Chapter 147: The Creature of poison
Scene: The ship sails cautiously through the thick green fog of the Poison Mist Sea. Visibility is low, and the air grows heavier with each passing moment, forcing everyone to channel their mana just to breathe safely. Commander Elara stands at the helm, her eyes scanning the water, her voice barely audible over the eerie hum of the mist.
Narrator: The heroes press onward, the poisonous mist thickening around them. Their senses are on high alert, but the oppressive silence and noxious air make it difficult to focus. Eren takes a deep breath, gathering his mana, and extends his Mana Burst ability to detect anything in their surroundings.
Commander Elara: (firmly) Everyone, stay sharp. We're not alone out here.
Eren: (concentrating) I'll try to sense it… (straining) but it's hard with this fog.
The group moves forward, each one tense and braced for attack. Suddenly, Eren catches sight of a massive shape lurking in the depths, just beneath the water.
Eren: (shouting) There—watch out!
But the mist absorbs his warning, muffling his voice. Just as he tries again to alert the group, a tentacle bursts from the water, coated in poison, and lashes out with violent force. It strikes Commander Elara, sending her flying backward. She crashes against the mast, her mana mask shattering as she gasps for air.
Zarek: (angrily) Get back, monster! Holy Bomb!
He launches a blazing sphere of Divine Mana at the creature, but it hardly flinches. Rylan narrows his eyes, summoning his Abyssal Blade to slash at its tentacles, managing to sever several. But to his horror, the appendages regenerate almost instantly.
Zarek: (frustrated) It's healing too fast! How are we supposed to stop this thing?
Eren teleports above the creature using Spatial Drift, materializing on its massive head. His sword flares as he summons his Scarlet Steel, driving it deep into the creature's scales. The creature writhes in pain, its poisonous mist briefly thinning enough for the group to hear each other.
Kirito: (calling out) Try using Elemental Mana! That might be enough to keep it from regenerating!
Eren and Rylan lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. With a synchronized leap, they charge up their Lightning Bolts, their voices echoing as they call out in unison.
Eren and Rylan:Lightning Bolt!
Their bolts crackle with electric energy, striking the creature and causing it to release an ear-splitting scream. Aria channels her Wind Mana, summoning razor-sharp gusts as she shouts her next attack.
Aria:Wind Shards!
Her shards slice into the creature's body, but the wounds seal up as quickly as they're made. Frustration mounts as the creature regenerates almost instantly, showing no sign of weakening.
Asher: (gritting his teeth) This is impossible… there has to be a way to stop it!
Narrator: Just as they're about to lose hope, Asher's mana picks up something strange—a pulsing core inside the creature, radiating a concentrated form of poison. His eyes widen as he realizes it might be the key to their victory.
Asher: (shouting) The core! There's a core inside it, radiating poison. If we can destroy it, we might be able to kill it!
Eren nods, a determined glint in his eyes. He and Asher step back, focusing their mana to prepare a new, combined attack.
Eren: (grinning) I think it's time for a stronger Fusion Burst. Only this time… let's give it some elemental power.
Asher: (nodding) Exactly. Let's end this.
The two of them channel their mana, concentrating their elements—lightning for Eren and water for Asher. Their auras flare as the combined energy swells between them, growing into a swirling sphere of crackling blue and red. They name their new attack as it charges, shouting in unison.
Eren and Asher:AquaThunder Burst!
With a final burst of energy, they leap into the air, aiming the sphere directly at the creature's chest. The sphere makes contact, the explosive impact resonating throughout the misty sea. For a moment, the creature's entire body convulses, and its massive size begins to shrink as the core shatters.
The mist around them begins to clear, the poisonous air dissipating as the creature's body disintegrates. The group watches in awe, their heavy breaths filling the quiet now that the battle is over.
Narrator: As the creature falls, the air grows clear, and relief washes over the group. But their victory is short-lived—Commander Elara, lying motionless on the deck, has been poisoned and is barely breathing.
The group rushes to her side, their faces etched with worry. Commander Elara's skin is pale, her breaths shallow as the poison continues to spread.
Zarek: (panicked) She's been poisoned… We have to do something!
Aria: (voice shaking) I—I don't know any healing spells strong enough for this…
Ryu's face lights up with sudden realization as he remembers a hidden attribute of Wind Mana.
Ryu: (urgently) Kirito, Aria—Wind Mana can heal. We can use it to filter the poison if we concentrate it finely enough.
Kirito nods, catching on to Ryu's plan. He and Aria kneel beside Commander Elara, focusing intensely as they channel their Wind Mana, filtering it into thin threads that can enter her bloodstream.
Kirito: (calmly) Just focus… We can draw the poison out.
Sweat beads on their brows as they maintain the flow of mana, their faces tense with concentration. Slowly, the darkened veins on Commander Elara's skin begin to fade as the poison dissipates. Her breathing steadies, and her eyes flutter open, weak but alive.
Commander Elara: (softly) You… you did it. Thank you.
The group sighs in relief, each one exhausted but grateful that their leader is safe. They gently lift her and carry her to her quarters, letting her rest after the ordeal.
Narrator: With the creature defeated and the poisonous mist gone, the heroes breathe a sigh of relief. They have survived the Poison Mist Sea, a deadly trial that tested both their strength and their unity. As the ship sails on, the horizon now clear, they find themselves more resolved than ever to reach Zisteria.
The chapter ends with the heroes regrouping, their spirits lifted after conquering the deadly mist and facing death itself.