It was impressive that Terry still felt that they still had an option in that kind of scenario. Unlike them, he couldn’t afford to live leisurely like that... he spent ten years waiting for the chance to fight the monsters and try to wipe them out from the face of the world... he wasn’t going to stop until he used and considered all options available.

Terry’s eyes followed the mesmerizing display of the fire drakes as they flew in intricate patterns around the portal. Amidst the awe-inspiring sight, a practical thought crossed his mind. With thousands of these formidable creatures swirling above, he couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to sustain themselves.

As he observed their swift movements and powerful wings, Terry contemplated the immense appetite that such a vast number of fire drakes would surely possess. He mused over the availability of food sources that could sustain these creatures in such staggering quantities. Were there vast hunting grounds nearby, teeming with prey? Or did the fire drakes possess a unique ability to survive on limited resources?

His mind raced with possibilities, considering the ecological implications of such a massive population of fire drakes. Perhaps they had adapted to survive on smaller prey or had an uncanny ability to locate food over vast distances. Whatever the case, the sheer number of fire drakes left him intrigued and filled with curiosity. Either way, waiting for them to grow hungry wasn’t an option.

After several hours, they didn’t find any changes in the behavior of the fire drakes. It seemed that they were truly operating like a final line of defense, and it was hard to imagine one better than that.

Eventually, Terry had an idea... it was an insane one, but it was better than nothing.

"Alright, guys... I will dash ahead and lure as many of them as possible to the other side of the portal, and then you will deal with the remaining ones," Terry declared.

As Terry boldly declared his intention to dash ahead alone toward the portal, the group found themselves once again in a state of awe and bewilderment. It seemed that Terry had a knack for leaving them speechless, continually pushing the boundaries of their expectations.

They exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a mixture of admiration and concern. How could Terry possess such unwavering confidence and disregard for his own safety? It was as if he had an unyielding belief in his own abilities that defied all reason.

"I might have a better idea than this. Actually, any idea would be better than this," Vanessa declared.

"I highly doubted that," Terry shrugged.

"My real power is wind magic, and I can make people move faster by enveloping them with wind," Vanessa explained. "You can become the bait and deal with most of the enemies while we offer support from the sidelines, but as you imagine, wind makes fire stronger, so it will hurt more than a little bit if you get engulfed by flames."

"Your great idea is to amplify the enemies’ power against me?" Terry asked and then smirked. "And people think that I am crazy. By the way, count me in. My first idea was to jump around the enemies and use them as platforms to reach others, after all. If you can make me lighter, that will work even better."

"Right... still, even with all my mana, I can only maintain the spell for ten minutes, and you need to stay in my field of vision," Vanessa explained.

"What if you keep eating the fire drake’s meat during the whole time?" Terry asked.

"... I suppose that can make me recover some more mana," Vanessa replied after thinking that it was possible, even though the idea of eating something during a fight seemed insane as well.

"All right, you guys will cover for her, and I will deal with the fire drakes," Terry declared. "No more than twenty of them can hurt me at once, so this will be a cinch."

Before the real deal, they decided to take some tests. A gentle breeze enveloped Terry, seemingly pushing him forward with an invisible force. His movements became swift and fluid, his strides lengthened, and he propelled himself forward with an increased velocity. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

With a grin on his face, Terry tested the newfound speed granted by Vanessa’s wind magic. He dashed forward, his feet barely touching the ground as he effortlessly moved and changed directions. Each step propelled him forward with a burst of momentum, carrying him further and faster than before.

The group watched in awe as Terry became a blur, his figure almost indistinguishable amidst the chaos of the fire drakes. It was as if he had tapped into the very essence of the wind itself, harnessing its power to move with unmatched agility.

"This works a lot better, thanks to the effects of my power armor," Terry thought. "Still, I will need something more to deal with a massive number of enemies like that."

The power armor probably won’t obtain any skills, only passive effects. Terry was planning to study that later and find a solution, but right now, he had to deal with the problem with his cards in his hands.

Without wasting any time, they put the plan into action since they might have to run if things fail, and the darkness of the night would help them with that. With Vanessa’s wind magic boosting his speed, Terry became an unstoppable force, charging toward the approaching monsters with incredible velocity.

As the fire drakes noticed him, they prepared to unleash their fiery onslaught, and Terry’s senses heightened. With lightning-fast reflexes, he anticipated their attack, and he pushed himself even faster in an astonishing display of bravery. The gusts of wind enveloping him seemed to intensify, carrying him with unprecedented swiftness.

Terry closed the distance between himself and the fire drakes in a split second. With precise timing, he thrust his hands forward, penetrating their open jaws, and grabbed hold of their throats. The fire drakes, momentarily caught off guard by his audacity, thrashed about, attempting to dislodge him.