The beast ran with frightening velocity—a black streak amidst the light green of the park. Its claws shredded the ground like paper, its eyes fixed on Yulli. There was no breath to be taken, no moment to think. Only the sound of air being shredded as death hurtled towards him.
Yulli's eyes went wide. He brought his sword up instinctively, racing heart in his ears, but deep down he knew—he would not be quick enough.
"Yulli, down!" roared a thunder-like voice.
A moment later, a wall of muscle and iron slammed into him—not the monster, but Bruce. Bruce roared and shoved Yulli out of the way and stood his ground, getting his massive greatsword up just in time. The impact resounded through the air like a struck bell. Sparks flew as steel met claw, and the ground split beneath Bruce's feet.
"Speed up next time!" Bruce growled, struggling to combat the creature's power. "I won't be around to rescue your weak butt forever!"
Yulli rose to her feet, coughing. "Remind me not to thank you with a hug."
"Eyes forward, both of you!" came Lawlet's voice from behind. A series of sharp, echoing gunshots followed. The beast screeched as enchanted bullets tore through its limbs, slowing its relentless charge.
"Left flank!" Remi's voice echoed in their minds, her transmission magic lighting up their minds like a torch. "Its right leg is injured—Yulli, aim for the tendon! Bruce, guard him!"
Without hesitation, Yulli rushed forward, ducking beneath the creature's slashing tail. Bruce came after him, swinging his sword in a wide arc to fend off the beast. As Bruce did so, Yulli went low, his sword slicing precisely where Remi had instructed him. The creature howled in pain and stumbled.
"Lawlet, now!" Remi exclaimed.
"Locked in already!" Lawlet's pistol flared a second time—three more rounds hit their target, one dead center in the monster's shoulder joint, interfering with its momentum.
As the creature recoiled, Remi extended hand, channeling healing pulses into Bruce's arms and weaving a temporary strength spell over Yulli.
"We've got it staggered! Press the attack!" she cried.
Bruce bellowed as his greatsword met the claws of the beast. Sparks rained down as steel rang out on bone, the impact rending the ground beneath them. The beast did not flinch—it was as powerful as he was, raw and unyielding.
"I ain't gonna back down, you big mutt!" Bruce growled, mana coursing furiously through his arms, casting a crimson light down his veins.
But before he could overwhelm it, the beast struck back with more force. His footing failed him.
"Damn it! How strong is this thing?!"
A blur cut through the chaos.
"First Style: Counter—Single Thrust!"
His sword struck the side of the beast—a shallow, clean cut. Not enough to kill, but enough to make the beast flinch and release Bruce's sword.
"Nice timing!" Bruce huffed, bracing himself again.
"Remi, come on!" Yulli shouted, eyes still fixed on the creature.
Remi breathed in and formed a cupping shape with both hands together— raw control. Mana flared between her palms like golden fire.
"I'm not a background character!" she yelled, clenching her fists. A pulse shot out, radiant and warm, sweeping over the team.
"Buff active! You're faster, stronger—don't waste it!"
Lawlet was already moving. "Going loud!" he shouted, firing a burst of well-aimed shots that ripped into the shoulders and neck of the creature.
"Bruce, left! Yulli, push center—I'll pin it from here!"
"Got it!" Bruce charged left again, sword a red blur. Yulli charged beside him, his sword flashing in close arcs, maintaining the pressure.
Lawlet discharged and shot a charged blast—BOOM!—right between the creature's eyes. It stumbled, its body recoiling from the combined attack.
"It's slowing down!" Remi yelled, her hands glowing as she prepared a second wave of reinforcement.
"Complete it—together!"
Together, Bruce swung his large sword down, Yulli thrust low, and Lawlet delivered one last strike to its bared neck. It fell in a pile.
They stood there, breathless, bruised—but smiling. "Now that's what I call teamwork," said Yulli.
"And I did not blow anything up this time!" Remi grinned.
"Barely," Lawlet snarled.
The field lay quiet with suspense as the colossal beast fell to the ground, its twisted body motionless. Particles of dust hung in the air, softly glowing in the sunlight. The cadets permitted themselves, for a moment, to consider it was over.
Bruce let his sword fall to the ground. "We did it… That accursed thing's down for good."
Lawlet let his smoking barrel fall with a hefty sigh. "Took all of us to get one down…"
Remi fell onto her knees, a bead of sweat on her forehead. "I—I'll begin healing…"
And then—
"YOU IDIOTS! IT'S STILL ALIVE!"
Julius's voice thundered, his eyes wide with surprise as he pointed at the corpse.
They had barely time to turn.
With a deafening bellow that shattered the air, the creature was reborn, launching itself like a cannonball in Yulli's direction. The air snapped beneath its velocity. Time froze. None of them were in position. No one was going to make it in time.
Yulli's eyes grew wide—heart racing, instincts shrieking.
But then… his mind came back.
A field, the wind blowing through the grass. Ache in his limbs. Training with Rio.
He was on the ground, sweating profusely, gasping as he pulled himself up. "This style… Too exhausting… I can hardly stand…"
Rio, arms folded, looking at him with that characteristic scowling expression. "You'll have to get used to it. It's not some flash trick, Yulli—it's survival. One day, this could be the only thing between you and dying."
He recalled her words. And her smirk.
"Why don't you find out for yourself? Kunta sword style has always been about counterattack. Wait… bear with… and attack where it hurts."
Back in the real world—Yulli's body twitched of its own accord.
Feet grounded. Shoulders squared. Blade angled precisely. The tension gathered in his legs, mana humming softly at the base of his spine.
"Third Style—Perfect Counter!"
The beast was upon him.
Time snapped forward.
With a single fluid motion, Yulli returned the creature's force against itself, using its own energy against it. His sword sliced with accuracy—surgical accuracy—not to destroy, but to disassemble. A tendon snapped. A joint cracked. The creature reeled, reeling in pain and confusion.
"NOW!" Yulli shouted. Bruce attacked from the side like a battering ram and struck his sword along the side of the creature
Lawlet fired two rounds directly into its bare chest. "I've got you, you ugly bastard!"
Remi stretched out both arms, firing a paralyzing mana pulse to petrify the creature in mid-air. Julius was on the hilltop, arms crossed. His signature smirk returned.
"He remembered it. Clever kid." With a last blow from every direction, the creature dropped for good this time—this time, without rising again. They stood over the body, chests rising and falling.
".Guess it really did save my life," Yulli grumbled.
"Told you so," Rio's voice echoed in his head, barely audible.