Without wasting a second, I rushed over to Fritte. A soft green light flashed in my palms, [Aura Separation], and I cut the tiny fairy off from the oppressive force of the scream.
I snatched it up in my hands and took off, running through the dark shadow of the monster, where I could find refuge from the monster's deafening roar for a moment.
A monstrous "KRRR!" echoed behind me, and the air shook.
Waves of sound rolled through the branches, shedding leaves and tearing off flowers. The ground trembled as if it were afraid to stand in the way of Crow's Cry.
Three minutes, and all that time I felt the air being ripped apart by the hot feathers. They were flying at a terrifying speed, leaving streaks of light in the air like comets, and they were crashing to the ground, exploding the grass with hot flashes.
Every step I took was on the edge, and if I made even the slightest mistake, one of the feathers could pierce through me.
—Disava, look!
Fritte shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the roar of the scream. By the third minute, I was barely breathing, but the Crow didn't stop. Instead of running out of steam, his intensity only increased.
It took only a minute for the stream of feathers to become a constant rain. They fell from above, from the sides, and from below, creating an almost impenetrable curtain.
Now, even getting close to the monster was madness. Each feather wasn't just sharp, it was burning, and their heat made the air heavy and suffocating.
—Damn... It's getting more dangerous with every second...
For a moment, I wanted to give up everything and just leave the game, get out of this meat grinder. I've always believed that if the situation is too difficult, sometimes it's better to accept defeat than to push myself to the limit. But this time, it was different.
The Fairy Queen had a reason for looking at me so carefully. More Adeline knew that I was capable of more.
"Three strikes…"
I've dealt one blow, and there are two left. That's all that's required. But how can I approach the creature when the entire garden has turned into a deadly storm?
I clenched my fists and forced myself to calm down. Panic was only hindering me. I needed to think coldly and strategically. Simple movements that I had previously underestimated came to mind: [Running] and [Rolling].
"Perhaps this is the key..."
If you combine both skills and time it right, you can not only dodge but also rush into the deadly rain, passing through the smallest gaps.
It required utmost concentration, precision, and speed of reaction. Mistakes were not tolerated. But there was no other way.
"Okay… The Queen believes I can do this. So I can do this."
In this battle, victory was not determined by brute force, but by careful observation and analysis of the enemy. I narrowed my eyes, trying to discern a pattern in the seemingly chaotic style of attack. And soon, my observations bore fruit.
The pattern was simple and deadly at the same time:
—A hail of feathers;
—A deafening scream;
—More feathers;
—Another scream.
The rhythm repeated itself like a mad melody. And it was in those pauses between the beats that opportunity lay. But as soon as I came close, Crow's Cry revealed its true cunning.
The creature acted like a living alarm system, sensing danger or threat and instantly shifting behind its opponent, unleashing its long, dark claws, which sparkled with heat as if they had been forged in volcanic flames.
—So this is your response to my approach.
The monster, meanwhile, was getting more and more frenzied. It was slamming against the barrier like a caged beast, and each of its attempts to break free caused the air to shudder and the ground beneath us to crack.
—Do you want to be free? Then I'm sorry, but I won't let you.
Taking advantage of the moment when Crow's Cry was furiously clawing at Mor Adelina's magical barrier, I abruptly activated [Running Around]+[Rolling].
My body shot forward, leaving a blurred trail in its wake. I channeled all the strength in my legs into that dash, and the aura in my palm into the punch.
In an instant, I was at the back of the beast, and I slammed my fist, clad in a radiant aura, with all my might.
—Got it! Two out of three!
[ Running Around skill improved 2 Lvl. → 3. Lvl. ]
[ Rolling skill improved 2. Lvl. → 3. Lvl. ]
But the joy lasted only a moment. Crow's Cry reacted exactly as I had anticipated. With a sharp hiss, the creature disappeared from my line of attack and reappeared almost instantly behind me.
"Too fast!"
I didn't even have time to turn around before I felt a sharp, unpleasant pain, black claws slashing across my skin, leaving burning, scorching pixel scratches.
I almost fell, but at the last moment I managed to regain my balance, sliding to the side in a roll.
—You're playing with me, aren't you?
Crow's Cry seemed to be enjoying my suffering. His mask of petrified magma cracked at the seam, and a new, even more terrifying scream erupted from within, causing the space to tremble.
A red warning message appeared on the system window:
[Health: 48%.]
One wrong move, and the battle would be lost.
—Fritte! Please help me!
The fairy didn't make me wait long; his wand shone with a soft emerald light, and streams of energy enveloped my wounds.
The burning sensation subsided, my breathing returned to normal, and my health bar flickered above half. However, it was only a brief respite.
If I'd stayed there for another second, he would have torn me apart... Now, there was only one last blow left to complete the test. It seemed like such a small task.
But it was the smallest task that was the most difficult.
I took a deep breath, then exhaled, and, against all logic, I screamed at the top of my lungs:
—Hey, you bastard! I'm here! Come on, try again!
My voice echoed off the barrier, and Crow's Cry immediately reacted. His body arched, and his magma mask erupted with red cracks. He let out a soul-shattering wail, and my ears immediately rang as if a gong had exploded inside my head.
If I get hit by that stun effect, I'm done for.
The monster's movements changed. If his trajectory had been predictable before, it was now moving chaotically, disappearing into dark pools of shadows and reappearing from the right, the left, or right behind me.
Every time he appeared, his claws would slash at me, and only [Roll] would save me from a fatal blow.
—Do you think I'll give up?
It was a chance, but the risk was great. My heart was beating faster than a drum, and my head was ringing so loudly that every move could be my undoing.
I knew that if I made a mistake, I wouldn't just lose; my body would be torn apart by the creature's screams and claws. And yet I decided!
When Crow's Cry, disappearing in another shadow, suddenly appeared behind me, I was ready.
I activated [Aura Separation], and two ethereal limbs emerged from my hands, translucent and stretching like smoke.
One of them clutched the monster's face, pressing its magma and ash mask firmly against its mouth. The beast's roar immediately ceased, turning into a hoarse mumble.
—Shut up!
I shouted with force, channeling all my anger and desperation into the movement. The second ethereal hand swept down and struck Crow's Cry in the stomach with force. There was a dry sound of impact, and the monster itself jerked back, staggering a step.
Without wasting any time, I immediately activated the [Running] skill. My body took off, and barely able to stand on my feet, I ran away as the creature let out a strangled but still dangerous scream. My ears were ringing, but she knew that the most important thing was to keep running.
A sense of victory filled my chest. The system didn't take long to respond:
[Task completed: Three hits were made]
[The challenge has been completed]
Fritte's joyful cry rang out, so loud and heartfelt that it drowned out even the booming roar of the Crow's Cry. The little fairy circled around me, flapping his wings so fast that sparks flew from him, and laughed loudly, like a child who had just seen a miracle for the first time.
—You're strong! The entire Fairy Kingdom will be writing about you and your feats!
At this time, Crow Scream was not going to give up. His dark feathers flashed with red, hot light, and he rushed towards me, sliding across the ground like an ink-black shadow.
His scream struck the barrier again, causing it to tremble and spark, but the impact did not reach its target.
The ethereal clone of Mor Adelina did not even flinch. She silently extended her hand, and her long, dark green hair suddenly came to life, as if it were alive.
They stretched out into dozens of sturdy vines and wrapped themselves around Crow's Cry with terrifying force.
The monster screamed, writhing, but it was too late. The Queen's hair flung it into the air, and with a long, booming crash, the creature fell back into the massive box from which it had been released.
The glowing rune chains flared again, activated by the touch of magic, and the box slammed shut with a deafening crack.
The arena fell silent. The garden shone with a soft light once more, as if nature itself had breathed a sigh of relief.
—And once again, it is under lock and key.
Mor Adelina said calmly, looking around at the frightened fairy apprentices.
—But remember, this is only a small part of what awaits the Pioneers.
Fritte immediately flew over to me and grabbed my hand, his eyes shining.
—Did you see that?! Even mom is impressed! You're a real… real power!