Guts only smiled in return. It was a tired, bloody, vicious smile. Time was running out, both for his spell and his life.

"Oh… so you think you can tank it."

He retracted Father Bear, waiting only until Mother Bear had sunk deeper, as though meticulously measuring the borrowing depth. The anchor secured the chain to the very core of the earth, creating an immovable counterweight. The air trembled as the one-handed man rotated the massive chain faster—Father Bear spun like a dense metal meteor being forged mid-air, ready to pack a massive, life-ending hit. A faint glow of green mana now surrounded the chain, and the earth beneath Guts's feet cracked under the immense strain.

The Goatman roared, slamming its chest, and charged a third time at full speed, convinced brute force would finally finish Guts. What else could the chain do?

Guts whipped the chain and aimed—

FWOOOM—!!

The Goatman tried to tank the blow again, but this time, the strike hit like a moving train smashing into a log of wood on the tracks.

KRRAAAASH—!!!

The Goatman lifted entirely off its hooves—its entire torso bending—the tremendous, static-anchored force folding it sideways like a rag doll. It hit the ground and skidded, dirt spraying in long trenches behind it.

Father Bear had slammed into the Goatman's ribs. Even though the monster had tried to anchor its axe into the ground, proving it could withstand the attack prior, the immense, static weight Mother Bear had secured beneath the earth meant that the force Father Bear delivered was unstoppable. It was an equally terrifying weapon.

Guts dragged the chain back, and another round was imminent. He began rotating the weapon again, his breath ragged. Blood dripped from the wounds on his remaining hand and the spinning chain, highlighting the limits of Rose's spell. Though the spell had stanched the major bleed from his severed forearm, it couldn't prevent the strain on his gripping hand. But none of that mattered to Guts; his eyes were wild and fiercely determined.

"Get up! Come on, what happened?" he mocked. "Thought you would really tank that last attack?" he snarled. "Let's see how much more you can take before I tear you apart."

The Goatman roared back in defiance. It adapted. The monster wasn't stupid; it seemed capable of complex planning. It lowered its stance, reading him now—watching his shoulders, his hips, and the timing of each rotation.

Then—

SHTK—!

Guts swung Father Bear again—a wide, brutal, horizontal arc meant to shatter bone in one massive slash.

WHIRR—FWASH—!

The Goatman slipped aside with a terrifying speed, matching the rhythm and weaving away from the massive chain at the last possible minute. Feeling the timing, it started predicting the next angle. It was clearly preparing to catch the chain rip it from Guts's hand and end him.

That feigned move had left Guts dangerously exposed for the Goatman's final attack. All Guts could do was tighten his jaw and breathe, the steady rhythm proof of his calculated risk failed.

"I guess you got me," he breathed, his voice sounding genuinely resigned. "You win." His remaining hand dropped slightly.

The Goatman had taken the bait, lunging into the air, gathering all its might for a full, arcing swing. It had seen the clear opening Guts provided. This was it. Guts's weapon was out of position to retract, the distance was closed, and mid-air, the monster's momentum was unstoppable a killing move was about to be delivered.

But Rose had been waiting for it.

Her voice cracked like thunder:

"O tempest untamed, O sharpened sky—strike down the foolish who defy!"

The air warped. Compressed. Bowed inward. Instead of dozens of small arrows, a single, colossal wind spear formed behind her. It fired.

FWOOOOOOSH—!!!

The Goatman, mid-air he hang there as gravity wasn't yet ready to tdeal with me he jump convinced it had escaped Father Bear's reach and was moments from killing Guts was instead hit by a massive volume of air compressed into a single projectile. The blast slammed directly into its chest, blasting it backward with bone-shaking force. Its hooves kicked empty air as it tumbled helpless, off-balance, and perfectly exposed.

CRRRRSH—!!!

Mother Bear NOW!!!. HE ROARD

it erupted from the earth directly beneath the falling Goatman—a spike of mana-charged metal punching straight into its ribs. The creature shrieked. Blood sprayed.

Then Mother Bear expanded. Spikes jutted outward growing, splitting, tearing its insides apart with a wet, ripping sound: SHRRRRRAKKK—!!!

The Goatman slammed onto its back, impaled and pinned, screaming in agony.

Guts flicked his wrist once. "Return."

The command was absolute. Both ends of the chain obeyed instantly Mother Bear retracting and tearing free in a brutal gush, and Father Bear whipping back into his hand like a loyal predator returning to its master.

The Goatman writhed on the ground, crippled, dying.

Guts took one staggering step forward, staring at the now silent Goatman corpse. That was it; the battle was over... but his strength gave out completely. Six minutes were up. He crashed onto the floor, Rose's side-effect spell having run its course. Rose, worn out and breathing raggedly from mana exhaustion, also collapsed, both of them dropping near me.

At least it was over…

Wrong. I was absolutely, devastatingly wrong.

The scrape of an axe against the ground and the sound of a beast's ragged, struggling breath were the only sounds I heard.

What? It's still alive…

There it was. It was gathering itself back up. Why wouldn't this bastard just die? Gravely injured, but it didn't care; its determination was chillingly clear. It grabbed its axe and walked toward Guts. A fresh, thick trail of blood followed it as it got closer. The spell had worn out; Rose was out cold now. Guts was laughing, a faint, ragged sound, as though accepting his fate.

He yelled out a name: "Joanan!" He chuckled as the monster loomed. "Looks like Daddy's coming to join you soon. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise…" he whispered, just as the Goatman raised its axe, ready to split him open. The monster's rage was palpable, cold, and absolute.

Move, Astraga, damn it! Am I this pathetic? I can't even protect the people around me! Am I that weak?

My body betrayed me. All I could do was watch in horror as the Goatman planted its heavy hoof onto Guts's right thigh. He screamed in searing pain, and that was going to be the end…

"I'm sorry, Guts. I couldn't help. I'm so weak." I bit my lips, hating this feeling of utter uselessness. So, this was the world I was brought to.

Guts yelled, his final, desperate instruction: "Kid, look away! Don't let my death be the last thing you see…" I couldn't watch. After all he did, it still wasn't enough. How strong did I need to get?

Then, out of nowhere the soil shifting , the earth feeing the weight—

SKRRAAAASH—!!!

A massive black serpent appeared violently upward. Its jaws, wider than the Goatman's head, instantly clamped around the monster's torso.

Then it coiled.

THUMP—THUMP—THUMP—THUMP—!!

The sound came faster and faster, like a gigantic python crushing its prey. The Goatman's ribs cracked with sickening finality. Its axe fell with a clang. Its bellows turned to strangled coughs.

It could not break free. Could not lift its arms.

Wasn't this…

So it was the freaking florist? Tsk. I hate when I'm wrong.

"You fulas only know how to watch? Shame…"

Another voice cut in, a familiar one—or rather, multiple familiar voices.

Father and the three Mage Healers? What are they doing here? I thought they had left!

My father came straight to me, pulling me into a tight hug, checking my face, hair, and every visible body part.

"Son, are you okay?"

"Father?

Are you okay? I'm so sorry I left for so long."

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