NOVEL WEB Chapter 20: Chapter 19: Unrelenting Battle
Ice spilled across the battlefield like a tidal wave, frost crawling in jagged veins along the ground, devouring every inch beneath Gaodas's feet. The air turned frigid, each breath I took visible as mist, and then....
My body blurred into motion.
The icy blade in my hands shimmered faintly with an icy blue glow as I closed the distance between me and Gaodas in a blink. Inches away from him, I moved to strike, but just as he turned to meet my attack, I wasn't there anymore.
Massive hands of ice erupted from the floor beneath him, clawing around his legs. They dragged him into the frozen surface, the creaking and cracking of ice swallowing him whole as his roar reverberated through the mist-filled space.
But it wasn't over.
Gaodas bellowed again, his guttural cry cutting through the stillness. A brutal swing of his sword severed his trapped legs at the knees, mist spilling from the stumps like blood. He toppled forward, but even before he hit the ground, new legs composed of swirling mist sprouted beneath him. He rose again, towering over us, his presence as unrelenting as ever.
I dematerialized into the frost, reappearing beside Jess and Uvan.
"He regenerates too quickly," Jess muttered, her voice edged with frustration. Her grip tightened on her greatsword, the heat radiating from her body causing the frost beneath her to hiss and steam.
"It's more than that," Uvan said, his tone cold and calculating. His eyes never left Gaodas. "He adapts. Every time we land a hit, he learns. If we keep this up, we'll run out of options before he does."
I nodded in agreement, my gaze flickering toward Gaodas as he scanned the battlefield for his next target. "We need to finish him. Fast."
"Agreed," Jess said, a fire sparking in her amber eyes. Flames roared to life along the blade of her greatsword, their intensity turning the air around her into a shimmering haze. "Let's combine everything we have. One final strike."
Gaodas roared and charged, the earth trembling beneath his immense weight. His greatsword carved through the mist as he barreled toward us, his speed a terrifying contrast to his massive size.
Jess dashed forward, her flaming greatsword leaving molten trails behind her. She swung in a wide arc, releasing a vertical slash of searing energy. The wave of flame collided with Gaodas, cutting through him from shoulder to hip. His roar of pain shook the space, the heat from the attack melting the frost around him.
But he was relentless. Mist surged around the wound, attempting to knit him back together.
"Not this time," I muttered under my breath.
I materialized above Gaodas, the mist coalescing into my form just as I hurled my blade downward. The icy weapon pierced the top of his helm with a satisfying crunch, frost exploding outward as it spread across his entire body.
The mist tried to resist, but the ice overtook it, freezing Gaodas in place. His form became a grotesque statue of frozen mist and rage.
"Now!" I shouted as I landed beside Jess and Uvan.
Uvan raised his sword, electricity crackling along its length. The weapon gleamed as arcs of lightning danced from his hand to the blade, infusing it with raw energy. With a flick of his wrist, he released the sword into the air.
It didn't fall.
The blade hovered above Gaodas, vibrating with lethally. Uvan's eyes glowed faintly as he guided the weapon with precise, controlled movements. The electrified sword darted toward the frozen giant, slicing through the ice and breaking Gaodas into fragments.
Each cut was deliberate, swift, and devastating. Shards of frozen mist scattered across the battlefield, until all that remained of Gaodas was a fine layer of frost glittering on the ground.
The system's notification echoed in my mind, its sterile tone at odds with the weight of the battle we had just endured:
[SYSTEM]
+
You Have Defeated GAODAS [Rank_C]
Killed By: +1
Support: +2
Vital Imprint Obtained x20
Vital Imprint Shared - 10
+
I let out a shaky breath as my sword dematerialized from the distance gaodas was slain. It was over. Gaodas was no more.
But the relief was short-lived.
A slow, echoing clap cut through the silence, each sound was a beautiful tapestry of mocking.
I turned toward The Crimson Knight, who stood untouched and unmoved. His body gleamed dully in the faint light, his face tilted slightly as though amused.
"Well done," he said, his voice a low growl that carried an edge of disdain. "You managed to defeat my right hand."
The clap stopped, the sound of it lingering like an accusation.
"But tell me, Wanderers," he continued, his tone hardening, "does your worthless effort know no end?"
The faint smile that had played on his lips vanished, replaced by something far colder.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the low creak of the massive gate behind him. It groaned open, and from within, an impossible torrent of mist poured forth, rushing toward The Crimson Knight like a river returning to its source.
The mist coiled around him, twisting and shaping itself into something....
Monstrous.
Before us stood a giant, its form encased in battered, tattered black armor. Mist seeped from every crack and joint, spilling out like an unholy aura. The helm covering its face was featureless, save for the faint glow of deep crimson where its eyes should have been.
A massive sword materialized in its hand, forged entirely from mist yet radiating a palpable menace.
The air grew heavy, oppressive. The sheer weight of the energy emanating from the transformed Crimson Knight pressed down on us, forcing me to my knees for a moment before I pushed back against it.
A voice, deep and resonant, echoed from the giant figure.
"This is my true form," it said, each word reverberating through the space. "And those who behold it shall never see the light of darkness again."
The Crimson Knight raised his massive sword, pointing it directly at us.
"This day, your wandering ends, O Ye Wanderers."
The ground beneath us trembled violently as his words shook the very fabric of the mist-filled world.
The battle was far from over.....