in peak condition. The lingering effect of Soul Absorption weighed heavily on him, sapping his strength, gnawing at his vitality. His movements, usually sharp as lightning, now carried a fraction of sluggishness. A 10% weakening effect dulled his reactions, making every step heavier, every swing slower than it should have been.
Even so, Kaito's instincts—honed through countless battles in two lifetimes—flared to life. He saw the monster's wrist twitch, the telltale sign of a skill about to be unleashed. He couldn't afford to let it complete the cast.
With a sharp breath, Kaito lunged forward. His blade sang through the mist, tracing a clean arc aimed not at the monster's wrist. Steel clashed against sinew.
[Skill Activated: Cut]
–121!
The damage number was pitiful compared to his earlier strikes. No blood sprayed, no gash lingered, and no bleeding effect followed. Even though the cut had slashed across nerves and muscle, the weakening debuff dulled both his speed and the strike's lethality. What should have been a crippling blow was reduced to nothing more than a shallow wound.
Kaito's jaw tightened. His cut had landed, but it lacked the decisive power he needed. Still, the interruption forced the demon's hand to recoil mid-cast, buying him a sliver of precious time.