The moment the creature’s chest came into Killian’s view, he released it with his palms a fraction apart.

The fire cut through the air like a bullet, following a straight line and pushing Killian back slightly.

STAB!

The flames pierced deep into the beast’s chest and out of his back. The atmosphere grew significantly hotter as the beast that let out a loud, pained roar that resonated in the forest. It ended with a deep groan, lowering its upper body to its legs.

Killian wiped the sweat that slid from his left temple. His eyes never left the beast, checking to be sure it really died. "Did that shot really do it—"

BAM!

The beast’s arm descended on the ground in an instant, quicker than Killian’s eyes could follow, but his body had already moved instinctively.

The impact cracked the ground but he had already made a jump. Shit. The girl... He snapped his head to his side, but saw she already hopped.

He grabbed her mid-air before landing, bent on both knees. "Good girl." He dropped her on the ground. "Stay close."

She gave him a small nod.

The beast bled from the gaping wound on his chest, but it didn’t seem to significantly restrict his movements. It stared at the wound, then slowly lifted its head towards Killian.

Its eyes darkened with veins popping around its head. Killian watched its stained fingers curl around the club.

This wouldn’t be easy.

"You are truly a B-tier realm monster. I will entertain you." Killian said, grabbing the Void-Bat again.

A sharp growl was the beast’s response, while blood gushed from the wound and a burnt scorching mark had been permanently etched to its chest.

Low growls left its throat, and it seemed the exhaustion was creeping up on it without him doing anything.

Then, the beast flung the club at the human-rabbit. Her movement was swift, hopping away and twirling in the air to smack the club out of the way.

The attack came again.

BAM! BAM!

CRACK!

With both arms, the beast pounded the ground twice. Cracks formed on the surface quickly moving towards Killian’s position, but he didn’t react immediately.

Is it just repeating attacks because it’s weakened? 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

A small grin spread on his face as he stepped back twice, and at the very position the cracks stopped.

That’s its limit.

Killian swirled his bat in his hands, channeling fire over the bat’s frame. He pointed the weapon at the beast.

"Do you have nothing else to attack with?"

The human-rabbit glanced at the Void-Bat. Her instincts told her to steer clear as it neither consumed the fire nor was consumed by the Fire.

The fire wrapped around the bat completely yet was still unstable but that barely mattered. Killian narrowed his eyes at the beast. "I can sense your desperation. Come."

The beast suddenly moved, running in a zigzag movement as it closed the distance. Its heavy steps made the ground quake but they steadied when the girl stepped a foot down.

Killian inhaled, held it, then exhaled.

<Umbral Override>

With a movement of his arm, the tendrils charged at the beast, missing it on purpose and falling to the ground by its sides. "Spread!"

Quickly, the tendrils scattered, covering the surface and narrowing the beast’s movement, leaving only the center open for a path towards Killian.

The beast let out a rough groan at being baited, but it didn’t stop moving. It swung its arm again, but it fell weakly downwards with Killian barely moving.

Its arm swung again, falling weakly to the ground but the soft thud shook the surface stronger.

"Catch." Killian said, flinging the bat, where it was caught by a tendril.

The tendrils wrapped around his body and lifted him off the quaking ground. He pulled the girl with one arm, holding her steadily as they rose above the shaking earth.

The beast glared at Killian’s afloat body. Killian stared back, narrowing his eyes at it.

It can increase the impact of the quakes at the cost of its own stamina.

I can’t deal with an Earth Element yet.

It was a known rule, but it was a painful realization experienced firsthand. There was no other element as physical and stable as the Earth element.

Yet.

With a quick motion of his hand, one small tendril stabbed at the exact hole the Piercing Scorch dug on the chest of the beast.

The beast’s body jerked back at the impact. Its head fell to its chest in shock. The single tendril had twisted from its back, from a shadow laid on its leg.

Killian sighed in relief, watching the beast lower to the ground.

"It seems I can only use the element of surprise Umbral Override offered against an Earth Element User."

It never felt when it got marked amidst the shaking.

It was the exact trick Killian used on his leader, George, that only worked because the vibrations always covered everything.

The beast groaned as the single tendril drilled further into its chest until it could no longer stand or fight back.

Its neck craned to Killian, its expression filled with anger and hate but helplessness and fear also creeping in.

Roar!

The Void-Bat slammed against the beast’s mouth, silencing it and engulfing its head in flames that spread to its upper body. "Swallow the pain." Killian said coldly.

I can’t risk it drawing attention here.

More tendrils dug into its chest, filling its body with their darkness and breaking down pieces of flesh that fell loosely off the jerking body of the beast.

Killian looked away, feeling disgusted by the gruesome sight of blood splattering everywhere. Besides, he had a child with him.

"Just eat it."

A wider cast of shadows rose from under his legs, netting the beast’s limp body completely. Their movements were fast, almost excited, as they pulled pieces of flesh without stopping.

Killian stepped away, cutting off the tendrils that swarmed towards the meal, and forcing the others to stay in place. They resisted, and he could feel the stubbornness.

"Control it." He said to himself. "This is the reason they make the Fire Element unstable." More tendrils threatened to rush out from his side, towards the beast.

The human-rabbit whimpered, moving away from Killian as she could tell something was wrong. The tendrils poured out from Killian’s shadows rushing to the fallen beast.

Control it, Killian!

He hissed in pain as headaches threatened to tear his head apart. He reached for his Void-Bat descended to his hand from a single tendril.

"Control... it."