Chapter 76 — The Azure River Tyrant
The Azure River Tyrant roared.
Its enormous body shook the grassland as blue energy continued gathering around its jaws.
Azrael tightened his grip on Astraeus.
"Everyone!"
The others turned toward him.
"We attack the damaged armor on its left side."
Caelan understood immediately.
"The broken section Lyanna created."
"Exactly."
Lyanna nodded.
"I can open it again."
Orin raised his shield.
"I’ll keep its attention."
Seraphina lifted her staff.
"I’ll support everyone."
Azrael looked toward the other team.
"You heard him."
The red-haired leader nodded.
"Let’s finish this."
The Azure River Tyrant charged.
Orin stepped forward.
"Come on!"
BOOM!
The beast slammed into his shield.
Orin’s body was pushed backward, but he refused to fall.
"Now!"
Caelan moved.
His silver spear flashed toward the damaged armor.
CLANG!
The spear pierced through the cracked crystal.
The beast roared.
Lyanna followed immediately.
She jumped onto its side and drove both daggers into the exposed area.
CRACK!
More crystal armor shattered.
The creature twisted violently.
Lyanna was thrown into the air.
Seraphina raised her staff.
"Genesis Wings!"
Golden wings formed behind Lyanna and slowed her fall.
She landed safely.
"Thanks!"
Seraphina smiled.
"Anytime."
The red-haired leader shouted.
"Attack!"
His teammates rushed forward.
Several weapons struck the exposed area at once.
The crystal armor finally broke apart.
Blue energy erupted from the wound.
The Azure River Tyrant roared in pain.
Azrael saw the opening.
He vanished.
One Eclipse Wing folded around his body.
The second pushed against the ground.
His speed increased dramatically.
In an instant, he appeared beneath the monster’s neck.
Astraeus moved.
Slash!
The black blade cut deeply through the exposed scales.
The beast froze.
Azrael landed behind it.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
Blue blood erupted from the wound.
The Azure River Tyrant stumbled.
Its enormous body crashed against the ground.
THUD!
The entire riverbank shook.
Azrael looked toward the creature.
"It isn’t finished."
The beast slowly raised its head.
Its eyes had become brighter.
Caelan’s expression changed.
"It’s entering another phase."
Azrael nodded.
The monster’s crystal armor began glowing.
The broken pieces started repairing themselves.
Lyanna frowned.
"Regeneration."
"Not exactly," Azrael said.
He activated Origin Perception.
The blue energy wasn’t regenerating the armor.
It was pulling energy directly from the river.
Azrael immediately understood.
"It’s using the Spirit Crystals."
Caelan looked toward the river.
"So that’s why it protects them."
The beast roared again.
The river began rising behind it.
Massive waves formed.
Orin’s expression became serious.
"We need to stop it before it reaches the water."
Azrael nodded.
"Everyone, push it away from the river."
The team attacked again.
Orin charged first.
He slammed his shield against the monster’s head.
BOOM!
The beast stepped backward.
Caelan struck its side.
Lyanna attacked its legs.
Seraphina released golden vines.
"Genesis Binding!"
Golden vines wrapped around the creature’s limbs.
The Azure River Tyrant struggled.
Azrael stepped forward.
Dark energy gathered around Astraeus.
He didn’t release it immediately.
Instead, he watched.
The monster’s movements.
Its breathing.
The flow of energy.
The damaged areas.
Everything.
His Combat Insight activated.
[Combat Insight]
Target Analysis Progress: 47%...
Azrael’s eyes sharpened.
The monster had one weakness.
The crystal beneath its throat.
It was barely visible.
But every time the creature gathered water energy, that crystal became exposed.
Azrael waited.
The Azure River Tyrant opened its mouth.
Blue energy began gathering.
"There!"
Caelan immediately understood.
"Everyone, hold it!"
Orin pushed forward.
"Got it!"
The red-haired leader and his teammates attacked the legs.
Lyanna struck the wounded side.
Seraphina’s vines tightened.
The monster struggled.
Its throat crystal became visible.
Azrael disappeared.
His wings spread.
He moved faster than before.
The Azure River Tyrant fired its attack.
At the same instant—
Azrael reached its throat.
Astraeus pierced the crystal.
CRACK!
The blue energy exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
A shockwave swept across the grassland.
Everyone was thrown backward.
Azrael crashed into the ground and rolled several meters.
He quickly stood.
The Azure River Tyrant remained motionless.
A crack spread from the crystal beneath its throat.
Then another.
And another.
Finally—
CRACK!
The entire crystal shattered.
The creature’s blue aura disappeared.
Its body collapsed.
THUD!
Silence returned to the riverbank.
The System appeared before everyone.
[Monster Defeated]
Azure River Tyrant eliminated.
Contribution Rewards Calculated.
Experience Granted.
Rare Monster Core Obtained.
Territorial Guardian Defeated.
Spirit Crystal Zone Unlocked.
Golden light descended over both teams.
Azrael felt his energy rise.
A faint chime sounded.
[Combat Insight has increased.]
Combat Insight — Lv. 5
[Origin Perception has increased.]
Origin Perception — Lv. 5
Azrael looked at the notifications.
He smiled.
"Not bad."
Seraphina walked toward him.
"You leveled up?"
"Two skills improved."
"Again?"
Azrael shrugged.
"I guess fighting helps."
She laughed.
"Obviously."
Nearby, the red-haired leader walked toward them.
He extended his hand.
"Good fight."
Azrael shook it.
"You too."
The young man smiled.
"My name is Darius."
"Azrael."
"I know."
Darius glanced at Astraeus.
"Most people in the Academy know your name."
Azrael wasn’t particularly interested in fame.
Instead, he looked toward the river.
"Let’s collect the crystals."
Darius nodded.
"Agreed."
The two teams approached the water.
Without the guardian, the Spirit Crystals were much easier to collect.
They carefully divided them equally.
Nobody tried to take more than agreed.
Afterward, Darius looked toward the mountains.
"We’re heading there next."
Azrael followed his gaze.
"So are we."
Darius smiled.
"Then we’ll probably meet again."
"Probably."
The two groups separated.
Azrael’s team continued east.
By late afternoon, they reached the foothills.
The mountains were much larger than they had appeared from the grassland.
Clouds covered their peaks.
Several narrow paths led upward.
Lyanna studied the map.
"The central region is beyond these mountains."
Caelan looked at the paths.
"Which one?"
Lyanna closed her eyes.
After several seconds, she pointed toward the middle path.
"That one."
Orin looked at the steep mountain.
"Looks pleasant."
Seraphina smiled.
"You wanted an expedition."
"I know."
They began climbing.
The path became narrower as they went.
Eventually, the surrounding forest disappeared.
Only stone remained.
Azrael suddenly stopped.
Everyone looked at him.
"What is it?" Seraphina asked.
Azrael looked toward the mountain wall.
"There."
A faint marking was carved into the stone.
It was the same circular symbol they had seen inside the ruined structure.
Caelan walked closer.
"The same symbol."
Lyanna frowned.
"So these places are connected."
Azrael touched the marking.
Nothing happened.
He withdrew his hand.
"We’ll investigate later."
Caelan nodded.
"For now, we should reach the central region."
They continued climbing.
As evening approached, the group finally reached the mountain pass.
Beyond it...
A vast valley stretched into the distance.
Hundreds of glowing plants covered the ground.
Several ruined structures stood among them.
And scattered throughout the valley were dozens of other Academy teams.
Lyanna looked at the scene.
"The central region."
Azrael smiled.
Their expedition had only been going on for two days.
Yet they had already discovered ruins, defeated powerful guardians, collected rare resources, and reached the heart of the Outer Territory.
He looked at his companions.
"Let’s find a place to camp."
Seraphina nodded.
"Tomorrow, we explore the valley."
The group settled down near the mountain pass as the sky slowly darkened.
For now, the second day of their expedition had come to an end.