Chapter 23: A Risky Plan

Without wasting any time, Thomas rushed towards the monster to engage it in combat. Seeing another Armored Back Great Bear join the fray, I believed we were about to face an insurmountable crisis. However, it appeared that my assumptions were incorrect.

Similar to Anna, Thomas also revealed himself to be a 3-star mage. While I was taken aback by this revelation, it didn't affect me as much as Anna's earlier display of power had.

"William, snap out of it. We're in a crisis right now," Sarah urged, bringing me back to reality.

Confused, I asked, "Are we? Isn't Thomas and Anna fighting them?"

"They may appear to be winning at the moment, but remember that both of them are still 3-star mages. No matter how talented they are, there is a limit to their abilities. Moreover, the monster possesses superior physical strength compared to a mage. If this battle drags on, they will be at a significant disadvantage," Sarah explained, her words shaking me to my core.

Sarah's explanation snapped me back to full alertness. If what she said was true, then we were indeed facing a crisis. "Sorry to say this, but don't we have you here? Based on the pattern, you should be a mage too, and a strong one at that."

A troubled expression crossed Sarah's face as she looked at me. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you're mistaken. It's true that I am a mage, but I cannot use any spells at the moment."

Listening to her explanation, I realized she must have a complicated backstory. Being a mage without the ability to cast spells was an uncommon circumstance, yet compared to my own situation of lacking a core and having my mage path severed, she seemed more fortunate. Regardless, I brushed off the thought and quickly refocused on the crisis at hand.

"Okay, I understand what you're saying now. But what do you think we should do? We have two 4-star monsters in front of us, both at the peak of their strength. If Anna and Thomas can't defeat them, how do you expect someone like us, who can't conjure any spells, to stand a chance?"

"I have a plan," Sarah declared.

Her words piqued my interest, and I listened attentively, eager to hear her proposal.

"Our best chance right now is to outrun the Armored Back Great Bears. Although they possess great power, their large and heavy bodies make them slower than us."

"Your idea sounds good, but there's a problem. In order to execute that plan, we need to break through both monsters first. Anna and Thomas are barely holding their ground, so expecting them to push the monsters back and make a run for it seems unlikely. Furthermore, considering the Armored Back Great Bears are 4-star creatures, they can't be that slow, right?" I pointed out the potential flaws in Sarah's plan. Given that our lives were at stake, it was crucial to address any concerns.

"True, if we rely solely on Anna and Thomas, the plan may not succeed. But we have you," Sarah said, pointing her finger at me.

I was taken aback by her statement, as it was entirely unexpected.

"Don't be surprised. This plan requires someone like you to execute it, or else it won't work," Sarah explained, her words causing a mixture of confusion and curiosity within me.

"Okay, I'm in. Tell me your plan," I said, ready to take on the challenge.

"It goes like this..."

"I have to end this quickly," Anna reminded herself as the battle commenced. However, she knew it wouldn't be an easy feat.

Her fight against the monster lasted longer than she expected. Initially, she had thought that with a team composition consisting of two 3-star mages, defeating a 4-star Armored Back Great Bear would be a relatively easy task. But reality seldom aligned with expectations.

To make matters worse, a second Armored Back Great Bear appeared, splitting their forces. Now, they were left with two 3-star mages facing a 4-star monster each, alongside a low-tier mage and a combatant who wasn't even a mage. No matter how Anna pondered the situation, they were undeniably in a dire predicament.

Just as Anna momentarily lost focus, the monster lunged at her with its claws. Despite the swift attack, she managed to stay composed, knowing that any mistake could prove fatal.

Suddenly, a figure dashed past her and positioned itself in front of her. "William! What is he doing? Doesn't he realize the danger he's putting himself in?" Anna thought in alarm.

"Anna, step back a bit," William instructed. Just as she believed he was acting recklessly, he surprised her with an action even more audacious than before.

Without hesitation, he stood his ground and threw a punch at the monster.