Utopian System

Arterro emerged from the chemical cauldron like a primordial beast, the earth responding to its will with an ease that compensated for its nearly exhausted mana.

The five minutes of metamorphosis granted almost absolute control over its element, though its meager ten remaining mana points limited its ability to create more material to control.

The muddy mass rose with it, transforming under its enhanced control. Its magical power, now multiplied to one hundred points, turned every fragment of earth into a deadly weapon.

One it planned to use to dispose of the weak pests who thought they could surround it.

Hundreds of stone spikes erupted from the fluid mass, projecting in all directions like an enormous long-spined sea urchin toward the soldiers surrounding it.

'Die, parasites!'

But the crimson flash in Elio's eyes was the only warning it received.

The human leader's reaction speed defied all logic.

Before the spikes could reach their targets, metal bands began materializing around Arterro, the iron and carbon alloy attempting to form another prison.

The extremely hard material constricted its arms and interrupted the monster's attack.

'Too fast!' Arterro's frustration grew as it diverted part of its control to combat the metallic restrictions. 'How can this parasite react with such speed?'

Though slowed, Arterro's attack didn't stop.

The earth spikes cut through the air with devastating force, each carrying Arterro's hundred points of magical damage. But the surprises weren't over for the Artromus.

The humans demonstrated why they had survived so long outside the barrier in this hostile world.

Carbon structures rose like a protective forest, each construction precisely calculated.

They weren't as resistant as the earth Arterro controlled, but they showed surprising engineering. The soldiers controlled them with coordination that seemed practiced for a long time, using the structures not just as shields but as leverage points to evade attacks.

Arterro couldn't know they had been using carbon all the time during the past few months.

'How?' Arterro's confusion grew while watching its assault being countered.

These parasites seemed to have absolute mastery over carbon, manipulating it with precision that allowed them to deflect attacks, gain crucial time to dodge, or simply absorb enough impact to survive.

Counterattacks came swiftly. Wind blades flew at it from all directions, most barely causing slight annoyance against its improved magical defense of one hundred points.

90% of the soldiers could no longer damage it.

But the main group... Elio and Zara's attacks were different. Each impact tore significant chunks from its resistance.

However, there was no way they had enough mana, between both of them they could only take about 20,000 resistance points before running out of mana.

But it couldn't wait for them to exhaust themselves.

'Five minutes,' Arterro calculated while launching another barrage of attacks. Its transformation gave it immense power, yes, but it was temporary.

The humans perhaps knew this, he could see it in how they coordinated their movements, in how the main group rationed their more powerful attacks.

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But how?

The realization hit hard: if they were playing for time... They didn't need to defeat it completely, just resist until its metamorphosis ran out.

The warrior pride in it revolted at the idea, but reality was undeniable.

Should it abandon the battle? Swallow its pride and seek a strategic retreat?

The image of its queen appeared in its mind, along with the memory of its sacred mission.

'For my queen,' it thought while evaluating escape options. 'For my race.'

It wouldn't be the first time a noble warrior retreated to fight another day. True dishonor would be failing its mission due to misunderstood pride.

But escaping this circle of death wouldn't be easy. The humans had learned from its predecessor, and this time they were prepared.

♢♢♢♢

Elio's mind worked at full speed while maintaining his assault. Letting the artromus escape wasn't an option, its control over earth would turn every tunnel into a deadly trap, every meter of terrain into a potential ambush.

If it managed to slip among the millions of Locus, finding it again to fight on their terms would be practically impossible.

The iron and carbon prison constantly reformed around the monster, but maintaining it consumed too much mana. Every time the metal bands tried to restrict its movements, the earth responded to the artromus's enhanced control, breaking the restrictions with force that made the metal creak.

The continuous bombardment from two hundred soldiers, which had been effective before, now barely scratched the monster's enhanced resistance.

Only the main group's attacks caused any damage, but even these seemed insufficient against the monstrous resistance metamorphosis had granted it.

'Can't keep wasting mana containing it,' Elio realized, noticing how his reserves dangerously diminished. The prison required too much energy, energy he would need for direct attacks if they wanted any chance of bringing down the monster before it escaped.

Each restriction Elio created was answered with a brutal counterattack, the earth responding to the monster's will with alarming ease.

He didn't just have to maintain the prison, but also constantly reinforce it against breaking attempts.

The green scythe gleamed in his hands. If they couldn't contain it, they would have to bring it down, and quickly.

But with his remaining mana, it would be impossible.

Time ran against them. Five minutes had never seemed so long.

Elio made calculations quickly while dodging another earth attack. With his 45 remaining mana points, even using all his power, he could barely tear about 15,000 points from the artromus's monstrous transformed resistance.

Elio didn't know if the resistance had doubled or increased tenfold. It could well be ten times more, like the difference between a Locus and a King Locus.

He wasn't sure...

But he knew it would be at least double like the other attributes, and in that case, 15,000 points weren't enough. Not even with Zara and the others' help.

His companions' situation was even more desperate. The level 7 soldiers, whose helium impulses had been useful before, now couldn't even penetrate the monster's improved defense with critical hits.

Milo's group, still preparing to reach level 9 and equipped with superior summons, barely managed to inflict 12 damage points per impact. The other level 8s didn't even reach that.

Even his main level 9 group only achieved 16 damage points. The numbers were mercilessly clear: it was mathematically impossible to bring down the monster before the five minutes ran out.

'If it is five minutes,' Elio thought, exchanging a look with Mei.

The hypothesis about the time limit was based on their experience with frenzy, Elio had seen that ability many times in his practices, confirming its duration.

But metamorphosis... They only had theories.

"Could be like frenzy," Mei had suggested, her analytical mind processing patterns. "System abilities tend to follow similar rules."

But even if their theory was correct, reality was implacable: keeping the artromus contained for five complete minutes seemed an impossible task with their current resources.