William was also on the move, though he lacked the sheer attack power and finesse that Asher possessed. He might have copied Asher's elemental affinities and fifty percent of his control and proficiency, but that didn't mean he had replicated Asher's efficiency.

Asher had long possessed the Perfect Astra Control ability, yet until recently, he had never fully utilized it beyond its most basic scope, amplifying his attacks and conserving energy. That changed the day he witnessed Instructor Melissa manipulate Astra with such grace and versatility. Watching her shape Astra in ways he had never imagined opened Asher's mind completely. He realized then that possessing Perfect Astra Control was one thing, but understanding its infinite applications was another entirely. He had never considered what else could be done with it.

In many ways, the same could be said for William. Although he could copy Asher's abilities, he lacked the depth of experience and creativity that defined Asher's usage. However, that didn't mean William was incapable of applying what he had stolen. He understood enough to be dangerous, lethal, even, and that was all he needed.

His claymore tore through the air, slicing cleanly through a cluster of monsters. The massive blade passed through them like a hot knife through butter, cleaving flesh, bone, and shell alike. His senses tingled sharply a heartbeat later, danger. Without hesitation, William vanished from where he stood. The air cracked in his wake, and in the next instant, he reappeared behind his attacker. His claymore was already mid-swing, momentum and precision combining into one seamless motion. The heavy blade severed the panther-like monster's neck before it could even blink.

William dropped his gaze toward the ground below. He saw dozens, no, hundreds, of monsters clustered at the base of the wall, crawling and clawing over one another in their desperate attempt to climb. Without a word or second thought, William dove headfirst from the wall, his claymore glowing a faint silver as he descended.

He became a streak of blinding light that slammed into the ground with a thunderous impact, sending a shockwave of dirt and blood outward. With one broad swing, a storm of colorful blood splattered across the earth, staining it in grotesque shades of red, green, and black. Lightning crackled around him as his form blurred forward toward the point where the wall met the ground.

The air filled with the sizzling hiss of electricity and the nauseating scent of burnt flesh. Each swing of his claymore carved through monsters, and each step he took left a trail of twitching corpses in his wake. Thuds echoed continuously as bodies hit the dirt one after another, and yet William didn't slow.

His senses tingled again, instinct roared. Without thinking, he leapt into the air just as the ground beneath him split open. A centipede-like beast erupted from the soil, its enormous maw gaping wide as it lunged upward to swallow him whole. Its mandibles snapped viciously, saliva dripping in long strands that sizzled upon contact with the charged air.

William did not panic. The light element bloomed to life across his claymore, bathing his weapon in a radiant golden sheen. Without hesitation, he swung. Two golden crescent-shaped slashes shot forward, spinning like twin blades of light. Upon impact, they tore through the monster with surgical precision, reducing the enormous creature into four even pieces before its screech could finish leaving its throat.

The moment William's boots touched the ground again, the lightning coursing through his body faded, and the radiant glow of his claymore dimmed to nothing. He took a steady breath. His Astra reserves were not infinite, he needed to conserve his strength. No one knew how long this Monster Tide would last, and reckless expenditure meant certain death.

His black eyes lifted skyward. There, amidst the chaos and blood-soaked clouds, he saw Asher, a blazing purple figure tearing through airborne monsters like a god of thunder. William couldn't help but shake his head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became, Asher was simply too strong.

Deep down, William knew the truth. Even if he somehow managed to copy one hundred percent of Asher's control and proficiency, he would still lose. There was something intangible about Asher, an instinct, a fluidity, that couldn't be copied. It could only be earned through battle, through experience, through will.

William exhaled softly, feeling the air stir behind him. Without turning, he took a single lazy step to the side, then swung his blade backward in one smooth motion. The edge of his claymore cleaved a lunging monster cleanly in two. He didn't even look at it.

High above on the vertical wall side, Finch fought with relentless movement. His chains lashed out like serpents, striking monsters with crushing force, the sound of impact echoing like whips through the air. A massive clawed beast lunged at him from the side; Finch reacted instantly.

His hands moved with perfect coordination, his chains intercepting the attack mid-swing. Metal screeched against hardened claws as he blocked the strike, but before he could counterattack, another threat emerged.

A serpentine beast, a massive snake-like monster, slithered rapidly behind him. Its tail whipped forward with terrifying speed. Finch twisted his body, using his momentum to redirect the blocked claw just enough so that the snake's tail slammed into the first monster instead. The collision shattered the air with a deep boom as the clawed creature was crushed under the force.

Finch flipped backward midair with fluid grace, his chain, ever obedient, responded to his will, darting toward the snake in a blur as it attempted to bind the creature. But the serpent was fast, slippery, its movements unpredictable. It twisted through the air, narrowly evading every strike, its cold, slit-pupil eyes locked on Finch. It hissed, baring its fangs as venom glistened on its teeth.

The snake saw an opening in Finch's rhythm and lunged. Its body blurred forward like a viper striking prey, its jaw unhinging, fangs extended to impale.

But Finch was already moving. He darted backwards with explosive speed, the stone beneath his boots cracking under the force. The snake's fangs missed him by mere inches, but the creature wasn't done. With a guttural hiss, it spat a stream of green liquid directly toward Finch's face.

Finch's eyes widened slightly, realization flashing in them. 'Poison.' He hadn't accounted for the creature being able to project venom from a distance. There was no time to dodge, not completely.

'Shit,' he hissed inwardly.

But panic never came. He knew, somehow, that something absurd always happened around him when he needed it most.

Right on cue, a dead monster's corpse, freshly killed from the upper wall, fell from above, slamming perfectly between him and the venom's path. The poisonous liquid splattered across the corpse, sizzling through flesh as the body tumbled downward toward the earth below.

The snake hesitated, confused by the sudden interruption. That single heartbeat of uncertainty was all Finch needed. His chain moved as though it shared his thoughts, snapping forward, coiling around the snake's body before it could react. In the next moment, Finch blurred forward, Astra energy surging through his right fist, amplifying his strength. His punch connected squarely with the snake's head, detonating it into a crimson mist that splattered across the stones.

Still empowered, Finch pivoted smoothly. His left hand swung the chain toward another monster, a lizard-like creature that was overwhelming a nearby guard. The chain coiled around its neck, tightening violently. With a single pull, Finch dragged it toward himself. The instant the creature came within reach, his right fist, still glowing with Astra energy, slammed into its abdomen. A thunderous crack echoed as the lizard's stomach burst open, spilling its innards across the wall.

He exhaled slowly, dark eyes scanning his surroundings. But there was no time to rest. His chain moved again, whipping out in another direction, his presence flaring faintly with determination.

Finch continued his massacre, methodical, brutal, and bloody.

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