Warlock of Oceans: My Poseidon System-Chapter 492: Sixth Floor: The Chamber of Seven Seas (13)

The trio regrouped, forming a loose triangle to cover each other's blind spots. Cyrus took the lead, his trident spinning in wide arcs to create a defensive barrier. When two Fathom Crawlers lunged simultaneously, he jabbed the weapon forward, striking one in the chest and sending a shockwave through the water that pushed it back. He then pivoted, sweeping the trident low to knock the legs out from under the second crawler. The creature toppled, and Jesua pounced on it, her blades flashing as she carved through its vulnerable joints.

Meanwhile, Sylus focused on area control, summoning whirlpools of freezing water that slowed the remaining crawlers. He spotted one of the monsters attempting to flank Jesua and raised his staff, creating a spiraling column of water that slammed into its side. The force of the attack sent the creature crashing into a coral spire, momentarily immobilizing it.

The Fathom Crawlers began to shift their tactics, moving in coordinated groups and using their pincers to manipulate the water around them. One crawler created a vortex that sucked Jesua off balance, while another hurled a shard of corrupted coral at Sylus. Jesua twisted mid-spin, using her momentum to hurl a dagger at the creature controlling the vortex. The blade struck its wrist, disrupting the water manipulation and freeing her. Sylus, meanwhile, deflected the coral shard with an icy barrier, though the impact left cracks in the wall.

"Stay close!" Cyrus called, his voice steady despite the chaos.

The trio closed ranks, using their combined strengths to hold the line. Cyrus focused on blocking and countering, his trident moving like an extension of his body. Jesua darted in and out of the fray, targeting weak points with surgical precision. Sylus provided constant support, freezing tendrils and slowing the monsters' movements with bursts of frost magic.

The Fathom Crawlers grew increasingly desperate, their attacks becoming more erratic and frenzied. One of the creatures unleashed a barrage of tendrils from its back, each one tipped with glowing barbs. Cyrus stepped forward, spinning his trident to deflect the incoming projectiles. One tendril slipped past his guard, grazing his arm and leaving a deep, burning cut. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain as he drove his weapon into the ground, creating a shockwave that disrupted the tendrils.

Jesua used the opening to leap onto the crawler's back, her blades slicing through its writhing appendages. The creature bucked wildly, trying to shake her off, but she held firm, driving one sword into its spine and using the other to sever its pincers.

Sylus turned his attention to another crawler, this one attempting to flank the group. He raised his staff, conjuring a ring of icy spikes that erupted from the ground and impaled the creature's legs. As it collapsed, he summoned a massive shard of ice and drove it into the beast's chest, freezing its core and halting its movements.

The fight raged on, each second a relentless battle of survival and strategy. The trio's teamwork kept them alive, but the Fathom Crawlers' sheer power and adaptability ensured that victory was still far from certain.

The battle escalated as the trio faced off against the chaotic swarm of enemies—Crab Men with serrated pirate weapons, Fishmen manipulating the water to create deadly traps, the ghostly Abyssal Wraiths with their incorporeal strikes, and the newly arrived Fathom Crawlers, hulking monstrosities that fused shadowy power with physical might. The cavern floor, once tranquil, now writhed with chaos, the water shimmering with deadly intent as every enemy converged on the trio.

The first Fathom Crawler lunged toward Jesua, its massive pincers snapping with crushing force. Jesua sidestepped with a quick twist of her torso, her twin blades slicing into the creature's wrist. The impact sent a pulse of shadowy ichor into the water, but the Fathom Crawler retaliated immediately, one of its spindly legs thrusting forward like a spear. Jesua pivoted again, letting the attack skim past her armor, and rolled low to avoid another strike. From her crouched position, she leapt upward, driving one blade deep into the crawler's thorax. The creature howled, but its free pincer came sweeping toward her, forcing her to wrench her blade free and somersault backward.

While Jesua kept her foe distracted, Cyrus intercepted two Crab Men rushing toward them with tridents in hand. He met their charge head-on, spinning his own trident in a wide arc that deflected both of their weapons. One Crab Man slashed upward with its claw-like hand, but Cyrus caught the attack with the haft of his weapon and twisted, locking the claw in place. With a powerful thrust of his knee, he shattered the joint, causing the creature to screech in pain.

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The second Crab Man took advantage of the opening, its weapon glowing with a watery aura as it thrust forward. Cyrus planted his foot and angled his trident to parry, redirecting the strike just inches from his chest. Using the momentum of the deflection, he spun, slamming the butt of his weapon into the creature's head, then drove the prongs deep into its chest. The Crab Man collapsed, its form dissolving into the water like ink.

Sylus kept his focus on the more elusive threats: Abyssal Wraiths and Fishmen that darted in and out of the shadows. One wraith surged toward him, its incorporeal claws reaching for his throat. Sylus raised his staff, channeling frost energy to encase the creature in a sphere of ice. The wraith shrieked, its form distorting within the frozen prison, but Sylus had no time to celebrate. Another wraith materialized behind him, its claws aiming for his back.

Without turning, Sylus slammed his staff into the ground, creating a shockwave of icy spikes that erupted in all directions. The wraith behind him dissipated, and several Fishmen were caught in the blast, their bodies freezing mid-motion before shattering into shards.

The Fathom Crawlers loomed over the battlefield, their massive pincers and wraith-like torsos radiating malevolence. One of them raised its claw and conjured a spiraling vortex, pulling debris, weapons, and even the trio toward its center. Jesua anchored herself by stabbing her blades into the ground, while Sylus conjured a wall of ice to break the current. Cyrus, however, surged forward against the pull, his Leviathan heritage allowing him to cut through the water with ease. He hurled his trident at the Fathom Crawler, the weapon piercing through its claw and disrupting the vortex. The creature screeched, its glowing eyes narrowing as it turned its attention to him.

Another Fathom Crawler charged at Jesua, its shadowy appendages lashing out like whips. Jesua dodged the first strike, ducking low and sliding beneath the creature's body. She slashed upward as she passed, carving a deep gash along its underside. The crawler convulsed, its pincers flailing wildly, but Jesua was already moving, using a piece of coral to vault herself onto its back. She drove her blades into its torso, anchoring herself as the creature bucked and twisted.

The enemies began to adapt, working in concert to overwhelm the trio. A group of Fishmen surrounded Sylus, their watery projectiles forming a deadly crossfire. Sylus spun his staff, creating a barrier of frost that absorbed the brunt of the attack, but cracks began to form in his defense. He raised his hand, summoning a freezing cyclone that swept the Fishmen off their feet and slammed them into the walls of the cavern.

Meanwhile, Cyrus found himself grappling with a Fathom Crawler that had managed to trap him in a crushing hold. The creature's pincers tightened around his midsection, threatening to snap his ribs. With a growl, Cyrus channeled his Leviathan strength, his muscles rippling as he pushed against the pincers. The water around him surged, amplifying his power, and with a roar, he broke free, shoving the creature backward. He retrieved his trident and drove it into the crawler's chest, the weapon emitting a burst of kinetic energy that sent shockwaves through the water.

Jesua regrouped with Sylus, covering him as he prepared another spell. A group of Abyssal Wraiths descended on them, their claws slicing through the water like scythes. Jesua moved like a shadow, intercepting each strike with her blades and countering with precision. One wraith managed to graze her shoulder, its touch burning with cold malice, but she retaliated by plunging her sword into its chest, banishing it in a burst of light.

The battle showed no signs of abating, the trio's movements growing more synchronized as they adapted to the chaos. Sylus focused on controlling the battlefield, freezing sections of the terrain to limit enemy movement. Cyrus acted as the anchor, his trident a blur of defensive and offensive maneuvers. Jesua was the finisher, darting in to exploit openings with ruthless efficiency.

But the enemies continued to press, their numbers seemingly endless. The trio fought on, their strategies and skill the only things keeping them from being overwhelmed. The cavern became a whirlwind of motion, light, and shadow, each clash pushing them closer to their limits.