Ex-Rank Awakening: My Attacks Make Me Stronger
Chapter 98: EX 98. Squad Battle

Chapter 98: EX 98. Squad Battle

As Leon and his squad thundered across the demon territory, their Raider bikes kicking up dust and cursed ash beneath their tires, the landscape around them twisted with the signature eeriness of corrupted land. Burnt trees, cracked earth, and distant demonic howls painted the horizon. But Leon’s sharp eyes caught something, a ripple across the ground, like a wave moving beneath the soil.

His gaze narrowed.

Something was coming.

He didn’t slow down, instead, a smirk crept across his lips as he kept riding, letting the engine purr beneath him.

Then, without looking back, he called out loud enough to cut through the roar of the bikes:

"Since you guys didn’t get to do anything in the last stronghold... as your Captain, it’s only right I give you firsthand experience to make up for it."

Adrian, Eden, and Eleanor shared quick glances of confusion, thrown off by the cryptic remark.

Eden raised a brow.

"What’s he talking about,"

But his question died in his throat.

Because suddenly, the strange, writhing movement beneath the ground intensified, forming large bulges that rippled across the earth like something massive slithering just under the surface.

Eden’s eyes widened.

"It can’t be,"

Leon’s voice cut in, cool and casual.

"This will be your first real battle in demon territory. Make it count."

With that, Leon pulled back slightly on his Raider, reducing speed and letting his teammates drift ahead.

And then,

BOOM!

The earth exploded, and from it emerged a massive worm-like demonic beast, easily the size of a large building. Its grotesque, glistening body blotted out the dark sky as it let out a guttural roar that sent tremors down their spines.

Eleanor’s breath hitched.

"It’s... a demonic beast!"

"Let’s not waste time and end it before it notices us," Adrian quickly suggested.

"Too late." Eden shook his head grimly. "It has already seen us."

The worm’s grotesque head twisted, sensing their presence. With a violent jerk, it lunged toward them, its mouth a spiraling tunnel of serrated teeth.

Adrian shouted,

"Split up!"

In one fluid motion, the three of them revved their engines, scattering in different directions as the worm’s maw slammed into the ground where they had been moments before, sending a shockwave that shattered the earth.

But the beast wasn’t done.

Adrian had barely stopped, pulling out his shield to try and read the worm’s movement, when the ground beneath him began to rumble violently. His Raider was suddenly flung aside as the worm burst upward once more, this time, directly underneath him.

He was sent flying into the air, suspended momentarily, hovering over the open, gaping jaws of death.

And just before the creature’s mouth could close,

BOOMF!

A glowing barrier snapped into existence around Adrian, redirecting his fall and carrying him to safety in a swift arc, landing him beside Eden and Eleanor as the worm’s jaws chomped shut, snapping at empty air.

Adrian looked up, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Thanks for the save."

"Don’t mention it," Eleanor simply answered, her eyes faintly glowing from her talent use.

Eden exhaled, flicking his staff to the ready.

"I can’t believe he left us to fight that thing..."

Adrian, who had already gotten into position, smirked as he brushed dirt off his armor.

"It’s training."

The worm’s head twisted toward them again, rage seeping from every inch of its monstrous form. Its body coiled, ready to strike again.

Adrian raised his shield and sword, a gleam of excitement in his eye.

"So let’s make it count."

Eleanor drew a sleek obsidian katana from her inventory.

"Way ahead of you."

Eden, adjusting his grip on his staff, and sighed with resignation.

"Let’s just make this quick."

They stood shoulder to shoulder, the demonic worm bearing down on them like a calamity.

Adrian lowered into a battle stance.

"That’s the spirit."

And together, they charged.

From a distance, Leon leaned back on his Raider, watching them with interest.

His voice, carried by the wind, barely a whisper:

"Let’s see what you’re made of."

****

The battle erupted in a blur of chaos and power.

As the colossal demonic worm lunged forward, its massive form tearing through the soil like a living avalanche, Adrian took the lead, his eyes locked onto the oncoming threat. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he raised his shield and shouted:

"Full Counter!"

A burst of force boomed out as the worm’s head collided with the shield, and the shockwave from the counterstrike sent the massive beast recoiling backward with a thunderous crack. Dust flew into the air, obscuring the creature’s dazed, reeling form.

Eden didn’t waste the opening. He extended his staff, the runes along its surface glowing bright orange as he activated his talent:

[Emberflow] — Explosion!

A blazing blast of fire detonated directly against the worm’s face,

BOOOM!

Charring its thick skin and sending it staggering backward with a pained screech that echoed across the territory.

Blinded and wounded, the worm instinctively tried to retreat, slamming its head toward the earth to burrow to safety.

But it didn’t make it.

With a calm, almost mocking voice, Eleanor called out:

"Where do you think you’re going?"

As she raised her hand, a series of barriers formed in rapid succession, blocking the worm’s descent and forming a step-like path above it. Without hesitation, she ran up the barriers, gaining momentum with each step until she reached the peak.

Then, she jumped.

High above the demonic beast, Eleanor twisted mid-air, her katana flashing with energy as her barrier-enhanced aura wrapped around the blade like a sheath of glowing force.

But the worm wasn’t done, it sensed her descent and opened its jagged maw with a monstrous screech.

"ELEANOR!" Eden shouted.

In that instant, Eden fired another Explosion, this time straight into the beast’s open mouth.

KABOOOM!

The inside of the worm’s jaw seared and twisted in agony as the heat ruptured flesh.

Adrian saw his chance and charged again, his shield blazing with counter-energy as he smashed into the side of the worm’s head, stunning it once more.

Midair, Eleanor’s body spun like a falling star, the katana glowing with crystalline clarity as she reached the neck of the demonic beast.

"Slash!!"

The word came like a whisper, but the impact was thunderous,

SHRIIING—KRRRKK!

With a single, clean strike, the glowing blade sliced through the worm’s thick neck, the massive head tumbling to the ground as the rest of its body convulsed, before crashing into the dirt with a deafening THUD.

Eleanor landed rolling before stopping in a crouch, her hand gripping the hilt of her katana as she looked up at the fallen beast, chest heaving.

A moment later, Adrian and Eden ran to her side.

"Good job." Adrian grinned.

"Yeah... that was clean." Eden nodded, still catching his breath.

But before they could even start celebrating,

CRASH!!!

Another worm, just as massive, just as horrifying, erupted from beneath the ground, catching them all completely off guard.

"Shit!" Adrian cursed, shoving Eden and Eleanor aside as he braced himself.

"FULL COUNTER, !"

He raised his shield just in time,

But before the monster could land a single blow,

SHHRRRRIIIIIIINNK!

The sound was like a sword cutting silk, deadly and elegant.

The giant worm, that was just about to rampage, suddenly froze mid-motion... as a thin vertical line appeared on its body, it was split in half, diagonally cleaved from head to tail, its two halves slamming to the ground with wet, sickening splats.

The three cadets turned slowly, eyes wide and breath caught in their throats.

Standing a few feet away, sword still faintly glowing, was Leon.

"Let’s harvest the valuables from that thing quickly, before moving to the next stronghold."

He casually said as he walked passed them, before stopping and adding with a faint grin:

"And... you guys did good. Keep it up."

He didn’t wait for a response.

The three cadets remained frozen in place, watching him go, still processing what had just happened.

Adrian shook his head with a chuckle.

"I don’t know whether to be inspired... or depressed."

Eden and Eleanor silently agreed with him.

As they moved to the corpse of the worms to take the valuables.