A shudder of terror, an undeniable dread... It grips them and holds them captive. Who wouldn't be, in the face of this...

Picture a scene...

No. The scene lacks significance and so it fades to oblivion in their minds. Their gazes are riveted, captivated by that... thing.

An entity of sheer power, its form carved from an edifice of raw, pulsating muscle adorned with a mustard-hued integument, reminiscent of rubber, yet uncannily different. It's a sight so peculiar, so mesmerizing, that it's... irresistible.

A spectacle evoking awe and admiration.

Yet, they can't ignore the grotesque features. Half a dozen arms extending from its midriff, long enough to scrape the floor as it stirs, akin to a gigantic quilt being dragged.

Its cranium is a barren landscape. No hair, no ears, no nose. Just a solitary eye, deeply set, and there's something more.

It's bound by threads of its own flesh.

The creature's lower half is curiously absent. Somehow, it defies logic, hovering above the uneven terrain. Observing its movement evokes images of a beast in its element, effortlessly gliding along the ground.

Truly a chilling sight.

The situation is beyond severe for them. The warriors freeze... a tidal wave of unease engulfs them, their weapons slick with nervous sweat.

All but one... He conquers his fear, boldly advancing toward the creature.

A courage, a resolve, worthy of a leader.

His gaze pierces his comrades.

In an instant, their grips tighten. Their eyes blaze with determination.

Kanji "My friends. To be honest with you, we don't have a lead on this creature's abilities... but going through this cave. I can conclude that the anomaly crystal is tailored to my aspect. So don't panic. I'm going to try something."

Their eyes, riveted on Kanji, pulse in sync with their quickened heartbeats as he inches closer to the beast.

Nothing... Kanji exhales, launching his chain into an energetic whirl.

A silent gust ruffles its form, yet it remains unmoved. But then...

Adrian "Oh my god! That's a lynx!"

Diana "Ssssshhhh! Shut the fuck up, you wimp!"

Oh no.

Their bodies falter, too startled to comprehend what happened, too terrified to glance back.

The suspense is unbearable. They wait... wait... WAIT... AND IT'S TOO MUCH!

Collectively, they turn...

No— Nothing happened. As if it couldn't hear or ignore their behavior.

Kanji "Whew! That was unexpected... It appears the creature is deaf. With this, we can finally talk with ease. Looking at the creature's bottom half, the invisible feline animal only becomes visible due to a shift in the wind. It must be made of sound! You guys stay here. I'll go to test my theory."

Closing in, his hand stretches out... and it goes through.

Kanji "I knew it! Wait. What about its other..."

Claire "No! Kaney! Wai-"

It also phases through.

All "A projection?!"

Kanji "Ok, this is disappointing. All that tension for a mere projection. Then again... now that I think about the previous trial. We can say there must be an obvious trick to this one too."

Sarah "Excuse me... I think I might have a suggestion."

Kanji "Go ahead, Sarah. Speak away. Also, if anyone else has an idea. Please, don't be afraid to share."

Sarah "Thank you for the permission, Kanji. My idea is that maybe there might be a secret key in this place like an escape room. Seeing the previous challenges were formatted to be different types of games. Who's to say this time it isn't an escape room."

Dave "Ayo, Sas. That was super 5head! What the fuck?! You sound like Kanji Lmao. Did you use your "Eldritch" doohicky to leech off him?"

Sarah "Shut up! I had to use all my brain power to come up with that, you know. And now you're fucking ruining it!"

Noah "Yeah, stop the nagging. You... sunglasses monkey." "Dave. Sorry, but it had to be done. I mean it this time. You were being too rude."

Dave "Oh no. Help me. I'm being attacked by the doom and gloom twin, dudes."

Diana "Stop arguing you three! As much as I want to join the Icarus roasting train, the task comes first. So stop talking and start searching!"

Kanji "Oh, I almost forgot. Right now, we need as much help as we can get. Let's see if Azan is awake."

He unlocks his subspace, and in an instant, someone emerges.

Azan "Holy! That was suffocating! Being stuck in that place. Okay, I'm here now! Wait, what's happening? What is that thing?!"

Mina "Azan, you're okay! I was so worried!"

She said, welcoming him tightly.

Kanji "Okay, Mina. You can stop now, I have to tell him what happened."

Kanji relays the information to him.

Azan "I understand. I'm not going to question it. Let's get started, Mina."

Mina "Right! Let's go!"

And so they embark...

Time flew by, unseeable yet noticeable.

The confines of their enclosure took a toll, breeding stress as they scoured every nook and cranny of plants and rocks.

Regrettably, their quest yielded naught.

Azan "Guys. At this point, I believe this is pointless and a complete waste of our time."

Mina "I want to agree with you on that but... we mustn't lose hope! We will find something eventually!"

Dave "Copium plus Davedespair plus GoingInsane plus Sas's idea failed."

Kanji "Come on now, let's focus guys! Adrian, have you found anything?!... Adrian?"

His gaze fixates on something. What is he looking at? The creature? Nay... it's motions.

Advancing, Kanji notices a notebook and pen clutched by Adrian. Yet, a faint buzzing distracts Kanji. Where is it coming from? He glances downward...

Kanji " Woah! A fan?! Where did you get all of these objects?"

Adrian "Claire, conjured the fan and I got these from Gwen. She gave it to me in case there'll be some noting down to do. Anyway, I think I found a clue. Notice anything strange with the way it moves. It's going in a pattern! I was able to trace it by holding the fan and revealing the lynx's feet."

Kanji "Okay, I'll accompany you. The rest of you, keep searching!"

The two pursuers trail the creature, ever closer. In due time, the note shapes into a sequence of letters.

Kanji " L. Y. N. A. N. D. G. U. R. I. U. M. Lyn and Gurium? What's that? A name? Some kind of code word? Or a more mysterious factor?"

Adrian "In my opinion, it might be the creature's name. Maybe the upper half is Lyn and the bottom half is Gurium."

Kanji "Whatever it is, it doesn't help us right now. Shit. Everyone meet us over here!"

...

Dave "Ay, boss. Wha'up?"

Kanji "Okay, everyone's here. I'm just gonna say it. Our current methods aren't scoring any points. So, any other ideas?"

Claire "Maybe saying a certain word might work. I go first! Flank steak. Stairs. Bro. Sis. Age. Sound. Plastic. Chicken. Troll. Bard-

Kanji "Claire, I think you're just saying random words. But good input."

A smile graces her face as she reaches out, aiming for a hug. He evades with resistance, attempting to dodge her advance.

Alas, his efforts prove futile.

Gwen seizes the chance and envelops him in a hug too.

Kanji "Hmmm... Ok, guys. More ideas? Anyone?"

Dave "Maybe if we break enough shit in this place. That guardian dude will become pissed and we have to beat him lol."

Diana "Icarus, now you're talking my language! That sounds like a great idea. Let's do it!"

Drawing near to a nearby wall, they waste no time... the resounding echo of forceful, rapid punches reverberates, shaking the entire room.

Yet, the impact pales in comparison to the deed.

Their eyes widen, witnessing their efforts yielding no effects.

Dave "Well, shit. This place is APPARENTLY made of magic, bros. Abrakadabra, Hahaa lol. What the hell?!"

Diana "That's a reasonable way to put it! Fuck! Are we stuck here until we beat that thing?!"

Azan "Now. Now. Remain calm. Maybe the answer is simple and we're just overlooking it."

Kanji "Makes sense. What do you suggest?"

Azan "First of all, there's a spring here. There must be a reason for it."

Mina "Azzy, you're right! Damn, you're smart."

Kanji "Trying to compete with me in the battle of intelligence, are we Azan? I commend your victory. I never thought about that."

Azan "No, I would never try! I have much respect for you, Kanji! I just got the idea out of nowhere!"

Kanji "Nonsense! No idea comes from nowhere. You should take your achievement to heart, even the littlest of things can make you feel fulfilled and happy. Neglecting this fact will eat you alive eventually. So, I suggest you take your win. End of story."

Azan "Okay... if you... say so."

Kanji strides past him, leading the way toward the outer rim of the spring, and they trail behind. He tilts his head, poised to plunge headfirst into its depths.

Abruptly, a peculiar scent wafts into his nostrils. This is...

Kanji "Wait. Wait a minute! I know this smell! Claire, conjure up an electron microscope!"

Claire "Okay. Here... Kaney, what are you doing?"

Kanji "Just confirming something. Let's see here. Taking this drop of water and looking into this microphone... its molecular structure. This is... Acetone! A common and safe form of dissolvent. This substance is mostly used in nail polish remover, paint remover, and varnish remover. But it has the capacity also damage rubber!"

Kanji stows the microscope in his storage and submerges his chain into the body of water, retrieving the soaked object.

Advancing onward, Kanji gears up for a confrontational onslaught. Yet, the creature continues to stray, heedless of his fierce presence as Kanji draws nearer and nearer.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Kanji "Before I do this. Everyone, I have a plan. AN and Amelia, you guys will be our eyes and ears. Warn us of its attacks if you can. Amelia makes sure everyone is Connected and cast Blur. Also, create a clone of each one of us in case any one of us gets attacked."

Am/AN "Aye Aye!"

Kanji "Dave, Diana, Mina, and Azan. You guys are the front liners, come next to me. We act as defenders and attackers. If we decide to attack, three of us will go while the other two will stay on guard. In the case of urgency, the reverse will be optimal."

Da/Di/Mi/Azan "YES! BOSS!"

Kanji "Lastly, Claire and Sarah. You two protect Amelia and provide range support."

Cl/Sarah "Right!"

Noah "Errrr... what about me?" "What do I do?"

Kanji "Honestly, seeing your personality. It doesn't fit your power. Maybe... try to conjure up any amount of emotion if you can... and try your best to help. I guess."

Noah "Ok." "Whew. I don't have to fight."

Confronting the monster head-on, Kanji exhibits no hesitation... and delivers a powerful blow.

It hits.

A chunk of its form tears away from the right side of its torso. No blood spills and no internal organs are exposed. It's akin to severing clay, albeit tougher.

Its eye locks onto the assailant.

Azan and Dave swiftly join the fray, brandishing their weapons high.

Da/Azan "Take this!"

Huh???

The attack... passes right through its form.

Kanji "Shit! Shit! You can only hurt it when your weapon is dipped in Acetone! Everyone go dip your weapon! I'll pull him away!"

Amelia "Wait, Kanji. Here have this clone!"

Amelia blurs Kanji's figure, crafting a duplicate that shadows his movements.

While the rest immerse their weapons in the spring, Kanji steadily increases the gap between them.

The creature charges forward, ignoring the clone.

Kanji "Fuck that didn't help!"

Kanji accelerates... a futile decision. It closes in, within striking distance, and he spots its arms.

Kanji "The fuck?! It's stretching!"

Six fists hurtle toward him with blinding speed. Kanji successfully blocks two, but the remaining...

Kanji "Argh!" "This speed and accuracy! Damn!"

His body hurtles backward, scraping against the floor, causing fractures in both of his fibulae. Desperate for a chance to recover, he clings to one of the creature's arms.

Kanji "Ha! Got you!"

Kanji attempts to harness the monster's elastic energy... yet it resists. His body proves unable to absorb such power.

A piercing ring reverberates from the left.

Something clings to his leg. A claw?

Kanji "Aaaaaarrrrgh! What was that?!"

Suppressing the pain, Kanji leaps backward. A poor decision, as his legs lose control.

Fixating on his left arm, he senses an agonizing bleed from every single cell. At this rate, he'll blackout.

Kanji "Fuck. I need to calm down! Think! With the amount of time I have left, what can I do?!"

His eyes remain fixed on the creature, which gradually withdraws and retreats, retracting its arms.

Kanji "Is it going for the same attack as before? Dammit. Wait... why didn't it just finish me off with its Lynx part?... unless it takes turns attacking!"

Kanji attempts to shout, but even that eludes him. Everything blurs, dizziness overwhelming his senses.

The creature lunges forward. His mind races... until— instinct takes over. In a last-ditch effort, Kanji activates |10. Umbral Cape|.

An ethereal garment, woven from stardust, drapes his entire body in translucent radiance.

The monster halts, displaying concern. Some unseen force warns it to keep its distance.

Released from its aggression, Kanji gathers every fragment of his remaining consciousness.

Kanji "A...AN. Y-You the.. .there?"

AN "Yes, Kanji! Oh my god! You look messed up! Don't worry I activate the healing-

Kanji "Wa... Wait a... mi... minute. Not... yet. I have a... me.. message. Tell the... the others this "It attacks... then the ot-other attacks" and don't... attack... it... all... at......."

The Aspect of Energy lies defeated, unable to continue. Left with no other option, AN clicks on the sleep healing option.

AN "Guys... I have bad news. Kanji is knocked out."

Claire "WHAT?! NO! I HAVE TO-

Amelia "Calm down, Claire! Don't rush it carelessly, lass!"

Claire "But Kaney! He's-

AN "It's alright! He is currently healing, lucky his new ability created a barrier between him and the monster."

Claire "Oh... that's... I'm glad."

Diana "It's cool that the boss survived, but how are we going to deal with that thing now without him?!"

AN "Before he was knocked out, he wanted me to tell you guys two things about the creature. Through my observation and what Kanji told me, I think the creature only attacks in turns between its parts."

Sarah "What does that mean?"

AN "It means the upper half of its body attacks then its bottom and then the top half again."

Dave "Yo, what is this scripted shit? Guys, it's like an NPC lol!"

Azan "Anything else Kanji left for us?"

AN "I think he said to not attack him all at once. I don't understand what it means."

Mina gazes at the monster, witnessing its return to a state of aimless wandering. An understanding dawns upon her.

Mina "I know what he meant! The creature only attacks those that attack it. Meaning if some of us don't attack the monster, we will be safe."

Sarah "Oh, that means we don't have to worry about protecting duty. Then there's also another problem if a bunch of us decide to attack it then there's a high chance we'll all get hurt."

Adrian "Not only that, we don't know everything that thing does. Like how will it respond with several people attacking it or which attacker it prioritizes?"

Diana "Errr... what?"

Dave "Yeah, I'm with you on this one."

Azan "I think he is suggesting that we fight it one by one because each time one of us tags out, we will learn more and more until victory is ours."

Mina "Yeah! That sounds great!"

Sarah "But will it keep attacking the same person if someone else steps in or will it attack both or will it switch?"

AN "Looking at its behavior now. Maybe it eventually ignores its initial attacker and moves on."

Sarah "Well, that looks like the best lead we have. Then let's just go with it."

Noah "Agreed." "Just hope I won't go first."

Dave "Alright! Who's the one sacrificing, dudes?"

They stare at him.

Dave "Oooh.... Fuck. Fine. Let's do this! LEEEERAAAAY JAAAANNNNKKKKOOONNNSSS!"

Diana "Wait! You fucking idiot!"

Dave soaks his bat in the spring and charges.

His bat erupts in spikes, striking one of the monster's left arms.

Rip and tear!

With a mighty pull, he yanks it back, shattering the air.

The severed arm sails across the room.

The monster fixes its malice on Dave.

A ringing sound emerges from the right.

His bat morphs into a shield, swiftly aimed in that direction.

Ding.

Dave senses the vibration through his shield.

Then...an agonizing pain blooms, like trillions of needles pricking him. He resists the urge to look.

Dave retreats, glaring at the monster, teeth grinding. Dizzy, he struggles to lift his bat.

Dave "Shit, man. That didn't work. Fuck, am I really out this early?!"

Diana "Yes, you are! I told you not to-

Dave "Woah! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

Diana "-go you FUCKING IDIOT!"

Something flies towards them. Bingo! They capture it. Or rather, they capture Dave.

AN "Dave. You have to watch out for its bottom-half attack. Claire and I have a limited amount of healing, you know."

Dave "Aw, sorry. Dude, I was confident lol. That's it, go!"

Dave drifts off to sleep, cradled in Amelia's lap.

Claire "Wow, that cheeky bastard! He planned this. Didn't he?"

Amelia "Honestly, his foresight is great but his antics can cause him problems. Then again, that is why I adore him."

Azan "Guys, pay attention. We need to observe to obtain new info. So far, we only know two of its attacks. And AN's guess was right! It ignored its initial attacker if another one interferes."

Sarah "Hey, question. Why is there a tiny fan attached to her waist?"

Azan "Isn't it obvious? It is for seeing the invisible attack, i.e. the lynx's claw swipe."

Sarah "Oh, right! Adrian figured it out earlier. My bad."

Azan "Just keep observing. We won't want to miss any more info."

Round two begins.

Diana plunges her hand into the spring. She pummels the monster's chest relentlessly, blow after blow. The creature's mass bears the marks of her assault, dented and bruised.

Diana "It's working. Now, let's see if it works on this thing"

Harnessing her power of friction, Diana makes the ground increasingly difficult to traverse.

Yet, the monster remains unfazed, effortlessly advancing. Once more, it launches a barrage of lightning-fast punches.

With split-second timing, Diana narrowly evades each strike.

Diana "Come here asshole! Take this!"

Summoning her strength, Diana gives a mighty tug on the monster's hand, then delivers a powerful uppercut. The sheer force propels the creature into the air, causing it to soar briefly before crashing heavily onto the ground.

Diana "Booyah! Headshot!"

...The monster effortlessly rises back up to its feet.

Diana "Damn, you are fucking resilient. Come on then! Throw your swipes!"

Diana catches sight of the lynx charging in for an attack. Despite the ringing in her ears, the impending strike is crystal clear to her.

She evades the claw swipe with ease.

Diana "Hah! Too easy! Wait... what the?"

Diana gapes down at her legs, only to witness a torrent of blood gushing forth like a waterfall.

Diana "Shit! When did this happen?! Wait, did that... Did that fucker attack again?!"

As Diana focuses on the creature's upper half, she notices some of her previous marks slowly fading away, reverting back to their original state.

Diana "I see... you're covering up for your buddy so it heals, huh? Damn... I wasn't expecting that. You win."

Diana lifts her hand, signaling the others. Mina swiftly steps forward, seizing the fan from her waist.

Mina "Don't worry! I'll pick it from here."

Diana nods and retreats, leaving the monster in her wake. However, as it attempts to pursue her, Mina swiftly strikes, slicing its neck with her machete. The monster's head hangs on by a mere fragment of flesh, prompting it to shield the injury with four of its arms.

Mina "That's right! Your opponent is me!"

Diana's knee makes contact with the ground. Her friends quickly gather around her, forming a protective circle.

Azan "Nice job out there. Any new about that thing?"

Diana "First of all, the bastard is kinda smart. If one of its parts gets injured, the other part will attack again and again, so it can heal."

Azan "Ummm, so we need a way to destroy that lynx. But how do you kill a sound?"

Sarah "Sound only exists because of air. Fuck. If only Gwen was here, she could just delete it in an instant"

Adrian "Sound can also be weakened if submerged in water."

Azan "Hey, that's genius! We need the opportunity to knock it into the spring."

Diana "Good luck with that. It barely moved back when I hit it."

Azan "We won't know for sure unless we try. AN, please relay this to Mina."

AN "Right! Mina, what you have to do is..."

Mina "...Right. Ok. I got it."

She guides the monster closer to the spring.

It comes to a halt.

Mina "Huh? Why did it stop?! Don't tell me it knew?! Fine! If that's how you want the play the game then... I'm coming to you!"

The girl leaps onto the monster, clinging tightly. Her unexpected actions disrupt its behavior, leaving it perplexed and unsure of how to react or counterattack.

The creature starts to shake and spin erratically.

Mina "It's useless! Eat time!"

Mina activates |1. Aging|.

She notices the monster's skin deteriorating at an alarming rate, rapidly deteriorating before her eyes.

Mina "Yes, it's working! Waaaaa! Where is it going?!"

Thud!

In a devastating impact, the monster slammed Mina's body forcefully against the wall

Mina "Ow! My back!"

Locking onto the monster's single, she senses its growing agitation. As the lynx readies itself to claw at her face, she braces herself for the impending attack.

Mina "Oh fuck! HELP!-

Just in the nick of time, Azan intervenes, pulling her away from the monster's reach.

Azan "Ok, that was very close. Mina, what were you thinking?"

Mina "I thought that it won't be smart enough to do that!"

Azan "At this point, underestimating that thing is a death sentence."

Mina "Ok, that's fair. I barely got any other detail from it though!"

Azan "Don't worry. I got an idea!"

Azan brings Mina over to Claire, who promptly conjures up another medical device, ready to administer further aid.

Claire "Shit. No more slots left. We can't take any more risks. Az, you need to end this."

Azan "Relax, I have a plan but I need you and Sarah to fire when I say so. Got it!"

Cl/Sarah "Got it!"

Azan steps forward, bravery in his eyes.

One last shot. He activates his suitcase, transforming it into "Attack mode." With unwavering resolve, Azan charges toward the monster.

A claw swipes at him from the left, but he swiftly evades it. Another comes from above, yet he manages to dodge once more.

Azan "Slice one!"

Azan retaliates with a powerful swing, striking the creature's right arm and leaving a deep gash in its path.

The monster's swipes intensify, coming at him faster and faster. Yet, Azan skillfully dodges every single one of them.

Azan "Slice two!"

With a mighty swing, the blade cuts through the monster's yellow flesh, severing yet another of its left arms.

Stunned by the loss of its limb, the creature stands frozen, unsure of its next move.

Azan "Ok! It's time! Claire! Sarah! Aim for its right arms!"

They unleash a barrage of firepower, their weapons cutting away two of the monster's three right arms.

Azan "Ha! You know you look pretty normal now. You monster."

?? NCOHEHKSHF.

Azan "What the fuck?!"

Without warning, the monster executes a swift U-turn, disregarding Azan and setting its sights on the rest of the group.

Claire and Sarah panic as the creature effortlessly plows through them, knocking them aside. Witnessing this, Noah is overcome by a surge of fear.

Reacting instinctively, he extends his arms, bracing for impact.

Noah "Don't." "Don't come here!"

A colossal black shield materializes over Noah. The shield forcefully propels the creature, driving it backward and plunging it into the spring with an echoing splash.

Noah "Oh. shit." "Wow, that was lucky as hell!"

Sarah "Holy shit! Great job, man!"

Amelia "Lad, that was close. Thank you for protecting me."

Noah "Err.. you're welcome." "Damn. I can't believe I did that!"

Azan "Excellent, I guess staying near the spring was an unconscious but great choice."

Claire "Awesome! Does this means it's over?"

Azan "Maybe... let us take a look."

Curiosity draws them closer as they peer into the water, hoping for a moment of respite. But suddenly, a ripple disrupts the surface...

Something shoots out— a transformed version of the creature.

Its elongated arms have returned to an average size, while the lynx has disappeared, replaced by a pair of concealed legs.

They cautiously gaze upon its face, and to their horror, a nightmarish sight unfolds before them.

A row of jagged, disfigured teeth is unveiled as its jaw opens wide.

?? LYN! MY BELOVED! I, GURIUM WILL PAINT THE WALLS WITH THEIR BLOOD!

In a blinding flash of light... a single strike lands. The group is caught completely off guard as Noah's left arm is mercilessly severed.

Noah "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Noah's pain reaches unimaginable heights, defying description. Suddenly, a pink fog erupts from him, spreading in all directions. The intense wave of pain engulfs everyone in the facility, causing them to share in his torment.

Sarah "Argh!!! What is this?! Someone stop it! It hurts!"

GURIUM. Puny creatures. Can't bear the pain. You took my arms. So I'll take yours.

The group watches in horror as the monster callously places Noah's severed arm into its grotesque mouth, devouring it without delay.

Claire "Shit! We need to stop his pain! Someone take this anesthetic and take it to Noah!"

Gurium, standing ominously over Noah, looms with an intent to claim another.

Azan "NO! STOP HIM!"

GURIUM. It's too late. DIE!

...

GURIUM. WHAT? YOU-

?? "God!... My arm hurts! I don't know if I should call this a blessing or not. All I know is that I'm glad that you targeted his left instead of his right."

GURIUM. You. I defeated you! How are you here?!

Claire "Kaney!"

Kanji "It takes more than that to put me down. Everyone, I'll take it from here!"

Azan "But Kanji, you don't know all of its-

Kanji "Don't worry! Somehow, I heard everything during my sleep. I believe AN's voice was just that strong."

GURIUM. Enough talking. Eat my leg!

Gurium's grin widens as it sets his sights on Kanji's head

GURIUM. Huh? WHAT?!

Kanji "Surprising isn't it? To be real with you, this was quite risky on my part."

The crowd gasps as his cape springs up, shielding Kanji's face.

Gurium's gaze falls upon his leg—it has mysteriously shrunk.

GURIUM. Why? How?

Kanji "It turns out that focusing solely on the cape. I could easily control it, but the consequence is that I have to fight with only my fist which is ok with me. Come on! Fight me, bitch!"

GURIUM. I'll wipe the smug off your face. No, I'll wipe your face off!

Kanji unleashes an electric surge, enveloping Gurium and the surrounding terrain.

GURIUM. "Hah! That tickles. Wait... where did he go-UCK!"

A clean hit in the back of the head. Gurium falls flat on his face.

GURIUM. You'll pay for that!

Gurium swings wildly, desperately trying to bash Kanji.

GURIUM. Stop dodging!

Kanji "Sorry... but NO!"

Seizing the moment, Kanji materializes a scorching energy blade and swiftly cleaves off Gurium's right arm.

Gurium quickly retreats, pressed against the wall. With a sense of desperation, it firmly plants its lone hand and stretches it around the room at incredible speed.

A blast of wind echoes closer to Kanji.

GURIUM. "Take this!"

Suspense fills the air as everyone holds their breath.

It hits...

... the cape!

GURIUM. "What! WHAT?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo......."

The voice fades away gradually, vanishing as Gurium's body is pulled into the depths of Kanji's cape.

From the depths of Kanji's soul, a strange power begins to surge, growing stronger with each passing moment.