Hearing this, Vulkan and the others were confused as hell, brows furrowed, eyes flickering between Hiroko and the towering enemy still watching from afar. The battlefield was cracked and broken, the earth itself trembling under the weight of their clash, and yet Hiroko spoke like he was pitching some insane gamble.
"Look," Hiroko started, his voice calm but steady, "I know this might sound crazy, but I suggest we create our own formation—and keep the Four Paths of Destruction Formation as our last resort."
Kirishima tilted his head, his thunder still sparking faintly across his armor. "And what kind of formation are you suggesting, Hiroko?"
"I suggest this," Hiroko said, a sly grin curling his lips. "Since you're inside my domain, why don't we synchronize our techniques? I'll create a giant shadow, and Kirishima will imbue his lightning into it—Shiro and Vulkan will pour in their elements too. Together, we'll craft something entirely new: a shadow construct built from all of us."
"Yeah, right." Vulkan barked out a laugh, his hammer resting on his shoulder, blood dripping from his lip. "We're barely holding against that monster, and you're suggesting we create another body with our combined elements? Are you out of your damn mind?"
"Who said it has to be a body?" Hiroko replied. His tone was sharp, almost smug, but his eyes gleamed with determination.
That reply made all of them pause. Even Vulkan, who was usually quick to dismiss Hiroko's wild schemes, blinked in disbelief.
"You're crazy," Vulkan muttered. "How are we supposed to create something like that?"
"This is my domain," Hiroko said confidently, shadows writhing behind him like serpents. "Here, I can bend reality. I can take your elements and fuse them into something greater. And besides—" his gaze flicked toward Ymir, who stood still like a statue "—that giant doesn't seem interested in finishing us in our weakened state. He's just… watching. Training. We can use that window."
Little did they know, the giant was listening. Ymir hadn't moved an inch, his colossal frame looming like a mountain given flesh, his helm tilted slightly downward as if curious. To him, this wasn't desperation—it was entertainment. A test.
Vulkan and the others exchanged glances, then looked back at the unmoving figure. Ymir's silence was deafening, almost mocking.
Finally, Vulkan exhaled. "Welp. A stupid plan is better than no plan. Count me in."
"I hate to say it again, but… I'm in," Shiro added, brushing frost from his gauntlets.
Kirishima smirked. "I agree as well. Let's gamble."
Hiroko's grin widened. "Then let's begin."
The air grew heavy as Hiroko stretched his hands outward. The shadows around him writhed and gathered, condensing into the shape of a massive humanoid figure. Its outline flickered, unstable, like a nightmare clawing its way into reality. Meanwhile, the others prepared their elements.
Ymir still didn't move. He simply stood there, silent, arms crossed, like an adult watching his favorite childhood anime—waiting through the dramatic transformation sequence with almost nostalgic patience. (Yes, Power Rangers reference. You know how villains just stand there while the heroes power up? Yeah, this was that moment.)
At last, the figure was fully formed: a towering shadow husk awaiting its soul.
Kirishima stepped forward first. Lightning surged from his body, arcs of blinding white-gold electricity piercing the air and flooding into the figure. Its chest sparked, its hollow sockets glowing with stormlight, an eye of lightning forming in the void.
Then Vulkan slammed his hammer against the ground, igniting flames that rushed upward into the figure. Its body burned like volcanic smoke, molten veins glowing across its arms and torso.
Finally, Shiro closed his eyes and extended his hand. From his palm, ice blossomed, layering across the figure's limbs, forging jagged armor and a crystalline weapon that gleamed in the flickering stormfire.
The Shadow Construct stood complete: a giant formed of storm, flame, frost, and abyss.
(Giant Shadow Minion breakdown: lightning = speed, fire = strength, shadow = body, ice = weapons. Plus bonus fuel—Hiroko's shadow slaves and evil spirits fused inside like one cursed entity.)
"Move," Hiroko commanded.
The construct obeyed instantly, charging at Ymir with blinding speed. The ground cracked beneath its weight as it launched forward.
Ymir, seeing this, threw his head back and laughed. "Yes… YES!" His voice boomed, a thunderous roar that shook the heavens and rattled bones. The laugh itself was so loud it created shockwaves, enough to topple weakened structures miles away and deafen ordinary mortals.
The two giants collided. Shadow and storm against flesh and steel. The impact shook the entire battlefield, a quake so massive it carved new craters into the landscape.
Hiroko and the others pressed forward, joining the fray. With every clash, the battlefield became more unstable—mountain peaks shattered into rubble, rivers diverted, the sky itself split with light and fire.
Even though the Shadow Construct was matching Ymir, the giant suffered small cuts and burns each time he struck it. Lightning licked his armor, sending jolts through his body. Flames scorched him, searing his flesh. Ice clung to his gauntlets, chilling him to the bone, while clouds of choking shadow swarmed his vision.
And yet—he only laughed harder.
Blood dripped beneath his helmet, but Ymir didn't care. His heart thundered with joy, every nerve in his body alight with ecstasy. To him, pain wasn't suffering—it was fuel.
Finally, with a grunt of exertion, he grabbed the construct by its face. "You're mine!" he growled, before hurling it skyward like a toy. The shadow figure was flung high into the clouds, body unraveling.
The others gasped, shocked—even though they'd seen Ymir leap before, the sight of him tossing their creation with such raw strength still rattled them.
"NOW!" Hiroko shouted.
Without hesitation, they leapt after Ymir, using their [Sky-Walk Acrobats] to spring into the air. Each step cracked the atmosphere, propelling them higher.
In mid-air, they caught Ymir, unleashing a synchronized barrage. Lightning lances, frost blades, molten strikes, shadow spears—it was a storm of destruction. Their combined assault hammered the giant from every angle, forcing him on the defensive.
But Ymir was relentless. Even battered, even bleeding, he seized the shadow figure mid-air and swung it like a weapon. The construct smashed into them like a mountain crashing down.
They tumbled back, barely regaining balance.
And still, Ymir laughed. "What makes me feel—" he slammed the construct into the ground, shockwaves spreading "—makes me stronger!"
Hiroko's eyes widened. He'd seen warriors enjoy combat before, but this was different. This Giant… no matter how many times we hurt him, he revels in it. He's not resisting pain—he's feeding off it.
"Hey! Hiroko, stop dozing off and foc—" Vulkan shouted, only to be cut short as the shadow construct's broken body, flung like a ragdoll, smashed him across the battlefield.
"Dammit!" Hiroko cursed. He summoned his clones, shadows splitting from his body like ink stains spreading across paper. Spirits covered in miasma emerged, snarling and clawing at Ymir, bolstering the construct's ruined form. Their attacks weren't enough to defeat him, but they bought precious seconds.
The battlefield was chaos. The ground quaked with every step. The sky bled light. The air burned and froze at the same time.
Ymir, still smiling, landed with a thunderous crash. His chest rose and fell heavily, exhaustion creeping in—but his grin never faltered.
He raised his head, eyes burning behind the helmet.
"Let's test that out, shall we?" he said, voice low but laced with deadly promise.
The ground trembled. The battle wasn't even close to over.