The battle between the Corrupted Beast and the Giant Serpent was reaching its climax. Both monsters tore into each other with vicious, unrelenting attacks. The serpent lunged forward, shapeshifting into a massive black wolf. It sank its jaws into the Corrupted Beast's right shoulder, bones cracking under the shapeshifter's bite. The wolf dug its long, mighty claws into the creature's legs, shoulder, and arm.
The abomination reacted immediately. It lifted three of its free hands and sank its talons into the wolf's massive body, then bit down with its long, terrifying fangs. But the wolf didn't move—its jaw remained locked on the corrupted flesh. It was almost as if the shapeshifter couldn't feel pain at all.
Of course it didn't. It was already dead.
With no other choice, the abomination ripped the wolf away from its body, taking a chunk of its shoulder with it. The creature let out a trembling moan, but the wolf wasn't finished—it swallowed the torn flesh whole and lunged again, this time clamping down on the same shoulder. With a wet crunch, it bit the abomination's arm clean off.
Roaring, the abomination hurled the wolf away with its three good hands. It tried desperately to heal the wounds, but they were too severe—it needed time.
While all of this unfolded, Azazul still stood balanced on his sword, telepathically commanding his shapeshifting wolf to cripple the beast so he could finish it with one treacherous strike. He augmented his tachi with lightning, waiting for the moment to strike. When the beast finally threw the wolf aside, he signaled Akiko to go for the head.
Both of them lunged—Akiko from the trees, Azazul from the ditch below.
The Corrupted Beast managed to heal its shoulder and arm just in time to let out a massive, furious roar. Azazul ordered his shapeshifting wolf to transform into a serpent and coil around the monster. The serpent wrapped around the abomination flawlessly, constricting with impossible strength. The beast struggled, but it was all in vain.
Azazul reached the creature first, driving his lightning-charged tachi through the serpent and straight into the abomination's chest. The electric surge stunned the creature, giving Akiko a clean opening. She leaped from the branches and plunged her pristine white dagger into its brain.
"Pull it out!" Azazul shouted.
She ripped the dagger free as Azazul unleashed fire and lightning through his blade. The abomination collapsed to its knees, its breathing slowing…
Then a dark, intoxicating aura burst from its body.
The black serpent wrapped around it exploded outward. Akiko recoiled, but the monster wasn't focused on her—it wanted Azazul.
It struck with both left arms, faster than he could react. Azazul blocked with his right arm—one hand hit his forearm and wrist, the other slammed into his ribs. The impact sent him flying through a dozen trees.
His right arm and ribs shattered, bone piercing into his lung. Lying on his back, he coughed blood and heard the creature charging toward him at full speed.
"This is bad… my ribs… gods, it hurts… Why is it so fixated on killing me?"
He summoned his giant serpent to stall for time, but with his mana nearly drained, the serpent appeared smaller and lighter. The abomination, its right arm freshly healed, ran straight through the serpent—destroying it from head to tail in a single strike.
"One strike… how strong is this thing?"
Azazul's deity physique healed rapidly, but this time wasn't enough. His ribs pulled out of his lungs and knit together again, his crushed forearm restored—but his wrist remained broken, making it impossible to hold a sword.
The abomination reached him and lifted all four muscular arms high before smashing them down into his chest. The ground cratered beneath him as his newly healed ribs shattered again. It grabbed him by the ankle and slammed him into the ground—once, twice, again, again—shattering nearly every bone from skull to ankle. Azazul felt his consciousness slipping with every blow. When his neck finally snapped, everything went dark.
"Where am I?… Did I just die?"
"No… no… it looks just like my nightmares."
In the waking world, the abomination saw that Azazul was motionless and turned its hatred toward Akiko. Its eyes burned with murderous intent.
Akiko raised her dagger.
"Come on, you furry bastard—I'll kill you right here!"
She lunged forward, commanding her crow.
"Purly—snake form!"
The beautiful dark-purple crow shifted into a massive serpent, nearly as large as Azazul's own. It charged with Akiko close behind.
"Purly—bite the left shoulder!"
The serpent clamped down, but the abomination countered with a brutal right hook, weakening the grip, then tore the serpent off and hurled it aside.
Now's my chance.
Akiko leaped into the air and drove her white dagger into the creature's left shoulder. It tried to grab her, but she planted her feet on its legs, jumped higher, and flipped over its shoulder onto its back, still gripping the blade. The abomination reached for her with its upper right arm, but she ripped the dagger free and stabbed its hand, then tore it out again and plunged the blade into its neck. Blood sprayed as she leaped off its back.
The serpent rushed past and bit off the creature's lower right arm.
It whirled around to see the abomination raising its massive paw toward Akiko's chest. The serpent intercepted the blow just in time but was knocked back—crashing straight into Akiko and sending them both flying.
Meanwhile, Azazul remained unconscious.
"Kill… Kill… You have to kill more…"
Azazul gave a weak laugh.
"Kill, huh? How can I kill that thing if I don't have the power? I used everything—lightning, fire… I can't protect them. I'm too… I'm too weak."
"KILL! YOU HAVE TO KILL MORE!"
He felt something devouring his mana reserves, draining him dry.
"How can I consume mana when I'm passed out?"
In reality, his body suddenly moved—stepping between Akiko and the abomination just as it charged. His golden eye remained closed, proof that he was unconscious… but his grey eye had been replaced by the Eye of Darkness.
He stood perfectly still, waiting for the beast to attack. His beautiful electric-blue tachi hung in his right hand, ready to unleash death.
Pitch-black darkness leaked from the Eye of Darkness. He lifted his sword, lowering his face toward the blade as the shadows dripped onto it. The vibrant electric blue darkened instantly—turning into a deep, lightless black.
Azazul lowered the sword.
The blackened blade erupted in violent dark flames.
The Corrupted Beast let out a feral growl and lunged at him—