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The mana cost was considerable, each segment requiring careful calculation and control, but Elio had determined it would prove more efficient in the long run than maintaining almost 200 warriors using constant impulses to hold position.

"Maintain the spiral formation," Milo commanded the designated builders, his voice carrying across the battlefield with practiced authority. "Everyone else, conserve your mana. We\'ll need every point."

This strategy wasn\'t improvised, it was the result of careful planning before their battle with the Earth King.

Elio had considered every angle, every possible scenario. The need for the builders\' support had been one of many contingencies he\'d prepared for.

Yes, this could reveal to the artromus the existence of their tunnels and transportation methods, but the benefits far outweighed the risks. Besides, Elio had no intention of leaving the monster alive to make use of this information.

This had to end here and now.

With the emblems still active for several hours, this was their moment to demonstrate the true power of a united city.

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They couldn\'t risk losing the emblems\' power and having to hide again until reaching the next deposit; that wasn\'t the kind of efficiency Elio had in mind.

He wanted time for the others to reach level 10 before facing the third artromus.

"It won\'t escape this time," Zara murmured, watching as carbon structures intertwined to create an access network around the earthen fortification. Her eyes tracked each new addition, measuring angles and identifying potential weak points.

They could have opted for a massive bombardment, razed the entire earth fortress to the ground. Between all those present, they had the necessary mana, but Elio knew that would be wasteful.

If the artromus entered metamorphosis, those 150,000 points of resistance would make every point of mana precious.

"Here," Elio indicated a specific point in the structure, his finger tracing an invisible line through the air. "We\'ll concentrate our attack in a single direction, straight toward the center where it began forming the barrier."

Mei nodded, comprehending the logic instantly. "A precise tunnel instead of mass destruction. Meticulous rather than brutal."

"Exactly," Elio confirmed, his eyes never leaving the target point. "We don\'t need to tear down the entire fortress. We just need to reach it."

The builders continued their work while higher level warriors took strategic positions. The carbon structure they were creating would serve not only as an attack platform but also as a net to prevent any escape attempts by the Artromus. It was a cage and a weapon all in one.

Lila and Valeria organized the backup groups with military precision, ensuring most maintained their mana reserves intact. Meanwhile, Aria and Taron coordinated builder rotations, allowing each to retain some mana for when it would be needed most.

"Think it\'ll try to escape upward?" Kriz asked, studying the earth column that loomed above them.

"Doesn\'t matter which direction it chooses," Brok responded, his eyes sweeping across the network of structures they were creating, "it\'ll be trapped."

Elio observed the progress with careful attention. Each passing minute was another minute the artromus had to recover its mana, but it was also another minute their improvised army strengthened their position. Like a game of chess where both sides gathered their pieces before the decisive strike.

The key would be that first blow: quick, precise, and devastating. They couldn\'t afford to lose any more people.

♢♢♢♢

The lower-level builders formed the first attack team.

Their mana, though insufficient to significantly damage the artromus, was perfect for this task. It was like using a precise drill instead of a sledgehammer.

Six of them positioned themselves in a circle, their wind attacks coordinated to maximize penetration. A seventh remained outside the circle, their helium control pushing earth away and ensuring debris neither hindered progress nor fell back into the tunnel they were creating.

"Keep the pace steady," Elio directed, watching as the hole began taking shape. "Don\'t waste energy. This is a marathon, not a sprint."

The initial progress was promising.

Almost ten meters of depth opened before them, each new wind impulse tearing more earth from the Artromus\'s barrier. The precision of their attacks created an almost perfect cylindrical shaft.

"It\'s regenerating!" one of the builders warned, noticing how the tunnel walls began slowly closing. The earth moved like living tissue, trying to heal itself.

The Artromus had detected their penetration attempt. The earth responded to its will, attempting to seal the breach they were creating.

"Don\'t stop," Elio ordered, a small smile forming on his lips. "Let it try to maintain this regeneration against 200 of us."

The builders continued their methodical assault, rotating out when their mana reached ten points. Each new group entered with renewed energy, maintaining constant pressure that not even an Artromus could sustain indefinitely.

"It\'s the war of attrition we wanted," Mei observed, as another team took position. Her tactical mind was already calculating how long the monster could maintain its defense.

"And for once," Zara added, "we have the numbers on our side."

The earth continued regenerating, but more slowly with each passing minute. The artromus was learning a harsh lesson about the power of a united city.

♢♢♢♢

Five assault groups. Fifteen hundred mana points. Finally, the regeneration ceased.

"Its efficiency is better than ours," Taron observed while the last group continued deepening the tunnel. "It spends less mana defending than we do attacking."

"But we have all the numbers," Kriz smiled. "Just 35 people and we\'ve already exhausted its regeneration capacity."

The hole extended ever deeper, approaching where the Artromus had initiated its fortress. Elio signaled to Zara and the main group, all with their level 8 summons ready. The moment of truth approached.

"Prepare yourselves," he ordered, his voice tense with anticipation. "When we reach the bottom, we\'ll unleash all our power on it at once. Don\'t let it transform."

The tension was palpable as warriors took position around the hole. Lila and Mei positioned themselves, their summons floating restlessly. Brok and Kriz secured the flanks while Aria and Valeria prepared for the initial assault. Taron and Arnaud supported from behind.

The last meter of earth gave way, revealing the chamber where everything had begun. Elio leaned forward, scythe ready in his hands, but...

The space was empty.

"It\'s not there!" The alarm in his voice barely had time to register when a scream tore through the air behind them.

"HEL—!" The cry cut off abruptly.

Everyone spun just in time to see one of the builders being dragged into the earth itself, the solid surface swallowing him like quicksand.

The artromus hadn\'t been waiting in the center. It had been hunting.