Chapter 161: A Little More Progress II

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: A Little More Progress II

Damon stepped in when two of the beasts broke through the formation.

Silver lightning flashed around his arm as he released a concentrated strike. The first boar was hit in the head and thrown sideways, while the second was forced to halt as Freya appeared beside him.

Freya flicked her tails.

A wave of silver lightning crashed into the beast, leaving it stunned long enough for Damon to finish it with another strike.

"Keep going," he said calmly. "Don’t let them regroup."

The others responded immediately.

Caelia controlled the battlefield with her Ice Arts, while Shiro and Snow took advantage of the openings she created. The remaining boars fell one after another, and the group soon cleared the path.

Damon looked toward Snow.

"You’re adjusting faster now. You didn’t try to overpower their lightning directly."

Snow gave a pleased cry.

"Keep that up. The more elements you encounter, the more ways you’ll find to deal with them."

He was satisfied with her progress.

Snow had mostly fought Ice Elemental beasts in Frostveil, where her own element often met considerable resistance. But Tempest Hollow was giving her experience against both Wind and Lightning, forcing her to adjust her movement and attacks.

Shiro was improving just as quickly.

His ability to observe an opponent and adapt his Arts had become much more noticeable, and Damon was curious to see how far he could take that talent.

They continued moving.

As they drew closer to the outside, the number of beasts increased. Sylphie’s scouting helped them avoid several large groups, including a pack of C-rank Windrazor Hounds and a cluster of B-rank Thunderwing Crows nesting near a lightning-struck cliff.

The crows were particularly troublesome. They attacked from the air and could release concentrated lightning bolts from their wings.

Damon decided not to engage them.

They weren’t blocking the route, and fighting flying beasts in the middle of a storm would only waste their time.

Instead, Sylphie guided the group through a narrow ravine, where the high walls concealed their presence.

However, the farther they travelled, the more signs of the crisis they began to notice.

The ground was littered with broken weapons and damaged equipment. Some of the trees had been torn apart, while others were blackened by repeated lightning strikes.

Then they came across the remains of a small expedition.

Several abandoned packs lay scattered near a boulder, and a broken Aether crystal lantern flickered weakly beside them. Not far away, the remains of a few explorers could be seen among the rocks.

Caelia stopped.

Her expression turned grim.

"They didn’t make it."

Damon looked around carefully.

There were claw marks on the nearby stones, and the ground had been torn up by something much larger than the beasts they had fought earlier.

He crouched beside one of the abandoned packs, checking its contents.

"Looks like they were trying to get out."

He stood up and glanced toward the distant storm.

"Let’s keep moving. We don’t know how long ago this happened, and there may still be beasts nearby."

Caelia nodded, though her expression remained heavy.

The sight was a reminder that the dangers of Tempest Hollow weren’t limited to the battles they could win. Many explorers had likely entered the zone expecting a difficult mission, only to become trapped as the mutation worsened.

Damon didn’t dwell on it.

He couldn’t save anyone by standing around, and the best thing they could do now was reach the frontline and find out what was happening.

Soon, they encountered another group of beasts.

This time, it was a pack of nine B-rank Tempest Hounds, accompanied by four A-rank Thunderhorn Beasts.

Damon immediately recognized the danger.

The Tempest Hounds were fast, using Wind Elemental Arts to overwhelm their prey, while the Thunderhorn Beasts possessed powerful Lightning Elemental attacks. Together, they could cover each other’s weaknesses and make it difficult for their opponents to retreat.

Worse still, they were gathered along the narrow route leading toward the outside.

Damon studied their formation.

"We’ll have to fight this one."

Caelia stepped forward.

"Then let’s finish it."

Damon smiled.

"That’s the spirit. But be careful. Those A-rank beasts aren’t like the ones we’ve faced so far."

He looked toward Freya and Sylphie.

"Help them keep the pressure under control. I’ll take care of anything that gets out of hand."

Freya’s silver lightning crackled around her body, while Sylphie spread her emerald wings.

The moment the group advanced, the beasts charged.

The Tempest Hounds moved first, spreading out across the battlefield as they released several overlapping blades of wind. The attacks swept toward the group, cutting through the unstable Aether and forcing Caelia to raise a series of ice barriers.

The barriers absorbed the first wave, but the Hounds were already circling around them.

At the same time, the Thunderhorn Beasts lowered their heads.

Lightning gathered around their horns before they released several powerful bolts that tore through the frozen ground.

"Shiro, hold the front!" Caelia shouted. "Snow, stay close to him!"

Shiro activated Frostbound Sanctuary.

A wide field of ice spread beneath the beasts, raising pillars and frozen ridges that disrupted their advance. Snow moved through the formations, intercepting the Hounds that tried to slip past.

But the A-rank beasts were too powerful to be held back by ordinary ice formations.

One Thunderhorn charged straight through the Sanctuary, shattering the pillars in its path. Its horns glowed with concentrated lightning as it rushed toward Shiro.

Shiro braced himself, but the impact sent him sliding backward.

Before the beast could follow up, Freya appeared in its path.

Her silver lightning erupted, striking the Thunderhorn across its chest and forcing it to stagger.

Sylphie followed from above, releasing a concentrated blast of wind that drove the beast away from Shiro.

Damon took the opportunity to move forward.

"Caelia, focus on the Hounds. I’ll deal with the Thunderhorns."

Caelia nodded.

She raised both hands, and Ice Elemental Aether surged around her. Several ice spears formed in the air before shooting toward the Hounds.