Neo-Lumina was trying to breathe again. Hovercars hummed, neon signs blinked, and pedestrians were slowly returning to their normal routines—mostly ignoring the fact that yesterday a pancake monster almost ruined lunch.
Kael sat on a street bench, examining his quantum glove. "Okay… we need a strategy this time. No noodles, no pancakes, maybe even no sneezing—if possible."
Lira zoomed in on her hoverboard, flicking her wrist to manipulate digital constructs. "Kael… 'no sneezing' is probably not in Juno's skill set. Just accept it."
Juno, hiding behind a street food stall, sniffled nervously. "Hey! My sneezes are tactical!" A small gust of wind blew stray sushi rolls into the air. "Sometimes they hit monsters. Sometimes they hit me. Mostly they hit sushi."
Before anyone could respond, the shadows around the street deepened. A new portal, darker and more ominous than any before, shimmered and pulsed with eerie energy.
From it emerged a sleek, shadowy creature, part dragon, part humanoid, with glowing cyan eyes. It grinned menacingly. "Ah… heroes," it hissed. "You've been… quite entertaining."
Kael clenched his fist, and the quantum glove buzzed nervously. "Entertaining… or dinner?"
Lira smirked. "Hopefully entertaining. But let's prepare for both." She wove her digital code into multiple holographic barriers around the street.
Juno sneezed again. A mini lightning dragon appeared, zipping toward the shadow creature. "I swear this works sometimes! Maybe!"
The shadowy monster lunged. Kael swung his glove, creating a spinning dojo dome around them. The creature sliced through it effortlessly but got momentarily tangled in Lira's digital traps.
Kael ducked a slash and shouted, "Team, focus! It's faster than anything we've faced!"
"Understood," Lira said, weaving her constructs into a dazzling net of holographic chains.
Juno sneezed mid-spin, summoning a small cyclone that sent debris flying. The monster stumbled slightly.
Kael grinned. "See! Sneezes do work!"
After a few more chaotic exchanges, the shadow creature paused, evaluating the three friends. Its eyes glowed brighter. "Interesting… I'll return. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
With a flash, it disappeared back into the portal, leaving Neo-Lumina quiet again—well, quiet except for Kael, Lira, and Juno panting and slightly singed from sparks and stray sushi.
Kael sighed. "One thing's for sure… portals keep getting weirder, monsters keep getting stranger, and somehow… we survive."
Lira laughed. "Mostly. And if we survive, it's mostly my brilliant strategies."
Juno sneezed again. "And my tactical sneezes."
Kael groaned, holding his head. "I'm never eating sushi before a portal fight again."
From the shadows, the familiar figure watched, a smirk on their face. "They're learning… slowly. But the fun is only beginning."