Chapter 357: Initiation into a Healer (12) (1/2)

There was a total of 30 Sand-Weaving Scorpions, their massive numbers casting a hulking presence over the land. Each Sand-Weaving Scorpion was five times the length of a grown man, their bodies covered by tough shells that resisted all forms of attacks.

The hooved beasts were currently fighting against them, using their sharp horns against the opponent's pincers and stingers. There was mild injury and bleeding on most of the Sand-Weaving Scorpion's faces, thanks to the charged-up attacks by the hooved beasts.

But, the hooved beasts were only specialised in charging-based attacks, their close-quarters combat ability paling in comparison. They used their superior agility to dodge the pincer and stinger attacks but failed to close in for another speared attack.

The Meka Clan Chief was solemn, gazing at the figure of a Sand-Weaving Scorpion that was thrice the size of the rest, the armour covering it was enormous, tough to the extent withstanding the hooved beast's attacks with hardly a scratch. It was the Shield Beast, exactly as what the Divya Vaidya had informed him.

It had its right pincer poised at the front, blocking the charged-up attack of two hooved beasts, only sporting a mild scratch at the point of impact. It moved forward its pincer, sending the two hooved beasts flying.

A shadow flashed before a gaping hole appeared in one of the hooved beast's head, large enough to swallow up its whole. The hooved beast twitched in the air once before dissipating into specks of starlight, disappearing soon after. The leader who had unleashed it became pale with fright, kneeling on the rock pillar in severe exhaustion.

He was someone who had become a leader quite recently, able to activate his tattoo only once. Now that his strength had been completely expended, he was exhausted, experiencing a state of momentary unconsciousness.

A warrior supported him from the back as he wheezed, gasping for breath. A breath later, he began to consume his ration, wishing to recover his strength as soon as possible. He looked at the horde of beasts, his voice stammering, ”…Chief.”

The second hooved beast that had been sent flying slammed into the sand, making a large trail as it crashed into a rock, cracking it before stopping. The hooved beast quickly shook its head and reoriented itself, leaping from its position as a pincer struck the place.

A Sand-Weaving Scorpion spammed attacks at it with its stinger, trying to corner it when a winged beast flashed past its stinger, making a deep cut that drew out blood. The winged beast stumbled along its flight from the impact, its attack failing to result in the desired damage.

The winged beast hurriedly flapped its wings, barely dodging a pincer strike from another Sand-Weaving Scorpion, getting a gash on its stomach that leaked out starlight. It crashed into the head of a Sand-Weaving Scorpion fighting ahead, unable to evade due to the lack of space.

It swiftly aimed itself, pecking at the Sand-Weaving Scorpion's eyes, blinding it when a pair of pincers tore its body into pieces. All beasts possessed tremendous vitality, having survived in the treacherous desert conditions. So, it wasn't easy to wound them.

Even though the tattoo could unleash the beasts they were sourced from, they weren't as powerful as the beasts themselves. After all, they lacked a fleshly body while their energy density wasn't high enough to make up for the difference.

Even the Fire-Tailed Snail from before had been wounded by multiple tattoo-based attacks, with two of them being attacks from the Meka Clan Chief and the Mosali Clan Chief. After suffering from those attacks, it still managed to escape and was only killed from a long pursuit battle. Even though a Fire-Tailed Snail was a lot stronger than a Sand-Weaving Scorpion, it still displayed how strong each beast was.

The Meka Clan Chief shouted, ”Leaders from the Raga Clan and the Mosali Clan, unleash the second wave.”

Each rock pillar had been erected to provide a foothold for a leader respectively, allowing them a place to activate their tattoos and obtain a clear line of sight to attack. The rock pillars were also placed to hinder the momentum of the Sand-Weaving Scorpions, allowing the warriors a high vantage point to attack from.

Everything had been planned based on their experience surviving in the desert for ages. It was the Meka Clan's shaman that had created their battle plan. Upon the Meka Clan Chief's shout, the leaders from the Raga Clan and the Mosali Clan jumped on their respective rock pillars, activating their tattoos.

A beast twice the height of a grown man, possessing thick stumps in place of legs, numbering in the dozens, a completely armoured creature was manifested by the leaders from the Raga Clan, numbering 16.

They were hulking monsters resembling trains due to their body length surpassing the height of 10 grown men combined. They were slow to move but made up for their deficiencies with their staggering defences. Also growing on their sides were blade-like projections, acting as the weapons to counterattack while defending.

Seeing their pitiful numbers as compared to the remaining Clans, the Raga Clan Chief sighed, ”If only our shaman knew to change the essences of various beasts into our Clan's guardian beast.”