"What... is... this..." The abomination tilted her head, glaring at the pile of bones that were left behind, after she had destroyed the skeletal ape.

To Noah, who was still lying on the tunnel's floor, it almost appeared as though the abomination was... disappointed.

Claws immediately lunged at the dark entity, yet again. However, its slashing strike did not connect with anything. Just as before, the abomination was nowhere to be seen, by the time the skeletal reptile had reached her.

Noah, Jeffrey, Steve, Claws and the two remaining skeletal apes surveyed the dark tunnel. They were trapped inside the lair of the twisted abomination, who seemingly had the ability to meld with the darkness itself.

'She's toying with us...'

With a pained groan, Noah grimaced and forced himself up to his feet, while using the tunnel wall as support. To his horror, as Noah lifted his head, the abomination was right in front of him.

"Wai-"

A slender hand had clutched Noah's throat, as the abomination effortlessly lifted him up, to her eye level. Noah's own eyes widened as he could now see an outline of the twisted woman's face – it was contorted in a wrathful expression.

With the pressure on his throat intensifying, Noah attempted to plunge the claws of his gauntlet into the abomination's chest. Yet for all the power that he had gained, Noah was unable to pierce into the abomination's flesh.

Noah began to Frantically strike at the abomination, again and again. All it accomplished was chipping his bone claws.

As his vision turned blurry and his strikes became feeble, Noah focused on the abomination's face.

'Smiling... she's smiling.'

Suddenly, Noah was released and collapsed to the tunnel floor.

The abomination had vanished again and in her place was Steve. The undead warrior had thrusted his Greatsword forward, in an attempt to pierce through the dark entity's back, prompting her to let go of Noah.

Rubbing his neck and breathing heavily, Noah mentally cautioned his loyal guardian to stay vigilant. Their adversary was merely playing with them. She had no need to dodge that attack.

It was too late.

The metallic clang of a chain smashing against Steve's plate armor echoed through the tunnel. The force of the impact had dented the already torn armor, before the undead warrior was flung away.

Claws charged at the abomination, but this time, she did not vanish. Instead, she swiftly removed one of the chains wrapped around her body and lashed out at the undead reptile as it ran towards her. The force of the strike shattered both of Claws' legs up to the knees, causing it to stumble and roll to the ground.

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The abomination quickly marched toward Claws, who furiously attempted to slash at her.

"No... don't!"

Noah's voice was hoarse from being strangled. He struggled to rise to his feet, but he knew that he wouldn't make it in time.

"You... aren't... real..." The abomination pressed her foot against Claws' skull. The undead reptile's claws were scrapping against the dark entity's legs, unable to pierce her.

"Begone... fake... one..."

Radiant, green fractures formed on Claws' reptilian skull.

'Now!'

Though Noah could not reach the abomination in time, he still had one last trick up his sleeve. The two skeletal apes charged simultaneously at the abomination.

"More... fakes..."

The twisted woman did not bother vanishing in order to evade the skeletal fists of Noah's minions. After all, they couldn't harm her.

"Not... real..."

While still pressing her foot against Claws' skull, the abomination swung a chain, completely shattering and destroying one of the apes, while flinging the other aside.

'She enjoys tormenting her victims and you can't torment what is already dead...'

Noah believed that this was the reason that the dark entity appeared to have an aversion to his minions. She wished to dispose of them quickly so she could take her time with Noah.

When Steve returned to pounce at the abomination, she again did not bother to evade his attack. That was a mistake.

The undead warrior held his Greatsword with one arm, while pointing the other towards the abomination, with an open palm.

"...Begone..."

The abomination's words had suddenly turned into pained shrieks, as flames burst out of Steve's skeletal palm and engulfed the twisted woman.

It was true that Steve's Touched ability was far weaker compared to his martial skills. Yet, Noah suspected that a creature of darkness would find contact with flames to be particularly unpleasant.

The abomination vanished and reappeared deeper into the tunnel, emitting high-pitched shrieks.

Noah could sense the intense fury emanating from the twisted woman, it was so powerful that it left him feeling utterly paralyzed.

"Filthy... monsters... you... will... pay... for... this!"

Noah felt a chill run down his spine, his knees buckled beneath him as he struggled to stay upright.

'How are we supposed to fight something like this?'

At that moment, Jeffrey had finally made his move. The towering werehuman dashed so swiftly through the tunnel that he seemed like a blur.

'He can move this fast?!'

Jeffrey slammed into the abomination, hurling her backward with such a force that she shattered the ancient concrete tunnel wall upon impact.

"Monster...! Murderer... invader... upon... our... world...." The dark entity's voice was full of venom.

"I guess I am." Jeffrey responded. "Will you accept my apology?"

The abomination vanished and reappeared right behind the werehuman, poised to strike. In an instant, Jeffrey thrusted his elbow backwards, striking the abomination squarely in the head, staggering her.

Noah had no idea that Jeffrey could fight in this manner. He knew that the werehuman possessed a great deal of power and was able to form strategy, as when they had been pursued by the monstrous rodent horde. But as far as actual fighting, Noah thought that Jeffrey was mainly a powerful bulwark – tough and strong.

'He studied the abomination... how she moves, her powers...'

The twisted woman, however, was not so easy to overcome. Her slender hands tore down two chains hanging from the ceiling before she sprung into a furious onslaught.

It was a battle unlike anything Noah had previously seen. The abomination lashed out at Jeffrey, repeatedly vanishing and reappearing, striking with vicious ferocity. Noah could barely comprehend what he was witnessing.

It was a clash of titans, and all Noah could do now was watch from the sidelines.