>>5418852>>5418853>>5418882Brandishing the ring against the light refracting from your eyes, you expel whatever magical force could be contained inside the ring.
The thorn snakes appeared in larger size and quantity than the ones brought by Schierke thanks to your affinity with the earthly spirits, sending them out to constrict and bite at the Makara, your venomous thorn familiars were also secreting a paralyzing poison from it's thorns, making sure the monster would not move as Guts spun and tore through it's insides.
"The Vlad and Guts duo are back, baby!" Ivalera pumps you up.
"Not so tough when I'm with my armor, are you?" You aim a soul arrow at the creature, charging a clean shot before warning Guts what you would aim it right at the bastard's forehead.
Despite your soul being able to dematerialize part of it's brain, your beast of an enemy was still struggling to be set free. Were it not for Guts bisecting a piece of it's trunk and ripping it off by sheer strength of his pull, it would have repeated the same misfortunate blow that left you incapacitated in the last full moon.
"A sturdy one, aren't you?
"He can be as sturdy as he wishes. I have yet to see a creature who can survive without it's head." Guts readies the blackpowder in his arm cannon, with you having a mischievous idea.
"Catch this!" You take out one the seeds from your body, wrongfully missing the throw thanks to launching it at Guts with your weaker arm, but before it could hit the ground and be lost in the bodies, several thorn snakes were materialized, originating from your own body as some sort of parasite.
The vision of a controllable mesh of man and plant does not give you fond memories...
Regardless, they manage to spread and spill their thorns to Guts, who adds it as ammo so you can burst the Makara and use it's remnants as the fertilizer of his grave.
The ringing of your ears manages to deafen even the steps of the Dakas past the docks, forcing the beat of your heart to keep it's rhythm as the Makara finally falls.
"Steal the show from me, why don't you? You might have grown, but I'm still #1 when it comes to battle skill." Guts takes his victory in stride as you reunite with your crew to pass to the boat.
"I've been fighting with Handicaps for so long, I'm starting to consider them part of my style!" You laugh in return, despite fumbling your steps from internal bleeding.
Despite seemingly being pushed back at the start, the numbers of the Kushan army are entirely focused on the pier. Since Barnham has gathered close to Ganishka, they reside right next to him, even taking some distance, given how they have learned of his regenerating nature.
The Hundred Man Slayer title might be feasible to you nowadays. Thousand Daka Anhilator? Not so much. Even with all your comrades contributing to the fight and in good condition, for the most part, passing through this army through conventional means is off the drawing board.
