A vertical slit opened.
The Fourth Eye.
Emily's heart skipped a beat the instant it appeared.
At first, nothing dramatic happened. There was no explosion of power, no sudden attack.
Instead, something subtle but terrifying spread across the battlefield.
The equipment everyone was using began to weaken. Metal darkened and flaked. Edges dulled. Runes flickered and lost clarity.
"Equipment degradation detected," Catherine muttered, glancing at her failing whip-swords.
It wasn't just weapons.
The platform beneath them groaned. Cracks spread through the massive cage of roots Isaac had created. The roots lost their firmness, fibers drying out and crumbling as if they had aged decades in seconds.
"It's trying to fly up! Keep pressure on it! Attack the weakened parts!"
Althea's voice cut through the noise and hesitation, steady and sharp.
What unfolded next looked almost unreal.
Isaac moved.
