Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 233 Last Stand (2)

The white lightning, obviously, came from the little pup, Argus. Seeing that his master was in danger, he didn't hesitate to help Aster, even at the cost of his own safety.

*Whine!*

In the brief moment it was distracted, three weapons targeted his position. The pup dodged two by reflex, but the last one was too vicious. It left a large gash across Argus' side, bleeding profusely. It was a heavy wound, enough to affect his movements!

"That... HURTS, you bastard!"

"...!"

To make matters worse, the pink-haired woman survived Argus' basic lightning attack and moved to stab Aster once more. However, this time, with her movements slowed by the damage she suffered, Aster was able to dodge to safety.

*BAM!*

Instead, he earned a solid punch to his side from the red-haired man! It was a perfectly timed combination attack from the two, like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire!

"... Intermediate Heal!"

But Cassy's timely support rained down on Aster. Her skill repaired his broken internal organs and bones in one go, allowing him to fight back again, as long as he could grit his teeth and bear the pain!

"Intermediate... Heal!"

With almost no time lag, she cast the second Intermediate Heal, her limit for that specific skill for the day. Her target was, of course, the injured dog, Argus!

"Ugh...!"

Cassy fell to her knees. Using two Intermediate Heals in quick succession had drained her mental energy. Her mana was still sufficient, but her body was showing signs of exhaustion.

Aster wanted to thank her, but he was too busy. With 24 enemies bearing down on him, it was impossible to even catch a breath.

The number of long-range attackers reached ten, excluding the red-haired and pink-haired Aracelli Race members. Aster was battling a dozen of them at once! The rest weren't idle either, gradually closing in to make sure he had no way to escape.

'At this rate...!'

Aster remained silent. He wasn't entirely sure why either. He had a few guesses, but now wasn't the time to investigate.

*Ptew!*

He spat blood onto the ground and straightened up. "What now? Even with five of you, levels higher than mine, and this many people backing you up, you still can't subdue one little guy like me?" A twisted grin spread across his lips.

He tugged at his scarf, freeing his throat, and shouted at them.

"I'll say it again! If you want Cassy, you'll have to kill me first! I WON'T LET YOU HAVE HER!"

For a brief moment, silence fell over the battlefield, only to be interrupted by a slow, rhythmic clapping. Aster's eyes flicked toward the source—it was Lorelai, the only one who had yet to join the fight.

"As expected of you, Aster," she praised. "However, at this rate, you'll die for nothing, and we'll still take Cassy. Your strength isn't enough to stop us."

*WHAM!* *Whine!!!*

As if to prove her point, Argus took another heavy hit. This time, it was from a blunt weapon—a morning star—dealing more internal damage than external. His legs wobbled under the strain of his crushed organs, and before he could recover, a sword pierced through the center of his body. It was a fatal wound, no matter how you looked at it.

"ARGUS!"

Aster saw it happen out of the corner of his eye and felt a surge of panic. His companion, who had once left his side, was about to leave him again... "NO!" But then, he realized Argus was still breathing. His partner wasn't dead yet—there was still a chance to save him.

Breaking through the encirclement, Aster charged forward, dodging only the attacks aimed at his vitals. His reckless actions left him covered in fresh wounds, but he managed to push through the enemy ranks.

They were hot on his heels, but he didn't have much time.

Grabbing the only High Potion in his pack, Aster ripped off the cap and splashed the contents over Argus' body. It wasn't the most efficient use, but it was enough to let the potion work its magic.

Argus' wounds began healing rapidly, bringing him back from the brink of death. But it came at a price.

"... We're surrounded again."

And this time, the enemy's numbers had doubled!