The glintstone crab towered over Katsuo, its massive form looming like a mountain of shimmering stone and malice. Each time the monstrous creature moved, the cave trembled beneath its weight. The crab’s shell was covered in thousands of glintstones, their eerie light casting the cavern in a blinding brilliance. Each crystal reflected the dim cave light, refracting it into countless dancing rays that pierced Katsuo’s vision, making it nearly impossible to see.

Katsuo’s body ached, his limbs heavy from the relentless battle. Sweat dripped down his face, mixing with the grime of the cave, and his grip on the odachi felt slippery. His breath came in ragged gasps as he circled the beast, looking for any kind of opening, but the crab’s armor of glintstones was almost impenetrable.

Every strike he attempted seemed to bounce harmlessly off the creature’s glowing shell, leaving only shallow scratches where he had hoped to find purchase. The crab’s pincers snapped with terrifying speed, each swing capable of shattering stone—and Katsuo was painfully aware that it wouldn’t take much for those claws to crush him entirely.

"How do I crack this thing?" Katsuo growled to himself, dodging another swipe of the crab’s pincer. The ground beneath him shattered from the impact, sending shards of rock flying in every direction. Katsuo rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the debris, his heart pounding in his chest.

The glintstones on the crab’s body weren’t just a defense—they were a weapon in their own right. The intense light they emitted blinded Katsuo, making it difficult to find his footing or even keep track of the creature’s movements. Every time he tried to focus, the glare of the glintstones threw off his aim, forcing him to squint just to keep his bearings. It was like fighting in a storm of mirrors, with no place to hide from the relentless light.

"You're starting to slow down, vanguard," came the mage’s mocking voice from atop the crab. Her laughter echoed in the cavern, sending a fresh wave of anger coursing through Katsuo. She watched him with a mixture of amusement and cruelty, dark magic swirling around her as she prepared her next attack. "How long do you think you can last?"

Katsuo gritted his teeth, barely managing to deflect a blast of dark energy that shot toward him. His arms ached from the repeated impacts of the crab’s attacks and the relentless barrage of magic. Every time he tried to get close to the beast, the mage would hurl another spell his way, forcing him to retreat.

The combination of the crab’s monstrous size, its nearly impenetrable armor, and the blinding light from the glintstones made this fight feel impossible. And the mage wasn’t giving him a moment to breathe—she made sure of that.

Katsuo’s thoughts raced. His training had prepared him for difficult fights, but this—this was something else entirely. He couldn’t see, couldn’t find an opening, and every move he made was met with overwhelming force.

The crab lunged again, its massive pincers snapping toward him. Katsuo barely managed to raise his sword in time, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through his body. His knees buckled as he slid back, his boots skidding across the slick stone floor. The blade of his odachi strained under the pressure, groaning in protest, but somehow it held.

For now.

The light from the glintstones intensified, blinding him further. He couldn’t even make out the mage’s shape on top of the crab anymore—only the flashes of magic as she continued to hurl projectiles in his direction. One of the dark blasts grazed his side, sending a searing pain through his ribs as he stumbled back.

"This is impossible," Katsuo thought, wincing in pain. He clutched his side, feeling the warmth of blood seeping through his clothes. His vision blurred, his breath labored. But he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t afford to stop.

The mage’s laughter rang out again, cruel and mocking. "Is this all the mighty vanguard can manage? I expected more from someone who’s supposed to be a threat."

Katsuo’s jaw clenched. He refused to let her win. But every move he made seemed to bring him closer to his own defeat. His attacks bounced off the crab’s glintstone shell, the blinding light disoriented him, and the mage’s dark magic cut off any chance of a counterattack.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

The crab lunged again, its pincer sweeping toward him with the force of a falling mountain. Katsuo tried to dodge, but the light disoriented him, throwing off his timing. The pincer clipped his shoulder, sending him spinning across the cavern floor. He crashed into a jagged outcropping of rock, his vision swimming as pain shot through his body.

His sword slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground beside him.

"I’m not giving up," Katsuo muttered under his breath, forcing himself to his feet. His legs wobbled beneath him, but he gritted his teeth and stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination. He reached for his odachi, the familiar weight of the blade comforting in his hand.

The crab, seeing its moment of advantage, raised both pincers high, preparing to crush him once and for all.

And then, out of nowhere, a card flew through the air—spinning like a blade—its sharp edge flashing in the light of the glintstones. The Jack of Diamonds.

The card struck the crab with pinpoint precision, hitting one of the glintstones on its shell. For a split second, the world seemed to freeze. Then, the card shattered into dozens of pieces, each shard splitting off and embedding itself into the crab’s shell at multiple points.

The crab screeched, its entire body shuddering as the glintstones cracked and splintered under the force of the attack. Chunks of glowing stone fell from its armor, revealing the soft, vulnerable flesh beneath.

Katsuo blinked in confusion, his heart racing. "What…?"

A familiar voice called out from the shadows, a smirk audible in the tone. "Looks like you needed a hand, vanguard."

From the entrance of the cavern, Silas Evergreen emerged, his signature deck of cards in hand. He gave Katsuo a lazy, cocky grin as he sauntered forward, clearly enjoying the dramatic entrance. "You looked like you were struggling a bit. Thought I’d drop by."

Before Katsuo could respond, another figure darted out from the shadows—Venom, her movements swift and precise. She leaped onto the crab’s exposed side, throwing a series of kunai with pinpoint accuracy. Each blade sank into the soft flesh between the cracks in the glintstones, releasing a powerful poison that immediately began to take effect.

The crab’s movements grew sluggish, its pincers twitching as the poison coursed through its veins. Venom, ever the silent warrior, leaped up toward the top of the crab, where the mage still stood.

The mage’s eyes widened in surprise as Venom closed the distance between them. "You dare—!" she began, raising her hand to summon a spear of ice, but Venom was faster.

With a swift movement, Venom dodged the ice spear and delivered a powerful kick to the mage’s chest, sending her flying off the crab’s back. The mage crashed into the ground below, her red robes swirling around her as she landed with a grunt of pain.

Meanwhile, the crab, now heavily poisoned and disoriented from the loss of its glintstone armor, let out a final, agonized screech. Its massive body swayed unsteadily, its legs buckling beneath it as the poison took full effect.

"Looks like it’s time to end this," Silas said, his grin widening as he pulled another card from his deck—the Queen of Diamonds. He held it between his fingers, inspecting it for a moment before flicking it toward the crab’s head with a practiced motion.

The card spun through the air, its edge glowing with a brilliant light. As it struck the crab’s exposed flesh, it exploded in a blinding flash of light and fire, the force of the blast sending shockwaves through the cavern.

The crab let out one final, pitiful screech before collapsing to the ground, its massive body crashing down with a thunderous roar. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the scene for a moment, but when the dust settled, the crab lay still—its body motionless, its head shattered from the force of the explosion.

Katsuo stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. The blinding light, the shattering glintstones, the sudden arrival of Silas and Venom—it had all happened so fast.

"That’s how you deal with oversized seafood," Silas said, dusting off his hands as he walked over to Katsuo with a casual grin. "You good, vanguard?"

Katsuo blinked, still trying to catch his breath. "I… yeah, I think so." His voice was hoarse from the strain of the battle, but the relief in his chest was palpable.

Venom, having already landed gracefully beside the fallen crab, surveyed the area with a sharp gaze. "The poison did its job. That thing was too big to take down by brute force alone."

"Good thing you two showed up when you did," Katsuo admitted, wiping sweat from his brow. "I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out."

Silas flashed him a grin. "Don’t sweat it. I never miss a dramatic entrance. And besides, I couldn’t let you hog all the fun."

Before any more banter could be exchanged, all three of them turned their attention to the mage, who was now struggling to her feet. Her red robes were tattered, her face twisted with rage and pain. Dark magic swirled around her once more, though now it seemed weaker, less stable.

"Looks like the fight isn’t over," Katsuo muttered, his grip tightening on his sword once again. The exhaustion in his muscles was still there, but the sight of the mage rekindled the fire in his heart.

Silas twirled another card between his fingers, his smirk never fading. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

Venom, already preparing her next strike, nodded. "Let’s finish this."

With the glintstone crab defeated, the real battle was just beginning.

And this time, the mage had no place left to run.