Final Battle (2)

"It's fortunate I arrived in time," he said with a look of relief

The man then met Alissa's gaze. "I apologize for intervening uninvited. But I cannot see someone get hurt!"

Andrew frowned; his weapon ready. "Who are you?"

Before the man could respond, Rachael stepped forward with a disapproving look.

"What are you doing, Andrew? Is this how you treat someone who just saved us?"

Andrew hesitated and then glanced at Alissa before lowering his weapon. "I apologize."

The man gave a faint smile. "No offense taken. In situations like these, caution is only natural."

Alex was tall and athletic, with sharp features and piercing dark eyes that carried a quiet confidence. His neatly styled black hair and determined smile gave him a polished yet approachable look. Dressed in a sleek combat suit with a longsword at his side, he exuded both strength and composure.

"And let me formally introduce myself. My name is Alex,"

Then, his expression turned grim as he looked at the monster ahead.

Alex's eyes narrowed as he observed the Seed Monster, his expression hardening. "This monster… it's cultivation base is as strong as a 2nd stage Core-Formation cultivator. How can this be? How could a level 1 dimensional gate create a Core-Formation monster?"

His voice was filled with disbelief and concern.

Andrew spoke up, his tone serious. "While its cultivation is at the second stage of Core-Formation, its combat power is more like that of a 12th transition stage cultivator. What you need to watch out for is its shield."

Alex gripped his sword tighter. "Whatever it is, we have to stop it. If we don't, it could cause harm to the cultivators here in the monster lair—and outside as well!"

"Miss, I would formally like to request your assistance!" Alex called out to Alissa, his voice filled with determination.

Alissa, however, only gave him an indifferent glance. "No need," she replied coolly, "I alone am enough."

With that, she unleashed her sword source, the air around her rippling with deadly energy. In an instant, she was charging at the Seed Monster, her movements a blur as she closed the distance.

Rachael called out in worry, "Alissa!"

but it was clear Alissa had already made up her mind.

Alex's expression remained calm as he looked at Alissa's retreating figure.

"Then I'll support you from behind," he said.

With that, he also rushed forward, his sword glowing faintly as he prepared to join the fray.

The Seed Monster let out a deafening screech, a shockwave of energy bursting from its body, sending debris flying and shaking the ground beneath them.

The force of the scream made the very air tremble, but Alissa didn't flinch.

Her sword was already raised, and she slashed through the air, releasing a sharp, cutting wave of spiritual energy directly at the monster.

The Seed Monster bellowed in rage, its body twisting as it summoned a barrier of dark energy to block the attack.

The impact of Alissa's sword sent a ripple through the shield, but it held firm.

Without hesitation, the Seed Monster retaliated, swinging a massive, clawed arm toward her.

But Alissa was faster. Her sword flickered, and in a flash, she was already several steps ahead, her blade slashing through the air once more.

This time, it wasn't just a simple slash but a barrage of strikes, each one aimed at the monster's the red weak points that appeared in her vision.

The Seed Monster roared in anger, as it swung its massive claw toward her again.

But this time, Alex arrived, his own sword cutting through the air.

The monster's claws met Alex's blade with a loud crash.

The force of their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the nest, and Alex's arms shook slightly from the impact. But he grinned, his sword still glowing with Cosmic Energy.

"You're tough, aren't you?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Alissa took the opportunity, charging forward with a strike of her own.

The Seed Monster's attention was momentarily split between them.

With a swift motion, she unleashed a wave of sword intent, slicing through the air, aiming for the monster's vital organs.

But the Seed Monster was not slow—it raised a massive arm to block the attack, and the collision sent a burst of energy spiraling through the air.

Alissa staggered back slightly, but without missing a beat, she readied herself for another round.

****

As Lin Xuanyu stepped into the area where the seed monster was at, he immediately spotted Andrew and Rachael, who were watching the show with a worried look.

Rachael's eyes widened as she spotted him, her voice ringing with surprise.

"It's you!" Rachael exclaimed, clearly caught off guard. "What are you doing here? It's too dangerous! You should leave quickly!"

"Yeah." Lin Xuanyu acknowledged her words, "It is indeed dangerous here. What the heck is a Core-Formation monster doing here" His voice was tinged with a hint of speechlessness.

Rachael sighed, her brows furrowing in frustration. "I don't know," she replied. "But it's immensely strong. Alissa and that guy have been fighting it for the past ten minutes, and they've not been able to injure it due to the barrier. They can't hold out for much longer."

While they were conversing, Andrew stepped in and looked at Lin Xuanyu with disdain. "What are you doing here? You're too weak to be involved in this fight. Go back before you get yourself killed."

Rachael frowned and intervened, "Andrew, why are you targeting him like this?"

She has noticed this for a while now. She had planned to talk to Andrew about it but never got the chance.

She then turned to Lin Xuanyu with a concerned expression. "But he's right, it's really dangerous here. You should get out before it gets out of hand!"

By the time Racheal finished speaking, more and more cultivators rushed into the room, their faces a mixture of fear and seriousness.

The weaker cultivators were visibly trembling, their expressions full of dread as they saw the intense battle unfolding before them.

If Alissa and Alex who were fighting didn't win then it was all over for them.

Although the monster wasn't strong as a real core-formation cultivator, it was still strong enough to wipe everyone in this room.

The stronger ones, those in the late stages of their cultivation, had a much more serious expression, their eyes carefully observing the fight.

Whispers began to circulate among the cultivators, commenting on the strength of both Alex and Alissa. "Incredible..." one of them murmured. "Their combat power is at least at the 1st stage of core-formation realm!!"

"Hey if I'm not wrong, that's the heir of Starforge family, right? Alissa Starforge?"

"You're right! It's her, so it's not just the Youngest Young Master of Shen clan who came into this dungeon but the heir of Starforge family is also here!"

"Speaking of the young master of Shen clan, where is he?"

"Look he's over there!" One of the cultivators exclaimed as he pointed towards the unconscious Young Master Shen. Immediately, three cultivators rushed up to him and fed him healing potions. 

Hopefully they will get rewarded for it...

As this happened, Both Alissa and Alex continued to unleash a relentless barrage of attacks on the Seed Monster.

At the same time, there was an undeniable realization that hung in the air. 

No matter what they did, the barrier stayed erected, in fact it seemed like it was getting stronger as time passed.

"The barrier… It must be an origin ability of that monster," one of the cultivators in the late stages of the Transition Realm said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the fight unfold. "As long as it keeps its energy shield up, they won't be able to take it down. The Seed Monster absorbs the force of the blow and uses it to replenish the energy spent on the shield."

His gaze shifted to Lin Xuanyu and Alissa as he trailed off. "If they break through that, it's over for the monster. But unless they can find a way to break the shield, this battle could drag on."

Then, one of the cultivators present had a thought. "Can we take down the monster if we all join forces?"

Hearing him, Rachael's eyes lit up with hope. She wanted to support her childhood friend in any way she could. Standing here while she did all the work made her feel useless.