Nyuru sprinted toward Reeva, her breath ragged and her face taut with urgency. In one swift motion, she shoved the Fire Lotus Archon—carefully nurtured by Devor—into Reeva’s trembling hands.

  "Quick! I’ve got your back!" Nyuru barked, already turning to face the front lines. Without a second thought, she took Reeva’s place at the defensive line, her sword cutting through a scaled beast in one clean stroke.

  Reeva’s chest rose and fell in sharp gasps, her hands shaking as she held the Fire Lotus Archon, its faint glow pulsing with energy. "What happened to Devor?" she asked, her voice barely steady.

  Nyuru didn’t look back, her eyes locked on the chaos ahead as she brought her blade down on another monster. "We’ll deal with him later. For now, just focus!" she snapped, her voice cutting through the noise. With a single powerful swing, she sent a massive creature stumbling back, its black-scaled hide cracking and smoldering.

  Reeva swallowed her worry, forcing her mind to settle. She dropped to the cold, uneven ground, crossing her legs and cradling the Fire Lotus Archon in both hands. A soft sphere of energy enveloped the plant, its glow warm and rhythmic, pulsing with her heartbeat.

  As Reeva concentrated, the Fire Lotus Archon began to fold in on itself. Its once-vibrant petals shriveled, its glowing leaves curling and disintegrating as if crushed by an invisible force. The plant’s energy spiraled inward, swirling violently into the vortex she had created at the center of the sphere, consuming every last trace of the plant.

  The noise of the battlefield faded to a distant hum as Reeva focused, her movements steady and precise. Bit by bit, the Fire Lotus Archon crumbled into fine red powder, which she carefully divided into smaller portions. Her hands moved with practiced ease, shaping the powder into small, dense spheres of dark red energy. The faint glow within each sphere flickered, catching the dim light that filtered through the forest canopy.

  Reeva opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and scanned the battlefield. "Nyuru! Dnitz! Fall back and take these!" she commanded, her voice sharp and clear.

  Nyuru and Dnitz, locked in fierce combat, exchanged a brief, understanding glance before pulling back in sync. With a few decisive strikes, they pushed their enemies just far enough to regroup.

  Reeva tossed two spheres with perfect aim, one to each fighter. Both caught the glowing orbs mid-air, their grips firm but controlled.

  "I’ll go first," Nyuru said, her voice steady and confident. She locked eyes with Dnitz for a split second—an unspoken bond between them—before turning back to face the oncoming horde.

  Nyuru focused her energy into the sphere in her hand. The warmth spread through her palm, building into a blazing heat that rushed up her arm. The sphere’s red glow deepened, becoming almost unbearable to look at.

  With a sharp shout, Nyuru hurled the sphere forward, releasing its stored energy. A beam of blinding red light shot out, cutting through the advancing monsters like a raging dragon's breath.

  BOOM!

  The explosion rocked the ground beneath them, and for a split second, the forest was bathed in a fierce crimson glow. The monsters caught in the blast were vaporized in an instant, their charred remains scattered across the battlefield.

  "Boom!" Another deafening roar followed as Dnitz unleashed his attack, a fiery wave that ripped through the next wave of beasts.

  The coordinated strikes left the battlefield in ruins—smoldering debris, scorched earth, and a thick blanket of ash where the monsters had once surged forward. Only a few stragglers remained, staggering with broken limbs and empty, glazed eyes.

  Nyuru lowered her hand, her sharp gaze scanning the battlefield. Her palm was blackened and raw from the heat, pain shooting up her arm with every movement, but she pushed it aside, her focus razor-sharp.

  "Reeva, more spheres!" Sugu called, his voice tight with effort as he plunged his blade into a monster's neck.

  Reeva nodded, swiftly tossing two more spheres to Sugu. Her movements were efficient, her mind racing as she calculated where each sphere would do the most damage. The team was holding their ground—but just barely.

  Sugu caught the spheres with ease, channeling his energy into one right away. The familiar warmth spread through him, igniting the sphere in his hand. With a swift motion, he hurled it into the densest cluster of monsters.

  BOOM!

  The explosion sent shockwaves through the forest, the blast tearing through trees and obliterating the last of the monsters in its path.

  Meanwhile, the rest of the team swiftly took the powder balls from Reeva. One by one, they fired powerful energy lasers, the red beams streaking through the air with destructive force.

  One coordinated strike after another shifted the battle in their favor. What had started as a chaotic free-for-all now felt like a well-planned strategy, leaving the battlefield unnervingly quiet, save for the crackling of scorched earth.

  As the dust began to settle, Reeva sprinted toward Devor, her heart hammering in her chest. She found him collapsed on the ground, his body pale and unmoving. Blood stained his robes, trickling from the corner of his mouth and pooling beneath him.

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  "Devor..." Reeva whispered, her voice tight with anxiety. Kneeling beside him, she gently adjusted his position, supporting his head as she checked for a pulse. His breathing was shallow, his face twisted in pain.

  Without hesitation, Reeva reached into her Spatial Ring and pulled out a small green pill. Crushing it into a fine powder, she leaned in close, her voice soft but urgent. "Come on, Devor. You have to take this."

  She pressed the powder to his lips, urging him to swallow. For a moment, there was no response, and panic crept into her chest. But then, his throat twitched. Slowly, painfully, Devor swallowed the medicinal powder.

  A wave of relief washed over Reeva, though she didn't let herself fully relax. She placed her palm on his chest, channeling a steady flow of energy to stabilize him. "Rest now," she whispered. "You've done enough."

  Devor closed his eyes, letting the warmth flowing through him seep into every corner of his battered body. The soothing sensation spread, easing the tightness in his muscles, steadying his breath, and mending the cracks in his exhausted spirit. The relentless coughs that had racked his chest were gone, replaced by a steady rhythm of inhales and exhales. Slowly, the searing pain that had held him captive faded, leaving behind a deep sense of calm.

  Reeva knelt beside him, her face set in fierce concentration. Her hands glowed faintly as they rested on his chest, channeling healing energy into his battered body. The soft hum of her power vibrated through him, sinking deep into his wounds and knitting them together with careful precision. A slight furrow appeared on her brow from the effort, but her focus never faltered.

  Around them, the battlefield still echoed with the chaos that had once reigned. The relentless tide of monsters had finally ebbed, but the air still carried the heavy scent of blood and the sharp tang of scorched earth. Broken bodies of monstrous beasts lay scattered, a grim reminder of the brutal fight they’d just endured.

  One by one, the team began to regroup, their movements slow and heavy with exhaustion. A flicker of relief passed across their faces as they took in the stillness of the battlefield, but it was short-lived. Their eyes quickly turned to Devor’s unmoving form, concern replacing any sense of victory. His pale face and weakened state were a stark contrast to the strength they had always relied on.

  Torni was the first to step forward, his face drawn and streaked with grime and sweat, but his concern was clear. "What happened to him?" he asked hoarsely, his voice rough from hours of shouting orders in the heat of battle. His eyes locked onto Reeva, silently demanding an explanation.

  The rest of the team moved closer, their tension almost tangible. Nyuru, still holding her blood-slicked blade, was the one to break the silence. "It’s the Fire Lotus Archon," she said, her voice steady but laced with guilt. "Something went wrong while he was cultivating it." Her gaze lingered on Devor, a flicker of regret in her eyes—as if she blamed herself for not stepping in sooner.

  High above, Versti, who had been observing the battle from the air, began his descent with deliberate speed. Though he had stayed out of the direct fighting, bound by his role as the team’s captain, he now moved with urgency. He landed lightly beside them, his sharp eyes quickly scanning Devor’s condition with practiced precision.

  "Devor overexerted his Spiritual Essence," Versti explained, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "That’s what caused this. Don’t worry—he’ll recover. Reeva’s already taking care of it."

  A collective sigh of relief rippled through the team, their postures loosening slightly. Losing Devor—their Spiritual Farmer—would have been disastrous. While others like Nyuru could step in temporarily, the team’s cohesion and strength would have been seriously compromised without him.

  Under Reeva's care, and with the help of the medicinal pill she'd given him earlier, Devor’s condition slowly improved. His limbs, heavy as stone, began to warm. His eyelids fluttered open, and he blinked groggily, his gaze taking in the concerned faces around him like he was emerging from a fog.

  "Thank you," he murmured, his voice hoarse but sincere. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he tried to sit up, but his body immediately protested.

  "Don’t move!" Reeva snapped, her voice sharp but laced with concern. She pressed a firm hand on his shoulder to keep him down. "You’re not ready to get up yet. Stay still until your energy stabilizes."

  Devor nodded weakly, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. "Alright," he whispered.

  Versti stepped closer, his gaze focused and analytical. "What happened out there, Devor?" he asked, his tone calm but with an edge of curiosity.

  All eyes turned to Devor, the weight of their collective gaze pressing on him. For a moment, he hesitated, struggling to put his thoughts into words. Before he could speak, Sugu’s voice cut through the silence, sharp as a knife.

  "Isn’t it obvious?" Sugu scoffed, his tone harsh. "He doesn’t have the experience for this. He made a rookie mistake, and it nearly cost us everything."

  The words hit hard, hanging in the air with a cold sting. Devor lowered his gaze, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the accusation. "You’re right," he murmured quietly. "I didn’t handle things as well as I should have. If I’d had more experience, maybe I could’ve managed it better."

  Sugu crossed his arms, his expression icy. "You shouldn’t be learning something this basic in the middle of a fight."

  "Sugu, that’s enough," Reeva snapped, her voice firm as she shot him a sharp look. Her tone was controlled, but there was a clear warning in her words, telling him not to push any further.

  Devor spoke up, his brow furrowed, despite the tension hanging in the air. "Something doesn’t feel right about this place," he said, his voice low but firm. "I tried to stabilize the Fire Lotus Archon using my golden energy—filling in the gaps where it was weak. But when the plant grew... it didn’t react how I thought. Instead of healing itself, it just absorbed my energy. Like it became part of the plant."

  Dnitz frowned, clearly puzzled. "Wait... is that a problem?" His voice held a note of uncertainty.

  Nyuru’s eyes sharpened as she processed what he said, her mind working quickly. "Actually, yeah, that makes sense," she replied, her tone thoughtful. "Especially with the Blue Star Elixir. It accelerates growth too much. But if the plant’s foundation is unstable, it’s like trying to build a tower on sand. It might rise fast, but it won’t last. It’ll collapse before it has a chance to stabilize."

  Devor exhaled slowly, nodding as her words sank in. "Exactly. The more it grew, the more it drained me. It wasn’t growing on its own—it was feeding off my energy just to stay alive."

  He paused, his gaze softening as he looked at Nyuru. "That’s why I couldn’t keep up. My energy control wasn’t strong enough to balance both the plant and myself. The Archon’s growth was too unpredictable. I... I needed someone to handle the Blue Star Elixir without throwing off the fragile balance I was barely holding together."

  Sugu snorted, still clearly frustrated. "Maybe instead of chasing theories, you should focus on mastering the basics," he muttered, his irritation evident.

  "That’s enough, Sugu," Versti said, his voice cold and sharp. His piercing gaze fixed on Sugu, silencing him instantly. "This isn’t the time for blame. We all knew from the start that this world doesn’t follow our rules. The only way forward is to adapt."

  His words settled into the air, demanding silence. Slowly, the tension in the group began to ease, replaced by a quiet sense of unity. The uncertainty still lingered, but Versti’s calm authority brought them back together, grounding them in their shared purpose. They had survived the battle, and together, they would face whatever came next.