System Mission: Seduce the Strongest S-Class Hunters or Die Trying! Chapter 26: [AN OPENING]

Mio moved before Eli could even blink.

"Zaira!" he shouted, voice cutting through the battlefield like a blade.

His fingers flicked outward—sharp, practiced.

A blast of silver threads erupted from his palms, glittering under the fractured sunlight. The strands snapped through the air, anchoring with precision into the back of Zaira’s coat.

Then, with a violent tug, Mio yanked.

Zaira’s body whipped backward just as the grotesque arm lunging from the mutated ogre’s stomach sliced through the air, claws gleaming with blackened ichor. The blow missed—but only by a breath.

The sheer force of it tore into the ground, carving a deep groove into the concrete where her spine had been a heartbeat ago.

The wind of the attack roared past them like a hurricane.

Zaira crashed hard into Mio’s chest with a startled gasp, but he caught her with the ease of soone who’d done it a hundred tis.

"Thanks for the save," she muttered, breathless.

"Don’t thank ," Mio said, voice low. "Thank them."

Both of them turned their gazes toward Eli—still clutched in Kairo’s arm, panting, chest heaving, heart pounding.

Eli blinked at them, throat dry. ’They’re looking at . Because I saw it. I—I helped.’

But the mont shattered as Kairo’s voice snapped through the chaos.

"Zaira. Mio. Focus!"

The two S-Class hunters jolted slightly—like cadets caught slacking in front of a commander.

"When the boss roars louder, the mutated one adapts—grows limbs, gets stronger. Zaira, stay at range. Don’t let that thing touch you. Mio, bind its arms tighter. I’ll handle the boss with l."

Kairo didn’t wait for acknowledgnt. He darted sideways in a crimson blur, avoiding a massive vertical slash from the boss ogre. Its blade carved into the pavent with an earthshaking crash, slowed just enough by the vines coiled tight around its limbs—l’s ability still working overti.

Then—

Kairo turned his head, glancing at the person tucked in his arm.

"And you."

Eli flinched. His eyes snapped up to et Kairo’s, pulse spiking in his ears.

"You did good," Kairo said simply, his voice rough with exertion—but genuine.

Eli’s brain short-circuited.

’Wh—he just—he just praised —’

His throat dried. His soul nearly left his body. But sohow, sohow, he managed to swallow the scream clawing up his windpipe.

"Just doing what I can to help," Eli said quickly, trying his absolute best to sound like a normal person and not a fangirl about to combust.

Kairo gave a small nod—barely noticeable—but enough to make Eli’s heart lurch again.

"Mhm," Kairo murmured, adjusting his grip slightly to steady him. "Now figure out how to kill this damn boss so we can end it."

Kairo’s breathing had changed.

It wasn’t ragged. Not yet.

But it was heavier—heavier than before.

Every shift in his weight, every swing of his sword, every flick of blood ca with a fraction more effort.

A fraction more strain.

Eli could tell.

’He’s really nearing his limit...’

The realization twisted like barbed wire in Eli’s chest. He’d been watching carefully—tracking the way Kairo’s movents had slowed by milliseconds, the slight delay in how his blood responded, the tensing in his jaw after each blow.

It was subtle. But unmistakable.

’We’re so close—I can’t let him burn out now.’

Maybe they had missed their earlier window to finish the boss ogre cleanly. But Zaira was alive because of it. They all were.

’One step back—but we’re still in the fight. That’s what matters.’

Eli shook the hesitation from his mind. He tightened his grip around Kairo’s neck as they ducked beneath another crushing blow.

The obsidian blade shrieked past them, carving a fresh canyon into the street as Kairo twisted mid-air, his boots hitting pavent in a controlled slide.

Behind them, l cursed under his breath, vines growing faster than he could command them.

"The thing’s getting stronger," l gritted, fingers twitching as more vines erupted from the ground. "It’s ripping through everything I throw at it."

"Then throw more," Kairo snapped, his voice sharp but steady. He pivoted again, narrowly dodging another downswing that shook the earth.

"Oh, sure. Let just bask in sunlight and grow faster," l muttered, but already his vines thickened, bark hardening with a rough, almost tallic sheen as they tried to anchor the boss ogre’s legs once more.

On the other side of the ruined street, Mio and Zaira hadn’t relented. Threads whipped through the air like silver razors, binding the mutated ogre’s limbs with thodical brutality.

Zaira stood behind cover, her shimring aura distorting the space around her like heat waves off asphalt, keeping the creature’s bloodlust unfocused.

’They’re not making the sa mistake twice,’ Eli noted, eyes flicking back to the main threat. ’No openings. No risks. Every second counts.’

"Duck!" Eli shouted suddenly, danger sense flaring like a flare inside his skull.

Kairo dropped instantly. The ogre’s blade scread overhead, missing by a breath. The pressure of it alone cracked windows across the block and sent debris flying like shrapnel.

’He’s too fast...!’

"Right sweep—now!"

Kairo reacted without question, tucking low into a sliding pivot. The boss ogre’s horizontal swing whooshed past again, the force snapping a light post in half. Wind and dust spiraled in their wake.

But Eli saw sothing. A detail. A potential edge.

"Wait—there!" he pointed, voice sharp with urgency. "Dead ogre—your left! That one bled out!"

The corpse of a fallen ogre lay broken across the battlefield. Its body was limp, grotesque—and surrounded by a massive pool of congealed blood still steaming in the air.

Kairo didn’t need more.

He veered toward it in an arc, blood seeping from his palm.

His crimson tendrils shot forward, writhing across the concrete like serpents, diving into the puddle. Instantly, the blood twisted and rged—and Eli felt it.

A pulse of power.

The aura around Kairo surged. The air turned tallic with the scent of blood and iron.

Eli could feel it in his teeth. His bones.

’This is good. The more blood he has, the more powerful he becos.’

All he needed now was to give Kairo an opening.

"Hey!" Eli shouted, eyes locked onto the towering boss ogre again. "Mio!"

"Still here, gorgeous," Mio called back, eyes focused.

"Thread his neck! And his arm—if you can!"

Mio quirked a brow, but he didn’t hesitate. He flicked both wrists, and a shimr of silver exploded through the air like lightning.

Dozens of threads whipped around the boss ogre’s neck, shoulder, and bicep, tightening in a blink.

"l!" Eli yelled next. "Can you bind his legs tighter?"

"Weeell," l says. "Not sure if you’ve heard of , but I tend to grow weaker the more vines I put out within a span of seconds!"

"We just need one shot! Make an opening for Kairo!"

That got their attention. Both n glanced at Kairo for confirmation.

He gave a single nod.

That was all it took.

The ground shuddered as l’s vines erupted like tidal waves—coiling and latching up the ogre’s legs, waist, and unard limb like anaconda-thick chains. Mio’s threads found their mark too—tightening like garrote wires.

And then—

The roar.

It wavered.

Only for a second.

But Eli heard it. Felt it.

’It’s confused. Mio and l are overwhelming him, and he also can’t look away from Kairo.’

"Go!" Eli scread. "Now’s the window! Strike the head—go for the eyes!"

Kairo turned, blood slicking down his arm, and stared at him.

"Eyes?" he asked, skeptical.

"You’ll see!" Eli shouted back. "Just trust !"

Kairo didn’t hesitate.

In the next instant, he surged forward—blood exploding beneath his boots like boosters, launching them skyward in a crimson arc. They flew like a cot through the smoke-choked air, hurtling toward the ogre’s massive skull.

’Holy shit!’

The beast tried to respond. It roared louder, flailing, trying to bring its sword up to intercept.

But instinct betrayed it.

It raised its arms to shield its neck.

Leaving its face—its glowing, blood-red eyes—exposed.

Big mistake.

"Now, Kairo!"

Kairo’s blade flashed. Reinforced with pooled blood, honed by sheer killing intent.

He plunged the blade into the first eye.

Schlkkk.

"RAUUUUUUUUUUGHHH!!!"

The ogre scread—not a commanding roar—but a shriek of agony.

Its body convulsed, the feedback of pain rattling through the vines and threads holding it in place. The air rippled. The world shook.

Eli’s ears rang. His skin tingled. His danger sense howled in every direction.

But Kairo wasn’t done.

With a grunt, he twisted the blade free—and slamd it into the second eye.

Shhhhhrkk!

Another scream—louder. Deeper.

The beast stumbled for the first ti...and fell to the ground in pain.