NOVEL WEB Chapter 213: Destroy The Cursed (30)
Clara and Aiden moved as if they were extensions of each other, weaving through the battlefield with a rhythm that only years of fighting side by side could forge.
Their coordination was seamless—when one advanced, the other circled; when one drew the beast's attention, the other struck from its blind spot.
Together, they pressed the monstrous scorpion from every angle, refusing to let it pin them down in one place.
The massive creature's pincers snapped like guillotines, its six tails whipping out with murderous speed, but neither Clara nor Aiden faltered. Clara's eyes burned with focus, her body darting lightly between shadows of the beast's strikes, while Aiden's darker, more brutal style tore at openings with claws wreathed in obsidian energy.
Energy slashes and elemental bursts battered the scorpion's armored carapace, leaving scorched marks, gouges, and shallow cracks—but never anything decisive.
Its armor was maddeningly resilient. Clara knew her Omega Beams had enough destructive force to obliterate a section of that shell… but there was a catch.
To unleash them with full potency, she would need to close the distance—and at that range, one misstep meant being impaled or crushed.
From afar, the beast's tails and elemental counters could easily deflect or nullify her beams. It was a gamble she wasn't willing to take, not yet.
So, the strategy was clear: first dismantle the beast's tails—the scorpion's deadliest weapons—and only then focus everything on its core body. Simple in theory. Almost impossible in practice.
Aiden leapt in close, his claws blazing with darkness. With a savage swipe, he raked them against the green tail, the impact sending a shrill screech of metal-on-metal through the cavern.
His claws dug deep, sparks scattering—but not deep enough. The tail jerked violently, swatting at him with vicious force. Aiden twisted back, flipping away in chaotic somersaults, deliberately breaking his own rhythm to avoid being read.
It saved him.
Because the very ground where the tail struck detonated like a cyclone. From that single impact, hurricanes of razor wind erupted, slicing outward in all directions.
The storm wasn't mere air—it was condensed killing force, each gust honed like a blade sharp enough to shear through stone.
The cavern shook as jagged scars tore across its walls, deep grooves etched as if carved by some divine sword.
Aiden's erratic movement was the only thing that kept him from being shredded outright. Even then, dozens of thin, crimson lines opened across his body as the wind-blades clipped him mid-flight.
Blood sprayed, his body a canvas of shallow cuts. He landed hard, teeth clenched, breathing ragged.
His frown deepened. This battle… it wasn't one they could realistically win.
Yes, they had destroyed two of the beast's tails already—but even that felt more like luck than skill. Every exchange drained their stamina, every dodge carved away at their endurance.
If this dragged on, it wasn't a question of if they would fall, but when. Either their injuries would pile up until they could barely stand, or worse, their energy reserves would be bled dry.
And that thought gnawed at Aiden. By all rights, the enemy in front of them—this dark emissary controlling the beast—should have been running low on energy.
Any other warrior would have collapsed under the sheer output required to fight for hours, especially while commanding such an abomination.
Yet the man stood tall, calm, unwavering. His strikes carried the same weight as at the start of the battle, his presence undimmed, his killing intent unbroken.
It was unnatural. Impossible.
Almost as if the man wielded… unlimited energy.
The realization made the cavern feel smaller, heavier. Clara spared Aiden a quick glance, her breathing sharp and controlled, her eyes narrowing with the same silent dread.
If they didn't find a way to shift the momentum soon, then it wouldn't be the beast that killed them. It would be exhaustion.
And against an opponent like this, exhaustion was no different than death.
If the fight kept unfolding like this, there were only two endings: they'd be cut to pieces by a thousand accumulating wounds, or they'd burn through the last of their strength and collapse.
By rights, the dark emissary directing the monster should have been the one running dry—but the man moved with the calm of someone who didn't tire. Either he drew from a bottomless well, or he fought without spending energy at all. Neither possibility made sense.
And yet he'd been trading blows with the allied forces for hours while riding a tamed abomination. That alone should've been impossible.
Aiden had known this would be hell from the start. The first emissary he met in Marinua hadn't just beaten him—he'd shoved Aiden to death's front door. He'd only barely crawled back.
Worse, the two emissaries who struck Serenya left devastation in their wake…and killed Ron. Proof enough: these weren't common enemies. They were elites among elites. Facing them head-on would never be "simple."
Even so, Aiden had no intention of leaving the scorpion beast—or its handler—alive.
Willpower wouldn't win this alone. Not even with Clara. They needed a plan with teeth.
Right on cue, Clara dropped beside him, palm flashing as she fired a golden flare that burst overhead and unfolded into a dome. A barrier of light washed over them just as a crimson tail scythed down.
A wave of searing flame slammed into the dome; the barrier thrummed, shivered, and—miraculously—held.
"You have a plan, right?" Aiden asked, eyes never leaving the monster.
Clara went quiet for a heartbeat. When she spoke, her voice was steady, almost gentle. "I do. It isn't perfect—I haven't had time to tune it—but it's what we have."
That was enough for him. Clara was the sharpest mind on the field; if anyone could thread a path through this, it was her.
She knelt and produced five round white plates, each no larger than a coin, a small golden core pulsing at the center of every one. "Here's the play," she said, sliding them into his hand.
"Plant four around the tails—spread, not clustered—and the last one beneath the central carapace. If I can charge these for a few minutes, I can bind the limbs, short the beast's nerves, and open it for a killing strike."
Aiden weighed the disks, understanding without liking it. He'd have to place them while the scorpion's handler was watching. While its tails hunted his throat. While its pincers tried to cut him in half. "How long" he asked.
"Two. Maybe three," Clara answered. "But I'll need you to keep it busy the entire time. If it tags me even once with a clean hit, this suit can't soak more than a couple before I'm out."
He glanced at her. For all her firepower, Clara was still flesh and bone beneath the armor. She could devastate from range, but she wasn't built to trade body blows with a monster like this. He was.
Aiden exhaled, a thin smile tugging at his mouth. "Then it's on me."
As if hearing him, the dome flickered. Clara redirected power to her rig, and the golden barrier unraveled into sparks.
The cavern's heat and howl rushed back in. A red tail snapped toward Clara as she lifted off—Aiden launched first, dark essence surging over his arms, claws carving a black arc that bit into the tail and knocked its aim aside.
The beast shrieked and hammered him with raw force; he tumbled, landed low, and bared his teeth.
"Eyes on me," he growled. "I'm the one you're dying to kill."
Four tails whipped toward him in unison—crimson flame, emerald gale, icy azure, and a depthless black weight that fell like a hammer. Aiden's expression sharpened. No more testing the waters. No more restraint.
He let the darkness bloom.
Obsidian energy crawled across his back and four extra limbs tore free, thick and brutal, each ending in clawed hands built to catch and break. The power drank his reserves like water, but there was no other choice. Not today.
"I guess it's all up to me now," he said—and charged.
To be continued…...
HERE IS THE CHAPTER GUY'S DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT!!!!!
AUTHOR NOTE:
Phew… that was brutal. 😅 Aiden and Clara are pushing themselves to the limit, but the Scorpion Beast and its master don't look like they're slowing down anytime soon.
Now, let's see what you think 👇
Questions for you, my readers:
1. If you were in Aiden's place, would you trust Clara's risky plan—or would you try your own strategy?
2. Do you think Clara is hiding a trump card she hasn't revealed yet? 🤔
3. The Dark Emissary seems to fight endlessly without losing energy… what do you think is the secret behind that? Artifact? Forbidden skill? Or something darker?
4. Who do you think will land the final blow on the Scorpion Beast—Aiden, Clara, or someone unexpected?
What do you think? Drop your answers and wildest theories—I'll be reading them all, and who knows… your comment might just predict the next twist 😉
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STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAP — ULTRA.