The Kaiju's glowing eyes narrowed.
"I'll need to separate these two somehow…" it muttered.
Its gaze shifted suddenly. Nearby, a cluster of terrified citizens stood frozen in fear. The Kaiju raised its hand, gathering a surge of crackling energy for a deadly beam.
Hikari's eyes widened. Without thinking, she dashed forward, planting herself between the civilians and the monster, her twin blades poised to defend.
But just as the beam was about to fire, the Kaiju abruptly canceled the attack—vanishing from sight.
"—He's fast!" Hikari gasped.
Before she could react, the Kaiju reappeared in front of Lothar. With blinding speed, its sharp arm slashed across his chest.
"Ghh—!!" Lothar staggered, coughing blood before crashing hard into the ground.
"Lothar!!" Hikari screamed, her voice breaking with horror.
Light's eyes blazed with fury. In an instant, he rushed forward, sword flashing. With all his strength, he severed the Kaiju's arm clean off in a single strike. Dropping to one knee, he held his blade upright in a defiant stance.
The Kaiju tilted its head, amused.
"What's with that pose? Don't fool yourself. I could've dodged your strike… I let you hit me."
Before Light could reply, the severed arm twitched—then pulsed grotesquely as new flesh burst forth. Within seconds, it had regenerated completely.
Hikari's rage boiled over. In a blur, she appeared behind the Kaiju, her twin swords slashing mercilessly. Her blades tore through its body, slicing the monster into countless fragments that scattered across the battlefield.
For a heartbeat, silence fell.
Then—the pieces began to writhe. One by one, they crawled together, reknitting into the Kaiju's full form once more—silently reforming right behind Hikari.
"Hikari! Behind you!!" Light shouted.
She barely turned before a massive fist crashed into her, launching her across the ground.
"Damn you!!" Light roared, forcing himself up. He charged recklessly, swinging with wild fury. But the Kaiju moved effortlessly, weaving past his strikes before countering with a brutal kick. The blow hurled Light across the dirt, leaving him gasping for air.
Now only Lothar remained—barely conscious.
The Kaiju loomed over him, gripping his collar and lifting him effortlessly into the air.
"Your name is on the list as well," it said coldly. "I'll take you with me. As for Hikari… she can wait. Other combat teams will arrive soon—I have no time to waste."
Lothar's body hung limp in its grasp as Hikari and Light struggled to rise.
The battle had only just begun.