Chapter 366 Second Floor: The Gaurdian of Autumn Toads (3)
Chapter 366 Second Floor: The Gaurdian of Autumn Toads (3)
As the screech subsided, the toads loomed before him, their grotesque bodies shimmering with slime in the damp air. They were waiting now, anticipating his next move. Cyrus, unshaken by the intensity of their call, smirked. His hand tightened around the hilt of his summoned aetheric sword, the ethereal blade glowing faintly in the mist.
"That's more like it," he muttered, feeling the adrenaline course through him. Now, it was a real fight.
Cyrus's smirk grew as he squared off against the Autumn Toads, his aetheric sword humming with energy in his hand. The toads shifted uneasily, their bloated bodies swaying as their milky eyes fixed on him. Their mottled, slimy skin shimmered under the faint light filtering through the mist, their grotesque forms blending into the eerie landscape around them.
Without hesitation, Cyrus dashed forward, his movements swift and graceful despite the muck and mire beneath his feet. The first toad lunged at him with a sudden, jerky motion, its large, slimy leg sweeping out in an attempt to knock him off balance. Cyrus easily sidestepped the attack, his keen eyes tracking the toad's sluggish movements. The aetheric blade in his hand flickered like a living extension of his will, and with a smooth, precise motion, he swung it downward.
The blade sliced through the toad's thick, gelatinous flesh as if it were air, leaving a glowing, ethereal trail behind it. The toad let out a guttural croak of pain, its body recoiling as dark, noxious blood splattered the ground. Cyrus barely flinched, already shifting his stance to face the next threat.
The remaining toads, perhaps enraged by the sight of their wounded companion, moved in unison. One toad leaped toward him, its bloated body soaring through the air with surprising speed, while another lashed out with its grotesque tongue, aiming to wrap it around Cyrus's leg and pull him into the mud.
Cyrus was ready.
He ducked beneath the flying toad, feeling the rush of air as it passed overhead, and spun on his heel just as the tongue shot out. In a split second, his blade flashed again, cleanly severing the disgusting appendage. The toad let out a horrific screech, retracting what remained of its tongue with a violent shudder.
Cyrus moved like a phantom, his aetheric sword dancing through the air as he wove between the toads. His strikes were deliberate, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy. He slashed through thick, oozing flesh, his blade singing with every cut. The toads, while massive and powerful, were clumsy and slow compared to his speed and precision.
It was a subtle change, but it spoke volumes. These creatures, despite their grotesque appearances, had some level of intelligence. They were adapting to his fighting style, working together to corner him.
A smirk crept across Cyrus's face as he realized this. So, this was what made them dangerous. They were pack hunters, drawing strength from their numbers and coordination. Alone, they were no match for him, but together, they could become a formidable threat.
With that realization, Cyrus adjusted his approach. He stopped playing it safe, shifting from defense to offense, no longer waiting for them to make the first move. He surged forward with blinding speed, cutting through the closest toads with ruthless efficiency. The aetheric sword in his hand thrummed with power, glowing brighter as it absorbed the ambient energy around him, each swing more devastating than the last.
One toad screeched and lunged at him, but Cyrus met it head-on, slashing its belly wide open. Another leapt from his left, but he spun mid-swing, severing its leg before delivering a finishing blow to its skull. The ground beneath him became slick with the remains of the fallen creatures, yet he moved through the carnage effortlessly, his focus never wavering.
The battle dragged on, the toads continuing to press in despite their dwindling numbers. But Cyrus was relentless, his sword an extension of his will, slicing through their ranks with precision and grace. The pack grew thinner, their attacks more desperate and erratic as their numbers shrank.
In a final, chaotic rush, the remaining toads charged at him all at once, hoping to overwhelm him in a last-ditch effort. Cyrus's eyes narrowed, and with a burst of speed, he darted through them, dodging their lunges and swinging his blade in wide, deadly arcs. One by one, the toads fell, their screeches fading into gurgling croaks as their bodies collapsed into the muck.
Within moments, the battlefield was still. The once-formidable pack of Autumn Toads lay in heaps around him, their twisted bodies dissolving into the dark, oily ground. Cyrus stood in the center of the carnage, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with the exertion of the fight.
Despite the blood and muck coating the ground around him, he felt exhilarated. He had uncovered the secret of their strength and overcome it with his own. With a final glance at the fallen toads, he sheathed his aetheric sword, the glow of its energy fading as it disappeared from view.
Athena, who had been watching the fight from a distance, approached him, her expression unreadable. "Well done," she said softly, though there was a note of something else in her voice—perhaps surprise, perhaps approval.
Cyrus viciously and very quickly wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded, a satisfied smirk on his face. The Autumn Toads, while tough in a group, had proven no match for him. But he knew that this was just the beginning. The tower held far greater challenges, and he was ready to face them. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire
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