Is this really a Game?!

The dark tendrils of the monster were used for both offense and defense. They were akin to whips, capable of quickly attacking and ripping apart the flesh of their enemies. Of course, that was in case of the enemy being a Tier V being as weaker ones would get cut in half by the immense power behind the tendrils.

There were tens of dark tendrils around the monster, shrouding it and hiding its true body. 

Reign was wielding his two swords and slashing the tendrils away whilst trying his best to get closer to the monster. 

As Reign clashed with the monstrous leader, the team coordinated their efforts to deal with the surrounding red elves and corrupted minions.

Shadow moved like a wraith, his darkness intertwining with his body as he ran around the battlefield. Mia's ice engulfed many of the enemies, freezing the weaker ones and slowing down the more powerful ones. Elijah used his throwing spears as well as his poison to do his best and kill as many enemies as he could while Greenie's brute strength wreaked havoc among the corrupted ranks.

Beast, with his bow in his hands, was constantly releasing arrow after arrow while his tamed beasts stood around him, protecting him from the powerful enemies that were trying to get close to him in order to battle him in a melee. 

As time passed, it became more difficult for Beast to use his arrows as the battlefield became more and more chaotic, thus he opted out of his long-range attacks and fused with Blackie, transforming himself into a hybrid that had long black hair and fur across his body

In an instant, Beast disappeared, leaving a trail of black lightning as he unleashed all his power in his current state.

Aelrinder, fueled by both anger and a desire to save his kin, unleashed his own powers. The wind raged around him as the golden light of his power of stars enveloped him, increasing his stats tremendously and letting him fight against the enemies without any fear.

The rest were doing all that they could as well, each one using their most powerful abilities to decimate their opponents that, although outnumbered them, had less powerful Tier V combatants compared to them.

As the battle raged on, Reign continued his intense duel with the corrupted leader. The monster's dark tendrils lashed out, striking with deadly precision. Reign's swords danced through the air, deflecting the attacks and countering with swift strikes. The leader, however, proved to be a formidable opponent, its corrupted form exuding overwhelming power.

Aelrinder, having transformed into his enhanced state, focused his efforts on the surrounding red elves, using his celestial powers to create barriers of starlight that protected his allies and hindered the movements of the corrupted minions. His star power suddenly erupted, turning into golden arrows that pierced through the enemy ranks, providing essential support.

Wolf unleashed his flames with controlled fury. The corrupted minions that dared to approach him were met with searing heat, their forms consumed by the inferno. Wolf's mastery over fire added a layer of devastation to the team's attacks.

As the battle unfolded, the team faced relentless waves of corrupted creatures. The monstrous leader, though battered, continued to resist, its dark tendrils striking out with renewed ferocity. The team coordinated their attacks, exploiting weaknesses and gradually wearing down their formidable adversary.

It seemed that no matter how many they killed though, more were coming to fight them, as if the enemy had endless numbers and was using it to defeat them.

Reign, determined to overcome the monstrous leader, unleashed a powerful aura, enhancing his strength and speed. His swords sliced through the dark tendrils, gradually revealing the true form of the corrupted entity. The leader, sensing that things were not going well for it, screamed in fury as the tendrils all suddenly moved.

They flew away from the body and suddenly stopped moving, suspended in the air as the monster's body was finally laid bare to them.

The body of the monster was … weird.

It was pale blue and other than the fact it stood on two legs, it had nothing in common with elves and humans.

Reign was quick to use his Inspection in order to see just what they were dealing with.

Name: Umbraeth

Description:

Umbraeth is a mysterious and eerie humanoid monster that strikes fear into those who encounter it. At first glance, it appears to be shrouded in darkness, surrounded by tens of dark tendrils that writhe and coil around its body. These tendrils seem to move independently, reacting to the monster's surroundings, defending its body as well as attacking any enemy.

When the tendrils are pushed aside, the true form of Umbraeth is revealed. It has a slender and agile build. Its skin is an otherworldly shade of pale blue, giving it an ethereal and haunting appearance. Despite its humanoid structure, Umbraeth lacks distinct facial features, with its face being smooth and featureless.

Umbraeth's limbs are elongated and end in clawed fingers, each digit sharp and capable of delivering devastating slashes. Its eyes, if one can call them that, are deep voids that seem to absorb light rather than reflect it. The creature moves gracefully on two legs, displaying an unsettling level of coordination and agility.

Umbraeth are well-known for kidnapping humans and elves to turn them into their servants and fighters.

The longer an Umbraeth is active in a region, the more servants it will gain, if it cannot find humans or elves, the Umbraeth will use monsters and turn them into beings that listen to it.

The monster glanced at Reign before moving.

It lunged at him with incredible speed, appearing in front of him in an instant. 

Reign quickly moved his swords, doing his best to intercept the monster and block it, but one of his clawed fingers managed to find its way to his body, piercing between the small gaps of the armor and wounding him slightly.

Reign scoffed before slashing down at the finger. Contrary to what he expected, the finger was not chopped off, instead, one could see sparks being produced as his sword hit the finger, cutting deeply into it and breaking it, but not cutting it away.

The monster screamed in pain before kicking Reign away and grabbing its finger. It stared at Reign as it suddenly moved the broken finger, relocating it as it immediately healed.

"Dammit, are you guys close to finishing them off, I'm gonna need some help here!" Reign shouted as he jumped to the left and continued running as the long fingers of the Umbraeth suddenly elongated further, becoming multiple meters long.

All the fingers stabbed forward as Reign did his best to dodge them. He didn't forget to counter-attack either as lightning bullets, spears, mana missiles, and more were launched by him, but the Umbraeth was able to defend against most of the attacks with ease.

Just as Reign was thinking what he should do, the monster suddenly screamed as a black spear struck it before detonating, causing a huge explosion to take place.

"You called?" Laura asked with a smile as she stood about 50 meters away with her tome in her hands. The Umbraeth stared at her and was about to attack before being forced to jump sideways and dodge Reign who had appeared next to it. Of course, that wasn't all.

During the battle between Reign and the Umbraeth, many monsters died, some were also knocked out, and even though more were coming, they were not as powerful, which meant that some of them were finally able to help Reign out.

Aelrinder attacked the monster from the side, Beast appeared above it and blasted it with his black lightning, Wolf's greatsword slashed down, and many attacks suddenly rained down on the monster.

The battle reached its climax as the team fought against the monster together. With the combined strength of them all, the Umbraeth, which was a peak Tier V being, was unable to do anything to save itself.

With a deafening roar, the Umbraeth collapsed, its pale blue body turning gray. The remaining corrupted minions faltered, their ranks dwindling without their leader's influence. Many of them had collapsed at the same moment the Umbraeth did. The team, though battered and exhausted, stood victorious.

As the echoes of battle subsided, the team took a moment to catch their breath. The corrupted territory, once a twisted landscape of darkness, began to transform. The twisted trees straightened, and the eerie flora reverted to their natural state. The malevolent whispers faded away, replaced by the sounds of the restored environment.

Reign looked around at his team, a mixture of relief and pride in his eyes. "We did it, we managed to take down the final territory.

Aelrinder, his celestial form fading, approached Reign. "We may have succeeded, but we must not forget the elves that were turned. We need to find a way to save them."

Reign agreed, his sense of responsibility evident. "You're right. We can't leave them in this state. The Queen might have insights or know someone who can help."

With the corrupted territory cleansed, the team turned their attention to the pods and cages that contained the transformed elves. The once-red elves now appeared unconscious, their bodies covered in the remnants of the dark transformation.