199 Defeat
"FALL IN ORDER!"
Before chaos could spread, Cain's voice echoed across the battlefield. Immediately after that, a battle formation appeared in the mind of the Vice-Captains to face the current situation. It would not last long and force everybody to overexert themselves, but it was their only choice unless they wanted to suffer massive casualties.
Cain did not have the luxury of focusing on anyone else who was not the monster before him and left the task of rearranging the battle formation to Apex. He made his Astral Wave burst with so much strength that even with his impressive constitution, he felt his body would crumble in a few minutes, but that was the only way he could face the Middle Wave Champion Beast.
"AHHH!" Cain roared as he condensed his Astral Wave around his arms and legs, pushing the Mantis' scythe away before sending a tornado kick.
The kick was very strong, with Cain using all his torque, but it only pushed the Lightning-Fall Mantis less than three meters upon impact.
Cain clenched his teeth, and he felt his leg go numb. The body of the Lightning-Fall Mantis was incredibly tough.
However, Cain did not have time to focus on that as the Lightning-Fall Mantis immediately flashed back into the fray and hacked with its two scythes, aiming at his neck and torso.
Cain was pushed to his limits by the beast's speed and skill, but he was able to dodge both scythes. However, his armor was not unscathed, as there was a deep cut that came dangerously close to his skin. Unfortunately, those two strikes were far from everything, as the Lightning-Fall Mantis kept hacking toward Cain with immense strength and speed. Cain did his best to dodge the attack, but sometimes he was forced to use his gauntlets to block it, and every time he did it, his arms trembled. Cain found himself struggling against the formidable Lightning-Fall Mantis. Despite his best efforts, the creature proved to be too powerful, relentlessly pushing him back and inflicting numerous cuts on his armor.
Cain had just blocked a strike that pushed him over fifty meters back and saw how the Lightning-Fall Mantis jumped toward him, ready to give the final blow.
Luckily, while the Lightning-Fall Mantis was in mid-air, a barrage of light arrows landed on it, sending it crashing into the ground.
Antony joined the fray, and his Essence Wave was bursting at full power as he raised his bow and kept firing all sorts of projectiles against the Middle Wave Champion Beast. It was only at that moment that Cain was able to relax for a moment. He knew that fighting the Middle Wave Champion Beast alone was not possible, but the other Vice-Captains needed time to reorganize before one could come to help him.
Cain's arms trembled, and they were not of much use, but he did not hesitate before joining the fight. He flashed forward at full speed, and before the Lightning-Fall Mantis could stabilize its body, he kicked it in the chest with all his strength.
"Everybody, give me your analysis of the battle."
Cain spoke with a calm voice as he commanded the Vice-Captains. Everybody else had the right to feel flustered and angry by their current situation. Yet, as the Great Commander of the entire military force, that was not a luxury he could allow.
The serenity in Cain's voice helped the Vice-Captains to calm their minds and recount their points of view of the battle. Ultimately, their situation was not that dire, and the only reason they felt it like that was the death of one Vice-Captain and the sudden appearance of a Middle Wave Champion Beast.
If Antony or William were to become the Wave Champion, they would be capable of defeating the Lightning-Fall Mantis on their own, perhaps even killing it. Cain hoped that Antony would break through before they encountered any Middle Wave Champion Beasts, but his calculations were wrong.
The good news was that it was only a matter of time before they could crush the Wave Beast's horde led by the Lightning-Fall Mantis and move forward. Nevertheless, time was of the essence if they wanted to reach the foot of Blade Mountain before the student force.
Cain analyzed the situation but could not come up with an answer. 'None of the Vice-Captains can unleash a power-up or killing strike great enough to take down the Lightning-Fall Mantis. Even my strongest attack, Blood Revolution, may not be enough, not to mention that to unleash that barrage of hooks, I need around a second of preparation, and the beast's scythes will cut me more than ten times by then.'
Suddenly five persons entered the center of command. They were Uriel, and the other four Vice-Captains under Captain Rober, and each of them had a nasty smile on their face.
"I can see that Vice-Captain Arnold is missing, and William is not looking very well. Does the mighty Hunt Leader need some help?"
It was clear that Uriel and the others had learned what happened to the main force and came to gloat, making many of the Vice-Captains furious.
Cain could perceive the contempt and ridicule in Uriel's tone but remained composed. Reacting would only serve to satisfy Uriel's intentions.
"It isn't likely we will find an answer at this moment. We will not march tomorrow and take the day to rest. Everybody, return to your tents."
Cain ignored Uriel and did not waste any more words before leaving the command center.
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