The night deepened, cloaking the forest in an ominous stillness broken only by distant snarls and the hiss of demonic energy swirling around the battlefield. The mutated beast dug its claws into the earth, demonic aura spiraling off it in thick, writhing tendrils that made the air feel suffocating. The ground shuddered beneath its weight as if the land itself feared what was coming.
Kenshin adjusted his stance, crouching low as arcs of blue lightning snapped along his arms and traced spiderwebs across the mud. "Aight… round two, ugly." His grin was sharp, feral. The smell of ozone intensified with every pulse of his power, making the hair on nearby soldiers' arms stand up.
Seme tightened her grip on her sword, shoulders rolling as she exhaled slow and deep. Her boots sank slightly into the churned ground, muscles coiled like steel cables. "Let's make this quick," she muttered. "I'm gettin' tired of this thing's ugly face."
With a sudden burst of movement, the duo launched forward. Kenshin blurred across the battlefield, his steps producing thunderclaps with each impact. He ducked under a swipe of the beast's massive claw and countered with a crackling punch to its abdomen, the impact sending ripples of blue energy through its corrupted flesh.
Seme followed, pivoting on her heel and swinging her greatsword in a wide arc that tore through the air with a low, keening hum. Her strike collided with the beast's flank, releasing a shockwave that sent nearby monsters tumbling. The mutated creature staggered but roared back, its demonic aura pulsing violently as it retaliated.
Black tendrils of corrupted energy lashed out from its body like whips, cutting trenches in the earth and smashing through trees. Kenshin zigzagged between them, lightning trailing behind him like comet tails. "You gonna have to do better than that!" he shouted, ducking under one lash and planting a boot into the creature's jaw with a burst of electric discharge.
Seme took a hit against her shoulder pauldron, sparks flying as the corrupted energy scraped against her armor. She gritted her teeth, digging in her heels and counter-slashing with enough force to shatter the tendril like brittle glass. "Tch… annoying ass overgrown slug."
Up on the parapet, Drathan leaned lazily against the wall, one hand on the void dome. "Yup. Definitely supervising," he muttered. But his sharp eyes tracked every movement. That aura's too dense. My big moves ain't cutting through… time to get surgical again.
He vanished from his perch in a blink, shadows bending around him. One heartbeat later, he reappeared at the creature's blind spot, daggers flashing with void edges. He struck at the knee joint, plunging the blade deep and twisting—shluk. Void energy imploded outward, disrupting the beast's demonic flow. Its leg buckled.
"Gotcha," he breathed, sliding out of reach just as a tendril smashed into where he'd been.
Kenshin capitalized on the stagger, lightning building in his hands until it flared like miniature suns. "Tempest Drive!" He slammed both fists into the creature's ribs, detonating a storm that blew away several lesser monsters and cracked the mutated beast's outer plating. Its roar shook leaves from the trees.
Seme wasn't far behind. She jumped high, sword raised overhead, twisting midair to add momentum. Her downward slash landed with bone-shattering force, carving into the creature's shoulder and driving it down onto one knee. The earth cracked beneath it.
"Damn, this thing thick," Seme grunted, yanking her blade free.
Drathan reappeared near its back, carving shallow but precise cuts along its spine. "Stop flirting with it and keep hitting," he taunted.
"Why you in the back talkin' like a coach, huh?" Kenshin shot back, landing next to him.
"I am the coach," Drathan said with a grin, spinning his dagger. "And you're my lightning mascot."
"Man, shut yo—" Kenshin didn't get to finish before another shockwave forced him to leap back.
Mira and Velra, meanwhile, moved among the villagers and injured adventurers like a practiced duo. Mira barked orders for clean water and poultices, hands stained red as she worked to stabilize wounds. Velra coordinated squads, sending archers to higher ground and mages to reinforce defensive lines. Their focused efforts kept panic at bay, the heart of the village steady amidst the chaos.
The mutated beast suddenly slammed its claws into the ground, releasing a massive wave of demonic energy that cracked through the void dome like a drumbeat. The dome held, but the ground beneath everyone trembled. Drathan's smirk widened. "Heh… now it's gettin' serious."
The trio exchanged quick glances—a silent agreement. Kenshin adjusted his gloves, Seme planted her sword, and Drathan's shadow began to stretch unnaturally. The night was far from over, and the beast wasn't done yet.