War of Attrition

The clash of steel against claw resonated with power and fury as Achilles focused his attention on the Devastated Banshees, their wails piercing through the chaos.

Guardian's Call, combined with the chaos unleashed by Lyra's Metalos Surge, created a mesmerizing war of attrition. Achilles, fuelled by divine strength and guided by his warrior instincts, danced between Devastated Banshees, deflecting their attacks with his shield and delivering swift, calculated strikes with his blade. Each movement was a testament to his prowess, his connection with the divine and his unwavering determination. Lyra on the other hand used his divine swords to sweep through the mob of weak Wailing Banshees and Mourning Banshees, facing little to no resistance.

The battlefield pulsed with energy as the duo fought their spectral adversaries. The Banshees met their doom beneath the relentless assault of summoned swords and the blitzkrieg fury of Achilles. Yet amidst the clash of weapons and the cries of anguish, there was a sense of harmony, a unity of purpose that flowed between the two companions. They moved as one, a force to be reckoned with.

Achilles focused mainly on keeping the Devastated Banshees at bay, often countering and forcing them into errors. The riverbank was large and spacious, and the river had frozen over at this point thanks to Natasha's previous Niflheim Collapse and the concentration of yin energy. Nevertheless, the more banshees arrived, the less space there was.

The Devastated Banshees cared little about harming their subordinates and attacked with reckless abandon, often hurting their companions. Devastated Banshee poison affected all souls, including the souls of weaker Banshees!

How could Achilles and his understanding of spatial manipulation not utilize this? Hundreds of banshees fell from attacks that were targeted at Achilles while the swordsman danced around like a snowflake in a snowstorm.

Lyra on the other hand had applied a simple spell and created a hovering metal platform for him to move with. He did not need to look from above to see what was happening below thanks to Call of the Forest's ability to constantly provide him with information about his environment, but his improved mobility lessened the burden on Achilles greatly so Lyra happily moved around, taking out as many banshees as he could.

With every banished banshee, Achilles' confidence grew. His movements became fluid, almost poetic, as the gaps in the ranks of their enemies widened. He faced the banshees head-on, never faltering, never backing down. Strike after strike, parry after parry, he waged a war of attrition against these formidable foes.

The battle raged on, the riverbank shrouded in remnants of the banshee's deathly aura. In this dance of steel and magic, the duo held firm, their spirits undaunted by the haunting cries and the yin World Energy that lingered in the air.

As the battle neared its climax, Achilles and Lyra fought side by side, their every move calculated and precise. They could feel the tide of battle turning in their favour, their collective resolve unyielding.

In the war of attrition between the banshee swarm and the power unleashed by Achilles' Guardian's Call and Lyra's Metalos Surge, the balance began to tip. The banshees, once a relentless force, found themselves encroached upon from all sides.

Lyra's swords rained down from the heavens like divine judgement while Achilles was like a silent but deadly Soul Reaper, reaping the lives of the distracted and disadvantaged Banshees that tried to dodge Lyra's rain of swords.

As their ranks whittled down, the stronger ones started to reveal hesitation, their relentless assault breaking apart like shattered glass.

And through it all, the synergy between Achilles and Lyra grew stronger. At the beginning of the battle, the duo had been a distance away from level 99, but now they were nearing the level cap. The sea of experience that entered their bodies was almost intoxicating.

They fought as one, their skills and strengths complementing each other flawlessly. As the number of banshees dwindled, they locked eyes, a silent acknowledgement passing between them. Victory was within their grasp!

Banshees were infamous for being stingy in terms of drops, thus ordinary banshees dropped little to no rewards, in return however, they gave out copious amounts of experience. Mourning Banshees were the same but they at least dropped a few useful death and soul-type items. 

Devastated Banshees however were quite generous. They gave out masses of experience and dropped a handful of arms and resources many cultivators would salivate over. Thanks to their work, the ground was littered with dozens of valuable treasures while the battlefield was saturated in experience.

Together, Achilles and Lyra pressed forward, unyielding, unrelenting, as they continued their assault on the remaining banshees. The battle of attrition raged on, and the riverbank bore witness to the power summoned by mortals, the divine intervention, and the unbreakable spirit of the duo.

…

Meanwhile, at another location, a different battle raged on. Natasha, the Veritas Trio, and the Spectralian duo found themselves locked in combat with draconic monsters atop a massive sand dune, where the relentless winds whipped up clouds of sand.

The sandy expanse stretched out endlessly, covered in undulating dunes that seemed to shift and move with a life of their own. The group fought with valour, their weapons slicing through the air with precision against the onslaught of Velvet Poison Dragons. These creatures resembled monitor lizards in size but possessed an alarming agility. Their scales glistened with a gelatinous poison, making it a perilous task to get close. Not only that, but their long, sinewy tongues added an extra layer of difficulty to the battle.

Natasha, ever the resourceful magician, utilized her ice magic from a safe distance to pull the dragons away from her comrades. The Veritas Trio brought their medium-range abilities to bear against the formidable foes. The outcome of the battle was all but certain, for they were level 99 prodigies, representing the most powerful factions. These typically troublesome dragons posed little challenge to their exceptional prowess.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Natasha's senses tingled with an inexplicable disturbance. She paused momentarily, her attention drawn away from the fight at hand. The others followed suit, their gazes fixated on something beyond the sand dunes. An overwhelming surge of world energy, in the form of experience, engulfed them all, jolting their senses. It could only mean one thing.

"Solitary and the others are slaughtering so many banshees that we can sense the experience from afar! Unbelievable. Just how formidable are they?" Natasha mused, a mix of awe and disbelief evident in her voice.

As the group were still registered as members of the same party, there was an equal distribution set. As per Peerless' request, the experience from everyone had to be set to be distributed according to involvement. However, a small percentage was shared equally with the others. Natasha and the others were aware of this. Hence the realization that this experience was a mere spillover made the others cringe.

Lydia, her eyebrows knitted together in astonishment, struggled to process the situation. Even if she and Palmer were present, she highly doubted they could achieve such a remarkable feat. The hostile environment alone made it seemingly impossible. Yet, the reality before them defied all expectations.

"At this rate, Mourning Banshees must have joined the battle and are dying in droves. That's the only plausible explanation for such a substantial influx of experience," Gianluigi chimed in, a mischievous grin adorning his face. His keen intellect had pieced together the puzzle, yet his curiosity remained unsatisfied.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a thunderous roar echoing throughout the expansive desert. The very sand dune they stood upon trembled beneath their feet, a warning of imminent danger.

"The Sector Boss has been lurking underground all this time. Prepare yourselves, everyone!" 

Natasha bellowed, urgency lacing her voice. Her comrades swiftly scrambled off the treacherous dune, readying themselves for the impending battle. Though the continuous flow of experience continued to surprise them, it served as a welcomed boon. After all, who would complain about getting free experience. ?