The Centaur snarled, its red eyes burning with fury.
Its armored plates clanked as it shifted, adjusting its stance. The wound on its front leg dripped dark ichor, staining the ground beneath it.
But it wasn't slowing down.
If anything, it was angrier.
Hope exhaled sharply, his heart pounding like a war drum. His hands tightened around his daggers, the hilts slick with sweat. Across from him, Kelvin stood firm, his broad sword raised, despite the cracks running along its steel.
"It's working," Hope said under his breath.
Kelvin nodded, keeping his gaze locked on the beast.
"Then we keep pushing."
The Centaur charged.
It was fast—too fast for something its size.
Hope barely had time to react as it closed the distance in a blur of hooves and metal. The ground shook beneath its weight, debris scattering from the sheer force of its movements.
Kelvin braced himself, his boots digging into the dirt.
The Centaur's spear whipped forward, a blur of silver death aimed straight for his chest.
Kelvin twisted, barely avoiding the lethal thrust—
Then swung his sword in a powerful counterattack.
The blade met armor—
Clang!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The Centaur reeled back slightly, but its thick plating absorbed most of the damage.
Kelvin gritted his teeth.
"Damn it… it's still too tough!"
Hope saw his chance.
The moment the Centaur focused on Kelvin, Hope moved.
He darted low, weaving past the beast's defenses, his daggers glinting under the dim light. His eyes flicked toward its underbelly, the weak spot beneath its plated armor.
There!
Hope lunged—his dagger aimed for the exposed flesh—
But the Centaur reacted faster than he expected.
It twisted its massive body, lashing out with a rear kick.
Hope's instincts screamed at him—
He barely managed to throw himself backward before the hoof came crashing down where he had just been standing. The impact cracked the ground, dust and stone flying into the air.
"Shit!" Hope hissed.
He was fast, but the Centaur's reflexes were inhuman.
Kelvin didn't give it time to recover.
The moment it turned to face Hope, he charged, swinging his broad sword at the side of its neck.
Clang!
The attack connected, this time leaving a visible dent in its armor. The Centaur staggered, its movements briefly slowing.
Hope saw the opening—
And moved again.
He dashed behind it, his daggers flashing. He struck for the back of its legs, aiming for the tendons beneath the plating.
One dagger found flesh, sinking in deep.
The Centaur let out a snarl, its body tensing as ichor spilled from the wound.
> "It's working!" Hope shouted. "We just need to keep hitting the weak spots!"
Kelvin nodded, adjusting his grip on his sword.
"Then let's end this."
The Centaur was wounded, but it wasn't giving up.
Its movements became wilder, more aggressive.
It lashed out with its spear, spinning in a deadly arc that forced Kelvin to block with his sword. The sheer force sent him stumbling back, his feet dragging across the dirt.
Hope barely dodged a hoof strike, rolling to the side as the beast tried to crush him.
They couldn't let this drag on.
The Centaur was tough—but it was bleeding.
It was only a matter of time before it collapsed under its own wounds.
Kelvin took a deep breath, adjusting his stance.
> "Hopeless!" he shouted. "One final push!"
Hope nodded, his daggers poised.
Kelvin charged head-on, his sword raised.
Hope flanked from the side, his eyes locked on the weak points.
The Centaur roared, its red eyes blazing with defiance. It wasn't going down without a fight.
But neither were they.
This was it—
The final clash.