Chapter 49: Accident

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Accident

"Dawn Lord, please grant them courage to face the enemies ahead!"

Anya stood up almost simultaneously. She lightly tapped the surface of her Shield with the Nail Hammer in her hand and chanted loudly.

The Holy Emblem on the Shield suddenly flared with light. Golden radiance carved three clear trajectories into the night, landing on Rain, who was initiating a Charge, and on Lorin and Pip, who ran out from behind the large boulder with Quick Steps.

By now, Rain had dashed right up to the Rock-dwelling Salamander. A layer of platinum light flared on the blade of his Two-Handed Giant Sword as he viciously slashed at its flank.

The smooth skin of the Rock-dwelling Salamander possessed an unexpected Tenacity. Rain’s seemingly heavy and powerful slash merely tore open a gash, barely even drawing any splattering blood.

Fortunately, backed by Anya’s Blessing, platinum Flames instantly ignited at the site of the open wound.

"ROAR—"

The Rock-dwelling Salamander hissed in pain. Its massive body whipped around violently, sending its thick tail sweeping toward Rain.

Rain raised his Giant Sword in front of him to block. BANG! A loud crash echoed as he stumbled back several paces, nearly being sent flying altogether.

"What terrifying Power..." Lorin watched the scene, clicking his tongue inwardly. "If Pip or I take a solid hit from that, God knows where we’ll be sent flying."

"Don’t take it head-on!" Anya warned aloud.

She lacked Rain’s Power of Frenzy, but her movements were far more precise and nimble. Seizing the opening, she smashed her Nail Hammer into the joint of one of the Rock-dwelling Salamander’s front legs.

It immediately let out an ear-piercing shriek. The leg violently recoiled, and its body tilted heavily to one side.

"Watch out!"

Anya’s attack succeeded. Just as she tried to retreat to the side, she heard a hurried warning from behind her.

The Rock-dwelling Salamander stomped forcefully against the ground, steadying its body once more. It whipped its head around and lunged at her with its jaws wide open, revealing rows of dense, fine teeth.

She hastily raised the Triangle Shield in her left hand to block. Angling her body slightly and bending her knees, she braced herself to take the blow head-on in a standard defensive posture.

The Rock-dwelling Salamander clamped its jaws down. The Holy Emblem on the Shield’s surface lit up with a faint glimmer, enveloping Anya like a thin mist and allowing her to barely maintain her stance.

Seeing that it could not bite through the Shield directly, it violently thrashed its head, jerking Anya’s Shield left and right in an attempt to throw her to the ground.

Just then, a Flaming Arrow streaked across the night sky, accurately striking its already injured front limb. The intense heat scorched its skin until it cracked inch by inch, emitting a pungent, charred stench.

The Rock-dwelling Salamander let out a deafening wail of agony, but the attack still failed to bring it down. If anything, the excruciating pain only incited its ferocious nature.

It shook its head from side to side. Realizing it could not chew through the two people in front of it, it actually broke into a wild dash directly toward Erin’s position.

Anya slammed her Nail Hammer into its flank, caving in a chunk of flesh, but it did not pause in the slightest. Regardless of the injury, it launched into a Charge.

"Rain, stop it!"

The moment her voice fell, Rain charged out from the sidelines. His Full Plate Armor emitted heavy metallic clanks as he ran, yet his speed wasn’t hindered in the slightest.

In just a few strides, he arrived at the Rock-dwelling Salamander’s flank. The Giant Sword in his hands was suddenly shrouded in a layer of red light.

"Fierce Strike!"

He roared in fury. The blade sliced through the air with a muffled whistle, hacking viciously into the Rock-dwelling Salamander’s side.

The skin’s Tenacity could not withstand the attack this time. The sharp Two-Handed Giant Sword sank deeply into its flesh, causing dark red blood to spray out.

The Rock-dwelling Salamander shrieked miserably and abruptly halted its Charge. For the first time, a look of sheer terror surfaced in its amber eyes.

"Looks like we won’t be needed this time," Pip said softly.

Watching the giant Beast gradually give way under the trio’s tacit cooperation, Lorin breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded in agreement but suddenly froze in place, as if he had spotted something.

His eyes widened to their limits as he peered toward the direction of the thicket.

Erin was hiding behind the oak tree, rapidly chanting a Spell. A Flaming Arrow flared to life at the tip of her Magic Staff. Beneath the flickering light of the Flame, a Dark Shadow was illuminated behind her.

Shockingly, another Rock-dwelling Salamander had appeared there!

Compared to the adult being besieged by Anya and Rain, this salamander appeared much smaller.

Its body was only five or six feet long, and the six feather-like external gills on the sides of its face had yet to fade. It was clearly a Juvenile Form.

It had crawled ashore from behind the thicket at some unknown time, perfectly bypassing the Frost Array by the riverbank.

Its slender body remained unhindered by the tangled trees. Taking advantage of the chaos, it had stealthily crept right behind Erin.

"Pip, keep an eye on things here!"

Lorin’s heart skipped a beat. He shouted in a low voice and dashed toward the thicket, swiftly stepping into the gaps between the gravel.

The current distance was simply too great. He could only use Shadow Step to close the gap first, then use Lightning Traction to pull Erin out of the thicket.

His mind raced. Because Shadow Step could not leap through pure darkness, his gaze quickly landed on Anya, who was besieging the adult.

The Holy Emblem on the Triangle Shield in her hand was glowing faintly, casting their Shadows onto the ground. It was the perfect springboard.

"Erin! Watch your back!"

In an instant, everyone’s gaze shifted to Erin, and they simultaneously noticed the monster rapidly closing in behind her.

"Erin!!"

Anya’s voice lost its usual composure. She hurriedly dodged a sweeping tail and swiftly backed away to the side.

"Dawn eternal, protect her!"

She rapidly recited a prayer, her Nail Hammer tapping the Shield’s surface once more. A ray of radiant light immediately descended from the sky, landing squarely on Erin.

Erin turned her head in horror, only to see the Juvenile Form already pouncing right in front of her.

She knew it was too late to cancel her Magic and dodge, so she could only grit her teeth and hurl the Flaming Arrow in her hand.

The Flaming Arrow detonated almost flush against her body. The blast of Flame instantly enveloped both her and the Juvenile Form, yet it was blocked by a ring of transparent Shield surrounding Erin, leaving her completely unscathed.

The Juvenile Form of the Rock-dwelling Salamander, however, had no Priest to cast a Shield on it. Its head took a direct hit from the Flaming Arrow, and several of its external gills were blown into the air.

It let out an ear-piercing shriek. The shockwave of the explosion forced it to stumble backward, but that was all.

The Juvenile Form shook its head and, entirely fearless of death, lunged at Erin once again.

"Dodge! The Devout Shield can only block one hit!" Anya yelled in sheer panic.

Having just completed her casting, Erin had no time to use a Shield Skill again. With death imminent, she suddenly calmed down.

"Seven-Color Spray!"

The Red-haired Mage gently twisted the ring on her finger. A dazzling burst of radiant, multi-colored light condensed at her fingertips almost instantly, then sprayed fiercely toward the Juvenile Form of the Rock-dwelling Salamander.