Chapter 13: King's Judgement

Jenna immediately took her bow and aimed at the werewolf's eyes, her fingers steady despite the pounding of her heart. The failed werewolf was moving erratically, locked in fierce combat with Shay, but Jenna focused, tracking its movement with precision. Then, she released the arrow.

A sharp whistle cut through the air before the arrow embedded itself deep into one of the creature's eyes.

The failed werewolf let out a groan of pain, an unsettling mix between a human cry and an animalistic snarl. It reeled back slightly, its body momentarily vulnerable. Shay took the chance instantly.

"Solemn Blade: Rending Cleave!" she roared, her sword descending in a devastating arc. The blade cut deep into the creature's abdomen, leaving a gruesome, gaping wound.

"Solemn Blade: Royal Arc!" She swung her sword downward again, this time with such force that it severed one of the creature's talons clean off.

"Solemn Blade: Stormpierc—" she began, her next attack already forming, but before she could finish, the failed werewolf let out an enraged growl. To everyone's horror, the severed talon regenerated almost instantly, a twisted fusion of flesh knitting itself back together in an instant. The deep wound on its abdomen closed as well, leaving behind only a large, scarred mark. Only its eye remained permanently lost.

With newfound aggression, the failed werewolf lashed out at Shay, its claws bearing down with monstrous strength.

"Solemn Blade: Unshaken Guard!" Shay braced herself, raising her sword to intercept the blow. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through her arms, her feet skidding slightly across the ground as she absorbed the sheer power of the attack.

The creature pressed its assault, striking with relentless fury. Shay found herself forced onto the defensive, barely keeping up with the creature's speed and raw strength.

Then, out of nowhere, a spear flew through the air and embedded itself into Duskfang's freshly regenerated talon, halting its movement.

[Skill Awakening!]

[The hero, Tess (☆☆), has awakened the skill: Spear Throw!]

"Yes!" Tess shouted, exhilarated by the successful strike.

Shay wasted no time.

"Solemn Blade: Stormpiercer!" she cried, thrusting her sword forward with terrifying speed. One stab after another landed with pinpoint accuracy, each strike coming so rapidly that they blurred together as if happening all at once.

"I'm here as well!" Han declared, charging in from behind. His sword flashed as he slashed at the failed werewolf's back, carving through fur and flesh again and again.

Jenna, seeing the momentum shift, pushed her Quick Draw skill to its limits. She loosed arrow after arrow with inhuman speed, her hands a blur as she fired relentlessly. The failed werewolf had no time to regenerate before another attack came, keeping it trapped in an endless cycle of pain and damage.

[Jenna (☆)'a Quick Draw has risen to level 3!]

The failed werewolf howled, its form trembling under the sheer barrage of attacks. The tide of battle had shifted, and now, it was the hunters who pressed their advantage.

But then, all of a sudden, the failed werewolf let out a ferocious roar, its voice filled with a primal rage that echoed through the forest. Its already grotesque muscles bulged even further, veins pulsing unnaturally beneath its matted fur. Its eyes, once filled with pain from their relentless attacks, now glowed an eerie, bloodthirsty red. It was going berserk.

"Shay!" Han called out, his voice laced with urgency. "Watch out!"

As soon as Han's warning left his lips, the failed werewolf retaliated against Shay with terrifying force. Its attacks were stronger, its speed nearly doubled. Shay gritted her teeth, forced on the defensive, parrying each deadly strike as best as she could. But it was relentless, and soon, one attack slipped through.

A clawed hand, moving faster than she could react, came straight for her.

"Shay!" Han shouted, his body moving before his mind could even register the danger.

Shay's eyes widened as she realized the strike was unavoidable. She exhaled, gripping her sword tightly, but knew she wouldn't make it in time.

"Sorry, Han..." she whispered, closing her eyes, accepting what was about to happen.

Squelch!

The sickening sound of fangs sinking into flesh echoed through the battlefield.

But it wasn't Shay's flesh.

"Han!" Jenna and Tess screamed in unison, horror flashing across their faces.

"Han!" Shay's eyes snapped open, disbelief washing over her as she saw him standing in front of her, the werewolf's fangs buried deep into his shoulder.

"Wh—"

"There's no time!" Han interrupted, his voice strained yet filled with resolve.

Despite the excruciating pain, he clenched his teeth and locked his free arm around the creature's neck, while his injured arm, the one nearly severed by the bite, still struggled to hold on. With sheer force of will, he gripped the beast tightly, refusing to let go.

[Han (☆)'s Pain Tolerance has risen to level 4!]

"Finish him now that he's blocked! I can't hold him up for long!" Han yelled, his legs threatening to buckle under the werewolf's immense weight.

Shay hesitated only for a moment before nodding, her grip tightening around her sword. A grateful, almost proud smile crossed her lips.

"Thanks, Han..."

She took a deep breath, raising her sword high into the air, gripping it with both hands. Power surged through her body, her stance solidifying, her blade gleaming in the dim light of the forest.

"Solemn Blade: King's Judgment!"

With all the strength she could muster, she swung downward with devastating force. The blade met its mark, cleaving through the creature's thick, sinewy neck in a single, powerful strike. The werewolf's body stiffened for a moment before, with a sickening crunch, its head was severed from its body.

A silence followed. The werewolf's body twitched violently, its limbs jerking uncontrollably before finally collapsing in a heap.

"Yes, we did it!" Jenna and Tess exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with a mix of relief and triumph.

Shay didn't waste a second. Her eyes locked on Han, who was still holding the failed werewolf head in place, his body not being able to move away from that position because of the strain. Without hesitation, she rushed to his side. She carefully began to pry the werewolf's fang from his shoulder, her hands shaking slightly as she worked.

"Han, are you fine?" Shay asked, her voice laced with concern, her breath coming faster as she examined the wound.

"Yes, I am allrigh—" Han began to reply, but as he spoke, his shoulder began to turn an alarming shade of purple. His breath hitched, his vision blurred, and before anyone could react, he collapsed forward, his body crumpling to the ground with a heavy thud.

[Han (☆) has fallen into a state of poisoning. His health will decrease every second.]

"Han! Han!" Shay's voice rose in panic, her hands desperately trying to shake him awake. Jenna and Tess rushed over, their faces twisted in worry.

"What's happening to Han?" Jenna asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"I don't kno—" Shay began to say, but then her eyes widened in realization. "That damn wolf! Its fangs were poisoned!"

[Stage Clear!]

"Why aren't we getting back to the lobby?! Hurry up! Han will die at this rate!" Shay screamed, looking up at the sky as if pleading with whatever force had brought them there. Her eyes darted to the horizon, her desperation palpable.

And, as if in response, the world began to shift. A glowing blue light enveloped their bodies, the familiar sensation of teleportation taking hold.

[Han (☆), Jenna (☆), Tess (☆☆), Shay (☆☆☆☆) leveled up!]

Their forms slowly transformed into particles of blue light, but Han's body remained motionless, his muscles twitching, his body convulsing. His arms jerked as if his very bones were trying to rebuild themselves. The pain he must have been feeling was unimaginable.

[Han (☆) is in a state of transformation. He will completely lose his reason after the process is complete.]

"Faster!" Shay screamed, panic rising in her chest as she watched Han's body tremble uncontrollably. "Hurry up!"

[MVP - Shay (☆☆☆☆)]

[Reward: 10,000 G, Iron Ore (B) x1, Fur (B) x28, Leather (B) x1]

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How was this chapter? Am I cooking or not?

Is how I am raising the difficulty allright? Also, I won't do this on every floor.