Elise's strategy wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was smart.
From the parts I could understand. We would target VivoHorns, which are rift creatures that have a trait that allows them to regenerate endlessly as long as they have enough mana.
Sounds overpowered, right? But they have one fatal flaw.
Their heart is their weak spot.
But don't misunderstand it, it doesn't mean it's easy to kill them. They are aware they have a crucial weak spot, so they defend it at all costs, sacrificing every other body part to protect it, and the heart is protected by sturdy muscle and hard bone.
Some researchers say they evolved in this way to protect themselves.
Why would we target this extremely hard-to-kill rift creature, you may ask? Well, according to Elise, our party's greatest strength is our 'burst damage', which is how much damage we can do in quick succession.
Basically, we would attack all at once and destroy the VivoHorns' heart before it can do anything. She said some other stuff about what to do after our first kill or if the first attack didn't land, but I stopped listening at that point.
Since even if we didn't kill it at first, I could just blast it with my arm.
Anyway, I moved through the rainforest and spotted some other rift creatures. They were relatively small and reminded me of orangutans, just with…
'Wings?!'
'Who the fuck gives monkeys wings?'
Whoever made the rift creatures is one fucking weirdo.
I decided to attack them and get myself some free points.
They noticed me before I could reach them and spat something directly at me.
-Pteww
I sidestepped, dodging the projectile, and stared at it on the ground.
'Ughh… I'm gonna puke.'
I immediately cast a physical enhancement spell on my legs and leaped toward them.
I flew through the air and reached their level.
-KGHHH!!
They made a weird growl sound at me and opened their mouths to spit again.
But before they could, I grabbed their wings.
"Spit this"
I pulled their wings with all my strength and smashed them directly into each other.
-Splattt
Their insides flew directly in my face as I began plummeting down to the ground.
But I caught myself on a nearby branch and pulled myself up.
"Ughh," I rubbed the blood off my face.
'Fuck I feel sick.' I covered my mouth.
"You okay?" A voice came from below.
"Do I look okay?" I replied
Looking down, I saw Liam and Elise standing by the corpses of the flying monkeys.
"Their blood is poisonous," Elise spoke.
"...SHIT!" I began frantically rubbing the blood off my face and spitting. "Fucking-!"
"This is a simulation, so you'll be fine," Elise spoke in her tone unchanged.
"..."
"...Pfft!! HAHAHA!!" Liam laughed loudly.
"..." I stared at him, deadpanned, and gazed at Elise, noticing her lips slightly curled.
'Shes smiling…? You've added yourself to my hitlist, Elise. Congratulations.'
And just as I was deciding their fates.
"Kyaaa!!"
A scream from nearby.
I immediately rushed in the direction, jumping from branch to branch.
'Is this how Tarzan felt?'
It felt pretty cool.
I eventually reached the source of the noise, and it was another applicant being attacked by those flying monkeys. I recognised her.
'It's one of those girls who were fawning over Liam.'
I frowned.
I noticed the monkey was going to attack as it rushed in her direction.
She didn't move, fear plastered on her face.
I cast an enhancement spell on my legs again and leaped toward it, reaching it before it could attack her.
I punched it, and it flew into a nearby tree, splatting all over the bark.
"Man, these things are disgusting."
I turned to the girl and offered my hand. "You need help?"
"Kyaaa!!" She screamed and scrambled to her feet, running from me.
"...?"
"Your face is covered in blood," Elise said.
Turning around, I saw them. Elise looked at me with a blank face. Liam, on the other hand, looked like he was holding his laugh back.
"Why are you guys always so late?"
"It's called being fashionably late," Liam replied.
"Haa…" I sighed, "Elise, how far are the VivoHorns?"
"We are here already." She pointed behind me.
"Huh?" I looked behind me and saw a massive cave, a faint smell of blood coming from it, or maybe it was the monkey's blood on my face.
'How did I not notice it there?' I was starting to question if my eyes were okay. 'I should go to an optometrist after this.'
"Let's go," Elise said and walked into the cave with Liam following close behind like a good boy.
"Haa..." I sighed and followed them, stepping into the cave.
The air was drier than the outside, and I could hear no sound besides our footsteps.
The walls were covered in this blueish moss, and there were claw marks that were bigger than my body.
There weren't any lights, and using logic, it should have been pitch black. But it was somehow dimly lit with a slight blue hue lining the walls and a faint smell of blood.
This time, I knew it wasn't the monkey blood on my face.
Or maybe I was just in denial.
"We're here." A whisper came from ahead.
Looking forward, I could see it.
'A jaguar?'
It looked like one, at least, just much larger and with light blue fur and dark orange spots that resembled a cheetah's spots.
"Is that the VivoHorn?" I whispered.
"Yes," Elise whispered back.
"How come it doesn't have any horns?" I asked.
They both looked at me like I said something stupid.
"Okay... never mind," I mumbled.
"Liam, can you cast a fire spell and direct it to the opposite side of the cave, and when the VivoHorn rushes toward the sound, Cassian, I want you to target the heart, and I'll cast a lightning spell simultaneously to neutralize it," Elise whispered commands.
Liam and I both nodded in agreement.
And just as we were about to move...
"Wait," Liam spoke and turned to me. "Do you even know where the heart is?" He smiled.
"Piss off, and cast the spell," I spat.
A small ball of fire began to gather in Liam's hand.
'...damn,' I stared at the ball, lamenting the fact that I couldn't do that.
The ball began to change shape and formed...
'An arrow?'
Liam took a step back and leaned slightly.
And...
-Yow-a-rgh!
The VivoHorn let out a weird noise as it screamed in pain, stumbling down.
I sprinted forward, casting physical enhancement on my arms as the VivoHorn regained its composure.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest as my lips curled up.
'I'm... excited?'
I leaped forward, aiming at its heart.
A blinding light came into view and struck the VivoHorn, causing it to convulse intensely, and simultaneously, another fire arrow struck its back.
"Nice shot, Elise!!"
Its body began to regenerate rapidly as it noticed me.
A limb grew from its back almost instantly and rushed in my direction.
'Shit!'
I used physical enhancement on my arms and crossed them to block.
"Ughh!!" It struck me, and I flew back before catching myself on the ground.
It let out a booming roar and began sprinting toward me.
"What the fuck do I do now?!" I screamed.
"Keep it occupied!" Liam screamed. A few more fire arrows formed in his hands as he ran to the opposite side of the cave.
I ran away, casting physical enhancement on my legs.
The VivoHorn grew another limb that resembled a tentacle and separated it from its body, then threw it in my direction.
The massive tentacle, 10 times my size, approached with breakneck speed.
'Fucking hell!'
I stepped against the cave wall and, using it as leverage, jumped up, narrowly dodging the tentacle.
-BOOMM
The tentacle struck the cave wall, causing the surrounding area to shake violently.
I landed on the ground, struggling to regain my composure.
Another flash of light came and struck the VivoHorn... but this time it grew another limb and blocked.
"How the fuck does it block lightning?!" I screamed.
Arrows of fire rushed in its direction, burning through its hide, causing it to change targets.
It rushed in Liam's direction.
'Damn it.'
Liam was running from it.
'Wait...'
"Elise, can you cast a wood spell to wrap it!!" I screamed at Elise, who was standing a bit behind me.
"Yes, but I need it to be still or I'll miss!!" She screamed back.
"Okay..."
I scanned the surroundings.
'Come on, there's gotta be something.'
"Guys, I need help!!" Liam screamed, dodging all sorts of limbs that flew in his direction, each of them hitting the wall and shaking the cave, causing small rocks to fall from the ceiling.
'Oh...'
I noticed a spot that looked weak.
I smiled. "Got it."
"Elise!! Look!!" I pointed at the ceiling.
Her eyes landed on the weakspot I pointed out and instantly she realised what I meant.
She nodded to me and cast lightning, hitting the ceiling, causing it to cave in.
The VivoHorn seemed to notice this and began moving out of the way, ignoring Liam.
'Oh no, you don't!'
I cast enhancement on my legs and leaped toward the falling ceiling.
I simultaneously cast enhancement on my arm and, I punched a large rock in VivoHorns' direction, causing it to shatter.
The debris flew fast and hit the Vivohorn, causing it to stagger for a moment, and that was enough.
Suddenly, roots began to grow from the ground and wrap around the VivoHorn.
It let out another roar that hurt my ears.
Then a volley of arrows flew towards its back and set the roots on fire.
A pillar of fire lit up the entire cave.
The VivoHorn roared in pain as it burned alive.
"CASSIAN!!" Liam screamed.
"I GOT IT!!"
I cast physical enhancement once again and rushed toward the burning creature.
I smiled and struck it with my prosthetic hand, piercing straight through its hide and grabbing what I assumed was the heart.
Blood splattered all over my face as I pulled out the heart with all the strength I could.
I felt a extreme stinging feeling in my prosthetic as I pulled the heart out, only to see my prosthetic's palm mutilated by numerous horns that had grown from the heart.
"AH FUCK WHY DOES IT FEEL SO REAL!!" I crushed the heart, and blood splattered in all directions.
"Ha-Ha-Haa..." I panted slightly, letting out a long sigh and falling onto my butt.
Looking back at my mutilated hand I let out a small strained laugh.
"So that's where the horns were."