"I hope you've had enough time to understand our target…" Gregory swept the group with a sharp gaze before continuing. "Are you ready?" His voice was firm, making it clear that there was no room for hesitation.
Zara exchanged a quick glance with Vivian before answering, uncertainty clouding her expression. "And… what are the chances of this actually working?" Her voice was low, a little hesitant, as if she didn't want to seem pessimistic.
Gregory let out a soft sigh, not looking away. "You just need to do what you do best: use your most effective attacks. Fortunately, your elements are the perfect combination for this fight—fire and water. The Aligodon may be resilient, but nothing is indestructible." He paused briefly, letting the words settle before continuing. "Rebecca, Louise, and Barnes will keep the beast occupied. Your job is to make sure it doesn't live to see noon."
Vivian huffed and crossed her arms, her expression thick with skepticism. "That's dangerous optimism… What if this thing decides we're the priority target?"
Gregory finally moved, his steady footsteps echoing as he approached. "Stick to the plan and don't act on your own." His voice grew quieter, but still heavy. "I'll be watching and coordinating everything. You just need to follow orders. Understood?"
Zara swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "Y-Yes. Understood."
Gregory then stopped in front of Vivian, his presence dominating the space between them. "Understood, Hound Wynne?" His tone was unquestionable.
Vivian held his gaze for a moment before turning away in annoyance. "Understood, Hunter Gunn." She answered reluctantly, but she answered.
Gregory didn't pull away immediately. His eyes remained fixed on her, assessing, calculating. He knew the kind of person Vivian was—impulsive, stubborn, someone who didn't take orders lightly. And that was dangerous. If she questioned an order in the middle of combat, the whole plan could go down the drain.
For a brief moment, he considered removing her from the mission. But the reality was cruel—without Vivian, the chances of success plummeted to zero. The risk margin was daunting, but he had no choice.
Vivian noticed the intense gaze and shifted uncomfortably.
The tense air was broken by the sound of ropes pulling. Everyone's attention turned to Louise, who emerged at the top of the wall, carrying Aline on her shoulders.
"She needs immediate treatment." Louise's voice was firm but urgent as she moved to where Daira sat a little way off. Carefully, she laid Aline on the ground.
Daira wasted no time. As soon as Aline touched the surface, her hands were on her, her eyes glowing with energy.
The entire group gathered together, watching in silence as Daira began the treatment. The weight of the mission still hung in the air, but now, there was a new element in their midst—a grim reminder of what was at stake.
"The ears have necrotized, and the body temperature is still dangerously low." Daira's voice was firm, but there was a shadow of concern in her eyes. Her hands continued to move with precision as she channeled her power.
"Fortunately, the Cocktail is taking effect. Norepinephrine and adrenaline are still being released, stabilizing vital functions."
A collective sigh of relief passed through the group. For a moment, the tension in the air seemed to ease, but no one dared to relax completely.
Gregory watched the scene for a few more seconds before stepping back and speaking firmly. "Let's go." He gestured for the girls to move away, leaving Daira to focus on the treatment.
Once they were a safe distance away, he turned his attention to Louise. His gaze quickly scanned her body, analyzing everything from her posture to the details of her equipment. "And you? How are you?"
"In perfect condition." The answer came without hesitation, firm as ever.
Gregory nodded, satisfied, and without wasting time, he pulled up one of the screens, where an aerial view of the battlefield was projected. He enlarged the image and pointed to two red markings on opposite ends. "I'm going to need you to take Zara and Vivian to these points. Record their locations carefully."
Louise inclined her head, memorizing every detail. "Understood."
"Once they're in position, we'll begin the third phase of the plan." Her voice was precise, without room for doubt.
"Yes." She confirmed, without taking her eyes off the screen.
"Very well. Take this." Gregory bent down and pulled a small backpack from the floor, opening it to reveal its contents. Inside, ten thermoses rested in padded compartments. The liquid inside them was unmistakable.
Louise didn't even need to ask. Her gaze narrowed as she recognized the Cocktail.
Gregory handed her the backpack. "Distribute them as soon as you reach your posts on the battlefield—three for Vivian, three for Zara, two for Rebecca, and two for you. I'll let you know when to take them to avoid overdose."
She nodded, slinging the strap over her shoulder without question.
Gregory then turned his focus back to the main screen. He zoomed in on the image, now showing Rebecca's brutal fight with the Aligodon up close. The monster advanced, each movement charged with raw power.
Rebecca dodged and counterattacked without hesitation, but it was clear that the creature would not give in easily.
"Always aim for the snout," he ordered, without taking his eyes off the screen. "And don't exhaust yourself with the first few attacks. This beast will require patience." His tone became lower, but still heavy.
"I'm watching everything. If anything happens, call for instructions., Understood?"
"Understood." x3
This time, the response was unanimous and immediate.
Gregory nodded slightly. "You can go."
Without another word, the three of them moved, each carrying with them the tension of what was to come.
_____________________________________
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Rebecca advanced with a fierce momentum, launching herself at the Aligodon with the intention of crushing it with the force of her attack. At least that was the intention…
Because the beast, with unexpected speed, used a tree stump as a fulcrum, turning its body brutally and whipping Rebecca with its tail.
Rebecca was not prepared for this. When she realized it, the creature's gigantic tail was already cutting through the air in her direction, occupying her field of vision with the speed of lightning. She barely had time to raise her shield to protect herself, receiving an impact of overwhelming force.
The Titanite shield did its job, absorbing and deflecting much of the energy of the blow, but the residual force and weight of the tail was enough to throw Rebecca backwards. She hit the ground with a loud crash, the impact dragging her on her back for several meters, until she stopped, gasping for breath.
Grrgwww
Soon, there was a guttural sound followed by the shadow of a monstrous jaw projecting against Rebecca. Before she could react, the Aligodon's mouth was already on her.
Without thinking, Rebecca quickly turned and crawled, seeking shelter behind a thick tree stump right next to her. For a mere fraction of a second, she felt a relief deep in her soul, as if she were in an indestructible shelter.
It was then that she felt a vibration that started in the stump and projected to the ground. The beast's jaw closed with brutal pressure around the stump, and the earth shook under the force of the jaw.
Before Rebecca could process it, the creature ripped the stump from the ground and threw it away like a toy, at the same time throwing Rebecca backwards.
Taking advantage of this gap created by the Aligodon's action, she got up and ran, even though she hadn't fully recovered, her breathing heavy and her heart hammering against her chest. She didn't look back as she ran, adrenaline taking over every fiber of her body.
However, when she felt a little further away, with the hope of being safe, she realized that the Aligodon didn't chase her. It stood still, its gaze focused on her, and then...
"Damn it..." Rebecca cursed when she noticed that the Aligodon's snout began to glow with blue energy. A feeling of imminent danger ran down Rebecca's spine.
She recognized the trap in a mental snap. Without hesitation, she reversed her movement and began to run closer to the creature while circling it, trying to get into its blind spot, while advancing enough to hinder the monster's mobility.
And she almost managed to get close to her objective... However, the Aligodon was no fool.
With a surprising movement for its size, it leapt to the side with disconcerting lightness and quickly turned its body, keeping Rebecca in front of its field of vision.
Rebecca gritted her teeth, feeling the weight of frustration. The beast was learning, refining its attacks with each movement. It was as if it were anticipating her every move, adapting to each attempt to attack or escape.
With each attempt to escape to the side, the Aligodon would spin on its hind legs and sweep the field with its tail, creating a storm of destruction.
When she tried to jump over it, it would leap upward or raise its neck to intercept her.
When she tried to move away, the energy of the lightning would build up, and she knew she would be the target of a deadly blow.
When she approached, it would attack without mercy, its tail and jaw becoming lethal weapons.
And now, the moment she tried to enter its blind spot, the beast had once again adapted and created a new strategy…
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