Suddenly, the air around them shuddered, and a furious torrent of darkness and heat erupted from Crow's Cry's body.
In the next moment, thousands of scorching crow feathers pierced the air. They flew with such speed that it seemed as if the very sky had turned into a fiery storm.
The air whistled, and each feather left a trail of crimson fire, like meteors in the night.
I barely had time to react. My body moved at the limit of its capabilities: sharp jerks to the left, rolls over the ground, and leaps into the tiny voids between the streams of burning metal. Every step I took was like a dance with death.
[Debuff: Weight of Metal, reduced speed by 15%]
The system notification flashed through my mind like a mockery. Every movement was twice as difficult: my legs felt like lead, my breathing was ragged, and my heart was racing.
I knew perfectly well that if even one feather touched my skin, the battle would be over in an instant. The hot blades would burn through my flesh to the bone, leaving nothing but ashes in their wake.
Damn it!... if I faltered, it would be the end.
I quickly dodged to the side, rolled, and narrowly escaped into a narrow gap where the deadly hailstones did not reach the ground.
I felt the hot air burning my cheeks, and the smell of burning metal was embedded in every breath.
Despite my exhaustion and the ringing in my ears, I forced myself to concentrate. Only my endurance and focus would save me. I would keep dodging until my body gave out. I would always keep dodging.
The barrier shook with the impact of the feathers, and outside, the fairies clutched their faces in horror.
They could see what was happening inside, and they couldn't believe that anyone could withstand it. But I was still standing, albeit with great difficulty.
The most painful part of the battle was not the burning feathers, but the screams.
Every time Crow Cry opened his mouth under his mask of petrified magma and ash, the garden shook with the sound.
His screams were so piercing that the air around him trembled like thin glass ready to shatter.
I could feel these terrifying screams seeping into the depths of my consciousness. My head was throbbing, my temples pounding, and my legs felt weak.
Sometimes I felt like I was about to collapse to my knees, losing control of my body. But my survival instinct kept pushing me forward.
Crow's Cry, blinded by rage, raged through the garden like a wild beast. He leapt from one side of the arena to the other, soaring high and plummeting low, scattering fiery feathers in his wake.
His movements were chaotic, but that made them all the more dangerous. With each new action, he transformed the space around him into a deadly trap.
Sometimes he would turn sharply and rush straight at me, trying to pin me to the ground, showering me with both shrieks and a flurry of hot feathers.
Then, teeth clenched, I would roll to the side, just managing to avoid the blow.
But the most frightening thing was that Crow's Cry tried to break through again and again. It soared into the air and crashed into the neon barrier created by Mor Adelina.
Each impact was accompanied by a resounding echo and a flash of light, and its cry echoed through the barrier with an alarming hum.
Fortunately, the barrier remained unshaken. Its glow shimmered as it withstood the monster's onslaught.
—You won't succeed as long as I'm here...
Mor Adeline, standing at a distance, narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched the creature's tenacity.
She knew that the protective dome she had created would not collapse just from a single scream, but she also realized that Crow's Cry was desperately searching for a way out, which made it even more dangerous for me.
The garden, which had once resembled a cozy greenhouse, now resembled a battlefield where every sound, every step, and every flicker of light could be decisive.
Let's think, every step I took was accompanied by danger: either I could fall under a barrage of hot feathers that burned through the ground, or I could be deafened by a piercing scream that could literally knock me unconscious.
I darted around the arena, rolling and hiding behind the twisted roots and thin, ethereal pillars of the garden.
My mind was filled with thoughts that I couldn't simply approach him. I needed something more. I need a distraction... something that will give me a chance to get closer and deliver at least one blow, even if it's a small one.
Crow's Cry, enraged and insane, never gave me a moment's rest. It was as if he could sense my weakness, and with each attack, he pushed me harder.
But it was in this unequal struggle that strategy was born. I began to anticipate his movements, noticing that before unleashing a barrage of feathers, Crow's Cry would pause slightly, spreading his wings. It was a fleeting moment, but it existed.
—If I use this moment... if I make him focus on something other than me, then I'll have a chance. Even if it's just for a second, it's enough.
I gritted my teeth and, feeling the aura in my hands barely wavering with a light green haze, I turned to Fritte:
—Distract him... just for a moment. I need to get closer.
Fritte frowned, but nodded. His small figure flared with ethereal light and darted towards the enemy, leaving a trail of glittering light in its wake.
Crow's Cry turned his head sharply, noticing the flickering glow.
I was trying to make sense of the situation, my heart aching under the weight of the Metal Lizard's curse, as I breathed heavily.
What could be effective against it? The element of darkness? No, that would be foolish, as it appeared to be the embodiment of darkness itself, and it would only strengthen it... Fire was also useless, as its feathers burned like hot metal, and it was a source of heat.
What remained? Lightning... or ice. Yes, only they can pierce or harden such a body... but I don't have such powers yet.
If only I had a hundred levels, decent skills, and real enchantments. Then... then I could do more than just scratch this thing; I could nail it to the ground like a disgusting fly.
This thought gave me a strange sense of determination. Even though I was weaker now, my mind was already plotting ways to achieve my future.
Meanwhile, Fritte, fully aware that every second of distraction could save my life, did the craziest thing he could think of.
He flew up right in front of the Crow's Cry, opened his tiny wings and, wriggling in the air, began to wave them as if they were challenge flags.
—Hey! Hey, feathered freak! Yes, I'm here! Do you see me? Catch it if you can!
And to finally piss the monster off, Fritte turned his back on him and defiantly shook his tiny fifth point.
— Catch me if you dare!
A hollow, painful scream echoed through the garden, and Crow's Cry flew up in a rage, directing a stream of hot feathers not at me, but at the little fairy.
The earth shook with another explosion, and even the protective barrier trembled, but the distraction worked.
—This is our chance!
I realized, feeling a surge of determination in my body despite the pain and weakness.
Fritte, without wasting a second, frantically darted from side to side, sometimes rising higher and sometimes falling lower, cleverly hiding behind the magical branches of the garden.
His ears were ringing, his wings were strained, but he continued to mockingly flap his arms and wings, shouting:
—I'm here! I'm here! Try to catch me, you ugly thing!
His small figure truly became bait. The monster, irritated beyond measure, lost its caution and focused entirely on the target in front of it.
In the meantime, I took a rare moment to stop abruptly and take a deep breath. I focused, remembering everything the Fairy Queen had taught me. A look of determination flashed in my eyes, and a faint green aura lit up around my hands.
— Skill [Aura Separation]… activate!
My body felt lighter for a moment, and my mind felt colder, as if stripped of all excess. The debuffs were weakened, and in that moment, I barely felt any pain.
I lunged forward, merging with the shadow of the garden, and as the Crow was completely focused on Fritte, I reached his back.
Gathering all my strength into a fist, I delivered a blow to the joint of the monster's dark wings. There was a crunch, sparks flew down the creature's back, and it let out a cry of pain rather than rage.
The Crow's eyes widened, as if he hadn't expected anyone to dare strike him directly. His scream broke for a moment, and his heavy body staggered.
Fritte, seeing this, flew aside, breathing a sigh of relief:
—Ha! That's it! Disava, once more! Faster!
The monster, confused and furious, spun around, and its shadow filled half the garden.
But the important thing was done: the first blow showed that it was not invulnerable, but had a strong defense.