Everyone nodded... At first, they thought that Terry didn’t hesitate in killing the humans inside the robots, but soon they realized that they couldn’t be saved and Terry didn’t want to sacrifice everyone to kill the enemies.

The group stayed on guard since they had no idea what the enemy was going to try next... still, they didn’t think that it would come down to what happened next. As the ground split open once more, an eerie sight unfolded before Terry, Gustavo, Fernanda, and the others. Emerging from the depths of the earth were several figures, all of them disconcertingly naked and seemingly unaffected by the elements. Their bodies levitated in mid-air, defying gravity, while their vacant expressions and unseeing eyes sent shivers down the spines of those who witnessed them.

Among this bizarre assembly were familiar faces, individuals they had known before but now appearing transformed and otherworldly. Hector, Roger, Lucy, Natalia, Kai, Joan, Vincent, Mary, Dean, Samuel—each stood naked and vulnerable, their weapons the only clothing adorning their forms. The sight was surreal, as if these once-familiar figures had become mere shells, their essence consumed by an otherworldly force.

The atmosphere grew tense as the group observed these apparitions, their minds racing to comprehend the enigma before them. Terry’s instincts flared, a mixture of concern and wariness gripping him tightly. The naked figures gazed upon them without recognition, their vacant eyes and flight seemingly indicative of a power beyond comprehension.

"Shit..." Terry muttered.

"Terry..." Rebecca said. "They are being controlled, but they can be saved, right?"

"How should I know?" Terry asked.

"Just knock them down and I might be able to do something," Gustavo said. "There are people that I know among them and I want to save them."

Terry assumed that all of those people that disappeared a while ago would be beyond saving and had turned into batteries for the fortress, but maybe the enemies had captured too many of them... or perhaps they were more suited for combat than just batteries.

Those people charged toward the group without giving them the chance to think of anything. As the melee fighters advanced with their weapons aimed at Terry and the others, a tense atmosphere filled the air. Terry swiftly moved to stand between his companions and the attackers, his armored arms serving as a shield against the incoming strikes. However, what caught Terry off guard was the sheer power and weight behind the guild masters’ attacks. The impact of their blows reverberated through his armor, sending shockwaves of force that he hadn’t anticipated. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The realization hit Terry like a brick – these guild masters were no longer the same opponents he had faced before. They had undergone a transformation, becoming significantly stronger than their previous encounters. Terry’s mind raced to understand what could have caused this sudden surge in their abilities. The fact that the guild masters were now posing a greater threat than ever before added another layer of complexity to the situation.

Vanessa prepared to help, but then she saw the backline using their long ranged weapons and magic toward Terry. Without any other choice, she erected a wind wall and blocked those projectiles.

"Rebecca!" Vanessa said.

"Got it!" Rebecca said while nodding.

Rebecca condensed the air and then hit the guild masters with ice balls from the sides, but before they could suffer any real damage, the other humans joined the fight and made it rain magic projectiles on Terry.

"Don’t worry about me, just knock them down one at a time," Terry declared.

Terry’s armored forearms deflected the incoming sword strikes with a resounding clang. Swiftly stepping in, he aimed punches at the guild masters’ stomachs, hoping to catch them off guard. However, the guild masters reacted with remarkable agility, using their weapons to block Terry’s punches. A frustrated click of Terry’s tongue betrayed his annoyance – these guild masters were proving to be far more formidable opponents than he had anticipated.

Realizing that he was in a tough spot, Terry knew he had to wait for the others to join the battle. He shifted his stance, keeping a vigilant eye on the guild masters while remaining ready to defend against any incoming attacks. The stakes had risen considerably, and Terry’s mind raced to formulate a strategy to counter their unexpected strength and skill.

Terry endured those attacks while also Fireballs and Ice Arrows rain on him as well. Each one of them only caused minimal damage, but since they began to fall in droves, they began to become a nuisance.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Rebecca to knock down Mary, one of the guild masters. Gustavo used his Telekinesis and pulled her toward the group and used the same power to check her body. Before long, he noticed that there was something weird on her head.

"... I can feel that there is something on her brain," Gustavo said while furrowing his eyebrows. "It seems something is controlling them in their brain."

Gustavo checked the head of Mary for any signs of surgery or wounds, but he didn’t find anything. Even healing magic would leave some traces behind, even small scars, but there was nothing like that...

Gustavo’s mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. The sudden surge in the guild masters’ strength and the vacant look in their eyes hinted at something sinister. He couldn’t shake off the thought that some kind of parasitic entity had taken control of their minds, turning them into puppets for the overlord’s bidding. It was a disturbing notion – a force capable of manipulating humans like this would stop at nothing to achieve its goals.

Gustavo’s mind swirled with concern for the guild masters and the implications of this discovery. It was a stark reminder that in the face of the overlord’s power, humanity was a mere tool to be wielded as the overlord saw fit. As the battle raged on and uncertainty loomed, Gustavo’s determination to find a way to counter this unseen threat burned even stronger.