Dwarf and barbarian—natural adversaries to both druid and wizard.

  Unlike Sam's previous battle, these opponents would not fall with a single strike.

  The Butcher and The Giant charged forward, their heavy footfalls shaking the ground like war drums. But oddly enough, Sam felt calm. This time, he had Sir Erynd by his side.

  Without hesitation, Sam raised his hand and unleashed Cyclone Blast. A furious gust of wind howled through the battlefield, slamming into the charging warriors. The dwarf and barbarian staggered backward, caught in the storm’s wrath. The dwarf, lighter than his companion, was hurled off his feet, tumbling through the air before crashing hard onto the ground with a grunt. However, the barbarian, muscles bulging like steel cables, dug his heels into the dirt, refusing to be thrown off balance.

  “This is bad,” Sam muttered. “He’s holding his ground!”

  [Gorgroth’s Call cast]

  A deep, guttural sound rumbled through the air as a towering figure materialized before Sam. Standing nearly two meters tall, the summoned beast loomed over its summoner with a single, monstrous head. Its form resembled a grotesquely oversized carnivorous plant, thick vines twisting like sinewy muscles, roots burrowing deep into the soil. Its enormous maw gaped open like a venus flytrap, lined with jagged, bioluminescent teeth pulsating with eerie green energy.

  Thick, leathery petals curled and uncurled around its head, moving in a slow, predatory rhythm, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike. A pungent, earthy scent filled the air—a mix of damp soil and the unmistakable stench of decay, the remnants of prey that had strayed too close.

  With a deafening roar, the creature unleashed three blazing projectiles from the depths of its gaping maw. The fiery bolts hurtled toward the barbarian, crashing into him with explosive force.

  “GRRAAAAH!” The Giant let out a guttural cry as he stumbled, momentarily caught off guard.

  “Now! Fireball!” Sir Erynd’s voice rang sharp and commanding.

  Sam snapped out of his awe and immediately channeled his energy. Flames coalesced into a dense sphere in his palm before he hurled it straight at the barbarian.

  BLAAAR!

  The explosion engulfed the warrior in searing flames. But as the smoke cleared, Sam’s heart sank.

  The massive enemy stood tall, his massive arms crossed in front of him. His skin bore the charred marks of the fire’s impact, but he barely flinched. With a growl, he uncurled his fists, embers still smoldering against his burnt flesh.

  “No way...” Sam breathed, fear creeping into his voice.

  This was the same spell that had taken down The Manslayer. But against this opponent, it had barely done a thing.

  For the first time in this battle, doubt gnawed at the edges of Sam’s confidence.

  ***

  “Stay behind me and focus on the dwarf,” I ordered Sam, who looked visibly shaken.

  The Giant roared in fury and charged at us, with The Butcher following close behind. Fortunately, Gorgroth stood as our guardian, its massive, twisting body shielding us from multiple angles despite being unable to move freely.

  The approaching Barbarian was intercepted by my summon. With the power of Inner Beast, Gorgroth clamped its massive jaws around the larger warrior, lifted him effortlessly, and hurled him away. No sooner had the Barbarian hit the ground then Gorgroth, now with Spitfire off cooldown, unleashed another blast, flames bursting from its maw toward the incoming enemies.

  I followed up with an attack of my own, channeling energy through my staff and firing a blast—though, to my frustration, the impact was weak, barely affecting our foes.

  Unfazed, The Butcher lunged forward. Sam, still taking cover behind Gorgroth, lashed out with Aqua Whip, striking the Dwarf repeatedly.

  "Hah! Is this supposed to hurt?" The Butcher mocked, laughing as the water lash struck his thick armor. The attacks barely made a dent. But despite the taunt, Sam didn’t stop.

  The muscular dwarf pressed forward, his steps growing heavier. His body swelled slightly as his form became denser.

  I clenched my jaw. Unyielding Stance.

  This skill made the user incredibly difficult to push back, allowing them to stand their ground even against overwhelming odds. Knowing he couldn't bypass Gorgroth, The Butcher chose instead to tear the summon apart.

  He swung his massive Meat Cleaver repeatedly, striking Gorgroth in rapid succession. The plant-beast retaliated with vicious bites and headbutts, but the dwarf barely flinched, continuing his relentless assault.

  “S-Sir Erynd…” Sam's voice wavered. He could see it—the deep cuts forming along Gorgroth’s body, the once-mighty summon beginning to falter.

  [Rejuvenation cast]

  [Tempest Shield cast]

  “Wait until his size returns to normal,” I instructed.

  Steeling myself, I charged forward to engage The Giant directly.

  I was aware of the sad truth—Gorgroth couldn’t hold both enemies off at once.

  Facing the barbarian without Tempest Shield, I was forced to block his attacks with my body, while trying to dodge. Bruises and cuts were visible all over my body.

  A few minutes later, the barbarian’s iron brass knuckles slammed into my face. My vision blurred. A sharp pain exploded through my skull, and before I knew it, I was airborne.

  I hit the ground hard. My limbs felt sluggish, my thoughts sluggish.

  I can still fight.

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  I forced my body to move, activating Galestride and slipping my staff into sub-space.

  Druid Boxer Mode.

  The barbarian smirked, ready to finish me off. But he wasn’t expecting what came next.

  I dashed forward, weaving past his swings with swift, fluid motion before countering with a flurry of precise punches. The Giant’s expression shifted from smug confidence to shock as my blows connected. His bulky frame staggered slightly. He hadn’t expected a druid to match him in close combat.

  My attacks weren’t as strong as before—due to the missing Fangbone Scepter—but they were enough to make him bleed.

  I glanced to the side for a moment, caught a glimpse of The Butcher stumbling backward.

  “Hey, keep your eyes on me!” The Giant sneered, stepping forward.

  Sam’s keeping up.

  Good.

  This fight was far from over.

  ***

  Sam waited patiently as the dwarf's body slowly shrank back to its original size. His grip tightened, his heart pounding in his chest. The moment The Butcher returned to normal, Sam’s eyes flashed with determination.

  "Now's my chance!" he muttered under his breath.

  Without wasting another second, he unleashed another Cyclone Blast. A powerful gust of wind spiraled toward The Butcher, slamming into him and sending him stumbling backward with a grunt. Seizing the opportunity, Sam swiftly reached into the ground and grabbed one of the Mana Potions Sir Erynd had given him earlier. He popped the cork and downed it in one go, feeling a surge of energy course through his veins.

  Not letting up, he thrust his hand forward.

  "Aqua Whip!"

  The water whip struck repeatedly, drenching the dwarf from head to toe. The Butcher growled, shaking his head as droplets sprayed from his thick beard. His eyes burned with rage.

  "You little brat!" he snarled, his voice dripping with fury. "Just you wait! Once I'm done cutting down that cursed plant, the next one will be your neck!"

  Sam clenched his jaw. This should be enough.

  A crackle filled the air.

  [Lightning Strike cast]

  A cluster of electricity surged in the sky above The Butcher’s head. His eyes widened.

  BZZZZT! BLAAR!

  A bolt of lightning crashed down, striking his soaked body. His muscles convulsed violently as he let out a strangled cry before collapsing onto one knee.

  KRRKK! ZZZAP!

  Another bolt followed. Sam didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t about to take any risks.

  KRAAAKK!

  A third and final Lightning Strike struck The Butcher dead-on. His massive body jerked before finally falling to the ground with a loud thud. He lay there, motionless, steam rising from his charred clothes.

  Sam stood frozen for a moment, his breath ragged. His hands trembled as the adrenaline drained from his body. Only then did he finally exhale, allowing himself a moment of relief.

  "...That was close."

  ***

  I could hear the crackling of lightning striking multiple times, each one louder and more terrifying than the last. The air was filled with the sharp, agonized screams of the enemy. Then, with the final strike—silence.

  Did he do it?

  I found myself exhaling in relief, a small, involuntary smile forming on my lips. Sam actually pulled it off.

  But there was no time to celebrate. My focus snapped back to the real threat—The Giant.

  The worst thing about fighting a barbarian was that the lower their HP got, the more monstrous their combat abilities became. And right now, I could already see the crimson energy surging around his fists.

  Not good.

  He lunged forward with terrifying speed.

  BOOM!

  His fist connected with my torso, sending a shockwave rippling through my body. Pain exploded from within, like my organs had just been scrambled. Blood spilled from my mouth as I staggered backward.

  I needed an opening—any opening.

  Clenching my jaw, I reached for my staff and activated Inner Beast. The familiar rush of primal energy surged through me. But I didn’t stop there. The moment my staff disappeared back into my inventory, I threw a devastating punch straight into his liver.

  "Urgh—!" The barbarian grunted, his massive frame buckling slightly as he clutched his side in pain.

  That’s my chance!

  Ignoring the searing ache in my body, I stumbled backward, forcing as much distance between us as I could. There was no way I could beat him in a one-on-one fight—not like this.

  BLAAAR!

  A fiery explosion erupted in front of me. Samus’ Fireball struck The Giant’s head dead-on. The impact sent the towering warrior crashing to the ground, buying me just enough time to retreat.

  Without hesitation, I ducked behind Gorgroth, my breathing ragged. My hands fumbled as I chugged down a low-rank healing potion and cast Rejuvenation. Even with both effects, I could barely keep my vision steady—my HP was dangerously low.

  Then, the entire arena shook.

  An overwhelming, oppressive aura filled The Pit, radiating from the barbarian.

  Oh no.

  The crimson energy that had once coated only his hands now engulfed his entire body. His veins bulged, his muscles twitched uncontrollably, and his eyes gleamed with raw, unrestrained fury.

  Then—he charged.

  The ground cracked beneath his feet with every step, each one echoing like a drum of war.

  "Gorgroth, Spitfire!"

  The blast of flames shot toward him, but he merely swiped it away with his bare hand—as if it was nothing.

  "Darn it—Sam, fall back!" I shouted, raising my staff. "Tempest Shield!"

  BAM! BAM! BAM!

  Every punch he threw missed its target. However, I could feel the shockwaves reverberating through my body… I managed to deflect his attacks—but the explosions that followed each impact still tore through me.

  [Warning: Your HP has fallen below 10%]

  BLAAAR!

  An explosion erupted against my stomach, sending me flying.

  [Warning: Your HP has fallen below 5%]

  My vision blurred. My limbs felt like lead. My knees buckled.

  I was fading.

  The last thing I saw was The Giant’s fist, swinging straight for my head.

  Then—

  A snarl.

  Out of nowhere, Gorgroth lunged, sinking his teeth into The Giant’s leg and yanking him away from me.

  I collapsed onto the ground, unable to move, forced to watch as my Spirit Beast took the brunt of The Giant’s relentless assault.

  Blow after blow rained down on Gorgroth. Its body convulsed, its form flickering. And then—

  It vanished.

  The Giant stood tall, his shadow looming over me. His face twisted into a cruel, merciless grin as he stepped forward.

  I tried to move. I couldn’t. My HP was almost gone.

  My Mana was depleted.

  I had nothing left.

  This… this is it.

  hold up—we’ve still got YOU! Yes, you!

  just maybe—his Mana will miraculously come back. Stranger things have happened.

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