Chapter 856: 856

In that brief window of stillness, as Sarah stood soaking and burned in the tunnel, the demons heard something that they would later wish they had never had the misfortune to hear. It started as a low growl in the back of the great bear's throat, a rumble that shuddered through the air and rattled against my carapace. But it didn't stop there, it quickly grew in volume and intensity until it became an endless bellow of rage and madness that drowned out every other sound.

Her claws and teeth glittering with a violent red energy, Sarah's aura rises in intensity until I feel as though it's trying to press me against the wall. She did not want to be caught in the middle of the blood and lava collision and her temper is flaring something fierce.

If I can sense it, then the demons certainly can as well. There's a certain wariness to their movements now as they prepare themselves to continue the fight, but I don't think they're ready for what's coming. The envy and grudge demons are still locked in a battle of mental supremacy with Al and Invidia. The grudge demon is a rather hideous sight. Almost like a billowing cloud of menace and ill will surrounding a hunched, grim looking entity. Despite what Allocrix had to say, it doesn't appear all that difficult to destroy, but I'll have to take his word for it.

In an attempt to block our path and protect the more vulnerable members of its group, the greed demon finally steps forward.. I can see the traces of Grokus in its shape and form, although not nearly as corpulent it still has a significant amount of pure mass. Perhaps it will be able to stand its ground in front of an enraged Sarah.

“GAUUUUUUUUU!”

Or not. Her anger having reached its peak, the bear lashed out fiercely, carving red gouges through the air before rending the blood demon straight through the middle. Her success only emboldens her as Sarah starts to charge forward, straight into the waiting arms of the greed demon. The two large monsters clash with enormous force, but Sarah doesn't take a backward step as she snarls and snaps at the corpulent demon with her teeth.

[Let's go Tiny! Follow up behind Sarah!]

With his arm partially healed Tiny is ready to go once more, the lightning flickering around his frame again as he readies his fists. My minds spin at a dizzying pace as I try to work out the best plan of attack, feeling out the situation with all of my senses as I charge. Despite being literally split in twain, the blood demon isn't out for the count yet, its strange half fluid half flesh body already in the process of drawing itself back together as it slashes out towards Sarah. We can't have that happening! The omni-elemental construct spins and whirls within my mind, the many layered sphere churning out mana as my mind constructs cooperate to make the thing dance.

A searing jet of blue flame erupts from in front of my mandibles, torching the blood demon and sizzling it even as it tries to regather itself.

[Tiny! Give it heaps!]

Without needing more encouragement, the big ape leaps forward, both arms raised above his head before he brings them down in a shattering impact that rattles the floor, discharging the lightning he built up straight into the weakened demon. If it's still kicking, then it sure isn't going to be doing anything to harm us anytime soon. The envy and grudge demons at the back are growing ever more frustrated in their attempts to gather mana and weave their spells, the suppression of the two brainy beings behind me has been too much for them to overcome so far, but a deep flickering green light within the winged eyeball tingles my danger senses more than a little.

Without hesitation, I dash forward, my legs firing and my brains blazing as I spin together a series of condensed force bolts over the course of a second. I run an arc around Sarah who continues to savage and bully the greed demon in front of her, with the big thing holding its ground so far. As I draw closer I infuse my body with Will energy, using the Vestibule to fuel my strength before I place my six legs carefully and time my Skill activations to fire a triple Dash at the last possible second, unleashing my force bolts at the same moment as I Charge into the demon's flank.

Despite being a hefty demon the monster is knocked to the side as I unleash all of the force I can muster and blast the thing straight into the side of the tunnel, leaving Sarah with nothing in front of her for a brief moment. The enraged bear soon fixates on the pride demon who had stepped forward to assist its now stunned ally and I swear the swagger in its step falters for a brief moment as he stares down the Asura.

The unending roar of malevolence continues to shatter all of our ears, or send every hair along my body shaking as if I were standing in the epicentre of an earthquake in my case.

[Tiny, deal with the fat one! Crinis! I need you to help me with the envy demon!]

The pulsing green energy is growing stronger within that eye every moment and once charged that beam is going to do serious damage if we let it. With Sarah pulling aside the only obstacle still remaining between us I rush forward to engage the backline, my mandibles wide open and a Doom Chomp primed and ready to go. Before I can reach my target, the grudge demon leaps in front of me.

The demon is small and surrounded by a strange gaseous cloud, its body hidden behind the ever shifting vapour. Unwilling to allow it to slow my charge I rush straight through it, slamming my mandibles shut after infusing them with wind mana.

An inrush of air compresses around the demon, compacting the gas before my jaws slam shut.

What the heck?! It's as if I didn't bite anything at all! I may has well have bitten steam! Directly in front of my face, the demon reforms in an instant and I feel a powerful sluggishness overcome my limbs. I think this darn thing just cursed me somehow! Dammit! I feel so weak!

Unable to advance as quickly as I want, I watch as the envy demon continues to build its energy until the eye is gleaming bright. Desperate to avoid getting blasted in the face with a laser of death I spin together a host of force bolts, launching them at the side of the eyeball just as it leaned forward to unleash the beam.

Struck at the last second the eye swings to the side, scorching my side with immense heat before it's directed into the wall of the tunnel. A few moments later, Sarah arrives on the scene, having already dealt with the pride demon she crashes down on the flying eye like a collapsing house, putting a rapid end to the fight. I mean, the grudge demon is still here, but I have no idea how to kill it and I'm not sure how well it'll be able to fight on its own. The next thing we have to do is work out how to calm Sarah down…