Revenge pact

"Hehe, walk it off." Unfazed by her comrade's injuries, Luna let out a casual chuckle. She then unceremoniously raised her blade once more with her usual smirk, preparing her second attack on the Koko.

"How considerate."

After dealing with the initial threat posed by Lutz van Alexia, the beast, whose vision was gradually returning, redirected its attention toward the Second Rising Star.

"ARRR!"

Luna, once again enveloping her blade in Earthly Aura, executed a vertical slash aimed at the beast's chest. Her intentions were very clear: to rupture its thick hide and inflict as much damage as possible.

"I'm also here!" Feeling left out, the First Rising star, Tarzy, also took his turn.

He coated his transformed right fist in a thick layer of Earthly Aura and lunged forward, aiming to deliver a powerful punch to the Koko's back.

Despite facing two separate attacks coming from different directions as well as the looming threat from the two girls who were preparing spells from a distance, the beast's determination didn't waver.

Instead, its rage grew and further fueled its frenzied bloodlust.

"GRRR" Without a hint of fear, the beast seized the transformed arm of the First Rising Star and swung him with a violent force towards Luna, who posed a significant threat with her blade. This maneuver aimed to eliminate both threats in a single move, and it accomplished this objective with flying colors.

The outcome was nothing short of jarring; both the first and second Rising Stars were sent hurtling through several trees as if they were mere ragdolls.

"Ah!"

"Fuck!"

"Light Magic: Grand Cannon!"

With her magic staff aimed directly at Koko's injured shoulder, Amber unleashed a solid beam of light at a speed so astonishing that even the Pink Rank Magic Beast couldn't match.

TCHU

SPLURT

Despite its fresh wound, which was now spewing blood rapidly, the beast didn't show any signs of slowing down.

Instead, it shifted its attention towards two new targets: the two girls who stood at the rear, fulfilling the role of support.

With their teammates no longer present to protect them, they appeared vulnerable and had become prime targets for the primate's wrath.

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD

"WHO WHO WHO!" Raising both its arms, one injured and the other still robust, the ape-like beast began pounding its chest with rapid and thunderous thuds, a physical manifestation of its seething rage.

"Marie." Maintaining her composure, Amber prepared herself for a direct melee confrontation with the beast.

Her golden eyes remained fixed on the beast, as it started to make swift strides on all fours.

"On it!" With her mind being forced to work overdrive, Marie summoned numerous purple magic circles wherever the beast stepped, amplifying the gravitational force in each location.

"Gravity Magic: Ton Zones!"

Whenever the Koko entered one of the magic circles, it experienced a relentless crushing sensation in its joints and bones, sustaining minor internal damage with every passing moment.

"GRRR!!"

Despite this excruciating ordeal, the beast pressed onward, its vision completely consumed by an intense scarlet hue, not from the blood gushing from its eyes, but rather from its insatiable rage.

'It won't stop, I need to set up a barrier.' Raising her staff, Amber conjured a golden magic circle beneath herself and Marie, forming a solid, translucent golden barrier. This barrier was designed to obstruct the beast's advances and provide them with protection against any attacks the Koko would inevitably unleash.

"Light Magic: Salus' Barrier!"

BAM BAM BAM

Upon finally reaching the barrier, the beast showed no hesitation as it unleashed a barrage of strikes, threatening the structural integrity of the barrier with each mighty blow.

BAM BAM BAM

"WHOO WHOO WHOO!"

'This won't hold up for long...'

"Princess!" With a soft groan, Tarzy roughly pushed Luna off his body without regard for her well-being. He then sprinted forward with a determined stride, racing to protect his childhood friend, driven by his unwavering resolve to shield her from harm.

"How gentlemanly..." Feeling slightly lightheaded, Luna took a few moments to regain her footing and retrieve her gladius, which had been flung several meters away.

After securing her weapon, she too joined the dash to protect the only two combatants in their group capable of healing them after the battle.

BAM BAM BAM

SHATTER

Using its healthy arm, the beast finally succeeded in breaking through the light barrier, narrowly missing the caster of the spell with its powerful strike.

"GRRR!!"

Confronting the magic knight responsible for the majority of the damage it had sustained throughout the entire battle, the Koko utilized its injured arm to deliver a powerful blow directly to Amber's chest.

The force of the blow immediately disarmed her and sent her hurtling towards a nearby tree and, in the process, fractured her sternum.

CRACK

"Ah!"

"Imperial Thunder Arts: Rumbling Slash!"

GORO GORO

With her spatha coated in a generous layer of Earthly Aura, Marie executed a powerful slash at the Koko's hefty arm, cleanly severing its large hand from its forearm.

SLASH

This impressive strike was the most significant blow delivered to the beast since the drawn-out battle had begun.

"GGRRRRHHH!"

Startled by the searing pain emanating from the stump that was once its hand, the Koko shifted its entire focus to the third imperial princess, its rage reaching its boiling point and teetering on the precipice of utter insanity.

BUDUMP BUDUMP BUDUMP

With her heart racing and the blood pounding in her ears, Marie was acutely aware of the consequences her actions had triggered...

"Princess!" Despite covering a significant amount of ground in those fleeting seconds, Tarzy arrived just a moment too late.

Using its other hand, the Koko violently grabbed her by the leg and lifted her using its deep green eyes to lock eyes with the girl and exhaled sharply, overwhelming her nose with the horrid stench of its breath.

"GRRRR!"

The beast, having captured its prey, didn't waste any more time.

It promptly hurled the girl into the air, and not just a few meters upward, but with a force akin to a mere shotput, sending her hurtling through dozens of trees and propelling her hundreds of meters away.

WHOOSH

Her life status is immediately unknown to all her comrades present...

"Princess?" Tears welled up in Tarzy's eyes as he charged forward, his fury and sorrow matching that of the formidable beast they confronted.

'Transformation Magic: Further Augumentation." The magic circle at the center of his chest expanded, and with a determined will, Tarzy caused both his arms to undergo further transformation.

They grew larger, and the white spikes adorning them became more pronounced and razor-sharp, all the while he continued to lather them in a vibrant blue aura.

"You WILL pay!" With his voice now taking on a monstrous and distorted quality, Tarzy landed a powerful punch squarely on the beast's jaw.

BAM

This action marking the beginning of a menacing melee confrontation between the beast and beast-like man.

BAM

"GRR?!" With blood running down the side of its face, the Koko redirected its attention to the magic knight who dared to challenge it.

Flashing its sharp, pearly fangs, the Koko launched a devastating punch of its own, directed at Tarzy's neck.

WHOOSH

Demonstrating his superior martial prowess, Tarzy tilted his head skillfully, allowing the attack to narrowly miss him and create an opportunity for him to launch a counterattack.

BAM

Opting to execute an uppercut, Tarzy delivered a remarkable blow to the beast's chin, with the Earthly Aura on his monstrous hands dwindling in the process.

"WHOO!"

Utilizing its healthy arm, the Koko managed to swat Tarzy away, resulting in a resounding crack of the first Rising Star's bones.

"Shit!"

CRACK

"Wind Magic: Bladed tempest!"

In the air, just behind the beast's back, Luna had caught up to the first Rising Star. She bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

With her outstretched palm and a gray magic circle, she summoned dozens of streaks of wind magic and unleashed several powerful gales toward the Koko.

This onslaught of wind resulted in numerous deep and shallow cuts on the beast's back, further exacerbating the wounds she had previously inflicted.

SLASH SLASH SLASH

SPLURT SPLURT SPLURT

"No need to cry, your precious princess will be fine. And if she isn't she was never worthy of being in my squad anywa-"

Interrupting Luna's commentary, the Koko fixed a fierce glare on the girl hovering above.

With a swift motion, it swung its fist like a hammer, striking the girl with devastating force and sending her tumbling out of the air once again.

CRACK

The impact left her with a few broken ribs as she was sent flying.

"What the actual fuck!" Cursing aloud with blood spilling from her mouth, Luna's plummet was halted by a nearby tree, preventing a more severe landing.

BAM

Rubbing his abdomen gently with the arm that wasn't holding his rapier, Lutz emitted a formidable Earthly Aura that his weapon quickly absorbed.

DUMMMM

Once he had generated the required amount of Aura, he gathered all the strength in his legs, preparing to dash forward and commence his assault.

"Alexian A-"

BAM

Interrupting Lutz's impending attack and leaving all the remaining combatants stunned, the beast received a powerful kick to its chest, sending it soaring through the air. The appearance of the unexpected figure left the squad members in awe and disbelief...

The Seventh Rising Star had arrived.

"If you keep playing with your prey, a scavenger will steal it."