Chapter 648: [Event] [The Beauty And The Beast] [28] Elizabeth VS Behemoth

"We’re almost out of the city!" Roda shouted. Her massive wolf continued to bound across the rooftops, earning shrieks from people around but what followed earned terrified screams.

"Yeah..." I muttered, barely able to focus. My eyes drifted backward, to the hellish scene unfolding behind us.

The Behemoth was destroying everything in its path.

Every stomp of its titanic limbs shattered buildings into rubble. Each swing of its tail scattered debris like shrapnel. I didn’t even want to imagine how many lives had already been crushed underfoot.

We might not have resurrected it, but this? This was on us. We’d led it here.

"He’s gathering a Prana Ray," Elizabeth said.

I looked up—craning my neck until it ached. The Behemoth had reared its grotesque head skyward, its massive jaw stretching open unnaturally wide. A sickly yellow glow was pulsing there, forming like a black sun in its throat.

Oh no.

"Roda!" I shouted.

She glanced over her shoulder just long enough to spot the swirling beam charging in the creature’s gaping maw.

"Out of the way!" She screamed at the civilians in our path. Most were already sprinting for their lives, but Roda couldn’t stop yelling. "Get away from the streets! It’s going to fire!"

We were moving fast—too fast for some to react in time, and too slow to outrun what was coming.

"Darling," Elizabeth’s voice was calm, but her hands weren’t. They gripped my shoulders tightly, ready to take us away the moment things went south.

I turned toward her. "Wait—wait! Roda can handle this. Right?"

"Yes!! Just hold on to something! Tight!" She replied.

Without warning, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed close, her warmth grounding me. "I won’t leave you behind, Darling. Not ever."

"Y–Yeah..."

Then to Roda, I shouted, "Take a path with no people! That thing’s breath—I’ve got a really bad feeling about it."

"I know!" She nodded.

Then, a silence fell—brief, ominous, like the entire city had drawn one final breath.

And then it came.

The Behemoth’s jaw opened wider than ever, and we all felt it—a crushing weight in the air.

"We’re almost out—just a bit more!" Roda yelled.

"No—too late, Roda!" I shouted, eyes widening as I saw the ray about to erupt.

In that instant, Roda spun around, slammed her hand into her wolf’s thick fur, and channeled her Prana. A brilliant white light flared from the beast, swallowing its form. The world around us blurred into streaks of grey and light—the wolf accelerating beyond its normal limits.

The wind tore at my face, and the force of acceleration nearly yanked me backward off the wolf’s back. I quickly threw my arms around Roda’s waist, anchoring myself.

Roda yelped right after.

"W–What?!"

"I’m going to fall—!"

"I will too if you keep dragging me—!"

-BOOOOOOOM!!!

The Prana Ray exploded from the Behemoth’s throat with a deafening roar that split the sky.

A searing column of golden-yellow energy tore through the city, vaporizing everything in its path. Just before it could hit us directly, Roda’s wolf lunged to the side in a desperate sidestep.

The blast missed—but the shockwave didn’t.

The sheer force of it slammed into us like a collapsing mountain. The wolf skidded violently, unable to hold its footing on the rooftop.

We were flung into the air.

"Fuck!"

I spun around, raising both arms as I summoned a pair of mirrors—one materializing just behind us in the air and the other opening wide on the ground below, positioned safely outside the Behemoth’s line of fire.

Without wasting another second, I grabbed Roda by the shoulder. Elizabeth clutched Amelia close. Together, all four of us dove through the midair mirror and tumbled out from the exit mirror, sprawling across the ground.

We had made it.

"Everyone okay?" I groaned, pushing myself upright, muscles aching from the landing.

Elizabeth sat up immediately, brushing dust from her sleeves, seemingly unharmed. Amelia was unconscious, cradled in her arms.

But Roda—Roda wasn’t fine.

She was collapsed on her hands and knees, coughing violently. Bright red splattered onto the dirt beneath her lips. Her wolf—her massive, beautiful beast—was gone.

"Hey—Roda!" I rushed to her side and caught her as she sagged, barely able to hold herself upright.

"Hold on, I’ve got you," I muttered, pulling out a healing vial. I popped the cork with my thumb and gently brought it to her lips. "Drink this. Slowly."

Roda’s eyes were glazed with pain, but she nodded weakly and accepted the potion as I helped her tilt her head back.

Even as she drank, my gaze shifted—drawn by Behemoth.

It was still coming.

Damn it... We didn’t have time.

I glanced around. At least we were near the outskirts now. Most of the civilians would’ve fled inward toward the city center. If nothing else, they’d be safe—hopefully. But that meant the burden of stopping this monster now fell squarely on us.

We had to hold the line here.

"Edward!"

I turned at the sound of my name, just in time to see John sprinting toward us, his sword clutched in one hand, panic on his face.

His gaze immediately fell on Amelia right after.

He barely spared me a glance as he dropped to his knees beside Elizabeth and checked her body. "What happened to her?!"

"Nikolas used her," I said. "Some kind of ritual—he drained her to bring Behemoth back."

John’s expression darkened, gritting his teeth.

"I don’t know if she’s stable, but we can’t let them get to her again. If they use her to resurrect Deborah..."

"I get it," he growled, scooping Amelia into his arms gently. "I’ll get her out of here. Somewhere far."

"Be quick," I said, already turning back toward the lumbering titan.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at the creature and crossed her arms. "Won’t Behemoth chase after her? It might still be drawn to her, you said."

I shook my head. "Then we hold it here. Until reinforcements arrive."

With a breath, I called forth Khryselakatos.

In a shimmer of light, my amber bow appeared in my hand. I pulled back the string, notching three arrows at once, eyes locking with John’s.

"Go," I said.

He nodded once and vanished into the streets

Then I loosed the arrows.

A rapid volley of glowing amber projectiles rocketed toward the Behemoth, slamming into its armored face with bursts of light. The creature staggered, growled, and turned its furious gaze toward me.

"Raaaargh!"

I didn’t wait.

"Roda!" I shouted over my shoulder. "Get out of here! You’re in no condition to fight! You’ll only slow us down!"

Roda tried to protest—her body trembling as she forced herself upright—but I was already sprinting across the rubble-strewn field, drawing the Behemoth’s attention away.

There wasn’t time for debate.

The monster raised one of its enormous arms and swept it toward me in a backhanded swing that could’ve flattened a carriage.

I couldn’t dodge in time—not on foot.

With a flick of my wrist I used Samara’s ability. My body blurred into smoke and reappeared in an instant atop the nearest building, the wind from the Behemoth’s missed strike rushing past like a tidal wave.

I crouched low on the rooftop, heart pounding.

The Behemoth turned toward me, snarling.

But it didn’t get the chance to strike again.

A sharp crimson streak split the air and struck its chest with a wet, sizzling thud.

Elizabeth.

She was standing tall beneath the creature, rapier in hand. Its thin blade glowed crimson as it extended unnaturally—liquid blood swirling around it like a vortex. With one precise thrust, she sent a spear of blood spike lancing into the Behemoth’s hide.

"RAURUH!!" It howled in pain now glaring at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth barely reacted as she raised her rapier. With careful precision, she ran a finger along its edge, slicing open her skin. Blood welled up and smeared along the blade.

In that instant, the weapon pulsed with mana. A deep red glow spread outward, and a complex, sprawling mana circle flared beneath her feet—crimson symbols spiraling and shifting as if alive. The crimson mana wrapped around her like a cloak, crackling with volatile pressure.

"So you’re the Behemoth," she said almost amused. Her tongue darted out, licking the blood from her fingertip. Her pupils narrowed into reptilian slits, and they pulsed violently, glowing brighter with bloodlust.

A sudden wave of killing intent erupted from her.

Behemoth reacted to it.

With a bestial growl, it hurled its massive hand toward her like a hammer trying to squash a fly. But Elizabeth had already vanished.

In a blur of motion, she reappeared along its massive arm—and a half-second later, a long, clean gash split open its flesh.

-SPURT!

Dark blood sprayed into the air like rain.

The beast roared, whirling to track her. But Elizabeth wasn’t stopping. She dashed down the length of its limb, nimble and weightless, her crimson cloak trailing behind her like fire.

Then her eyes widened.

Spikes—long and jagged—began bursting from the Behemoth’s arm, forcing her to react mid-sprint.

"Ughn—!" She grunted as one of them tore through her thigh, sending a spasm of pain through her body.

"Elizabeth!" I shouted.

But she didn’t slow.

Planting her foot with a wince, she used the momentum to launch herself straight toward the Behemoth’s snarling face.

Her rapier flared again with mana.

"Blood Arts..." She muttered, gripping the weapon with both hands as another massive mana circle formed in front of her blade—this one layered eight times over, pulsating with dense violent mana.

"Crimson Mask."

-BOOOOM!

The spell struck Behemoth’s face with the force of a meteor, erupting into a storm of mana. From the glowing circle, dozens—hundreds—of blood-formed spikes exploded outward, piercing straight through the creature’s skull.

"GRAAAGHHHHH!!" the Behemoth howled in agony, the sound like thunder being torn in half.

My ears rang.

Snapping its jaw open, it released a beam of raw Prana in retaliation—a golden ray that tore through Elizabeth’s mana construct like paper.

She dodged just in time.

Landing nimbly atop its head, Elizabeth raised her rapier again and drove it down with ruthless speed.

"Blood Arts—Crimson Spear."

-BOOOOM!

Another explosion. A wave of force burst outward, centered right between the Behemoth’s eyes. The creature reeled, black blood geysering from the wound, staggering as if dazed.

Elizabeth didn’t let up.

She launched herself backward, flipped gracefully through the air, and landed on the creature’s broad back. Her rapier rose once more, her expression twisted in a savage smile.

"Blood Arts," she whispered.

Veins like crimson lightning spread across her face, down her arms, and coiled around her neck—glowing with violent chaotic mana. A nine-layered mana circle shimmered into existence.

She thrusted.

"Crimson Thorns."

-BOOOOOM!

The spell hit like a barrage. Dozens of jagged, blood-forged spikes erupted and drilled into the Behemoth’s back in a relentless assault. Each one slammed home with a fleshy crunch.

The giant creature let out a deep roar as its legs buckled. One knee slammed into the ground.

It was bleeding. It was hurting.

I stood frozen, stunned as I watched the aftermath of Elizabeth’s attack.

For a moment, it looked like she had won.

But then... Behemoth’s massive form began to glow. A sickly, ominous darkness spread across its body like living smoke.

Something was wrong.

"Shit—" I cursed under my breath and didn’t hesitate.

I summoned Aegis, the shimmering golden shield materializing in my hand. Without thinking, I hurled it toward Elizabeth.

A split-second later, from the monster’s back, a monstrous spike—jagged and pulsing shot out like a harpoon.

It struck.

Aegis intercepted the attack—

-Crack!

-BOOOOM!

My eyes widened as the shield shattered into hundreds of fragments, amber shards raining through the air like falling stars.

The spike slammed into Elizabeth’s side—just missing her vital organs by a sliver of luck. But it still tore a brutal chunk of flesh from her ribs, the impact sending her body hurtling like a ragdoll.

"Elizabeth!"

I moved without thinking, summoning a mirror in desperation—anything to reach her. But she was too far, falling too fast, and I didn’t have the angle. Not enough time.

No choice.

I gritted my teeth and activated Samara’s ability, pushing it to full power. The world blurred around me as I launched myself forward with breakneck speed, the air warping from the force.

I caught her mid-air, wrapping my arms around her as momentum dragged us both into a nearby building.

-BOOM!

We crashed through the wall and hit the ground hard, debris raining around us in clouds of dust and splinters. I felt the pain bloom in my shoulder, but I ignored it.

"E–Elizabeth?" I raised my head, breath ragged, eyes darting across her bloodied form.

She blinked at me—and smiled. Her lips were cracked, her face pale.

"Were you worried, darling?"

She raised a blood-soaked hand and touched my cheek. Despite the gash in her side, I could already see the wound beginning to heal—slowly, but surely. Her regeneration was kicking in.

I let out a long breath, my body sagging with relief. "Don’t scare me like that."

[<Edward, I need to speak to you. Now.>]

Cleenah’s voice.

I froze.

My mouth opened, but no words came out.

I couldn’t. I didn’t want to.

Not now.

Not ever I wished.

"Not now, please, Cleenah..." I whispered under my breath, barely able to form the words.

Elizabeth’s brows furrowed slightly, but before she could ask, her instincts kicked in. She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward her with sudden strength.

We rolled.

-BOOOOM!

The earth shook as Behemoth’s massive foot slammed down exactly where we’d been a moment before, crushing the ground into rubble. Dust exploded in every direction, filling my lungs and burning my eyes.

I coughed, struggling to breathe.

"I want to sleep," I muttered, exhaustion crashing over me as I slumped forward, resting my head against Elizabeth’s bountiful chest—warm, soft, comforting, even bloodied.

"Darling..." Elizabeth whispered, her hand stroking my hair with gentle fingers. Her expression was pale and cold but there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

"This isn’t the time for this."

We both turned toward the sound.

There, standing in gleaming silver armor, was Professor Brian Moonfang—his expression unreadable as he surveyed the scene.

Behind him, the rhythmic clatter of hundreds of armored soldiers echoed across the battlefield.

Reinforcements had arrived.

Finally.