Echoterra: Rise of the Verdant King-Chapter 81: Treacherous journey [5]

"Brace!" Torren roared, Flamevine Wrath erupting, pyro-roots lashing the Stalker’s flank, flames clashing.

The group reacted immediately after their leader roared, exploding into action as they instantly took on their various roles.

After 10 days of traveling together, fighting, they understood themselves better and could react instantaneously to danger.

Veyra’s Thornstrike arrows struck the Behemorph’s hide, roots bursting but sizzling in heat. Lorn’s Sapflow Healer shielded Soren, whose Emberblade slashed, sparks deflected by the Stalker’s shroud.

Kaelin, reckless, darted in with Ashveil Cloak, daggers grazing, but a molten claw swiped, singeing his arm, sending him sprawling.

As soon as the Behemorph moved, the group realized why Torren reacted so strongly to the monster.

Truly, this was no mere Luminous Seed Behemorph.

Behemorphs do not have Aspects but instead develop Crowns, and there are 5 Crowns: Spore Crown- mycelium-based biomass control, Thorn Crown- kinetic weapons and aggressive evolution, Ash Crown- fire, ruin, and decay, Howl Crown- sonic resonance, pack control, and Null Crown- rare; Behemorphs that suppress Genesis Embers around them.

This Behemorph was not a Null Crown.

Rather, it was a monster that had developed 2 Crowns!

Clayton never knew of this possibility holed up at the Forgotten Atlanta Expanse. But in the course of this journey, learning from Torren, he learned of Behemorphs that are able to develop more than 1 Crown.

They’re called Dual Crown Behemorphs, and this guy was one.

Torren had even heard of Behemorphs with more than 2 Crowns, but had never personally encountered one.

This Behemorph?

Not only was it Ash Crown, it was also Thorn Crown, a Behemorph also focused on kinetic weapons and aggressive evolution.

This was why it moved so fast.

This Behemorph’s fire was not its only threat, its speed and strength was an even greater threat than its fire.

This was Clayton’s first encounter against a Dual Crown. Obviously, it was dangerous, but he was calm, cold, and calculating.

Clayton moved, Shedskin resisting heat, Architect reflexes sharp.

He nocked Regalia’s bow, channeling Embers for root arrows, unleashing them with explosive momentum at the Behemorph.

Three shots slammed the Stalker’s shoulder, roots erupting, dousing its shroud. The beast roared, lunging, but Clayton dodged, Thornshade Dagger slashing its claw, venom sizzling through molten flesh.

He held back Core Maw and Aphid Network, maintaining his wanderer guise still despite the danger at hand.

The Behemorph was deadly, ruthless, but against the coordinated resistance of the humans, it struggled to exert its profane power.

Veyra’s arrows pierced the Behemorph’s eye, blinding it, Torren’s pyro-roots binding its legs even as Soren’s Emberblade cut deep into it, finding his way towards its core.

It was a desperate dance around death, but for now, they lived.

ROARRRRR!

The Behemorph bellowed angrily, thrashing wildly, but with the humans coordinating their attacks so perfectly, holding it down, Soren got his opportunity.

And without hesitation, he seized it, striking the Behemorph’s core, and felling it in a fiery collapse.

DING!

~----~

[Behemorph Slain: 1 Flameveil Stalker (Luminous Seed)]

[Genesis Embers Acquired: 50]

[Genesis Embers Total: 2,275]

[Aspect Strain: Moderate]

~----~

Fighting as a group, Clayton realized that he could exert the powers of his Aspect easier than ever before.

Besides, not once had his Aspect Strain gone to Extreme throughout the 10 days of this journey. This was how effective working with others was.

With a powerful Luminous Seed Awakened like Torren in the group, whose Aspect was good at damage and great at crowd control, alongside a healer, a specialized Luminous Seed archer, another scout, and Soren, whose Aspect was all about dealing as much damage as possible in a single blow, Clayton felt like a fish in water.

And boy did he swim.

’Wait... is this the Earthcore Nexus trying to teach me a lesson? That I should rely more on others?’

’Damn, that... will be hard’.

Besides, fighting in a group, Clayton realized that the way the system calculated Genesis Embers earned by kill changed.

It was not just the Awakened that dealt the final blow getting all the Genesis Embers anymore. He didn’t know the exact figures of how it worked, but somehow, every member of the team got enough Genesis Embers channeled among them for every Behemorph kill.

With the Behemorph dead, ash settled, the chasm smoldering.

Torren panted, Flamevine Wrath dimming.

Clayton sighed. Even before he said it, he already guessed what Torren would say, and Torren didn’t disappoint him.

"Hell of a shot, Clayton. That thing nearly cooked us".

Clayton palmed his face. "Can you at least come up with some originality?"

Torren acted hurt. "What do you mean? I’m original".

Clayton stowed Regalia, smirking. "Just don’t like my meat, well done".

Torren choked. He stared at Clayton, surprise written all over his face. "W-w-what do you mean?"

Clayton laughed.

Veyra cleaned her bow, eyes piercing. "We’ve encountered Luminous Seed Behemorphs in this journey, but we always avoided confrontations with them".

"This is our first Luminous Seed battle, and I couldn’t help but notice," she paused, eyes scathing. "You dodge like you know Behemorphs too well. What’s your deal, Clayton?"

Her tone held trust, but questions lingered.

"Survive long enough, you learn their tricks," Clayton said, humor dark, deflecting. "Nice aim yourself, sharpshooter".

Veyra snorted, almost smiling. "Keep up, or I’ll outshoot you". Her warmth hinted at a bond forming.

"Besides, what do you even mean by live long enough? You look younger than my little brother".

Clayton laughed. "Trust me, you wouldn’t know".

Lorn knelt by Kaelin, sap-vines healing his arm.

"Reckless idiot," she scolded, softer than before. "You’re lucky it wasn’t worse".

Kaelin winced, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, got carried away. Thanks, Lorn. Wanderer... I mean Clayton, you saved my ass. Thanks".

Soren, wiping ash from his Emberblade, spoke low, rare openness in his voice. "Saw a Scorched Clans camp once. Burned a whole ruin to ash. They’d eat that Stalker for breakfast".

He glanced at Clayton, gruffness softening. "You fight like you’ve seen their kind".

"Maybe," Clayton said, grin sharp, Shedskin hiding his Verdant Lord power. "Heard Ashen Covenants burn hotter. It’s worth the trip".

Torren was already cutting the Behemorph’s carcass down.

Now, this was something new that Clayton also learned from the leader of the adventurer team, dressing down Behemorph carcass to harvest the useful parts of their body that could be carried.

According to Torren, this was one of the means for adventurers to earn money, harvesting the useful parts of high-ranked Behemorphs, and selling them for high prices in human enclaves and towns.

"Take, continue, let me see if you can dress a Behemorph now". Torren threw the hunting knife which Clayton caught.

Without a word, he bent down and continued dressing the carcass.

Torren checked his pager, Mycoglyphs flickering. "Fifty days to the Scorchpaths. I think we’re on schedule".

The team nodded, bonds strengthening, the Earthcore Nexus’s pulse whispering of perils ahead. freēwēbnovel.com

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