Chapter 477 Desperate Straits

"Bang!"

Wrapped in a viscous mixture of seawater and blood, the Shark Beast's iron fist—almost large enough to cover an adult human's entire chest—slammed into the Barbarian Aken's chest with a terrifying force that felt capable of punching through solid steel.

Pop—

The first thing to shatter was the dense red glow covering his skin, summoned by the Rage in his heart. This was the external manifestation of the Barbarian class's core, the "Power of Rage."

Right now, however, a single punch from the Shark Beast had smashed it to pieces.

At the same time, this seemingly fragile, formless red light of Rage blunted some of the heavy punch's power, slightly easing the pressure Aken's physical body had to endure.

Next came his skin, muscle, and bone.

It wasn't that the Barbarian class couldn't wear equipment; in fact, a Strength-based branch specifically relied on heavy spiked armor as an offensive tool, using close-quarters brawling to batter enemies.

But clearly, Aken did not follow this combat style.

Wielding a giant axe as his main weapon, the Barbarian from the remote islands had never worn a shirt since the day Xia Nan first met him. He simply bared his upper body in a wild, primal display, showing off his dense, intricate tattoos.

Now, as the Shark Beast's fist planted itself dead center on his chest, he naturally had no extra protection from armor. His flesh and blood had to bear it all.

His relatively soft skin caved inward under the immense force of the fist. The muscle tissue beneath acted like a water-logged sponge, squeezing and rupturing blood vessels until the bursting blood dyed the skin above a bruised, purplish-black.

When the skin and muscle compressed to their absolute limit, the underlying bones meant to support his body snapped as well, breaking apart in a continuous cascade of cracks.

The force from the knuckles continued inward; its next targets were the fragile internal organs buried deepest within his chest cavity.

But right at that moment, a hazy layer of red spiritual light suddenly flared up again across the Barbarian's skin, which was sunken to the extreme and on the verge of bursting under the iron fist's bombardment.

The Shark Beast, already driven into a frenzy, naturally wasn't going to pull its punches. Its Strength and Constitution, formidable even among monsters, were readily apparent from its massive frame alone.

Under normal circumstances, taking such a solid punch at point-blank range would have sent even veteran adventurers with higher Class Grades straight to the afterlife, unless they specialized in defense.

But right now... the situation took a different turn.

Why did the Barbarian class, in the minds of the masses, always invoke the image of a warrior who wore no armor, clad only in beast pelts, roaring and charging at the enemy while brandishing primitive weapons?

On one hand, it was the influence of the "Power of Rage"—the core source of the class's strength—on their combat style.

On the other hand, it was also due to a special Feat inherent to the class itself.

It might have different names and occasional extra effects across various class branches, but its essential nature could be called "Unarmored Defense."

In layman's terms, when a Barbarian did not wear any armor, their physical defense gained modifier bonuses from their Agility and Constitution attributes.

This was the fundamental reason why many high-level Barbarians, despite wearing absolutely no gear, could stand at the front lines of a party and prove much more durable than lower-level Warriors clad in heavy armor.

Although Aken's Class Level wasn't exceptionally high, and his Agility and Constitution attributes were still far from the qualitative leap seen in high-level Barbarians, Yet his actual physical defense was far less fragile than his appearance suggested.

Of course, this alone was far from enough to survive the Shark Beast's iron fist crashing into his chest.

What truly took effect in this moment, preserving a lifeline for Aken, was the layer of red light that had suddenly flared across his skin once more.

—Paths. Just like a druid's "circles," these were branching variations in the Barbarian class's combat style, distinct manifestations of their different furies.

When a Barbarian raised their Class Level to Level 3, they received a chance to choose their own Path.

The [Storm Herald], which manipulated fire, thunder, and frost, driving elemental magic with a peerless physique. The [Path of the Beast], which drew strength from beast spirits to transform into wild animal shapes much like a druid. The [Ancestral Guardian], which inherited ancestral might to summon tribal spirits into battle...

These various Paths each possessed unique and distinct abilities, expanding the domain of the Barbarian class's power.

As a Level 4 Barbarian, Aken had naturally long since chosen his Path.

—[Indomitable Soul].

One of the inherited Paths from the tribe he was born into.

Only those tribal elites who had skirted the edge of life and death, who had been knocked down countless times only to stand back up, possessing the most resolute will to survive, could set foot upon this unyielding road.

In ordinary times, aside from providing some bonuses to Constitution and Strength, it had no special traits. It could neither manipulate magical particles nor allow the user to transform into a beast for combat.

But when a Barbarian of the [Indomitable Soul] Path suffered a heavy, life-threatening blow, the fury from deep within their bloodline—guided by their steel-like will—would transform into extraordinary defensive and healing capabilities, snatching a glimmer of life from desperate straits.

"Rumble..."

Coming from nowhere, an ethereal, soaring roar suddenly echoed through the air.

Nourished by the red light on his skin, the intricate tattoos covering Aken's bare chest suddenly began to move. In that instant, the waves and sea beasts seemed to turn into living creatures.

If one could view the Barbarian's body from a microscopic perspective, they would see that the instant the roar echoed, the fragile internal organs within his chest cavity were enveloped by a remarkably dense layer of red light.

After his skin, muscle, and bone had consecutively been breached, this gave his organs—which should have been mashed to a pulp beneath the Shark Beast's fist—a final layer of protection.

The next second...

"Bang!!!"

Aken's robust body flew backward like a cannonball. The majestic force of the Shark Beast's iron fist bent his midsection inward and threw his head and feet outward, nearly folding his body into the shape of a drawn bow in midair.

"Pfft!"

Driven by intense pain, his mouth fell open uncontrollably, and scarlet blood spewed wildly from it.

After hitting the ground, his body rolled more than a dozen times, only stopping when he finally slammed into a piece of exotic architectural debris nearby.

With his chest caved in, he coughed up two more mouthfuls of blood.

Aken could be seen clawing at the ground with his arms, trying to prop himself back up.

But even though the power of the [Indomitable Soul] Path had preserved a sliver of life for him, after suffering such a grievous blow, he had no chance of getting up to fight anytime soon.

After struggling slightly a few times, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out completely.

"Damn it!" Captain Lorraine's curse rang in his ears.

Xia Nan's feet landed gently on the ground under the effects of [Tidal Stabilization]. At the same time, his arm loosened, setting the Halfling Alton—whom he had carried along—back onto the ground.

His pitch-black eyes stared at the behemoth on the battlefield ahead. His face was expressionless, but his heart grew increasingly heavy.

Clearly, the Shark Beast, which had been struggling more and more under their combined assault, had entered some sort of Stage 2 that drastically enhanced its combat prowess.

The ground across the Canyon looked as though it had just survived an earthquake, covered in a dense web of cracks. The already damp soil had been thoroughly soaked by the strange-colored water that had surged from underground, turning it impossibly muddy and leaving puddles of various sizes.

The Shark Beast stood in the very center of the battlefield.

Compared to before, the wounds across its body—which had struggled to heal due to the [Scale-Fire Scimitar]'s burning effect—were now covered by a layer of translucent, mucus-like water. Underneath, weaving and tangling granulations of flesh could vaguely be seen.

Its already massive frame had abruptly swelled several sizes larger; judging by its height, it had likely surpassed four meters.

Saying it out loud didn't make it sound exceedingly tall, but when a hulking muscle monster taller than a single-story building actually stood before you, coated in blood and staring at you with those dark, lifeless shark eyes, the suffocating pressure was unprecedented.

It was a good thing Xia Nan possessed a resolute will. The incredibly rich experiences he had gathered since transmigrating meant he had seen his fair share of grand spectacles.

Otherwise, any bottom-tier adventurer who had been in the business for less than two years wouldn't even be able to stand steady in the face of an enemy of this caliber.

"Watch out!" Lorraine's warning rang out in his ears once more.

Having entered a frenzied state, the Shark Beast naturally wouldn't leave the people on the field any chance to catch their breath.

Less than a breath after Xia Nan landed from the water's impact, the Shark Beast vanished from its spot.

Taking its place was the heavy sound of compressed air from an object moving at high speed, along with a terrifying black-and-red shadow shooting right toward them.

His Agility—second only to his Perception attribute—granted Xia Nan considerable reaction speed. Ringing out even earlier than Lorraine's warning was the deep, soaring howl of a Winter Wolf.

The escaping energy transformed into a swaying mane. Gathering the mud and water from the ground, the phantom of a black wolf shot outward in an instant, dodging the monster's charge with an exceptionally nimble posture.

"Sizzle!"

Sparks exploded.

Wrapped in tangerine flames, the scimitar cut a blazing arc through the air, leaving a charred wound across the Shark Beast's back.

A furry figure nimbly circled to its side, thrusting a short sword in rapid succession. The Halfling's short frame appeared not far away, his stirring lute music echoing across the battlefield once more. The Short-Tailed Albatross that had been circling high above seized the opportunity to dive toward the fallen Barbarian; clutching a loosely corked healing potion in its talons, it smashed the vial precisely against him.

They were all adventurers with abundant combat experience. The sudden loss of a member hadn't shaken the resolve of the remaining fighters. Even though they worried for their teammate's safety, they kept their focus entirely locked on the battle.

However, it was undeniable that after Aken had been severely injured and forced out of the fight, the dynamics on the battlefield shifted.

The scales of victory—which had slowly tilted toward the adventurers during their six-on-one siege—had returned to equilibrium, and were even showing faint signs of tipping the other way.

Just moments ago, their offensive strategy had been to attack from all sides, constantly pulling the monster's attention so it couldn't focus on any specific target.

For instance, the Shark Beast had been enraged by the wounds Alton left on its legs and had wanted to crush the little mouse with its fists, ignoring all else.

But the moment it bent down to look for Alton, a sharp wolf fang wrapped in pitch-black energy had already plummeted toward the back of its head, forcing the Shark Beast to abandon its attack and turn around to block.

At the same time, Lorraine's scimitar had taken the chance to viciously slash its waist and abdomen from the flank.

But now, it was like a line of toppled dominoes.

With Aken—one of the main members of the siege—losing his combat capabilities, the pressure the monster faced from their combined attacks inevitably plummeted.

Paired with its newly strengthened body, this shift made the Shark Beast appear surprisingly at ease under their combined assault, completely shedding its previous bedraggled state.

"We can't keep going like this!" Lorraine arrived at the exact same conclusion as Xia Nan in this moment.

Their original strategy of steadily grinding the monster down through a siege had officially failed.

The sudden loss of personnel meant they had to adopt a much more aggressive approach if they wanted to salvage the tipping scales of victory.

"Sasha!" she suddenly roared at the tabaxi.

Without waiting to see if he understood her intent, she swung her scimitar and charged straight for the Shark Beast.

[Whirling Blade Cage Dance]!

Tangerine flames morphed into a blindingly brilliant cage of fire, shrouding Lorraine's body.

She was attempting to replicate the strategy that had dealt actual damage to the Shark Beast earlier, once again drawing the enemy's attention to herself in order to create an opening for her teammates.

Showcasing their perfect synergy, the tabaxi Sasha understood her intentions the instant the flames rose. Crouching low, he seized the opportunity to quietly circle around to the Shark Beast's back.

Meanwhile, Xia Nan, prowling the perimeter using [Fang Hunt], prepared to cover them as a last line of defense.

But... suddenly!

As if sensing something, Xia Nan's pitch-black eyes involuntarily shrank.

"Wait!"

The situation on the battlefield shifted rapidly. Even though Sasha heard the warning from behind him, he was already leaping toward the Shark Beast, whose attention appeared to be hooked.

Except, what he was jumping toward wasn't the unguarded, vital spot on the back of the Shark Beast's neck like he had imagined.

It was a massive hand that abruptly reached backward—without the monster ever turning its head or having any line of sight!

This terrifying monster summoned through the fishmen's sacrifices possessed an astonishing capacity to learn.

Earlier, it had only needed a single glance to mimic the application of Lorraine's combat technique using a jet of water, allowing it to dodge the Barbarian's descending axe blade.

Right now, it looked as though it had fallen for the trick again, but it was actually doing this on purpose.

By pretending its attention was captured and failing to notice the tabaxi circling into its blind spot, it had traded taking a barrage of cuts to its front from Lorraine's rapid scimitar swings for the chance to deal another crippling blow to the Blade of Vengeance Squad.

"Swoosh!"

The hand, covered in coarse fish skin, abruptly clenched into a fist. The sheer force behind it felt strong enough to crush the very air.

Sasha's reaction was reasonably fast. The instant he detected the monster's movement, he relied on his Class Grade core strength to twist his waist and abdomen, trying to evade the attack.

But he was in the middle of a leaping strike, suspended in midair.

Even though Xia Nan in the rear pushed [Gravity Control] to its limits, aligning with Sasha's momentum to help him dodge as much as possible...

...in the end, when that massive hand clenched, it still managed to snatch the tabaxi's trailing, furry tail.

"Roar!" The Shark Beast unleashed an excited bellow, as if it had finally caught the annoying little bug buzzing in its ear.

As its empty right hand threw a punch to knock Lorraine back, its left hand—clutching the tabaxi's tail—suddenly hoisted high into the air!

Its feet sank into the mud. Power surged from its stout, thick legs, traveling up through its waist and abdomen before its arm muscles violently bulged.

It was entirely foreseeable that when the Shark Beast slammed the tabaxi into the ground by his tail with such force...

...given Sasha's lack of defensive physical hardiness, he would probably be smashed into a puddle of meat paste on the spot.

But right at this hair-raising moment, causing Lorraine's pupils to constrict...

Wrapped in ochre-red light, a massive, anchor-shaped axe blade tore through the air, spinning directly toward the Shark Beast.

[Gravity Etching]—trained to the Mastery tier, it could now be attached to other objects to execute ranged attacks after leaving the user's hand.

This was the third charge, which Xia Nan had attached to the Barbarian's dropped weapon on the ground before unleashing it at the Shark Beast.

Having been heavily struck by it twice already, the monster was fully aware of just how dangerous this ochre-red energy was.

No matter how excited it was right now, the Shark Beast didn't choose to tank the heavy blow.

Driven by instinct, it twisted its body to evade.

And its left arm—which had finished accumulating power and was poised to smash downward—had no choice but to change direction.

Gripping the tabaxi's long tail, it hurled him out violently like a hammer throw.

"Boom!"

"Bang!"

Carrying force-field energy, the anchor-shaped giant axe brushed past the urgently evading Shark Beast and crashed straight into the ground behind it.

The force-field energy erupted, blossoming like ochre-red fireworks across the flat ground.

Thrown away with tremendous force, the tabaxi was like a ragdoll in a bratty child's hands. He smashed violently into the cliff face nearby and tumbled pitifully to the ground.

His left arm was twisted, jagged white bones piercing through his skin. His right thigh was smashed a full 180 degrees backward, leaving his toes pointing inward.

The agonizing pain that erupted in that instant, combined with the brutal collision against the hard cliff face, caused the tabaxi to pass out completely before he could even utter a scream.

With this, two of their party of six were down, leaving only two melee fighters and two ranged fighters.

And [Gravity Etching], which could deal substantial damage to the Shark Beast, only had two charges left.