The adventurers were screaming as they ran through the cave. But the monster swiftly attacked them with the legs that came from its back.
Some were hit by the leg and thrown, but some got even worse fate. The tips of the legs were sharp, and managed to pierce several of them. In no time, pools of blood had appeared on the cave floor.
Fatigue makes their movements not optimal. For those who wear magically enhanced clothes, their condition is also bad. The magical effect on their outfits had thinned or even fadedpletely, not yet had time to recover.
“S-sir, can Mona dodge attacks like that?” Elise sounded nervous.
“Don’t worry, Elise. Like I said before. Mona inherited some of your skills.” Raymund assured. “As I said before, she has a skill that can increase her eleration in no time, just like you.”
Elise couldn’t argue and just gulped.
When she became seven feet tall, Mona let out a howl that echoed through the cave. The adventurers turned to the pet and gasped.
“Get out of the way if you want to survive!!!” Yua screamed with all her might.<sub>.</sub>
“You don’t want to be struck by an animal this big, do you!!!” Renee added in an equally loud voice.
“And don’t attack this beast!!!” Olga joined in. “She might even help you guys.”
Elise climbed onto Mona’s back, then looked at her friends. “You don’t want toe along?”
“Well, even though I will technically be helped by Mona, I still want to win with my own ability.” Renee shed a crooked smile. “So, I chose to run. Yua and Olga seem to have the same thoughts as me.”
“Let them do what they want,” Raymund said. “As long as they trail behind Mona, they will definitely make it into the top eight.”
So, Elise chose to look ahead again.
“W-what are you going to do?” Igor Kozlov went to the four women.<sub></sub>
Yua winked at the son of the conglomerate. “Something that will be breathtaking for your audience.”
“You already know what you’re going to do, right?” Elise bent down and rubbed Moba’s back. As soon as she received a nod from the pet, Elise shouted. “Go!!!”
Mona’s rapid sprinting caused a tremor in the cave. Olga, Yua, and Renee followed behind the beast.
The adventurers immediately moved aside. And luckily, there were still some of them who took the initiative to pull those lying on the floor.
Mona’s speed continued to increase. Her eyes glowed red, her fur darkened, and her body emitted a kind of thin ck smoke. She looks the same as when she was guarding the dungeon, but with a more massive size. But, Elise felt like her heart was going to explode. She didn’t like what had happened to herself and Mona.
Meanwhile, the wood monster in that cave didn’t move at all.
“Ah, the monster can’t leave its ce,” Raymundmented. “I’m getting more unsure if it’s the real titan mandrake.”<sub></sub>
“Arrgggghhhh!!!” Elise shouted with all her might.
Mona roars. Then, when her speed was maxed out, she leaped forward. Yes, the movement is simr to Elise’s charging thrust.
Suddenly, a human jumped out from the monster’s back.
Since there was no resistance, Mona bumped her head against the monster. The creature instantly shattered into pieces, sending wood debris everywhere.
Monanded hard, sending her body rolling and Elise flying far away.
As soon as shended hard on the cave floor, Elise groaned and found herself already crossing the white finish line. She then looked at her pet, only a few feet away from her.
“Mona!!!” Elise immediately got up, although the pain in her body was quite severe from the hard impact.
Mona’s hair is already gray as usual, and her body is also starting to shrink rapidly. However, shey down and had trouble breathing.
Elise knelt at her dog and began to shed tears. “Mona…. I’m sorry….”
“Ah, she’s been fighting hard.” Raymund sighed. “She probably doesn’t want to disappoint you, so just push yourself past her limit…. Ah, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, Elise.”
Olga became the first participant to cross the finish line after Elise, followed by Yua and Renee. They immediately gathered near Elise.
“So, someone piloted the monster?” Renee looked down at some of the wooden levers lying on the ground. “As expected, it’s not a real titan mandrake.”
“Yeah, I saw someone jump off that creature’s back,” Yua replied.
Meanwhile, other adventurers were running, tugging, and elbowing one another in order to cross the line first. Miraculously, Leonov was able to leave the mob, then jump across the finish line. Several other participants had caught up with him in just a split second.
“Stop!!!” At the end of the finish line, an official shouted using a magic funnel. “This stage has beenpleted! We will discuss who is qualified for the tournament!”
Some participants, who obviously did not cross the finish line, could not hide their disappointment. Some grumble or curse with dirty words. Some just sit or lie down because they are tired. On the other hand, several people were screaming with joy.
The two officials who were at either end of the finish line began to discuss. One of the crystal balls floated toward them, showing footage of thest moments.
Meanwhile, several medics started arriving to take care of the injured participants.
It didn’t take long for the finish line official to choose the participants. Besides Elise, Olga, Yua, Renee, and Leonov, there was one woman and two men. The decision sparked several other participants to protest, leading to an argument.
Elise ignored all that and hugged Mona, who had returned to her original size. The dog’s breath was still ragged, and her eyes were almost closed.
“Please, don’t leave me, Mona.” The female warrior let out her tears.
“Excuse me.” An official with pale yellow hair bowed beside Elise. “I am not a paramedic but an animal lover. I can bring my personal veterinarian to you. Themittee did not anticipate something like this, even though the regtions clearly state that participants may use pets.”
Olga raised an eyebrow. “Are you part of the Kozlov family, miss?”
The official smiled. The color of her hair and face is indeed simr to Igor’s. “You are right. I am Anna Kozlov. The fifth child of Niki Kozlov.”