At that moment, warriors who had cleared the common Taunos regrouped and formed a wall before the mages.
The mages were their only hope to defeat the King of the Taunos.
Some warriors even stepped forward deliberately to draw its attention, then nimbly dodged its attacks and charges with agile movements.
Sophia and the mages never ceased their assault. Gradually, the King of the Taunos began showing clear signs of exhaustion.
With each axe swing, the squad’s high-level shield warriors could now barely withstand a single blow.
Seeing this, Raging Lion’s face lit up with even greater joy. “Mages, unleash your full power! We’re almost there!”
Sally also felt a flicker of relief—though her fingers were raw and bleeding from relentless shooting, she held firm.
But she knew she couldn’t shoot anymore. She could feel the bowstring growing loose.
One last shot!
Sally’s heart steadied slightly. She drew an arrow; faint emerald natural energy gathered at its tip.
Whoosh—thud!
The sound of flesh piercing was instantly drowned by the King of the Taunos’ furious roar.
Sally’s final arrow struck true—straight into its eye!
Though the blow grievously wounded the beast, it ignited boundless rage and fury within it!
“ROAR!”
Yanking the arrow from its blinded eye, the King of the Taunos charged recklessly toward Sally.
It seemed to know its end was near—and sought to drag the elf who had crippled it down to hell.
It remembered vividly: this damned elf had shot several of its kin clean through the head!
“Protect the archer!” Raging Lion roared. Shield warriors surged before Sally as magical orbs slammed into the beast.
But the King of the Taunos, beyond reason, ignored them all. Bloodshot horns plowed through the defenders with crushing force.
Now, Sally stood alone before the frenzied monster!
“H-help! Someone, help!”
Sally cried out, but exhaustion had drained even the strength to flee. All she could do was call helplessly.
“Sally!”
“Deputy Captain!”
Raging Lion and the squad abandoned nearby Taunos and rushed toward her as one.
Too late.
The massive axe swung down, its sharp edge reflecting Sally’s terrified face.
“Shengchuan’s Blessing!”
A water barrier shimmered into existence before her. The axe crashed down—spray exploded outward.
Thankfully, the barrier barely held.
Sophia frowned, magic flowing relentlessly to sustain the spell.
“Run!”
Sophia’s shout pulled Sally from despair. Scrambling on hands and knees, she fled the beast’s reach.
At that moment, Raging Lion’s squad arrived. Shield warriors and Sophia’s magic pinned the King of the Taunos in place.
Utterly spent, the beast finally fell beneath a storm of spells and arrows. Raging Lion’s greatsword severed its massive head.
It rolled far away.
THUD—
The headless corpse collapsed, kicking up dust. The squad slumped to the ground, breathless with relief.
They had won.
Sophia leaned heavily on her staff, gasping. That seventh-tier barrier had drained every last drop of her magic.
Raging Lion bowed deeply. “Thank you deeply, Honored Mage.”
Suppressing her weakness, Sophia straightened and replied calmly, “It’s nothing. Just doing my job for the pay.”
She would never show vulnerability—it was like whispering to hidden enemies: *I am a lamb awaiting slaughter.*
“Your reward will be generous,” Raging Lion assured her respectfully. He knew: without her spell, they’d have lost both a sharpshooter and their deputy captain.
Sophia waved dismissively.
Unseen by the relieved squad, a wounded Taunos crept silently toward them.
“Phew… That was terrifying,” Sally murmured, rubbing her trembling calves.
Her gaze drifted to Sophia speaking with her captain. Seeing her admired leader’s reverence toward the mage, a flicker of resentment stirred in Sally’s heart.
*After all… I was the one who turned the tide.*
*And I’m the one bleeding…*
*Why isn’t he comforting me first!?*
Sally forgot Sophia had just saved her. She glared fiercely at the mage’s back, eyes narrowing slightly.
Then—a low growl rumbled behind her.
Before she could react, a rough, mottled hand seized her waist.
“ROAR!”
A Taunos hoisted Sally high, roaring while swinging its axe.
Screams drew the squad’s attention. Raging Lion snatched his greatsword and sprinted toward her.
“Help me!”
Sally screamed, but only the beast’s roar and howling wind answered.
The squad raced to save her—but the Taunos, honoring its king’s last wish, carried her to the cliff’s edge and roared.
Sophia rushed forward, dragon-scale staff glowing crimson as arcane chants spilled from her lips.
“Water Sprite’s Tether!”
Water orbs materialized; silvery tendrils shot out, binding the Taunos.
Raging Lion lunged—
—but the beast roared, shattered the restraints, and leaped backward into The Abyss.
“Aaaah!”
Sally’s scream echoed. She knew: dragged down, she’d die on the rocks—or be devoured instantly by horrors below.
“Sally!”
“Deputy Captain!”
They reached the edge too late.
Just as despair gripped them all—a black figure shot past and lunged toward the cliff.
