The half-monster males suddenly stopped.
Then they began to move slowly, spreading out.
One by one, they widened the distance, stepping back little by little without ever taking their eyes off Rena, Claire, and Tina.
Their movements were strange—too strange to say they were unaware.
Too synchronized.
Yet they still felt like mindless monsters.
At least, that's what the three of them thought as they watched those monsters—
especially Hero Claire and Rena, who were now witnessing their behavior firsthand with their own eyes.
Until finally,
the formation formed itself.
A large semicircle.
Surrounding the three of them.
In the center of that circle,
the three humans stood close together inside the protective spell.
A translucent layer of light surrounded them, pulsing softly whenever Tina's mana moved.
That light illuminated the ground around their feet.
The giant chicken monster kept walking, this time tilting its head slowly.
The cockatrice walked while scraping its claws against the ground, producing a sharp sound that made the hair stand on end.
The black wolf kept walking, releasing hot steam mixed with blood from between its jaws.
The frog monster walked and occasionally inflated its body, revealing the bones inside its transparent stomach.
And the fish monster with human legs walked slowly like a human, its tiny eyes blinking irregularly.
Then the frog half-monster stopped, as if it had reached the right position.
The others kept moving slowly, in sync, toward the three of them.
Suddenly!!!
A frog's tongue shot out as fast as a spear, striking Hero Tina's protective spell repeatedly.
Bak, BakBakBakBakBakBakBakBak!!
Bak, BakBakBakBakBakBakBakBak!!
Bak, BakBakBakBakBakBakBakBak!!
Bak, BakBakBakBakBakBakBakBak!!
The attacks were too fast, like a child's arrow trying again and again to pierce a shield.
All three were shocked and startled—especially Hero Claire and Rena, who had seemed lost in thought moments before.
Then Hero Tina, with all her strength, held off the frog's attacks with her shield.
Aaaah!!!!
Damn!!!!!!!!
This attack…!!!! Truly!!! On par with a hero!!!!
Then Hero Claire, now fully aware, squinted her eyes, analyzed, and said with her cheeks lifted, looking at the frog monster.
This attack…
This must be a former marksman hero, Tina!!!
Hearing that, Hero Tina could only stay focused on blocking the frog's attacks, her brows furrowed.
Do it, Hero Claire… I'm sure you can disrupt it as a marksman hero!!
Hearing that, Hero Claire nodded, her eyes sharp as she looked at the frog monster, then briefly glanced at Rena, and spoke calmly.
Rena!!...
Now let's show Hero Anna who you've become!!
Hearing that, Rena pulled both hands out of her pockets and thought, her cheeks lifted.
Hero Anna… watch me, your student…
Then briefly, Rena looked at her right hand—where her great sword suddenly appeared.
…what I learned from you!!!
Suddenly!!!
Rena stepped out of Hero Tina's protective spell!!!
Now Rena was at the very front!!
Too far forward!!
Right where the frog monster was launching its attacks!!
Seeing that, Hero Tina realized what was about to happen, but before she could react to protect Rena again, one of the frog's attacks—which had been trying to pierce Tina's shield—now appeared right in front of Rena!!!!
Quickly, Rena tried to protect her body with her great sword, blocking one strike from the frog's tongue, her eyes sharp toward the frog monster.
Ahhh!!!!!!!!
Hold!!!!!
As Rena blocked it, cracking sounds echoed throughout her body, especially in her arms.
Brakk!!!
Brrkkkkk!!!!
Of course… realistically, it was nearly impossible for someone at Rena's level to block an attack from a half-monster male who had once been a marksman hero.
That moment was too fast, and in another fraction of a second, the next strike from the frog's lightning-fast tongue would come.
But Rena stood firm!!!
Her eyes showed no regret, no stress like before when she fought the flesh lump monster…
Her eyes remained sharp.
Her body remained standing.
She showed no fear.
Everything became one…
Suddenly, Rena's body moved again—
At least this time, her feet and both hands gripping her great sword were ready,
before the frog's next attack.
Finally, another strike from the frog's tongue appeared.
Then, with sparkling yet sharp eyes, as if pouring out everything she had,
Rena flashed a wide smile for an instant, then swung her sword just before the strike could hit her body.
Then suddenly, her eyes went blank—yet still felt focused and sharp—and her body looked strong, both her stance and her arms firm. Then she shouted loudly.
POWER SLASH!!!!!!
Instantly!!
A large, curved energy slash swept away the frog's tongue and also forced the other monsters that had been moving to step back slightly.
No color.
No visible form of released mana.
What Rena did felt like the attack came from the sheer speed of her sword swing—so fast that it created an arc from her strike!!
And now, in a solid stance, Rena waited for the next attack, her eyes still sharp and her body stable, then said.
Come on!!!
I'll fight you!!
And now, the three of them should have found their choice—visible from the fact that none of them left each other.
Or in plain terms…
Run away…