Even though the Thalassic Crystal gave Rick oxygen, his lungs were hurting, and losing blood was becoming a problem. He had taken seventeen direct hits to keep the Kraken’s attention split, but Knight’s Endurance could only heal so quickly.
His health bar, which Sebastian’s system made visible in the corner of his vision, showed a worrying sixty-two percent.
"Rick, you’re taking too much damage!" Carmilla’s voice ca through bond resonance, and it was full of worry. "Back off and let tank for a while!"
"No way!" Rick avoided another tentacle and then had to use Resonant Shield to block a second one right away.
The impact broke the barrier, which then entered its ten-minute cooldown. "The Kraken is going after Myrissa when I’m not there to stop it!"
"She’s using their bond to find out where Myrissa is!"
It was true. Every ti Rick tried to get away, the corrupted Guardian turned to Myrissa with a single-minded focus.
There was still a part of their two-hundred-year bond buried under the corruption, twisted into a hunting instinct that made the Kraken want to kill the source of her mixed-up feelings.
Myrissa fought from a distance with her trident, channeling ocean magic into attacks that were both deadly and affectionate. Each bolt of lightning evoked mories of her.
Their first eting. Their first battle. Lazy afternoons spent exploring underwater caves.
Victories were celebrated and losses were mourned together. Two centuries of shared experiences compressed into magical strikes that pleaded with the Kraken to rember who she was.
But the corruption was too strong. Each attack that brought back mories was taken in, processed, and then ignored.
The Kraken’s purple-glowing eyes didn’t show any recognition. They just showed the mindless hunger that corrupt creatures have.
Rick used Blood Price, which cost him twenty percent of his remaining health but gave him a huge boost in power. His attack power tripled right away, and a red-gold aura burst out around him.
"Zara, join ! Let’s attack the central body alongside everyone else!"
The demon general grinned wickedly and activated her own Blood Price, which made the already risky plan even more dangerous. Both of them dove toward the Kraken’s big head, their claws and demonic energy making a deadly pincer attack.
"DEMON QUEEN’S WRATH!"
"CRIMSON DEVASTATION!"
Both final attacks hit the Kraken at the sa ti, right where her head t her tentacle cluster. The blast of demonic and draconic energy made a shockwave that cleared the whole plaza.
It knocked civilians and guards to the ground, but it also pushed the Kraken back for the first ti since the battle began.
The water was cloudy with purple ichor. The Kraken’s agonizing scream echoed throughout ridia, yet the corruption enveloping her body began to unravel.
There are real weak spots where Liora’s purification might be able to get ahold of things.
"Liora!" Rick shouted, blood pouring from a dozen cuts. "Aim for the cracks!"
"Channel all your energy into those weak spots!"
"Just thirty more seconds!" Liora replied, her divine energy reaching its peak. "Hold her steady!"
The team still needed thirty seconds. Rick’s health had dropped to 40%. The toll of Blood Price and the damage he had sustained over ti ant he was running on empty.
But thirty seconds might be enough.
The Kraken recover faster than expected because corruption quickly filled in the cracks they had made. All eight tentacles rose at the sa ti, ready to slam down on Rick’s position in a coordinated attack that would crush him no matter how many defensive skills he used.
Rick steeled himself, assessing the odds of survival and finding them unacceptably low. At that mont, all five of his partners’ bond networks sent out simultaneous warnings.
Then, Myrissa swam in front of him, brandishing a trident defiantly. "I won’t let you hurt him!"
"He’s trying to help you!"
"Please... please rember , Kraken!"
The tentacles descended like a divine judgnt.
Rick grabbed Myrissa and used the last defensive skill he had. Glacial Fortress, which Natasha lent to them through their bond.
A crystalline barrier ford around them both that absorbed fifty percent of the damage.
The effect was devastating. The ice fortress broke apart right away.
The rest of the force pushed Rick and Myrissa down into the plaza floor, making a hole in the coral surface. Rick tasted blood, felt his ribs break, and knew that his health was in awful shape now.
But Myrissa was still alive under him, safe from harm thanks to his body and the Glacial Fortress that was only a second away.
She looked at him with more than just gratitude, and tears stread down her face. "Why...?" Her voice was so soft that it was almost a whisper.
"What are you doing this for?! You don’t have to pay us anything!"
"You don’t have to pay anything. You could go back and save yourself." R
ick coughed, and blood mixed with water. "That’s what heroes do."
"We protect people at any possible cost."
Even though his body was screaming for him to stop, he forced himself to stand up. The health bar showed 28%. It wasn’t possible to keep going.
Liora just needed fifteen more seconds, though. He could last for fifteen seconds.
The Kraken got ready for another attack, its tentacles curling like snakes ready to strike.
Rick once more utilized Spirit Unity, a last-ditch strategy. As power from all five Spirit Bonds flooded his system, the one hundred eighty-second tir started counting down.
His health didn’t get better, but his ability to fight got a lot better. His red-gold Blood Price energy mixed with his golden aura to form a corona of power that actually pushed back the corruption around him.
"Fifteen seconds!" Rick yelled as he charged at the Kraken again, even though he was badly hurt. "All I have to do is hold for fifteen seconds!"
Carmilla’s voice was full of feelings because of their bond. "You foolish, stubborn man... I love you."
Natasha’s clinical analysis broke down a little. "Statistical chance of survival less than five percent... you’re probably good enough."
Liora’s divine energy pulsed with warmth. "Hold it, Rick... almost there."
Sylvia’s fierce protectiveness spread out over a long distance. "Don’t you dare die, my consort."
Zara experienced a mixture of joy and genuine worry during the fight. "Kick its ass, my king!"
"IT’S ALL... OR NOTHING!!!" Rick scread.
Rick launched himself at the Kraken, fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed. Tentacles clashed with his claws.
Dragon fire scorched away the corruption.
For a brief mont, the authority of the demon king controlled individual tentacles, but soon the corruption reasserted its hold over him.
Every second was agonizing.
Every movent intensified his pain.
The water turned crimson with his blood. Yet, he pressed on, determined to reach his goal.
Ten...
Nine...
Eight...
The Kraken transford, its tentacles moving more swiftly as corruption adapted to his movents. He was struck in the ribs, breaking sothing crucial.
His health dropped to 15%, and his vision narrowed.
Seven...
Six...
Another tentacle coiled around his leg, applying pressure until he felt his bones snap. Despite the agony, he scread and continued to struggle.
Five...
Four...
Myrissa erged suddenly, her trident radiating with two centuries of ocean magic, aid at delivering one final, desperate strike to the tentacle that gripped Rick.
The appendage recoiled, releasing him from its grasp, retreating from a blow that transcended re combat.
Three...
Two...
Rick positioned himself between the Kraken and Liora, using the last of his awareness. His body served as the final barrier.
Regardless of what occurred next, the priestess would have the crucial mont she needed.
One...
Liora’s body radiated like the morning sun, causing everyone to instinctively close their eyes from the intense brightness emanating from her. "IT’S READY...!!!"
"DIVINE CLEANSING TIDE...
"...MAXIMUM SANCTIFICATION!!!"
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