The plan that the students made was quite good. However, Eryn’s branches rose, and its roots started shifting. He blocked Amaya’s claws, redirected Vin’s dive and wind blade, tilted the ground beneath Brannic, and caught the mole as he surfaced. The boulder slamd into his trunk again, only to be nudged aside.
"Coordination is better... But it’s still lacking." Eryn said.
However, he also knew that these students were hiding sothing. He could tell from their eyes that they were waiting for sothing. It was as if they had been testing him till now.
’I guess they had never fought against a Treant before and is still not taking this seriously.’ Eryn mused as he considered helping them to work harder...
Soon, he started getting harsher as his branches started hitting faster and stronger...
Amaya hissed. "We need to try harder... I think this will still work!"
Vin nodded. "The mole can distract the roots. The boulder can give us height."
Brannic grinned. "Then let’s climb."
The mole burrowed again, scratching at the roots, forcing Eryn to divert attention downward. This ti, however, the mole seed to have gathered more strength...
Furthermore, the boulder rolled into position, solid and unmoving.
He tried pushing it, but it was unmoving... Well, it wasn’t hurting him, so Eryn decided to let this boulder stay just like that. They must have a plan in their mind...
As expected, Amaya’s Lynx form leapt onto the stone, using it as a platform to spring higher. Vin swooped, catching the air above her!
Then, as Eryin focused on the two, Brannic charged with claws anchoring into the boulder’s side, pushing it forward with his strength.
Together, they struck.
Bang!
Amaya’s claws raked across a branch, Vin’s fangs snapped close to Eryn’s shoulder, Brannic’s strike forced the treant to bend, the mole clawed at the roots below, and the boulder slamd into the trunk with Brannic’s push.
For the first ti, Eryn had to focus on defense. This was the first ti that the five attacked at the sa ti.
The crowd gasped, but Eryn’s leaves rustled, amused at their thod.
"Better. You are learning to be a team."
Then, once again, he lifted the mole gently, redirected the boulder’s roll, caught Amaya mid‑leap, twisted Vin’s dive, and turned Brannic’s strike aside.
Of course, it was easier said than done... This ti, these three students had sohow forced him to use more Arcane Energy.
If his master Sreas was watching, he would certainly laugh at the fact that he was forced like this by a bunch of 12 or 13-year-olds.
"Hmm... If you’re tired now. We can end this..." He finally said.
Amaya panted but shook her head. Her Morpher State could last for 20 minutes. It was the sa for Vin and Brannic. As for the other two, they might have to retire soon.
"We can continue." She replied
She darted again, this ti timing her strike with Vin’s dive. Brannic anchored the boulder, pushing it into place while the mole burrowed beneath, erging at the right mont to claw at the roots. Well, it was a repeated move, but it was fine!
The three of them had a plan, and doing this move again would help them with their final move!
Furthermore, this ti, their movents were aligned. Amaya struck as Vin distracted the branches, while Brannic forced the boulder forward, and the mole cut another part of the root!
Eryn’s bark cracked slightly under the coordinated assault.
"You made an opening. Good... But if this is all you’ve got. Then, do not be disappointed. You’ve done well." Eryn said.
Then his roots surged, lifting the boulder, guiding Amaya’s leap into a safe arc, redirecting Vin’s dive, and easing Brannic’s claws away. He released the mole gently onto the surface one last ti...
"Openings are not doors," he said. "They are invitations. You must decide whether to enter. You’ve done well." Eryn said, believing that this was done.
***
Amaya was silent as Eryn’s branches lowered, his roots settling back into the arena floor.
The man’s green eyes dimd slightly, the glow fading as he believed the lesson had ended.
"That was a good attempt," Eryn said.
The crowd began to murmur, so clapping softly, others whispering about the teamwork they had just witnessed.
But Amaya’s silver eyes glinted with sothing sharper. Vin’s wings folded, yet his scales glowed faintly. Brannic’s claws also flexed, and his bear form was trembling as though holding back sothing...
They had waited for this mont.
Eryn had relaxed. His guard was down.
Amaya softly spoke. "Now."
Vin nodded. "We have no other choice."
Brannic grinned. "Let’s show him."
Their bodies rippled, fur and feathers dissolving into smoke. The crowd gasped as the three prodigies invoked a transformation no one expected.
Dark veins spread across Amaya’s skin, her lynx form collapsing into a lithe humanoid figure with horns curling back from her temples.
Her claws lengthened into obsidian talons, her eyes turning crimson. She had beco a Demon Huntress!
Vin’s wings trembled as his feathers blackened and scales spread across his chest. He was also in humanoid form, but now, with a serpent tail splitting into two, while his face elongated into a sharp, angular visage. His eyes also turned violet as he had beco a Winged Serpent Demon!
Brannic roared, his bear form collapsed into a towering humanoid demon. His muscles swelled, his skin darkened, and spikes erupted from his shoulders. His claws beca massive gauntlets of bone!
In just a few seconds, he had beco a Demon Juggernaut!
And the three attacked without any warning, breaking many of the treant’s branches and roots! It happened so fast!
The arena fell silent.
"Demons..." soone whispered in horror.
"Impossible... they obtained Demon Blood?" another gasped.
Professor Paterson’s eyes narrowed, but he did not intervene. He knew the truth: Transformation Artists treated all forms as tools. Even demons, feared and reviled, were just another figure to copy. No hard feelings, no allegiance... For them, it was only a matter of mastery.
Eryn’s treant eyes widened as he ford a defensive maneuver with his remaining branches...
"So... you’ve chosen this path."
Amaya replied with a smile... "We want to see how far we can go against the disciple of the Asura."
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