All three rushed forward simultaneously, their coordination instinctive despite their relatively short time working together. The Taurus-X responded by opening its massive jaws and releasing another stream of flames that blasted through the area. The beam of flames rushed towards the trio while also heating up the room.
Drasil Step.
A blue-white ripple spread from Reinhard's feet as time began to slow down extremely. Then he grabbed onto Marie and Joseph before hurling them to the right and left before he then leapt upwards. He moved through the air before landing behind the Taurus-X just as time returned to normal.
Marie quickly reacted as she slid on the ground before turning to the Taurus-X, and then Joseph followed as well.
Instantly, all three of them had formed a triangular formation while the beams of flames rushed past where the trio was. Scorching the stone floor and melting the two Werefang displays before crashing into the wall.
Reinhard slashed out with Zenuken at the creature's back leg, but the blade rang against the black scales with metallic impact, barely leaving a scratch.
Marie's spear thrust toward the side of the beast, driving the golden spear against the scaled hide. The impact created a small chip in the armor-like surface, but failed to penetrate deeply.
While Joseph came from the other side with his spiral lance, piercing the creature's leg. The rotational force created deeper gouges than their previous attempts, but still insufficient to breach the natural armor.
The Taurus-X bellowed and swung both axes in wide arcs. Reinhard ducked under the left-hand weapon while Marie leaped backward to avoid the right. Joseph rolled aside as both weapons completed their deadly circle before the Taurus-X glare at them.
"The scales are incredibly thick," Marie called out, repositioning for another attack. "We need to focus our strikes on the same spots together."
Reinhard nodded, his expression remaining calm. "Alright! Joseph, can you keep it distracted?"
"Leave it to me." Joseph says.
The Phantasm Beast axes began to glow with heat as it prepared to hurl them forward. Chains wrapped around its massive forearms connected to the weapon handles, allowing it to retrieve the thrown weapons.
Joseph moved to the creature's blind spot and thrust his lance upward, striking at the joint where the beast's arm met its torso. The spiral tip crashed between scales, drawing a roar of pain that echoed through the chamber.
The distraction worked perfectly.
As the Taurus-X turned to swat at Joseph with its free hand, Reinhard struck the same leg spot that Marie had chipped earlier. His blade bit deeper this time, finding the weakened area and enlarging the breach in the creature's flesh.
Marie followed immediately with her own thrust, her spear point driving through the scales and into the flesh beneath. Dark blood sprayed across the chamber floor as the creature stumbled, its weight shifting awkwardly.
The Taurus-X hurled both axes simultaneously, the weapons spinning through the air with deadly precision. Reinhard twisted aside as one axe flew past his shoulder, while Marie dropped into a roll to avoid the second.
The weapons embedded themselves in the far wall before the chains went trembled and yanked them back to their owner's grasp.
Joseph seized the moment of weapon retrieval to strike again, his lance finding the same leg joint and driving deeper into the wound. The creature's roar shook dust from the ceiling as it spun to face this persistent bug.
Reinhard focused on the weakened scales of the front leg, each swing of Zenuken pushing deeper than the last.
He struck the same spot repeatedly, making the wound bigger with every blow until the creature's armor began to give way.
The Taurus-X unleashed another torrent of flame, but stumbled on its wounded limb, sending the inferno steering off towards the figures. The flames blasted through the Werefangs and Autumn Deer, melting them down into puddles.
Marie rushed to the beast's other leg, beginning the process of creating a new weak point. Her spear struck the same spot repeatedly, each impact chipping away at the scaled armor until cracks began to appear.
Joseph continued his harassment from behind, using his lance's reach to stay outside the creature's immediate threat range while maintaining constant pressure. His elemental connection allowed him to anticipate the beast's movements through subtle air current changes.
The Taurus-X attempted a new tactic, planted its hoofed feet wide on the scorched floor, and began to spin axes. The whirling blades created a deadly circle of attacks that forced the three Inquisitors to scatter to the edges of the chamber.
The axes carved through the space where Joseph had stood moments before.
But the maneuver left the creature dizzy and off-balance when it stopped. Reinhard moved instantly, taking advantage of the creature's disorientation. He rushed past the fallen display of antlers and horns, closing in on the front leg that was already bleeding.
With both hands on Zenuken's hilt, he drove the blade at precisely the same spot he'd targeted before. This time, the sword penetrated past the scales, deep into the muscle beneath, and Reinhard felt something crucial snap beneath the pressure.
The Taurus-X's leg buckled, its entire bulk fell forward as the Taurus-X roared out.
The Taurus-X crashed into the floor before it began pushing itself up using its axe. Its legs struggled to stand up, but Joseph was already behind the Phantasm Beast. He launched himself forward with his lance, piercing into the Taurus-X knee joint.
Joseph drove the weapon in with all the strength he could muster, once he felt the bone give way and he rushed away.
The Taurus-X released an ear-splitting roar before it slammed its axes into the floor and sent up puffs of stone dust with each impact. Then threw its head back and released a wave of flames that rolled across the chamber in a suffocating wave.
The inferno instantly devoured the remaining beast around, reducing the Autumn Deer and Werefangs to cinders and ash.
Reinhard felt the heat on his cheek as he ducked behind the base of a ruined column, the flames licking past and briefly illuminating the entire room in a wave of light and flames.
But as soon as it died down, Marie rushed towards the beast with the smoke and fire making a red-gold halo around her as she rushed to the perimeter of the beast. She shouted a wordless challenge, drawing its gaze, and the Taurus-X responded with a wild, two-handed swing of its right axe.
Marie ducked under the axe before rolling between the chains, and pushing herself directly beneath its head, her spear gripped tightly in her hand. Longinus gave off a glimmer of light before she drove it upward into the monster's exposed throat.
The impact sent a tremor through the Taurus-X's body. The flame streaming from its mouth guttered and died, replaced by a choking, gurgling sound. But the beast was not finished.
It reared back, Marie hanging from her embedded spear, and then slammed its chin down towards the floor.
Drasil Step.
Time instantly slowed down as Reinhard reached where Taurus-X and Marie were. He quickly grabbed onto Marie and pulled her down before rushing to the side. Just when time had returned to normal, the Taurus-X smashed into the floor with the impact flinging the crimson-gold spear up into the air.
Marie quickly stretched her hand, leaving the crimson-gold spear to disperse in lights and then she summoned it into her hand. While Reinhard watched as the Taurus-X, now mortally wounded, began to thrash in place, its axes carving desperate arcs through the smoky air.
The wounded Taurus-X mobility was severely compromised now, but its fury only intensified. It breathed fire in all directions, turning the chamber into an inferno that consumed the remaining preserved displays.
The three fighters had to constantly move to avoid the sweeping flames.
Reinhard and Marie exchanged a meaningful glance before implementing their finishing strategy. While Reinhard moved to the Taurus's right side to draw its attention, Marie began channeling energy into her weapon.
Her crimson-gold spear began to glow with intensifying light as power flowed through it. The weapon transformed, elongating and taking on the characteristics of a massive spear of gold.
Joseph fell into position without hesitation. From behind the beast, his lance became a blur of motion, striking vulnerable joints and drawing blood with each precise hit. The Taurus-X bellowed, twisting its massive bulk to swat at the persistent threat.
Meanwhile, Reinhard faced the creature's fury directly. Zenuken met each axe swing with perfect timing, steel ringing against steel. His face remained impassive, eyes tracking the deadly weapons as they rushed past his head, his body shifting and moving as he clashed back and forth.
The charging process required precious seconds that felt like hours. Marie's entire body began to glow with golden light as her magic power reached critical levels.
The beast's nostrils flared at the scent of gathering magic. It thrashed wildly against Reinhard and Joseph, desperate to escape, but found itself trapped between Zenuken's flashing blade and the lance's piercing strikes. Blood sprayed from reopened wounds as the two warriors redoubled their assault, ensuring the creature couldn't turn toward Marie's glowing form.
Finally, Marie completed her preparation. With a roar that rang through the destroyed chamber, she hurled Longinus with every ounce of her strength and magic.
Purging Lance.
The golden spear became a streak of golden light that pierced through the air with unstoppable force. It struck the Taurus-X directly in the face, penetrating through scale, flesh, and its bone before erupting from the back of the creature's skull in a spray of light.
The massive beast stood frozen for a second, its crimson eyes dimming as life fled its body. Then it toppled forward with earth-shaking impact, its axes clattering uselessly across the stone floor.
All three fighters stood panting slightly, their clothes singed and bearing minor scratches from the intense battle. Reinhard glanced around to see the displays reduced to ash and melted remnants, the air thick with smoke and the smell of burnt flesh.
Marie's spear had returned to normal, though it still glowed faintly with a beautiful light.