Jaz emerged from behind Sol—her body ablaze with crimson aura. With a fierce leap, she lunged forward and swung her arm wreathed in her burning aura.
"Aura Armament I: Descent Arc"
An enormous arc of Jaz's crimson aura ripped through the air at hawk-like speed, streaking straight toward the creature—just as Alex's sword hovered inches from its neck. And -
In the same instant, both attacks struck.
-BAAMMM!!
Thunderous crackles echoed across the ocean, shattering the silence as the frozen ground erupted beneath the force.
Cracks webbed across the icy terrain, the surface buckling—unable to withstand the devastating impact any longer.
Kneeling in place, Sol stared down at the shattered ice beneath him. His eyes were wide—filled with confusion and disbelief. He hadn't even had time to flinch…Everything had happened in the blink of an eye.
The rumble of ongoing destruction roared in his ears. A thin bruise marked his cold, swollen cheek, where a trickle of blood had begun to seep. And yet… the boy felt no pain.
But the boy quickly gathered his thoughts and pulled himself back to reality. He rose to his feet and lifted his head, eyes searching forward.
His eyes widened in shock and awe. Emerald and crimson light washed over his face—a brilliant reflection cast from two warriors ahead.
Alex, calm and unwavering, stood tall with his majestic sword cloaked in a steady emerald green aura. Beside him, Jaz burned with fury, her violet-crimson aura raging as she held the creature at bay.
The creature had withstood their combined assault—and worse, it didn't even seem bothered.
But what truly shocked Sol… was the appearance of the creature.
What is that?
Sol's mind raced, struggling to comprehend the impossible sight. The creature had no eyes, no nose—just a twisted, evil grin stretched across its face. Thick, rope-like strands of hair slithered from its head, writhing in the air like a trap waiting to ensnare its prey.
Its thin, deep black body loomed unnaturally, with broomstick-like waist, arms and legs that seemed fragile—fragile enough to break with a single touch. Yet, despite their frailty, there was an undeniable aura of unimaginable strength lurking beneath the surface.
"Ha… ha… ha…"
Meanwhile, Jaz's breath came in ragged gasps, her chest burning with every inhale.
Her body, already pushed beyond its limit, trembling from exhaustion. And yet—she didn't fall.
Her will refused to yield. Her martial pride would not allow her to break.
Her narrowed black eyes burned with ferocious anger, each glance filled with the very intent to tear the creature apart.
Then the creature moved—its unnatural limbs twisting as it shifted, almost too quickly to follow
In the flick of a motion, the creature reappeared in front of Sol. Sol's heart jolted in surprise, but he didn't flinch. His eyes locked onto the creature's hand as it shot toward him—then, in that instant, memories of Grak flooded his mind.
Fragments of memories surfaced: Grak's disgusting hand reaching for him, grabbing him, beating him relentlessly.
A flare of anger jolted through Sol, his body responding instinctively. In a swift motion, he drew his sword and flicked it at the creature's hand.
I'm not that weak, abandoned boy anymore. I'm not the kid from that forsaken island. I am...
As the thought burned through him, Sol's entire body erupted with power. An azure aura surged around him, crackling with wild, untamed energy. He clenched his fist tightly, resolve hardening in his chest.
"I am... a warrior!!"
With a roar, he hurled his punch into the creature's center— the force of it rippling across the field like a shockwave.
This time, the creature felt the pain. Sol's empowered strike sent it flying backward, its twisted form skidding across the icy ground in a burst of shattered frost.
As Sol readied himself to dash forward, the creature again reappeared in front of him— faster than before. This time, it wasn't playing.
Its twisted grin was gone, replaced by something cold and serious. The creature's thin bony fist, felt impossibly heavy and massive as it hurtled toward Sol's face.
Sol couldn't move. His body wasn't in the right position to defend. He was wide open. Just as the creature's punch was inches from Sol's face.
"Hwaaaahh!!"
A furious voice cut through the chaos.
It was Jaz. In a blur of motion, her fist slammed into the creature's shin with brutal force. A violent shockwave erupted from the impact, the wind howled as the creature was launched into the air, spinning helplessly before crashing down in the distance.
But -
Jaz's appearance had completely transformed.
Her once lustrous black hair had turned into a deep blood-crimson, whipping violently in the air as if alive with rage.
Her eyes were pure white — blank and terrifying, as though she was no longer fully conscious. Her teeth were clenched tight, grinding with intensity.
The calm, quiet girl was gone. In her place stood something fierce, wild, and utterly untamed—a manifestation of raw, uncontrolled intent.
Jaz? W-what happened…Uurrkkk!!
Sol stared in disbelief, his mind spinning as he tried to comprehend her sudden transformation. This wasn't the Jaz he knew—her presence now felt like a storm.
But his thoughts were cut short. As violent gust of wind tore through the air as Jaz surged forward again, her movement wild and uncontrollable, driven by pure instinct and fury.
Her violent, rage-fueled crimson aura flowed ferociously around her, crackling like wildfire.
As she darted forward, the icy layer beneath her feet began to melt, unable to withstand the sheer heat radiating from her body.
Her path of frost ended but she didn't stop. Without hesitation, she leapt—higher and higher, until her figure vanished into the sky.
-SPLASH
The creature slammed into the ocean with a thunderous crash. But even that wasn't enough to stop it right away. It rolled, twisted, and thrashed across the water's surface, until it finally slowed… then sank beneath the waves.
However—
With a sudden surge of power, a massive pillar of water shot into the sky. The creature burst from the depths, rising above the waves, now floating eerily in the air.
It's body was mangled— one arm completely torn off, one leg twisted at an unnatural angle. And yet...A jolt of dark energy pulsed through it. An evil, wide grin stretched across its blank, featureless face.
A smile born not of victory, but of something far more sinister. Then the creature's body began to twitch and violently twist.
Its twisted leg snapped back into place with a sickening crack. From the torn stump of its arm, flesh began to pulse and stretch, regenerating rapidly until a full limb had reformed.
Then—strangely, its mouth began to move. Still grinning that wide, sinister smile and a distorted, broken voice rasped out: "I… like… this…"