"Zen!" Jace shouted, and the gamer instantly ducked down on all fours, bracing himself. The water Reaver pushed off from his back with terrifying force, shooting into the air with his sword raised high like a reaper descending.

"Flowing Tide," Jace mumbled under his breath as his blade swept across the air. Immediately, water lashed out like a living serpent, coiling and hissing as it streaked toward the beast at full speed. But before the strike could connect, the beast's limbs lashed forward with just as much velocity, whipping the air violently.

Luckily, Blake was already there. With the sword Lyra had entrusted him from her arsenal—its edge further sharpened by the effect of his veil, he swung in one clean motion at the oncoming limbs.

The weapon glimmered with cutting force, and in a split second the beast's limbs fell, severed, and scattered in the air. Jace's attack landed a heartbeat later, smashing into the beast and sending it skidding across the broken earth.

"Like for real, how are we even supposed to take this thing down? My essence is running dangerously low," Blake coughed out, droplets of blood speckling his lips as his body trembled. The beast only seemed to shrug off the combined assault, its body twitching but refusing to falter.

"Zen, I've only got about a minute left before my essence burns out completely," Jace said with a weary voice, gripping his sword to keep himself standing. His breathing came harsh, sweat dripping down his face.

Zen's eyes flicked behind him for just a second. He struggled to keep track of the blindingly fast clashes between Lyra, Tom, and Xar, their movements nothing but streaks of steel and light. For a moment the battlefield was chaos, but then things slowed just enough for Zen to glimpse the reality of Xar's condition.

The man was bleeding in nearly the exact same places the beast bore wounds, yet he stood tall, cold fury etched into his features.

'He can create bone weapons, but I don't know his limit. This beast—an A-ranked monster keeps shooting out limbs endlessly. Even as Xar fights, he feels connected to it, almost like his essence is flowing directly into the creature to control it. But how?' Zen thought, his brows furrowing.

The beast let out a deep, guttural sound before lunging at them at blinding speed. Coincidentally—or maybe not, Zen caught Xar making a sudden dash toward Lyra at the exact same moment.

'Not a coincidence,' Zen realized instantly, his mind piecing the clues together. 'The beast and Xar are synchronized. They don't fight the same way, but their movements are mirrored.

They bleed in the same spots, they react at the same time. This isn't just summoning. Oh shit—it's an extension of Xar himself. That means killing the beast separately won't work. To kill one, we have to kill the other at the same time.'

His train of thought was cut short by a loud whoosh. Zen turned just in time to see a thick limb whipping toward his face at brutal speed.

He barely managed to raise his sword. Steel clashed with bone in a ringing crack, but the sheer force flung him off his feet.

He smashed into a tree with a bone-rattling crash, blood spraying from his mouth on impact. His vision blurred for a second, but his grip never loosened, and against all odds, he stayed conscious.

"Zen, are you alright?" a voice called urgently. Aria, perched on the tree he had collided with, leaned down toward him with wide eyes.

"I am," Zen rasped, staggering to his feet with his sword still in hand. His body screamed in pain, but his eyes were sharp.

"How can I help you all?" Aria asked, glancing between the multiple battles erupting across the field. Her expression carried both worry and determination.

"Don't help me," Zen said firmly, planting his blade into the ground for balance as he pointed his chin toward the ongoing fight. "Help Warmongress and Sir Tom. If you can create even the slightest distraction, you'll give them an opening to end their fights faster."

Aria hesitated, biting her lip as she glanced back toward Lyra and Tom. "But… I don't think they even need my help." Her words faltered as her eyes widened at the scene in front of her. Lyra and Tom weren't faltering. If anything, they were boxing Xar in, moving with deadly precision as if they had fought together for years.

"Yes, they do. You ever watch Hawkeye?" Zen asked as he crouched down near the tree, his tone suddenly serious despite the chaos.

"Huh? Why are you suddenly bringing up something from the real world at a time like this?" Aria asked, raising a brow at him, clearly confused.

"It was a simple yes or no question," Zen muttered, dragging his palm down his face in mild frustration.

"Yes, I did," Aria finally replied, clicking her tongue with a little annoyance.

"Great. Then I want you to be a Hawkeye for Tom and Lyra," Zen said with a sharp grin. His eyes glowed faintly as he navigated through his system menu. "That's the only way we can win both fights at the same time."

[Soft Touch Activated]

Aria nocked an arrow into her bowstring, the string stretching taut as she aimed directly at Xar. "What about you then? What are you going to do?" she asked, glancing down at Zen.

"Me?" Zen smirked as his fingers dug into the thick bark of the massive uprooted tree beside him. With a single hand, veins bulging, he heaved the trunk upward.

"I'm just going to do my best to crush this beast into the ground." His voice dripped with resolve, eyes narrowing as he glared at the monstrous figure in the distance.

"Everybody! Move in sync!" Zen roared, his voice thundering through the battlefield. The call carried across the entire forest like a booming war drum, reaching every single ally fighting in the chaos.

In the very next instant, Zen swung the massive tree and hurled it with all his strength. The force tore through the air with a violent whistle, the sound echoing through the forest like a hurricane tearing apart branches.

The beast was still occupied with Jace and Blake. Both of them were on their last legs, essence running dangerously low, but they refused to relent.

Their weapons clashed repeatedly against the monster's limbs, sparks flying as they held their ground. When Zen's command reached them, followed by the shrieking whistle of the air, they instantly dove out of the way, moving almost instinctively.

The tree regained its full weight and velocity in mid-flight, plummeting with devastating momentum.

BAM!

BANG!

It slammed into the beast like a speeding train. The collision sent shockwaves rippling across the ground, dust blasting outward. The monster was torn from its footing, lifted violently into the air.

Its head snapped back, a sickening crunch echoing as black blood spurted out. The beast hurtled backward, smashing through rows of towering trees, reducing them to splinters.

It only stopped when it stabbed its limbs deep into the earth, anchoring itself to a skidding halt that tore long scars into the ground.

Zen's eyes sharpened. He noticed something immediately, and a slow grin spread across his face. Where the tree had struck, the beast's body was still bleeding profusely. Even more telling—it hadn't covered the wound with its countless regenerating limbs.

'Looks like it's reaching its limit,' he thought, heart racing with determination. To confirm, he activated his Inspect skill.

The beast's health readings flickered before his eyes. The wounded spot glowed gray while the other weak points still burned red.

"Zen! Thirty seconds more!" Jace shouted desperately. The water swirling around his blade flickered in and out like a dying flame, his strength clearly waning.

"Then let's make it count!" Zen bellowed, raising his sword and charging forward. "TOGETHER!"

The three of them—Zen, Jace, and Blake sprinted in unison, their weapons gleaming under the scattered rays of light piercing the forest canopy. Their timing was perfect, their intent the same: to finish the fight.

At the same time, Lyra and Tom tightened their assault, driving Xar further back. Their synchronized strikes boxed him in, leaving the Warmongress and the flame wielder only a step away from ending it.

---

{A/N}

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