Adrian "This... It's so far from what I'd predicted! All hands on deck! Let's corner this monster! Wait... Where on earth is Diana?"

Gwen "She's ensconced over there in her cocoon. Shall we modify the plan accordingly?"

Adrian "What about Claire? She's-

Gwen "Don't worry... leave it to me."

The warriors encircle the giant executioner, eyes affixed to the heavens beyond. Gwen's gaze is intense as she slowly retreats to her distraught companion, kneeling on the floor. Her eyes, brimming with tears, are locked onto the spot where Leana once existed... now just empty space without a trace of her existence.

Claire's fists meet the marble floor with force, her face screams out pain.

Claire "Why... JUST WHY?! It was too soon!"

Gwen "Claire..."

Squatting down next to her, Gwen delicately wipes away her tears and gently touches her shoulder. Claire's tears gradually subside as they both rise to their feet.

Gwen "We can grieve later. At this moment, we're needed. So don't be a big baby."

Claire "How can you guys feel nothing after what just happened?!"

Gwen "... Everyone in this place will eventually fade away. They probably just accepted it sooner."

Claire "B-but... damn it! I look like a stupid emotional idiot, aren't I?!"

Gwen "To be brutally honest, yes."

Claire "That's a bit harsh, but... I kind of like that about you. Sorry, for breaking down like this."

Gwen "Verbal apologies hold no weight with me. If you want to make amends, arm yourself. Let's blow this menace into pieces."

Claire "Wow, you suck at cheering people. But yeah! Let's get this fucker!"

As they stride toward the group, an intriguing scene unfolds. The behemoth attempts to move but is hindered at every turn. Strangely, a standstill ensues, with both sides unwilling to launch the initial assault. The executioner gazes skywards once more, its wings flapping with a cacophony reminiscent of a thousand avian cries, and begins to rise.

Claire "Oh no! We must hurry!"

The pair breaks into a run, swiftly joining the standoff.

Kanji "Excellent! You're both here! Now, let's go on the offensive!"

Adrian "Yes! Dave, Amelia, Gwen, and Claire! Launch Operation Wing Clipper now!"

Gwen takes position behind Claire, instructing her hands to load explosive bolts. Dave observes with curiosity, only for Amelia to step on his foot, halting his distraction.

Dave "Yo, what was that fucking for, Amby?"

Amelia "Stay focused, darling. Your daydreaming can wait until we're done. Understand."

She conjures an illusory steel dome over the executioner... but it continues to ascend.

Amelia "Bloody shite! It's time to put some pressure on it!"

Dave "You got it, babe!"

In sync, they leap over the monster's head. Dave's bat elongates, and he swings it, causing the executioner's armored structure to vibrate, stalling its ascension. Amelia follows with a hard strike from her frying pan at the same spot, pushing the giant slightly downward. Seeing an opportunity, Gwen guides Claire to target the monster's rear.

They release a barrage of ten shots.

Claire "Wait! What the hell was that?! I thought we'd stunned it! Why did its legs move?!"

Gwen "An autonomous defensive ability. Fascinating. Thankfully, we manage to destroy four of its wings."

The warriors watch with bated breath as the dust settles, revealing four of the executioner's lower wings hanging limp, fractured but still attached. Its massive form ceases to climb higher and begins to descend. Then, an uncanny sensation washes over the wielders as the titan's eyes blaze with the brilliance of a newborn star.

Its wings ignite, propelling the executioner past Amelia's illusion.

Adrian "Oh shit! Azan, Mina, Sarah, Noah! It's your turn! Damn it! Without Diana, how can we assemble a larger platform?!"

Kanji "Excuse me! I'm still here. Allow me to intervene. Azan, prepare your saucer."

Azan "As you command, Sir."

Azan hurls his suitcase onto the ground, metamorphosing into a flying saucer. Kanji brandishes his chain and cuts out a massive square from the marble floor. He hoists the piece onto the saucer. Its weight causes the saucer to creak a bit. The chosen four warriors ascend the vehicle with apprehension. Still, it appears stable.

Azan "Is this really going to work? It doesn't seem... very secure."

Kanji "Fear not, Azan. I've used a dash of nanotech to ensure stability for your journey. Good luck."

With a swipe of Adrian's hand, they soar into the clouds.

Noah "Hey. Something's off here. Why didn't it teleport like before? You know it turned into light and stuff."

Sarah "Cause it's out of juice, dude."

Azan "Just as Adrian predicted but it's still faster than us. It'll disappear from our sight at any moment now. I trust you three are prepared to attack."

Mina "Absolutely! We're ready! Come on, look at us! Before that... Noah, give this saucer a speed boost!"

Noah "No... I've got a better plan. Actually, You're already on board. Anyone else here feeling the excitement?! Beating this monster will be like defeating a hardcore boss in Death Souls!"

Sarah "Now when you put it like that. Fuck yeah!"

Azan "This is a serious situation. It's difficult for me to get thrilled."

Noah "Yeah, I get your vibe, man. But you don't need to worry since we're the ones doing the attacking!"

Noah's hands make contact with the marble platform. His focus peaks as a surge of excitement particles flows through the platform and into the saucer, propelling them into jumping range within the beast's vicinity. Noah reaches out his hands, one to Sarah and the other to Mina.

Noah "Alright, for this to work, we need to hold hands which is incredibly awkward!"

Mina "I don't mind, dude!"

Sarah "Me either!"

They leap together, their excitement resonating, blessing them with remarkable speed.

Sarah "You're going down! Take this!"

With a fierce throw, her ring hurtles toward the soaring statue's torso, but it swerves, causing the ring to merely graze it, leaving a large shallow scratch along the horizontal axis. The ring returns with blinding speed and Sarah catches it before releasing Noah's hand. She grips the ring with both hands and directs it towards the statue's helm, which splits into two.

Sarah "Um... I did not see this coming."

The executioner's face is unveiled— a man of middle age with ashen skin and a jawline so chiseled it could be accused of being digitally enhanced. His eyes are vacant but still glow a radiant yellow. For a fleeting moment, she notices a word engraved on the statue's neck— "Faithborn."

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Sarah begins to plummet.

Sarah "Aw shit! Azan!!!"

Azan "Don't worry here I come!"

In the thick of the tumult, Mina, radiant with resolve, wrenches free her weapon, Heart Striker, burying it deep in the executioner's skull. An electrifying surge of vitality rushes into her—

It was too overwhelming, causing her to pass out.

Azan "Mina! I'll catch you too!"

In concert with Sarah's rugged help, they manage to seize her hand just in time, the platform precariously tilting under their feet. Noah, casting a glance at his comrades and then at the looming statue, grits his teeth and purposefully topples to the opposing side of the platform, miraculously restoring its balance.

Together, with sweat-soaked efforts, Azan and Sarah hoist Mina up.

Noah "Sorry, guys. I... shit. Was that a bad move?"

Sarah "Hell, no! Without your help, Mina would fall and maybe die!"

Azan "Yeah, that was some excellent thinking on your part. I'm impressed. Let's get down."

Plummeting down, they anchor at the junction of Wata and Flora. Adrian's powers guide Kanji and the team to their location, where Azan outlines the conflict's history.

Kanji "Regrettable that we couldn't prevent it from escaping. This on the other hand is fascinating. It's a certainty that her weapon drains life essence from its victims, but this was overkill. Could this life essence be similar to life energy?"

Gwen "I've just completed her vitality analysis. It's grim. Everything's escalating, including cell growth. Immediate intervention is needed otherwise-

Azan "What?! What if Kanji absorb it? Wouldn't that save her?!"

Kanji "Yeah about that. I haven't unlocked life energy so that plan is a bust. However... what if I use this?"

He conjures the Umbral cape, draping it over Mina.

Gwen "Her vitals are stabilizing. You should remove it in...1... 2... 3!"

Snatching the cape away, Mina's eyes blink open.

Mina "W-What... what happened? Did we defeat that monster?!"

Noah "Nah. You blacked out from life energy overload or some shite."

Mina "Damn it. Should've been more careful."

Kanji "Cheer up! Your efforts weakened the Executioner! Plus, our little experiment here has led me to a possible way to defeat this... Fuck, I wish it had a name."

Sarah "It does. I saw its face and there's the word "Faithborn" on that fucker's neck. Also pretty he's a dude-dude by the way."

Claire "You really applying gender rules to a statue?"

Sarah "What?! Calling it "it" is annoying! Okay!"

Kanji "Settle down. Enough chit-chat for now. We need to advance to Wata. But first... Diana needs reviving."

Gwen "Two syringes will do it, though not ideal. However, her actions earned it."

Dave "Bros. Listen. I can give the gorilla mine but she has to me hers."

Amelia "I'll offer her mine as well. The lass deserves it."

As Dave and Amelia approach Diana's cocoon, the syringes penetrate its exterior. Movement ensues, a massive fist bursting forth, revealing Diana, a rejuvenated aura shimmering around her as if her skin is glistening in the sunlight. She shoots glances of mixed resentment and gratitude at her saviors.

Dave "Really? That's the look I get for saving your ass!"

Diana "Icarus, I know you want my syringe in return. So you get no respect from me."

Dave "Okay, fair. Now hand it over."

She tosses the syringe over his shoulder.

Dave "Fuck. You. Glad you back tho."

Diana "Thanks, asshole."

Amelia "You two sure have one bothersome relationship."

Kanji "With everyone assembled, we'll move to cross the border. I've devised two strategies for handling our enemy. One is a more aggressive approach, while the other's familiar approach."

Dave "Nah, bro. Let's just go all in. I don't want to do that whole fucking fake moving iceberg bullshit."

Diana "For once, I agree, Icarus."

Kanji "What does everyone else think?"

A chorus of thumbs up greets Kanji. With a sigh, he leads them to the water's edge, gazing at the silent floating city in the distance. Despite all that has transpired, the structure seems vacant, with no visible guards along its walls. Adrian, however, senses something peculiar behind the city's front gates.

Adrian "This may sound strange, but my powers detect a huge motionless crowd behind that gate. Were they expecting us?"

Gwen "That's the most probable explanation."

Mina "Shit! Does that mean we can't just go in there 'cause it's a trap?"

Dave "Yeah, no shit, bro. Just like the Spanish Inquisition!"

Claire "Lmao. But seriously... how should we do, Kaney?"

Kanji "We need to bait them out. Let's use our what we learned to fire something from this distance but strong enough to blow up the entrance.."

Claire "Oh! Gwen's torpedoes and my bolts can do it!... Maybe. It's a long shot."

Gwen "Might as well test it."

Gwen lay her hands over Claire's, causing them both to flush. A couple of chuckles are heard from their friends as she carefully loads the torpedo into the bolts. Kanji watches the process with intrigue and his eyes zoom closer. The underside of the torpedo has sprouted roots that wrap around the shaft of the bolt. The region also appears to turn more yellow.

Kanji "That's an interesting reaction. Are you neutralizing that under half?"

Gwen "How very observant... indeed, I am. So to prevent any more accidental explosions."

Kanji "Is that why her hands are burnt? Need healing, Claire?"

Claire "Ah, no need! It wasn't that bad! Oh, wait! We have wings! Shouldn't we just fly over there?"

Kanji "Flying and using our powers would drain us too fast. We should conserve energy, especially if we were to face all four Executioners at once."

Claire "Okay, that's a fair point. Let's fire this baby then!"

The bolt soars over the calm sea, stirring up tides as it zips through. It, however, falls short of the halfway mark and sinks into the depths.

Noah "Alright! I can help by infusing a bit of excitement into the bolt."

Receiving a bolt from Claire, a golden energy wraps around it like a warm blanket.

Sarah "Dude. That is so little. Don't you think?"

Noah "It's hard to get excited. Okay."

Sarah "How about thinking of those fireworks videos we used to watch?"

Noah "Oh yeah! That would be fucking sick!"

The golden particles flicker, and their mass expands.

Claire "Nice. Let's see how far it goes."

As the bolt launches, the tides it creates cause some fish to leap out of the water. Yet, it lands just a few blocks shy of the city. Adrian's eyebrows shoot up as he senses movement behind the gate.

Adrian "That's not good. Some retreated deeper into the city. Finishing them all at once isn't viable anymore."

Kanji "That's okay. We'll deal with it when the time comes. Noah! Try infusing the emotion again. This time Diana and I will help out."

Diana "You got it, boss!... Wait... why me?"

Kanji "The answer is obvious. Make the crossbow's shaft have less friction. As for me, you don't need to know the details."

Diana's eyes flicker with anxiety as she observes Noah pass another bolt to Claire, readying for another shot. She positions herself to the left, her fingertip ghosting the side of the armament, recalling the tantalizing sensation that pulsed through her feet during previous battles.

Diana "Um... I believe I've got it nailed! Boss, we're all set."

Kanji "Alright fire!" "Now the tricky part. Electrical bolts are a no-go, too much risk of triggering the torpedo. Heat or cold energies won't do much in terms of propulsion. So, that leaves elasticity and sound. Sound, despite the potential changing its trajectory is worth the gamble!"

The bolt zooms by his face, and he instinctively fires a shot of sound.

All "Woah! What did you do?"

Kanji "You'll see it soon enough."

The shockwave catches up with the projectile, perfectly propelling it with escalating velocity. The bolt collides spectacularly with the wooden gate, causing a mighty explosion that obliterates it. They share a victorious high-five, grinning at the sight of hundreds of Wata's soldiers diving into the water towards them.

Azan "Well, that was a successful startup. What's next on the agenda?"

Kanji "Gwen. Do. It."

Gwen "Are you implying... No, wait. This is... intriguing. I did consider experimenting with it at some point. I suppose that time is now."

With a purposeful reach into the ocean, she clasps her hands shut— and the entire ocean vanishes.

Amidst the disbelief, hundreds of marine creatures flail in disarray, causing a frenzy of accidental casualties. The soldiers descend, their quad-arms grasping for nonexistent support as they plummet to a doomed fate. The first soldier splatters into a mixture of blood and water, which then morphs into a structure reminiscent of an expansive bouquet of vibrant red crystals. The rest of the soldiers find themselves impaled on its sharp peaks, contributing to its growing mass.

The crystal formation spirals skyward, reaching the city's entrance.

Sarah "... I have no comment. This just brings back bad memories. Fuck."

Kanji "I see... they were planning a kamikaze attack. Either a desperate move or Faithborn deemed them disposable, using them efficiently knowing they will die either way."

Adrian "Hold on, some retreated. We still have to confront them!"

Kanji "Calm down and let's just navigate there first. How about we use our wings to descend and walk there then fly back up?"

Kanji "Let's keep our cool and get there first. How about we glide down and walk closer to the city, then we fly again?"

The suggestion meets with unanimous agreement. A spectacle of vibrant wings fills the air as the wielders descend to the seabed, making their way through the remnants of their vanquished adversaries. The enormous crab lies pale and lifeless, its shell on the verge of disintegration. The marlin creature appears fragile, its bill broken. The whale is unidentifiable, save for chunks of blubber and a vast ribcage littering a huge area toward their destination.

Claire "Poor, Mr. Whale. You will be sorely missed."

Gwen "I expected another emotional outbreak from you. However, you remained composed. Well done."

Claire "Hey! Don't say that with a smug!"

Upon reaching the crystalline structure, Kanji scrutinizes the unusual materials, astonished to find them composed merely of blood and water. Unbothered, he shrugs and initiates their flight, leading the group toward the city gates. They step inside—

Suddenly, twelve soldiers charge out from the ruins of nearby buildings.

Kanji "Shit! Everyone dodge! NOW!"

The soldier's bodies swell dramatically before detonating into hundreds of razor-sharp crystal shards. Azan quickly transmutes his suitcase into a watch, conjuring a shield around the group. As the shards ricochet off the protective field, Azan presses on, with more soldiers emerging and their explosive attacks gradually weakening the shield.

Fortunately, they reach the fountain just in time.

Azan "Blast it! Where's the statue?!"

A colossal claymore descends from the skies, shattering Azan's forcefield. The impact sends the group sprawling against the inner walls.

They look up at the intimidating figure towering three stories high. Twenty massive metallic wings bedeck its broad back, four of which lay fractured and askew. Its hulking legs are replaced with two monstrous arms capable of heaving the largest of creatures. The round shields that once served as protection have now fused into formidable gauntlets, ice shards embellishing its knuckles. The team gazes at the claymore with apprehension as spectral red smoke, shaped like skulls, billows from the blade.

Faithborn's eyes dim, revealing pupils burning with fury. The titan pulls out the claymore effortlessly and points it toward them.

Kanji "Guys. Be ready. It's now or never."

(To be continued)