To get out of this hellhole, we needed two Beast characteristics.
After some arguments, we finally decided who would be with whom and what role each team would play.
Eliza was going to be with Theo, while Houseplant, Mary, and I were going to be on the other team. Eliza and Theo’s team would be called Team A, while ours would be called Team B.
Team A’s job was to do the main fighting, while our job was to formulate a plan, provide support, and scout the area.
The reason was obvious. Theodore had the highest Talent Rank among us, meaning he had the most spiritual power among the fighters. He was also ranked number one in Draeus’s class. Eliza, meanwhile, was an Awakened, so without a doubt, she was the strongest among all of us.
My spiritual power was low, and my Affinity was Ice. With this Affinity, all I could do right now was produce a cold mist from parts of my body. Houseplant was of no use, to be honest, while Mary was a brilliant swordswoman. She had originally been chosen to be with Eliza, but Theodore’s pride didn’t allow him to be left behind.
Our plan was to go near the huge black spire, as it was the most probable region to contain Unorthodox creatures. Of course, we were afraid of encountering something capable of turning us into dust.
Theodore and Eliza walked in front of me as the foul stench of the black moss entered my nose.
’Ugh.’
I tried to control myself. Apparently, not vomiting was a huge task for me at that moment.
"We’re stuck with a new problem now!" Theodore snapped.
As if the foul stench wasn’t enough, our path was blocked by a distorted crimson-black shape that looked like a large, thick tree branch.
I looked towards Arthur, only to see his scared face once again, though this time it was filled with disgust as well.
Eliza sighed and took both of her axes in her hands, spinning them as if they were dancing.
’How cool!’
I couldn’t help but think. After all, aren’t we all fond of flashy things?
The cutting edges of the axes in her hands produced sparks of lightning. She raised both her hands, lifting the axes along with them.
She swung the axes at the distorted shape that looked like a tree branch.
Sheek!
The lightning from her axes was so powerful that the shape turned to ash the moment the axes touched it.
’How cool!’
The reason she—and the rest of us—didn’t simply break the distorted shape with our bare hands was because of two reasons. First, we didn’t know whether it was safe to touch. It could have contained poison, and we might have been poisoned without even realizing it. Second, if an Unorthodox creature was standing close to it, it could immediately attack us. However, if we kept our distance, it would give us some time to react.
After walking for a few more minutes, we finally came close to our desired destination.
We were a few meters away from the Black Spire, standing on a knoll covered by crimson mud that reached waist level in some areas. The mud also acted as a wall, allowing us to observe the Black Spire while remaining partially concealed.
The Black Spire was darker than shadows. Even looking at it made me feel as if I were staring into a darkness deeper than any abyss. It was more enormous than anything I had ever seen in my life. Its tip touched the clouds, making it feel as if the Black Spire were a gigantic creature and the clouds were its hair.
However, it wasn’t only incredibly tall—it was also extremely wide. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a door somewhere that we could open to enter this enormous structure.
"Bloody hell," Arthur gulped.
Looking at Eliza, I could think of only two possibilities. The first was that she was thinking deeply, and the second—and more realistic—was that she was scared just like the rest of us.
Arthur looked towards his sister.
"Is there no other choice?"
She clicked her tongue before finally looking at her brother, who was so scared that he had gone pale.
"No."
Arthur’s face clearly showed that he hated the answer, even though he had anticipated it the most.
Just as we finished examining the enormous Black Spire and listening to Arthur’s pleas, Eliza lifted her left hand, signaling that she had sensed something.
I looked in the direction I thought she was looking and saw something terrifying.
It had a humanoid body with four arms, each equipped with a pincer instead of a hand. Its back was covered by a dark carapace, while its forehead was crowned with two devilish horns.
[You Are Looking At A Beast Fiend: Yangereu]