From one moment to the other, it seems like everything turned against me.
However, this isn't the reason why cold shivers rush through my body, affecting the whole world I'm linked to.
No, the fact is that right in front of me there's Chiaki.
Who's supporting my enemy!?!
"Chiaki! Is that really you?" (I)
"She's talking!" (ranger)
"Hah, not much longer!" (brute)
"Prepare yourself for round two!" (fairy)
"Guys..." (savior)
They're firing themselves up to fight again, but why isn't she reacting?
"Don't you recognize me? It's me, Iori! I know, I'm looking a little different from usual, but you know how it is with my powers." (I)
"Wicked demon! You won't fool me, as I am blessed by the great goddess to fulfill her will and vanquish evil!" (C)
She doesn't seem to recognize me!
Why wouldn't she?
I'm once again at brainwashing, but isn't her soul supposed to be strong?
Maybe it's only a superficial effect and I can still fix this.
I need to!
Yet all my musing won't lead me anywhere if I lose this.
Furthermore, now I have a target in front of me.
All I want is to save Chiaki.
Making that happen now is all that counts.
No matter what!
As my powers were always a bit dependent on my moods, what I feel right now is the perfect mix to take action.
Taking all my willpower together, I rip myself forward and rush straight at Chiaki.
All that matters is to bring her with me.
Everything else can be resolved later.
As hard as I'm coming in, the big vanguard isn't even close to holding me off.
The fire attacks of the mage are absorbed by a shield of darkness I erected around me, and the arrows are just ignored.
However, then comes the savior with his damned lightsword.
This magic feels basically like the polar opposite of my own.
In sufficient quantities, it can completely neutralize my powers.
Unfortunately, Chiaki seems to have boosted him hard enough that he can catch up to me.
"Let me through!" (I)
"No can do!" (savior)
He assumes a defensive stance, ready to strike the moment I come close enough.
"She's going for the saint!" (mage)
"Typical for those demons to target the supporters." (ranger)
"Dishonorable!" (tank)
While that might be a cliche, I'll admit that I applied this tactic.
I mean, seriously, neutralizing the vulnerable but important elements of an army just makes the most sense.
However, this is certainly not the case here.
Unfortunately, they now make sure with their formation to shield Chiaki from me, while the girl in question continues casting buffs.
As I still can't count on receiving any form of backup, as all my forces are repelled, I can only count on what I conjure here directly.
Yet my presence at this place is just too weak to go for anything bigger.
Anything that would suffice to force my will in this situation.
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If they just wouldn't be so damn strong.
Sigh.
Am I really already so far to complain about not being able to dominate each and everybody to force my will?
On the other side, what good is this power if it won't suffice when it matters?
For now, I can only give everything I have.
For Chiaki.
So I gather my determination again and move forward, conjuring a swarm of bats that should take the adds of their group off my back.
With this, it's only the buffed swordsman, Chiaki, and me.
But this won't stop me!
I'll fight this boy, defeat him, break through to Chiaki, and snag her back home to fix whatever was done to her.
Actually, I have to be rather careful, as this boy is apparently one of the only beings in this world possessing an actual soul.
For this reason, killing him would be terribly wrong.
It's probably not his fault that he's being exploited by my opponent.
So incapacitation is the way to go.
The biggest issue standing against me would be this sword.
I make my claws grow in size and solidify the matter.
Then I charge.
"Clank"
Already at the first clash, I feel the light energy biting into this body.
Only a short contact is enough to make me very aware of the fact that anime lied to me and claws are no weapons to be equally paired against slashing weapons.
If this were my real body and I couldn't regenerate, I'd be far too concerned about losing my hands.
Yet even if I can hurl myself recklessly at the enemy, I soon find that this boy is incredibly dexterous.
Aggravatingly, his comrades still occasionally find time to pester me with their attacks.
It's deeply frustrating to realize that despite already having overcome my limits, now I'm in a rut that will slowly drag me down, until I truly will have lost.
There's nothing I can rely on to change this, and this is frustrating in itself, as Chiaki is so close.
Growing somewhat desperate, I decide to go for it and sprint directly at Chiaki.
Maybe, just maybe, I can use my powers to somehow take her with me.
As I voluntarily gave up on defending to make that happen, I quickly feel this damned lightblade striking my side.
I solidified my body to its absolute max, in order to mitigate the damage that could be caused to me.
So to say, as a way of increasing my HP to even last through a critical hit.
So consider myself surprised when I suddenly find that my lower half ended up lingering some distance behind me.
Yep, I just got cut in half.
While I currently have wings, my sense for the right posture is naturally totally off now.
Yet as at least my sense of pain is off, I can activate enough mental resources to use my darkness to boost me right at Chiaki.
"Sanctuary!" (C)
"Bonk"
What?!
Chiaki erected some kind of holy barrier that locked me out.
I'm, I'm at my limit.
This was all I had to offer here.
What else could I do?
"You did it! You defeated this evil monster!" (fairy)
"Great job, savior! One less of the demon king's generals to worry about!" (barbarian)
"A pity for that body -uff." (ranger)
"Don't say creepy things like this." (mage)
"..." (savior)
Hah.
They're already celebrating their victory.
Why wouldn't they?
It's over.
I can't even stand anymore, not to speak of fighting, and my regeneration isn't fast enough to get me back into shape before they could react.
I, I can't get Chiaki back like this.
I can't get Chiaki back like this!
I can't get Chiaki back if I am like this!
No!
This can't be!
I can't let it end like that!
No matter what it takes, this has to work!
Defeat is unacceptable!
I won't give up!
"Whoosh"
"Brave heroes! Brace yourself! It isn't over yet!" (C)
She is right.
Out of my scrambled upper half darkness erupts, flesh grows, but not in a controlled manner.
Let's stop with form and shape.
What's so great about a humanoid body if it just gets sliced in half?
It's not even my real one!
No, now we're playing this right.
Stop sticking to the rules.
Stop containing yourself.
Let all of it flow freely.
You can still gather Chiaki once you've grown over her!
Yes.
Let the aberration growth begin!
"What is this?" (mage)
"Don't know! Tentacles? Meat?" (fairy)
"Heroes, to my side!" (C)
Inconveniently, it seems like this barrier is just the right thing to hold my growth off for the moment.
At the same time, it seems like it doesn't even impede any of "the good guys" from passing through.
Yet this doesn't matter.
Just a little bit more force and it will crack open like an egg!
"Are you all there? Great! Teleport!" (C)
Huh?
What's this now again?
Some golden light?
It envelops the whole group and then...
"Szzt"
The barrier is gone!
They are all gone!
My tentacles grasp into nothing!
Shit, shit, shit, shit!
No!
NO!!!
Without caring a bit, I let the flesh growth explode and am back in my main body.
Billions of eyes flash open, as I fly straight through the ceiling, obliterating everything in my way.
"RAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!" (I)
The world shakes at my scream.
Not just what I'm controlling, but the echo trembles even all the rest.
"I'M GONNA FIND YOU!! YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL FIND YOU AND RIP BACK ALL YOU TOOK!!" (I)
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.
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"Then it's good that we're coming to you." (?)