Elania's first instinct to attack was restrained when she realized the group had just been ordered to be ready. When the spears didn’t come at her she wasn’t sure if she should bolt toward them, or try and escape. Her mind was muddled and leaped from one alternative to the other as the excess Power and the high concentration of Darkwalker essence made everything hazy. The constant incomprehensible shouting of rude mushrooms wasn't helping her state of mind, either.

"Glua-Glaa! Glua-Glaa!"

Elania watched their leader point its spear at her and shout angrily. At least she thought it was angry. That wasn't entirely clear, but the thing it was trying to communicate was: ‘Leave. Leave now.’ The threat with the ready spears was implicit.

Elania didn't move. She couldn't. A small rational voice was shouting at her to go, that it wasn't a good idea to antagonize them, and how she needed friends. She could barely hear it, for the other less-rational one was screaming with all the loudness of the ‘Power’ coursing through her, warning her that they were going to take her kills and the Darkwalker essence she hadn't absorbed yet. That it would be easy to leap forward and end them all.

The Leader's shouting reached a crescendo, and she thought he was about to throw his spear at her first in a mad rage. Ever so slightly, she altered her stance, so she would be able to leap out and slit his annoying throat first.

A larger Mushroohum finally managed to push its way to the front and grabbed the Leader's arm, pulling the raised spear down. An angry exchange began, but Elania was focused on the newcomer. She recognized him.

Skinner had some kind of clout over the other Mushroohums because the others in the military formation relaxed and lowered their spears as the two in front argued. The exchange grew in intensity, with the gestures becoming erratic. She frowned and felt frustrated that she would never understand the frantic 'GluaGlaa' they spoke.

Elania wasn't sure what she could do other than wait when a roar echoed throughout the cavern. It came from the path Elania had used to reach the village, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was easily two heads taller than her, and the dark feline shape was unmistakable. How had it grown so large?

[ ???? - Lesser Demon (S Rank Monster) - Level 87]

'Identify is useless! That's not a demon, it's a massive fucking Darkwalker!'

"Glaa!" erupted from the assembled Mushroohums, and they scattered and ran for the buildings. The massive Demonic Beast was fast approaching seemingly seeking revenge for the deaths of all the smaller Darkwalkers. No one was going to make it back to any sort of safety of the stone buildings.

Unless she somehow slowed it down.

Elania could only think of one thing: to use a [Mana Manipulation] attack. Pulling out her dagger, she focused. Somehow the beast sensed the threat immediately, and her eyes widened as it changed the trajectory of its charge straight toward her.

It caused her to panic and release the ‘Power’ before she had pooled enough of it for a massive attack like earlier, but the light shooting out of the tip of her dagger was still impressive. It was a thin stiletto of ‘Power’ that intersected the Demon Darkwalker's chest. Unfortunately, it cost a huge chunk of her 'Power' that she had stacked up.

Worse, it had little effect.

Elania accepted the messages to absorb the Darkwalker essences, just seconds before the beast slammed into her. She went flying and then tumbling as she landed on her back. She didn't manage to get back on her feet before the beast snapped its jaws around her arm, yanking her back and forth and dislocating her shoulder.

She realized she was screaming while stabbing at her assailant. Steel found flesh creating a shallow nick that came close to the beast's face, and it let go of her roaring as she fell to the ground.

[Your physical status is degrading.]

She heard and felt her shoulder pop as it went back into place on its own, and the seeping wounds on her side quickly knitted themselves back together. Except then, the Demon Beast raked her front with a set of massive claws.

It was much worse than the Bone Demon, the massive Darkwalker's claws cutting deep like razor-sharp knives. Her dagger was too short, her javelins used up, and she had no idea where her spear and shield had gone, not that the flimsy wooden weapons would do much good against a monster like this.

[Power: 320/200]

Despite absorbing the mound of corpses, her ‘Power’ was draining rapidly, and she hadn't even managed to scratch the Darkwalker Demon. A massive claw raked down again, but this time she managed to roll to the side and slash with her dagger, drawing a thin line of blood through the thick fur.

'It's like trying to fight a bear with a butterknife!'

She scrambled away, but pain flared as it caught her leg in a pair of jaws and tossed her again. This time she managed to lessen the impact by tumbling into a dodge-roll, but the assault didn’t stop as it quickly chased after her with a follow-up attack.

"Glua-glaa!"

Elania was unaware that the fight had led them close to the village, and the nearest building had a dozen Mushroohums atop the roof. Briefly, she got a glimpse of them brandishing spears before they let loose a volley. Straight at her! No, she realized, they were directed at the Darkwalker Demon; she was just where it was going to be when they arrived!

She continued her evasion, and sure enough, the Demon pounced after her, right into a thicket of falling spears. It roared in a fury, now ignoring her, and rushing toward the building in zig-zagging leaps that made further volleys useless. Elania cursed under her breath. If it got close to them, it’d destroy the Mushroohums.

They didn't heal as she did.

She summoned her ‘Power’ again, preparing for another magical ranged attack. The Darkwalker Demon paused immediately and sniffed the air, before turning and roaring at her just as before. But she was prepared this time, and even as it charged at her, she kept her focus.

Her dagger had long reached the blinding white light from before and surpassed it. It was so much that her hand felt like it was burning just from being near the metal. Still, she kept hold of the ‘Power’ until the last second, just as the Demon Darkwalker pounced.

The light leaped forward through the rapidly shortening distance between them. The blast was enough to physically lift the Demon back up into the air and send it flying away, with trails of smoke and the smell of sizzling skin and burnt fur filling the air.

Elania wasn't unhurt herself as the pain flooded up through her arm. The skin of her hand was knitting itself back together, and that was as nearly as painful as when it had been completely incinerated.

The Darkwalker Demon crashed with a heavy thud, and for a moment, she thought that the fight was over. Before she could celebrate her victory, the creature stood up and roared in warning. Elania felt the blood drain from her face. How could this be? It was wounded, and she could clearly see the massive gouge across its chest that continued all the way down its side.

It charged at her again.

[Power: 112/204]

She didn't have ‘Power’ for another blast. She'd used it all on the last one! Looking down at the remains of her ruined dagger, Elania felt a sense of defeat. The blade was no longer straight or sharp, but a rounded melted mess. She had no chance against it in close combat, unless...

She stared at the message she hadn’t answered yet, and a ray of hope tinted with a hint of fear overtook her.

[You have achieved maximum Darkwalker Affinity. Do you wish to take Darkwalker Transformation? Y/N]