I quickly ran toward Camose while maintaining the multiple shields around it.
The strain immediately increased. Controlling multiple shields while running required greater concentration, and I could feel the pressure building in my forehead. Despite the discomfort, I forced myself to maintain the shields as I closed the distance.
The beast's mouth pushed forward again.
Its massive jaws opened wider as it moved toward Camose. The layered shields stood between them, shimmering faintly as they held their shape.
Then the jaws collided with the barriers.
One by one, the shields began to break. The first layer cracked instantly under the overwhelming pressure. The second shield trembled violently before shattering. The remaining layers followed, breaking in quick succession as the beast forced its mouth forward.
Each shield barely held for a moment before cracking and dispersing into faint fragments of energy, disappearing into the air as the beast continued pushing through them almost effortlessly.
The distance between Camose and the beast shrank rapidly. The massive jaws pushed forward, crushing through the remaining shields as if they were fragile barriers.
Thinking quickly, I shaped another shield. This time, instead of a flat barrier, I formed it with a pointed edge facing outward. The sharp edge extended forward, aimed to pierce into the inside of its jaws the moment it lunged.
The beast moved again. Its massive head pushed forward, jaws opening wider as it lunged toward Camose.
The pointed shield stood directly in its path.
The beast's mouth collided with it. For a brief moment, the sharp edge pressed against the inside of its jaws, but the overwhelming force shattered the barrier instantly. The pointed structure dispersed into fragments of fading energy before it could cause any meaningful damage.
The beast continued pushing forward, its jaws now dangerously close to Camose.
At that moment, something suddenly clicked in my mind.
The repeated attempts to block the beast were failing. No matter how many shields I formed, the beast was breaking through them with ease. Protecting Camose defensively was not working. I needed to stop the beast itself.
Instead of forming another shield around Camose, I shifted my focus entirely.
I ran toward the beast's face.
I thought of the sword I used daily during training. The familiar weight, the length of the blade, and the sharp edge all appeared vividly in my thoughts.
Refined energy flowed from my forehead toward the book inside my shirt. The connection formed instantly, and nature energy from the surroundings responded, gathering under my control. But this time, instead of shaping it into a shield, I shaped it into a sword.
The gathered nature energy condensed in my hand, forming a translucent sword. The structure stabilized quickly, its surface faintly shimmering as it took shape.
The sword felt solid in my grip. The shape was identical to the sword I used daily, matching its length and structure almost perfectly.
I tightened my grip around the translucent sword and pushed myself forward. Using the momentum of my run, I jumped toward the beast's face, my focus fixed entirely on its eye.
The distance closed quickly.
Before the beast could swallow Camose, I thrust the energy sword forward and stabbed it directly into one of its eye pupils.
The blade pierced deeply.
The moment the sword entered, the beast groaned loudly in pain. The sound was heavy and strained, echoing through the surrounding trees. Its massive head jerked slightly, and the attempt to swallow Camose stopped immediately.
The sudden pain forced the beast to shift its focus. Its body trembled weakly, and the enormous frame moved slightly as it struggled. The already injured creature reacted slowly, but the stab to its eye clearly affected it more severely than the earlier attacks.
I lost my footing as the beast's head shifted from the pain. The unstable surface beneath me made it difficult to maintain balance, and I slipped from near its eyes. My concentration faltered as I fell, and the energy sword dissolved instantly, dispersing into faint fragments of nature energy.
I landed roughly on the forest floor, the impact sending a dull ache through my body. Dry leaves scattered beneath me as I rolled slightly before coming to a stop. Ignoring the discomfort, I quickly pushed myself up, my attention immediately returning to Camose.
At the same moment, Sham grabbed Camose by its neck, pulling it away from the beast's reach. Camose reacted immediately, its small body twisting and struggling in his grip. Its golden eyes remained fixed on the beast, and it attempted to free itself, as if determined to attack again despite the danger.
However, Sham held firmly, keeping a steady grip and preventing Camose from returning toward the beast.
I quickly moved toward them, my eyes fixed on Camose to ensure it was safe.
"Camose," I called softly, keeping my voice calm.
Sham and I began moving backward together, retreating from the beast's reach. The massive creature continued to shift weakly, and although its movements were slower now, we did not take any chances. Step by step, we created distance while keeping our attention on the beast.
After we had moved far enough, Sham loosened his grip and released Camose.
The small serpent immediately slithered toward me. Without hesitation, it climbed up my arm and wrapped itself tightly around it once again. I could feel its body still slightly tense, but it gradually settled as it coiled securely around my arm.
I gently rubbed its head, reassuring it while keeping my eyes on the beast.
The creature continued groaning in pain. Its already injured body trembled weakly, and blood flowed from multiple wounds scattered across its massive frame. The stabbed eye bled heavily, dark streaks running down its thick hide. Its breathing grew slower and more uneven, each breath sounding strained.
It had already been in a dying state from the earlier injuries and blood loss. Now, with one eye destroyed, its strength seemed to be fading even faster. The massive beast struggled to remain conscious, its life appearing to hang by a fragile thread.
Sham and I stood quietly, both watching the beast as it groaned in pain. Its massive body trembled weakly, and the sound of its strained breathing filled the surrounding silence. For a moment, neither of us spoke, simply observing the creature as it struggled to hold onto its life.
After a few seconds, Sham slowly turned toward me. There was a noticeable look of surprise on his face, something I rarely saw from him. His eyes moved briefly from the beast back to me, as if confirming what he had just witnessed.
"What?" I asked quietly, noticing his expression.
Sham hesitated slightly before speaking. "Skra-stab beast eye... with... ability?" he asked, his tone carrying clear surprise.
I paused for a moment.
His words made me reflect on what I had just done. Even I found it difficult to fully understand it. Until now, I had only thought of energy shields as my ability, shaping nature energy into barriers whenever I needed to defend. Forming a weapon, especially a sword identical to my own, was something I had never attempted before.
The memory of the translucent sword forming in my hand replayed briefly in my mind. The process had felt natural in that moment, yet now it seemed unfamiliar and unexpected.
For now, I pushed the thought aside. This was not the time to dwell on something I did not yet understand. I gave a light nod in response to Sham's question, silently acknowledging what had happened.
My gaze shifted back toward the beast.
Blood continued flowing from its injured eye, running down its thick hide and pooling faintly beneath its head. Its breathing had grown slower, and its groans sounded weaker than before. Even so, the creature still held onto its life, its massive frame occasionally twitching as it struggled to remain conscious.
"Sham, distract the beast for a moment. I will aim for its other eye," I said quietly, keeping my voice calm and steady.
Sham looked toward the beast, then nodded without hesitation. He tightened his grip on his sword and began moving forward carefully.
The beast noticed his movement.
Its remaining eye shifted toward Sham, and a low growl escaped from its throat before it suddenly roared again. The sound was weaker than before, yet still powerful enough to compress the air around it.
A burst of air surged forward and struck Sham directly.
The force pushed him backward, his feet sliding across the forest floor as dry leaves scattered beneath him. He was thrown a short distance before he managed to stabilize himself again.
I did not form a shield this time to protect Sham. As a sharp throbbing pain pulsed through my forehead, the strain from controlling multiple shields and shaping the energy sword earlier still lingering. Each time refined energy flowed from my forehead to the book, the pressure intensified, and I could feel that forcing another shield at this moment would slow my reaction and weaken my control.
Instead, I chose to conserve what little focus I had left, watching Sham carefully as he advanced while I prepared for the next opportunity.