As Lynn's thoughts raced, his gaze instinctively shifted toward the dense garden surrounding them. The area was teeming with thick bushes, tall grasses, and towering trees that formed a natural barrier, obscuring much of the grounds from view.
"If you wish to conceal something, there is no better place than this," Lynn murmured. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the foliage. It was a labyrinth of greenery, offering countless hiding spots and concealing the secrets within.
He already observed the surroundings when his skill was activated, yet his efforts yielded no discoveries. The leaves rustled to the gentle breeze, creating a mesmerizing spectacle as it reflected the light cast by the burning tree.
His perception swept through the garden once more, his senses keenly attuned to the environment. Suddenly, he detected a subtle disturbance.
A faint vibration emanated from the soil nearby, causing the leaves to quiver ever so slightly. The sensation rippled through the air, spreading its tremor across the grass and trees as if an invisible force was unsettling the entire ecosystem.
Lynn immediately realized his mistake. In his haste, he had neglected to use his spiritual vision to check the area directly beneath his own feet.
"Retreat outside the garden!" Lynn's urgent voice pierced through the ambient sounds of the night, resonating with a sense of impending threat.
The officers, who had assumed the danger had passed, reacted swiftly and without hesitation. With synchronized movements, they initiated an orderly withdrawal, functioning as a unified and cohesive unit. Cooper assumed control, guiding his men and reinforcing Lynn's directive.
As they had just begun to evacuate, their steps were abruptly interrupted by a sudden and intense explosion. The sound reverberated through the air with an alarming force, shattering the tense atmosphere.
Bang!
The ground quivered beneath their feet as if the very earth itself was shaken by the magnitude of the detonation. In an instant, a dense cloud of dust and debris erupted into the sky, engulfing the garden and momentarily obscuring their vision.
Many were forcefully knocked off balance, stumbling and struggling to regain their footing amid the chaos. However, the sheriff, displaying a quick and decisive reaction, managed to guide his men to a safe area, away from the immediate danger.
"Could it be explosives planted under the garden?" the sheriff, whispered under his breath. His words hung in the air, laden with concern and a sense of impending danger.
"No! it's not a simple explosion," Lynn quickly interjected, adamantly denying the possibility. His eyes narrowed as he observed the aftermath, fixated on the cloud of dust.
The air carried a subtle earthy scent, a blend of damp soil and moss. Within the heart of the dust cloud, Lynn noticed the shadow of a creature. The looming silhouette seemed to absorb the surrounding trees, vegetation, and soil with alarming speed, rapidly expanding and swelling.
"This ability..." Lynn paused for a moment, thinking about something.
"What in the world..." Cooper gasped, for the first time displaying outright fear on his face. The other officers wore similar expressions of horror.
As the final remnants of dust settled, the horrifying reality became fully apparent. Standing before them was an immense creature, seemingly composed entirely of writhing vines and vegetation.
Two glowing eyes, brimming with primordial ferocity, glared down from its towering height. More than ten tentacle-like limbs, as thick as tree trunks, extended from its massive body.
With an earth-shattering roar, the behemoth prepared to unleash its devastating might, its massive limbs poised to strike Lynn and the officers.
However, before they could do anything, two grenades landed precisely on the monster's head. The ensuing explosion dealt a blow to its face, forcing the creature to halt its assault and emit a piercing shriek of agony.
Lynn, seizing the opportune moment, had managed to inflict this injury on the creature as soon as it appeared, capitalizing on the element of surprise.
This well-timed action not only caught the monster off guard but also created a crucial window of opportunity for the other officers to utilize the precious seconds to complete their retreat towards the entrance of the garden.
In the end, Lynn was the only one left near this entity. The monster, now enraged by the pain and humiliation it had endured, directed its glowing eyes fiercely at Lynn, its expression radiating pure fury.
With astounding speed for its massive size, the behemoth swung one of its thick, vine-like limbs toward Lynn. The appendage resembled a gigantic steel whip as it hurtled through the air.
Lynn's eyes widened, and he quickly activated [Quickstep] to narrowly avoid the blow that struck the ground where he had been standing only a split second before. The impact was like a miniature earthquake, sending shards of marble tiles flying as a small crater formed.
The behemoth resembled an enraged octopus as it swung its ten arboreal limbs wildly in all directions, destroying nearby marble statues and pillars with single blows. Stone fragments rained down as the officers scrambled for cover, unleashing a barrage of gunshots at the lumbering giant from afar.
However, their bullets seemed largely ineffective, merely embedding into the layers of dense foliage and bark that covered the creature's body. It was as if this living fortress of vines and vegetation possessed natural armor that protected it from conventional firearms.
However, the situation proved less severe than it initially appeared when the monster made its dramatic entrance. After successfully evading several more attacks, Lynn finally had his suspicion confirmed.
Thanks to the extraordinary ability demonstrated in the beginning, absorbing vegetation to swell and become giant, he made a connection with a tale from the collection of strange stories.
A life form that lurks beneath the surface, hidden underground in areas abundant with vegetation called [Vineroot Crawler].
During his fight, Lynn noticed that the monster in front of him not only shared the unique ability but also the same major weaknesses described in the storybook, which could be exploited to his advantage.
"The reason behind the strange previous surprise attack also becomes clear now," Lynn mused silently, carefully analyzing the unfolding situation as he quickly retreated to a safe zone.
It seemed evident that the mastermind had orchestrated the ambush to create favorable conditions for this monster assault.
"Not only does it require time to activate its ability, but its attacks are limited by its slow movement speed, resulting in a short range," he continued murmuring. "We simply need to maintain our distance."
After retreating more than ten meters from the creature, Lynn carefully analyzed its movements from his new vantage point.
With unwavering attention, he observed the behemoth as it swung its formidable limbs with reckless abandon, obliterating everything unfortunate enough to be in its path.
The mere thought of being ensnared by one of those gigantic appendages sent a shiver down Lynn's spine. The sheer force behind those monstrous limbs would undoubtedly result in his body being crushed under their overwhelming weight. It was a terrifying prospect that fueled his determination to maintain a safe distance.
Despite the creature's devastating attacks, Lynn realized that their power was rendered futile if they couldn't reach their intended target. As long as he and the others kept a safe distance, the creature's menacing vines would be unable to touch them.
The meticulously crafted plan appeared to have faltered. But it was expected, that the instant Lynn detected an anomaly, it became evident that the entire endeavor was destined for failure.
As Lynn's thoughts raced, his gaze instinctively shifted toward the dense garden surrounding them. The area was teeming with thick bushes, tall grasses, and towering trees that formed a natural barrier, obscuring much of the grounds from view.
"If you wish to conceal something, there is no better place than this," Lynn murmured. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the foliage. It was a labyrinth of greenery, offering countless hiding spots and concealing the secrets within.
He already observed the surroundings when his skill was activated, yet his efforts yielded no discoveries. The leaves rustled to the gentle breeze, creating a mesmerizing spectacle as it reflected the light cast by the burning tree.
His perception swept through the garden once more, his senses keenly attuned to the environment. Suddenly, he detected a subtle disturbance.
A faint vibration emanated from the soil nearby, causing the leaves to quiver ever so slightly. The sensation rippled through the air, spreading its tremor across the grass and trees as if an invisible force was unsettling the entire ecosystem.
Lynn immediately realized his mistake. In his haste, he had neglected to use his spiritual vision to check the area directly beneath his own feet.
"Retreat outside the garden!" Lynn's urgent voice pierced through the ambient sounds of the night, resonating with a sense of impending threat.
The officers, who had assumed the danger had passed, reacted swiftly and without hesitation. With synchronized movements, they initiated an orderly withdrawal, functioning as a unified and cohesive unit. Cooper assumed control, guiding his men and reinforcing Lynn's directive.
As they had just begun to evacuate, their steps were abruptly interrupted by a sudden and intense explosion. The sound reverberated through the air with an alarming force, shattering the tense atmosphere.
Bang!
The ground quivered beneath their feet as if the very earth itself was shaken by the magnitude of the detonation. In an instant, a dense cloud of dust and debris erupted into the sky, engulfing the garden and momentarily obscuring their vision.
Many were forcefully knocked off balance, stumbling and struggling to regain their footing amid the chaos. However, the sheriff, displaying a quick and decisive reaction, managed to guide his men to a safe area, away from the immediate danger.
"Could it be explosives planted under the garden?" the sheriff, whispered under his breath. His words hung in the air, laden with concern and a sense of impending danger.
"No! it's not a simple explosion," Lynn quickly interjected, adamantly denying the possibility. His eyes narrowed as he observed the aftermath, fixated on the cloud of dust.
The air carried a subtle earthy scent, a blend of damp soil and moss. Within the heart of the dust cloud, Lynn noticed the shadow of a creature. The looming silhouette seemed to absorb the surrounding trees, vegetation, and soil with alarming speed, rapidly expanding and swelling.
"This ability..." Lynn paused for a moment, thinking about something.
"What in the world..." Cooper gasped, for the first time displaying outright fear on his face. The other officers wore similar expressions of horror.
As the final remnants of dust settled, the horrifying reality became fully apparent. Standing before them was an immense creature, seemingly composed entirely of writhing vines and vegetation.
Two glowing eyes, brimming with primordial ferocity, glared down from its towering height. More than ten tentacle-like limbs, as thick as tree trunks, extended from its massive body.
With an earth-shattering roar, the behemoth prepared to unleash its devastating might, its massive limbs poised to strike Lynn and the officers.
However, before they could do anything, two grenades landed precisely on the monster's head. The ensuing explosion dealt a blow to its face, forcing the creature to halt its assault and emit a piercing shriek of agony.
Lynn, seizing the opportune moment, had managed to inflict this injury on the creature as soon as it appeared, capitalizing on the element of surprise.
This well-timed action not only caught the monster off guard but also created a crucial window of opportunity for the other officers to utilize the precious seconds to complete their retreat towards the entrance of the garden.
In the end, Lynn was the only one left near this entity. The monster, now enraged by the pain and humiliation it had endured, directed its glowing eyes fiercely at Lynn, its expression radiating pure fury.
With astounding speed for its massive size, the behemoth swung one of its thick, vine-like limbs toward Lynn. The appendage resembled a gigantic steel whip as it hurtled through the air.
Lynn's eyes widened, and he quickly activated [Quickstep] to narrowly avoid the blow that struck the ground where he had been standing only a split second before. The impact was like a miniature earthquake, sending shards of marble tiles flying as a small crater formed.
The behemoth resembled an enraged octopus as it swung its ten arboreal limbs wildly in all directions, destroying nearby marble statues and pillars with single blows. Stone fragments rained down as the officers scrambled for cover, unleashing a barrage of gunshots at the lumbering giant from afar.
However, their bullets seemed largely ineffective, merely embedding into the layers of dense foliage and bark that covered the creature's body. It was as if this living fortress of vines and vegetation possessed natural armor that protected it from conventional firearms.
However, the situation proved less severe than it initially appeared when the monster made its dramatic entrance. After successfully evading several more attacks, Lynn finally had his suspicion confirmed.
Thanks to the extraordinary ability demonstrated in the beginning, absorbing vegetation to swell and become giant, he made a connection with a tale from the collection of strange stories.
A life form that lurks beneath the surface, hidden underground in areas abundant with vegetation called [Vineroot Crawler].
During his fight, Lynn noticed that the monster in front of him not only shared the unique ability but also the same major weaknesses described in the storybook, which could be exploited to his advantage.
"The reason behind the strange previous surprise attack also becomes clear now," Lynn mused silently, carefully analyzing the unfolding situation as he quickly retreated to a safe zone.
It seemed evident that the mastermind had orchestrated the ambush to create favorable conditions for this monster assault.
"Not only does it require time to activate its ability, but its attacks are limited by its slow movement speed, resulting in a short range," he continued murmuring. "We simply need to maintain our distance."
After retreating more than ten meters from the creature, Lynn carefully analyzed its movements from his new vantage point.
With unwavering attention, he observed the behemoth as it swung its formidable limbs with reckless abandon, obliterating everything unfortunate enough to be in its path.
The mere thought of being ensnared by one of those gigantic appendages sent a shiver down Lynn's spine. The sheer force behind those monstrous limbs would undoubtedly result in his body being crushed under their overwhelming weight. It was a terrifying prospect that fueled his determination to maintain a safe distance.
Despite the creature's devastating attacks, Lynn realized that their power was rendered futile if they couldn't reach their intended target. As long as he and the others kept a safe distance, the creature's menacing vines would be unable to touch them.
The meticulously crafted plan appeared to have faltered. But it was expected, that the instant Lynn detected an anomaly, it became evident that the entire endeavor was destined for failure.
