Upon Albert's command, everyone went on alert. Weapons lit up with flashes of mana as the knights took defensive positions, carefully avoiding getting too close to the scorpion's stinger. The creature, the size of a carriage, raised its sharp black tail, and a deep screech reverberated through the entire forest clearing.
Albert was the first to act.
—"Containment formation! Avoid the poison!" he ordered firmly.
The knights moved with discipline, surrounding the monster. Lusian remained a few meters back, mounted on Thunder, his imposing magical steed. The animal's silver mane bristled with electric sparks that crackled in the air like small lightning bolts.
Thunder was a lightning-affinity magical beast, one of the rarest of its kind. Its power lay in its ability to unleash area discharges capable of paralyzing enemies and reducing them to ashes. However, unlike any ordinary rider, Lusian did not suffer the effects of the lightning. This was possible thanks to a magical protection bond Sofía had established between them; an ancient elemental synchrony spell that allowed Thunder's mana to recognize Lusian as part of itself.
Albert cast a fire spell, striking the scorpion head-on. The monster's body was instantly covered in a dark layer: its shadow defense. Lusian recognized it immediately; he had seen that attack pattern countless times in the game.
"Class B. Darkness affinity. Triple-tail combo, defensive activation after elemental impact… this is going to hurt."
The scorpion reared up, unleashing an explosive shockwave that forced the knights back. Lusian smiled faintly and murmured:
—"Your turn, Thunder."
With a thunderous neigh, Thunder surged forward at full speed. The ground split beneath its hooves as its body became wrapped in a bluish storm. Electric discharges bathed the terrain, scorching the air in its wake. The impact was so powerful that even nearby tree leaves ignited in small bursts of blue flame.
Lusian and Thunder slid beneath the scorpion's tail. A massive lightning strike hit the creature's abdomen directly, leaving it completely paralyzed. In that instant, the knights seized the opportunity to attack from the flanks. Albert unleashed another burst of fire, and mana-infused swords severed one of the monster's pincers.
The scorpion roared, raising its blackened stinger, but Thunder had already charged again, releasing another wave of electricity that violently shook it. Albert stepped forward with a shout, his sword engulfed in flames, and cut down the stinger in a single blow.
The remaining knights closed in, combining physical and magical attacks until the creature collapsed with a heavy crash, its body trembling from residual discharges.
A dense silence covered the area.
Albert exhaled in relief, wiping his sword clean.
—"Class B shadow scorpion. Five hundred points," he said firmly, as one of the knights sealed the corpse inside the spatial storage device.
Lusian remained still on Thunder, observing the smoldering remains. He could feel the condensed mana emanating from the monster's body. In this world, that mana permeated the flesh, organs, and blood of magical creatures, turning them into living sources of power. That was how humans could grow stronger: by consuming the mana essence residing within powerful beings.
Thunder snorted softly, and Lusian stroked its neck.
—"Good job, buddy."
Sparks still crackled over its skin, but none of them touched him; the bond they shared protected him completely.
Albert approached and gave him an approving look.
—"A perfect execution, young master. Without your attack, several of us would have fallen."
Lusian nodded silently, but his mind was elsewhere.
"A Class B scorpion this close to the forest's edge… something doesn't add up."