The pitch-black cocoon cracked further, its surface writhing as dark, sinuous tentacles burst through the fractures. They writhed like serpents, their sharp, clawed tips gleaming with an unnatural light. The oppressive atmosphere thickened, each breath Emma took feeling heavier than the last.
Her gaze darted around the chamber, desperately searching for anything... anything... that might help stop the monstrosity emerging before them. The tentacles surged in her direction, whipping through the air with terrifying speed.
"Move!"
Maverick’s voice cut through the haze, and before she could react, he yanked her out of the way. The tentacle slammed into the ground where she’d stood moments before, leaving a smoking crater in its wake.
"Watch it!" Maverick snapped, his tone sharp. "You can’t afford to blank out now and die foolishly."
"I… I’m sorry," Emma stammered slightly, her voice trembling.
Maverick’s expression was unreadable, his jaw tight. Without warning, he knocked her lightly on the head.
"Ow," Emma muttered under her breath, though she didn’t feel anger.
"Show me the girl who can learn anything when she puts her mind to it," he said, his tone calm yet filled with purpose. He turned toward the cocoon, his posture steady as he drew his dagger.
He darted forward without hesitation, weaving through the onslaught of tentacles. His movements were fluid, precise... left, right, duck. The tentacles lashed at him violently, but he was always one step ahead, narrowly avoiding their deadly strikes.
As he neared the cocoon, Maverick brought his hands together, shaping his fingers into a rectangle like a photograph frame. He muttered a single word: "CLOVAC."
A brilliant burst of light erupted from his hands, illuminating the chamber with an almost blinding radiance. The light coalesced into a shimmering barrier that encased the cocoon.
The being within screeched, its inhuman cry reverberating through the walls, but the barrier held firm.
Maverick unsheathed his dagger, his grip tightening as he assumed a ready stance. His eyes closed briefly, his breath steadying as he prepared for what came next.
The barrier began to crack, fractures spidering across its surface. With a deafening shatter, it broke, and the tentacles surged forward once more.
It was then that Maverick opened his eyes, revealing pupils that had transformed into spinning star-like shapes. Time seemed to freeze as he raised his dagger, aiming with precision that transcended mortal limitations. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the blade.
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The dagger pierced the cocoon with a resounding BOOM, the force of the impact shaking the entire chamber. Smoke billowed out, obscuring everything in sight.
Maverick didn’t hesitate. He rushed into the smoke, disappearing into the chaos.
Emma clenched her fists, her mind racing. She couldn’t just stand there, useless. Maverick’s words echoed in her thoughts: Show me the girl who can learn anything…
Her eyes locked onto the sword embedded in the chamber’s center. Its runes pulsed faintly, beckoning her. Maybe… just maybe…
She sprinted toward the sword, her heart pounding. The moment her fingers wrapped around the hilt, a surge of energy pulsed through her, warm and alive. She pulled with all her strength, but the blade refused to budge.
"Come on," she whispered, her voice cracking with desperation. "Erilania, goddess of Fate, if you can hear me… do something!"
The blade remained stubbornly rooted.
A sudden wave of oppressive energy washed over the chamber. Emma turned, her breath catching as the smoke began to clear.
There, towering above her, was Matana. His form had fully emerged... a massive, feline monstrosity, its sleek black fur rippling like liquid shadow. His golden, cat-like eyes glowed with malevolent intelligence, and rows of jagged teeth gleamed as his maw curled into a gruesome smile.
In one massive paw, he held Maverick, blood dripping from his broken body.
"Maverick!" Emma cried out, her voice trembling.
He didn’t respond. His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling weakly.
Matana’s gaze shifted to her, his smile widening. "This little mortal should have known his limits," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Using the Sixth Eyes of Akanos in a body that has not awakened… it was foolish. He chuckled, the sound guttural and mocking. "Blindness is a fitting punishment for his hubris. Did he truly believe he could fight me?"
Matana’s claws tightened around Maverick.
"No!" Emma screamed, her hands shaking as they gripped the sword hilt.
"Watch," Matana said coldly. With a swift motion, he brought Maverick to his mouth and swallowed him whole.
Emma’s world shattered. Her mind reeled as the realization sank in. Maverick... the boy who had been by her side through every loop, every paths, every moment of this unending nightmare... was gone.
Her hands trembled as she stared at the sword. Am I this weak? she thought bitterly. Is this all I’m capable of now?
Maverick had risked everything, even using a power he shouldn't have now when he hadn't awakened, and what had she done? Nothing..
Her emotions churned... rage, guilt, despair... all boiling to the surface.
Matana’s bloody smile twisted into a grin of satisfaction.
Is this how humans suffer? Emma whispered, her voice hollow. Her vision blurred with unshed tears, but she didn’t look away from Matana.
Suddenly, the sword pulsed. Its runes flared to life, glowing with an otherworldly brilliance. Energy erupted from the blade, coursing through Emma’s body.
The markings on the sword became clear, ancient symbols spelling out its name: The Sword of Fate.
A shimmering screen materialized before her.
[System Notification]
+
Warning!
Warning!
Warning!
#$##$#_$$$
+
Emma’s mind numbed as the oppressive energy filled every corner of the chamber.
All her emotions... her grief, her fury, her despair... were stripped away, leaving behind only one thing:
Bloodlust..
Her grip on the sword tightened as a singular, her body consumed by a single, all-encompassing drive.
KILL....