The frog monster's tongue shot out again, without warning—
as if refusing to accept what had happened.
SWOOSH!
Fast.
Too fast for a creature that size.
But!!!!
That tongue wasn't aimed at Rena!!!
It was aimed at Hero Claire, who had been drawing her bow while gathering a massive amount of energy!!!
That spear-like tongue immediately tried to strike Hero Tina's protective barrier.
Seeing that, Hero Claire was startled, her lips trembling, then she muttered.
I have to be quick!!!
Before it could reach,
Rena moved reflexively, her brows sharply furrowed, and shouted.
Don't you dare!!!!!!!
Her body was incredibly agile!
As if nothing had happened to her before.
Her great sword lifted, then swung quickly again—
both feet planted wide to keep her body from being pushed back.
CLANG!
The heavy impact shook the ground.
Both Tina and Claire were shocked seeing Rena. They both muttered the same words.
Impossible!!!
Before the frog monster could react again, Rena quickly adjusted her stance, her sword still swinging, her leading hand controlling with precision where the blade would go!!!
In a fraction of a second, Rena startled herself, remembering everything about Hero Anna—or rather, the Headmaster.
How she smiled,
How she walked,
How she attacked,
How she flew.
Then, closing her eyes, Rena began to channel her mana fiercely into her sword.
Now her sword was visibly absorbing Rena's mana.
Too fiercely!!!
For a moment, Rena nearly lost her balance.
Seeing that, Hero Tina tried to call out to Rena from behind her barrier, her right hand partially covering her mouth.
Rena!
Your mana!!!
Your mana is dropping to extreme levels!!!
Meanwhile, Hero Claire, seeing that, said nothing—instead, she kept focusing on gathering energy into her bow.
But Rena didn't stop…
Briefly, Rena remembered something, then muttered in the midst of it all, her jaw tensed.
A light…
Purple!!!!
Because of that, Hero Tina muttered again, her brows furrowed, thinking to herself.
If this continues… Rena will have no protection for herself…
I need to strengthen our protective barrier for all three of us!!
Suddenly!!!
The protective barrier Tina had created vanished!!!
Several of the half-monster males walking slowly began to lose their balance.
Including the frog half-monster.
And sure enough, Rena's sword was now absorbing everything around it—mana, everything!!!
And now, nature itself began to react!!
Wind swirled wildly,
Lightning appeared without clouds,
The ground cracked,
Air pressure changed,
Dust and rocks floated,
A humming sound filled the air as if everything was vibrating violently!!
Hero Tina was startled, her lips trembling!!
Now her body wanted to run away, seeing the situation. Several thoughts floated through her mind at Rena's extremely dangerous behavior.
Reckless Rena…
What is this!!
Doesn't this kid think about her surroundings!!
How can any human think like this?
But Hero Tina didn't speak those words aloud.
Instead, she tried to see something positive from the high risk Rena was taking…
Suddenly, Hero Tina stumbled and fell.
Without a word, without concluding, Hero Tina truly wore a shadowed face.
At least, that's what Hero Claire saw—the energy she had been gathering into her bow vanished along with what was happening right now.
Seeing all that, Hero Claire only said calmly, her gaze directed at her bow, muttering.
Rena… are you sure???
Even so, Rena had no doubt. Her eyes remained sharp, her cheeks lifted, and she shouted loudly.
I will not lose!!!!!
Hearing that, Hero Claire shifted her gaze toward Rena with her cheeks lifted, without saying a word.
…
Rena's stance was truly firm—no reaction from all of that.
The same went for the frog half-monster male, though he was struggling a bit…
Then!!!
Before Rena could swing her sword, the frog's tongue shot forward toward Rena!! Straight toward Rena!!!!!
And sure enough!!!
The tongue managed to pierce Rena's stomach!!!
Seeing that, Hero Claire was slightly startled… but remained silent…
Meanwhile, Hero Tina, who had been wearing a shadowed face, now saw Rena clearly.
With trembling lips, Hero Tina spoke in a fearful voice.
Is this already…
The en—
But before Hero Tina could finish that word,
Suddenly!!
Rena kept moving!!!!
No expression in her eyes!!
Rena remained calm!!
And strangely—no stress!!!
Then Rena moved both her hands again, including her left hand—now behind the sword's hilt, covered in blood from her stomach, with the frog's tongue still stuck in her belly.
Suddenly, Rena released her left hand and clenched her fist tightly around the blood. Then her brows sharpened, and she muttered.
I won't waste this!!!!
And now her right hand swung the sword!!
The swinging motion was too light for someone whose stomach had been pierced. Loudly, Rena shouted.
Power slash!!!!
Seeing all that, both Claire and Tina remembered someone with the same stubbornness. They both thought in their hearts.
Hero Anna…
In an instant, a large curved energy slash cut through the frog's tongue!!!
But this time, the energy slash had a color!!
Purple!!!
With that energy slash, it slowly narrowed, as if aiming at a single monster.
And a mana energy from the slash enveloped it!!
Hero Tina was startled at that color, and so was Claire.
That color…
It's the same light!!!
Finally, the large curved energy slash pushed back the frog half-monster male!!
Too far!!
Too fast!!
Even the frog half-monster male hadn't realized it yet!!
And now his body was in the air.
That frog half-monster male was truly sent flying!!
His body was out of control.
Rena's attack had forced him backward.
Finally, his body crashed into the rocky cliffs of the forbidden forest.
Bam!!!!!
But!!!
One attack from Rena didn't truly stop!!
Hero Tina, seeing that, spoke with arched brows toward Hero Claire.
Claire… we have to stop it…
Hearing that, Hero Claire agreed, then said with sharp yet calm brows.
Then I'll channel the rest of my mana to you…
Then, trying with all her might, Hero Tina attempted to cast protective magic toward the frog half-monster male.
Tch…
And sure enough…
It continued!!!
The frog half-monster male's body was still trying to push through the hard rocky cliff!!
Then, loudly, both Hero Claire and Tina shouted toward Rena.
Rena!!!!!!!
Rena, watching the half-monster male still struggling—she didn't hear anything else, only her own heart…
Then,
She startled, remembering Hero Tina's words in her mind.
They used to be human…
Remembering that, Rena's left hand now aimed toward the frog half-monster male, her fist clenched—then suddenly, her palm opened, fingers spread and relaxed.
Finally, the attack stopped. The half-monster male lay unconscious, his body still stuck in the rocky cliff of the forbidden forest.
The atmosphere became much quieter.
Only the sound of ragged breathing from the humans and the half-monsters could be heard.
All those half-monsters lay sprawled like exhausted wild animals.
And now, the three of them had done what they had chosen—even if not directly.