The Blackspire Mountains shook as the monster stepped out of the mist.
It was gargantuan—its body a twisted fusion of stone, bone, and rotting flesh, easily towering over the trees. Four jagged horns curled backward from its skull, and its chest glowed with a molten red light, like a furnace of corruption. Each step cracked the ground, sending tremors through the mountain.
Kael's grip on his blade tightened. "I've faced ogres, dragons, even warlords possessed by demons. But this…" His eyes narrowed. "This is something else."
Mira's ears flattened against her head, tail bristling. "It's not alive. It's corruption given form."
The Titan roared, a sound so deep it rattled their bones. Black mist erupted from its maw, spreading across the battlefield. The System immediately flared in Rihan's mind.
[DING!]
Mid-Boss Encounter: Corrupted Titan-Beast.
Threat Level: Catastrophic.
Recommended: Party coordination, focus on Core Weak Point.
Rihan's gaze shot to the glowing furnace in its chest. The Core. That was its weak spot. But reaching it… would be hell.
"Kael, distract it! Mira, aim for its legs! Elira, shields on us!" Rihan commanded, his voice firm despite the strain.
Kael grinned fiercely. "Finally, a real fight!" He dashed forward, blade flashing.
The Titan swiped a massive claw, but Kael spun beneath it, slashing at its arm. Sparks flew where steel met corrupted stone. The beast barely flinched.
Mira leapt onto its leg, claws digging deep, tearing through sinew and blackened muscle. The Titan staggered slightly, but with a furious roar it kicked, sending Mira crashing into a boulder. She coughed, blood dripping from her lips, but hissed defiantly. "You'll need more than that!"
Meanwhile, Elira's chants filled the air, her staff glowing as a radiant barrier enveloped Rihan. The next shockwave from the Titan's roar slammed into them—but the shield held, cracks spidering across it.
Rihan clenched his fist. His body still screamed from overusing Soul Link Strike days ago, but there was no choice.
[DING!]
System Update: Party Link Activated.
Temporary skill-share function unlocked.
Share 20% of energy and attributes among bonded allies.
His eyes widened. So the System… can connect us all?
He accepted the link.
A surge of warmth spread between the group. Kael's swings grew heavier, faster. Mira felt her reflexes sharpen. Elira's shield brightened, cracks sealing. And Rihan… though still exhausted, felt his strength multiply.
Kael roared with battle-fury, his blade now leaving deep gouges across the Titan's arm. Mira blurred with unnatural speed, slicing tendons at the creature's knee. The Titan staggered, its chest core exposed.
"NOW!" Rihan shouted.
He raised his palm, channeling everything the System allowed. Blue-white light spiraled in his hand, unstable, volatile.
"Pulse Break—Overdrive!"
The blast fired, slamming into the glowing furnace of the Titan's chest. The explosion shook the mountainside, ripping through corrupted flesh and stone.
The Titan howled, reeling back—but not defeated. It slammed both fists into the ground, unleashing a shockwave that hurled all four of them off their feet.
Elira screamed as her barrier shattered. Kael crashed into the dirt, coughing blood. Mira clawed her way upright, panting.
Rihan forced himself to his knees, blood trickling from his nose. The Titan's core flickered, cracked but still burning.
[DING!]
Corruption Core Integrity: 67%.
"Damn it…" Rihan hissed. One blast hadn't been enough.
The Titan's massive hand rose, shadow blotting out the moonlight, ready to crush them.
Rihan's vision blurred. His body couldn't handle another Overdrive. But the System's voice whispered in his mind:
New Option Available: Soul Resonance (Unsafe).
Fuse lifeforce with allies to amplify one final strike.
Warning: Extreme risk of permanent damage.
He looked at his companions—Kael struggling to rise, Mira bleeding but still defiant, Elira trembling yet holding her staff high.
If he chose this, he might not survive. But if he didn't… none of them would.
He clenched his teeth, heart pounding.
"Everyone," he shouted hoarsely, "lend me everything you've got!"
The Titan's hand came crashing down.
And the group's souls blazed as one.