"We should reach our destination by midnight from our current position," Kei calculated, gauging the expanding size of the distant shore.
Recognising his estimation, I urged everyone to make the necessary preparations. Time was running short, and the approaching night would be our final and most perilous one.
With a sense of urgency, we completed our remaining tasks, gathering our belongings and fortifying the boat with Elsie’s crystal manifestations. The shimmering barrier she created provided a glimmer of hope in the encroaching darkness, shielding us from the impending threats.
As dusk settled in, casting an ominous veil over the sky, we braced ourselves for the daunting challenges that awaited us. The creatures we had encountered the previous nights had pushed us to our limits, but this time, we knew they would be even stronger. Elsie rejoined our formation, her role now focused on reinforcing the protective crystal sheet rather than engaging in combat, having regained her strength during the day.
"Why is it so eerily quiet?" Kei voiced his unease, the absence of any imminent danger unsettling him. However, before he could finish his sentence, a sudden tremor jolted our boat, reverberating through the air.
The tremors continued, growing in intensity with each subsequent quake. We exchanged alarmed glances, wondering what force could be causing such disturbances.
Then, with a deafening crack, our worst fears materialised before our eyes. The once sturdy and impenetrable crystal layer shattered into countless fragments, detaching from the boat and leaving us vulnerable.
"No!" I whispered, a sense of dread enveloping my being.
Kei’s fearful voice broke the tense silence as he sensed the impending threat. We turned our attention to the source, our eyes widening in horror.
As a colossal structure emerged from the depths of the water, it revealed itself to be a skeletal whale of nightmarish proportions. The sight of its skeletal frame sent chills down our spines, for it was unlike anything we had ever encountered.
The bony remnants of what was once a majestic beast now loomed before us, its skeletal structure preserved with an eerie perfection. Its massive rib cage extended outward, forming a grotesque silhouette against the darkened sky. The skeletal whale’s spine, elongated and jagged, resembled a row of menacing spears ready to impale anything in its path.
The remnants of decaying flesh clung to its skeletal frame, tattered and rotting. Sinew and tendons dangled from its bones, swaying eerily in the nocturnal breeze. Its empty eye sockets stared into the abyss, devoid of life but emanating a malevolent energy that sent shivers down our spines.
"We’re trapped out here in the middle of the sea, with no means of escape. Our only chance is to fight this monstrous beast and hold on until we reach the shore in a few hours," I asserted, my voice laced with urgency and determination.
The crystal protection surrounding our boat was our saving grace, preventing the skeletal whale from tearing through our vessel with its immense power.
"Elsie, focus on reconstructing the crystal cover. Kei, keep a vigilant eye out for any other threats and support me. I’ll do my best to buy us time until we reach the shore," I whispered, trying to maintain composure amidst the imminent danger. Drawing upon the energy of the world around me, I tapped into my inner strength, activating my Zen state.
A surge of power coursed through my veins as I pushed myself to the limit, breaking through my previous boundaries. However, even as I reached new heights of power, I discovered a new barrier that capped my abilities.
Without wasting a moment, I reached for my weapon, sensing the beast’s imminent charge. With a display of superhuman strength, I hurled the scythe-head towards the massive beast while propelling myself forward.
To my surprise, the sharp blade met the unyielding bone of the beast’s ribcage, deflecting off with a metallic clink. Undeterred, I quickly adjusted the direction of the chains, guiding the scythe blade to avoid the bone and penetrate the empty space within the rib cage.
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With another tug on the chains, the scythe rotated, securely latching onto the bone as the chains intertwined with it. Utilising this connection between myself and the ribcage, I harnessed my superhuman strength to propel myself towards my weapon, a calculated manoeuvre that would hopefully turn the tide in our favour.
Harnessing the concentrated energy within my body, I propelled myself into the air, closing the distance between me and the bone entangled by my weapon in an instant. The chains that connected us acted as a swift pathway for my rapid approach.
Capitalising on the momentum I had built, I seized the bone with my bare hands and, utilising sheer physical power, forcefully split it into two pieces. The monstrous beast shifted its attention from the boat to me, emitting a deafening roar that echoed through the air.
However, in the midst of this distraction, I lost my grip on the severed bone, causing me to plummet downward. Seizing the opportunity, the beast plunged into the depths of the sea, dragging me along in its descent. Helpless in the air, I could only brace myself for the impending collision as the beast descended upon me like a hammer upon an anvil.
Its sharp bones tore through my body, inflicting numerous deep wounds that gushed with blood. Despite the augmented resilience granted by my Zen state, the sharpness of the bones surpassed my defenses.
The beast assumed I was dead and continued to advance towards my companions, prepared to maul the boat with its gigantic structure once more.
As I began to slip into unconsciousness within the depths of the sea, the searing pain from my injuries jolted me back to awareness. With a swift display of judgement, I regained control of my faculties and swam with superhuman speed as I aimed to reach my companions, who were growing further away.
As I grew nearer to the boat, I could see the beast preparing to charge towards it, ready to destroy it instantly with its colossal power.
In a mix of despair and anguish, Kei’s voice trembled as he exclaimed, "This is all happening because of me. I should have used this power earlier!" His resolve surged as he closed in on the colossal monster.
It took a moment for me to grasp the significance of his words. Kei had withheld his true abilities in order to protect us. He had tapped into the first phase of sol-weaving, but his nexus was linked to death. If he had unleashed this power earlier, it might have posed a danger to us. However, with Kei now distanced from both Elsie and me, he could unleash his full potential.
Kei’s violet eyes radiated with an intense gleam as the monster’s bones began to deteriorate upon his touch. It was as if they were dissolving under the corrosive effect of the most potent acid.
The beast emitted a piercing shriek in response, but Kei stood unwavering, seizing another bone, which promptly decayed and disintegrated into nothingness.
Seizing the opportunity, I swiftly manoeuvred behind the monstrous beast, unnoticed. It remained oblivious to my presence, believing that it had taken me down with it into the depths of the sea earlier.
As I observed Kei, I could see the toll his power had taken on him. His face was drenched in sweat, and his eyes were barely open. The invocation of "death" itself had pushed him to his limits, and it seemed like he could collapse at any moment.
With the beast momentarily distracted, I seized the chance to approach it and firmly grasped its lower backbone. Utilising its weight, I pulled myself out of the water and landed on the beast’s sturdy spine.
"Zen-Glide" This was the name of the technique I devised to climb the rocky terrain of Kipduff Mountain. This allowed me to walk on walls and defy gravity.
Recalling this technique, I defied gravity and skillfully navigated along the bones of the monster. Walking on its skeletal structure felt as natural as walking on solid ground, defying the laws of physics.
In no time, I reached the upper portion of the colossal beast, finally beholding its formidable head. However, to my astonishment, Kei had succumbed to his exertions and lay unconscious on the ground, drawing the attention of the beast. Violently shaking its body, it attempted to dislodge me from my precarious position.
Despite the beast’s vigorous efforts, I managed to maintain my grip, inching closer to the beast’s head. Just as I was about to launch my weapon towards its skull, the monster convulsed violently, causing me to lose my balance and tumble through the air.
A cry of desperation escaped my lips as the skull of the beast seemed to recede further away from me. This was my sole opportunity, and failure would spell doom for us all.
Drawing upon the dormant power within me, the same power I had harnessed to free Elsie and manipulate her perception, the power that had pierced the eye of the leader of the shadowhorns, my nexus, I summoned it with fervour.
Suddenly, dizziness overwhelmed me, and my vision split into two. I had finally awakened this latent power, but its true nature remained a mystery to me. All that mattered in that moment was reaching the skull of the beast. I stretched out my hand, desperately attempting to bridge the distance.
As the indomitable will to reach the skull flooded my consciousness, the very fabric of space warped around me. And just like that, I found myself hurtling through the sky, descending directly above the beast’s skull.
Without wasting a single moment, I unleashed my weapon, hurling the scythe with all my might. With a resounding impact, the blade pierced the beast’s skull, finding its mark as I landed firmly upon the now defeated monster.