Each breath Zao took came colder than the last. A man had just died—just like that. No warning. No heroic struggle. Just one strike, and gone.
The beast hadn't even moved.
Then they noticed—five veins now curled and writhed from its back, not four.
Lazelos narrowed his eyes, swallowing hard. His thoughts spun, but one truth kept him anchored.(As long as Nobu is here... we might have a chance.)
The beast let out a sharp click and snapped its claws. Instantly, the five veins shot forward, weaving through the air like living spears, all aimed for blood.
"Crap—!"
DINK! DINK! DINK! DINK! DINK!
The group flinched—but every strike was repelled mid-air.
From just ahead of them, Ondira stood firm—her hand out, her eyes fierce. Light shimmered around her like threads of heat, rippling from her body. With a sweeping motion of her arm, five bursts of light energy flared—each crashing into a vein and deflecting it away with a sharp, metallic thud.
The group exhaled, stunned.
Kazel, arms crossed, raised a brow and glanced sideways at her. "Well, well. Looks like we've got an even match."
"Not likely," Ondira said. Her tone was flat, but her focus razor-sharp. "This one is dangerous, Kazel."
"Hmm. No shit," Kazel muttered.
"Do we have a plan?" Lazelos asked, voice tense.
"Nobu, go flank!" Kazel shouted.
Nobu shot him a frown.(Why is this kid giving orders?)
"You want to live or not?" Kazel smirked, calm and unfazed.
Annoyed but practical, Nobu clicked his tongue. The brat had a point. He dashed forward, cutting to the side.
"Focus on defense!" Kazel barked as he tapped Ondira's shoulder. "Repel everything in Nobu's way!"
"Tch! Shut up!" Ondira snapped—but her hands were already glowing again, energy dancing around her like radiant waves.
Then—
CRACK!
A blast of light erupted as the veins whipped out once more, aiming for Nobu—but they never reached him.
Light collided with flesh, throwing sparks and ripples through the chamber. Ondira moved like a dancer, her arms sweeping, eyes glowing faintly in the dim-lit cavern.
And behind the veil of luminous force—
Nobu was moving in.
"Raa!" Mina let out a thunderous roar, her body surging forward in a wild burst of energy. Her fists crackled with strength as she rushed the beast, reckless but brave.
"D-Damn it all!" Zao shouted, gritting his teeth as he dashed in after her, his nine-ring saber gleaming as it caught the dim glow of the cavern.
"Tch!" Saya froze, her legs stiff. Her hand trembled as it hovered over the hilt of her sword.( Move, damn it! )Her thoughts screamed louder than her breath. Her heart thundered, the echoes rattling against her ribcage. Her palm gripped the sword, but it still wouldn't come free. Her knuckles whitened.
A flash.
CLANG!
The cave rang as Nobu and the beast clashed.
Steel met armor.
Blade against the thick, textured hide of the spirit beast's armadillo plating. Sparks flared, casting sharp shadows on the walls. Nobu slid backward, his feet digging into the ground, but his posture remained strong.
As Nobu slid backward, skidding across the stone floor, he gritted his teeth and readied himself again. The air still vibrated from the clash.
Without waiting, Mina roared, her jagged axe surging forward like a battering ram."Raa!!"
"D-Damn it all!" shouted Zao, following close behind, his nine-ring saber gleaming with momentum.
Both charged from opposite sides, weapons raised high—Mina's jagged axe alight with power, Zao's saber singing through the wind.
They struck together.
But the spirit beast didn't even blink.
It raised both of its arms—bare claws outstretched—and caught the incoming attacks with a loud, bone-vibrating CLANG!
The sheer strength in that moment forced a gust of wind outward. Sparks flew. The cave trembled slightly from the force.
"Are you kid—!" Zao shouted, eyes wide.
But the beast wasn't done.
With inhuman speed, it released their weapons, letting their own momentum pull them forward.
Then it blinked—a blur in the dim light—and suddenly reappeared between them.
Before either could react, the beast's right claw gripped Zao's left cheek, and the left claw gripped Mina's right.
Then—BAM!!
Their skulls were smashed together with brutal force, the sickening crunch of bone-on-bone echoing through the cavern.
Blood spattered in the air.
Both Mina and Zao crashed to the ground like broken dolls, stunned—if not unconscious.
The beast exhaled slowly, a chilling sound like a blade dragging across gravel.
It straightened its hunched shoulders, five veined tendrils twitching behind its armored back.
"Now, it's five."The beast's voice rumbled low, savoring the moment.
Silence hung over the group.
Seeing her master struggle, Saya's breath caught in her throat. The fear was there—yes—but so was something else. A surge of heat. Rage. Desperation.
"Master!" she shouted and then broke into a sprint, charging the spirit beast with reckless abandon.
But the beast noticed.
Its head tilted. One of the veined tendrils slithered, curling like a whip.
And in that moment—
Death.That word flashed behind Saya's wide eyes.
From below, the spirit beast's claw arched up—a beautiful, almost graceful motion that ripped the air like silk. It was elegant. Fatal.
Then—
Wham!
Saya was flung back. Not by the beast—but by someone else.
Her master, Nobu, had pushed her away at the last second.
"M-Master—"
But he couldn't block the strike in time.
The beast's uppercut claw carved through his chest and face, tearing through cloth, skin, and bone. Nobu was launched into the air like a torpedo, spinning, blood trailing behind him in a spiral arc.
His body crashed to the ground moments later—his sword clattering a second after, the sound hollow and final.
The cave echoed.
"Four to one."The beast's voice was calm, cold, and unhurried.
Then it glanced toward Nobu's motionless body.
"Why are you covering the weak?" it asked. But Nobu didn't answer—he lay with his face buried in stone and blood pooling beneath him.
Saya, trembling, stared at the aftermath. Her lips parted, breath caught, heart thundering.
But the spirit beast… it didn't even spare her a second glance. Instead, it turned its attention toward Ondira.
"It's two to one."
It raised an arm, a single claw pointing directly at her.
"You... are strong," the beast said slowly, with a sense of curiosity. "But are you stupid as well?"
There was a pause.
Then a dry chuckle.
From Kazel.
"Woah, I can hear her high blood pressure from here."
Ondira's eye twitched. A small crack formed under her feet.
"Stupid... you say?"
Her words came slowly, dangerously. The ground shook.
And then—
Boom!
Her aura exploded—a brilliant light that pulsed outward like a shockwave. It wasn't just power. It was fury—contained, refined, then unleashed with purpose.
The cave lit up in flashes of light, and the air became heavy, distorted from raw force.
The beast took a step back, claws tightening.
Kazel grinned.( Now we're talking. )