The city was fighting a battle that grew more desperate with every passing minute.
Even Julius and Taro, who had arrived later and actively conserved their energy during the flight, were running on fumes now. There was simply no way to pace themselves against monsters of this caliber and volume.
Bringing down a single high-tier mutant demanded a massive, devastating strike, and just one of those high-octane spells carved a deep hollow into a defender's mana reserves.
A dual fusion allowed them to hit significantly harder, yes, but those transformations operated on a strict countdown. That their mana-biological ticking clock pushed against them just as relentlessly as the endless tide of rotting flesh.
Strike after heavy strike, their mana pools evaporated.
And inevitably, a few mutants began to slip through the cracks.
