'Now.'
Tuan thought to himself as he activated the array trap in which the monster was caught. The ground lit up and the distinct mana pulse intensified. In the next moment, a blinding orange-white light bloomed in the middle of the array.
Boom!
The terrorist had resorted to bombing an Adept-level monster this time. The trap had been set with almost all his potion bombs set in a series together so that they would generate a blast powerful enough to affect an Adept-level monster. The array was supposed to keep the potion bombs hidden from the monster's mana sense as well as intensify the explosion's effects a level further.
"Screeeeee!"
The monster's scream announced to Tuan and the rest that he was still alive and kicking. But he was in extreme pain. And his ability to cast spells was again compromised.
"Screeeeee!"
Another monster scream followed the previous one in a short while. This was in response to Tuan's series of flying attacks that he had sent at the monster while he was still surrounded by clouds of flame and smoke.
Tuan didn't want to give the monster any rest. He was also worried about getting ambushed by other rankers while they were busy finishing the raid. Thus he hastened the process of killing the Goblin Lord. He disappeared from his position and appeared close to ground zero before throwing the remaining vials of potion bombs he had.
Lily watched Tuan opt for the overkill yet again. She sighed and stopped in her tracks. The assassin gripped the space-element dagger given to her by Tuan hard before going back the same way she had come from. The dagger's unique properties were another reason she was able to hurt an Adept-level monster.
"Screeee!"
The monster jumped in the air with his remaining strength. The injury on his legs worsened as a result. But he didn't seem to care. Upon getting airborne, he started looking at the intruders who had dared to fight with him on his home turf.
The monster launched his body in Tuan's direction with a wild expression on his face after sensing he was the leader of the intruders. He also drew out his large Dodao and slashed it at his newfound target.
Stunning Speed
Sedated Perception
Fire Steps
Fire Wings
Tuan managed to free himself from the flying slash as he became airborne too. Then he used his Hatchlings of the Flame spell to create a lasso of fire snakes. He sent it in the monster's direction, hoping the assassin in his raid team would get the hint.
Lily was already prepared for something like this. She appeared like a ghost behind the Goblin Lord and made a stabbing attack on the monster's chest where his heart was located.
By now, the monster had come to realize that there was a hidden enemy that he couldn't see. He had also sensed there was an attack incoming for his heart. That's why he fortified his natural defense and swung his Dodao behind him.
And yet, the space-element artifact worked its magic. It didn't have to pierce through the armor or the monster's natural defense layer. Its tip disappeared into the fabric of space and appeared right when the dagger was driven deep inside the monster's heart. The tip of the dagger was now visible from the other side of the monster's chest.
The monster was shocked and enraged. But he didn't scream this time. He knew what had happened to him even before he looked down to see the effects of his enemy's attack. He grunted in pain before deciding to launch a counterattack.
Lily was engulfed by the mana signature released by the Adept level monster when he was fighting for his life. Her stomach was almost going to be cut in two by the direct slash. But then she felt something gripping her legs by her ankles. She felt a strong pull coming from that harness before her body was dragged downwards towards the ground.
Tuan had managed to secure Lily just before she was about to be harmed by the monster. She was brought down towards him at breakneck speed due to his vigorous pull. The young assassin was swiftly caught in a princess carry. But before she could savor the moment, Lily was thrown behind Tuan's back. The guy disappeared from his position right afterward.
Swoosh!
Just when the monster thought his situation couldn't get any worse, Tuan launched his meteor-like attack on him. At that time, the monster was just a few meters away from landing on the ground. Since he was airborne, he couldn't find a footing he could use to maneuver his way out of the attack's trajectory.
Thud!
The monster's body crashed to the ground with a loud thud when it was forcefully accelerated by Tuan's meteor-like attack. Suddenly, a series of Invi Blaze attacks was released from the sword set.
Another crater appeared in which another flame flower bloomed. Before the monster could make another scream, his head was decapitated by Tuan who now looked like he wasn't satisfied with chopping only one head.
Unbeknownst to the butcher, his soul sense was still manifesting in many ways. It was still in its early stages. The out-of-body experience he was used to feeling was not the only effect of the signs that were associated with the soul sense awakening.
The butcher's importance had been raised to an irrational level in the minds of those who had been affected by his soul sense right after he killed the Adept level monster. It was as if killing opponents stronger than he gave him the emotional boost he needed to bolster his soul sense. His soul would forever record the experience of such a kill.
Tuan's raid mates felt that they needed to do everything in their power to make his wishes become reality. Even now, after killing the Adept ranker, instead of being relieved that the fight was over, they felt his bloodlust for more such kills.
Tuan calmed down shortly afterward and looked at his work. The monster's body started disintegrating. The residue of monster blood on Kat, Ketsu, and Wilder also started disappearing as it too was something that was generated by the array.
With this kill, the raid on the Adept-level monster nest was over. The wristbands on each contest involved in the raid started updating the Titus points they had earned automatically.
