The centipede roared—a sound like grinding metal and charged.
It moved faster than anything its size should, its legs stabbing, its body coiling and striking. Lightning arced from its mandibles, forcing the group to scatter. The air crackled with ozone, and the smell of burnt chitin filled the cavern.
Beatrice met it head-on.
Her fist connected with its armored head, and the impact sent shockwaves through the cavern. Dust and debris rained from the ceiling. The centipede recoiled but didn't stop. Its legs lashed out, stabbing like spears.
Scott grabbed one of its legs and tore it off. Black ichor sprayed across the cavern floor. The creature screeched, thrashing, and sent him flying into a wall. The stone cracked on impact.
"Scott!" Hiro shouted.
"I'm fine," Scott rumbled, pushing himself up. His gorilla form was dented but unbroken. "Metal bones, remember?"
The centipede's body coiled, then struck—its head lunging toward Beatrice. She dodged, but its antennae crackled with lightning, and a bolt arced toward her.
Sally intercepted it, her levitation blessing letting her push off the ground at an angle. The lightning grazed her shoulder, and she screamed. The smell of burnt fabric and flesh filled the air.
"Sally!"
"I'm okay," she gritted out, clutching her arm. "Keep fighting."
Winston darted in, claws raking across the centipede's eyes. It blinded the creature—but not for long. Its antennae swept the area, sensing vibrations. It didn't need eyes to find them.
Stanley charged, horns lowered. He struck the centipede's midsection—and bounced off. The chitin held. A massive leg swatted him aside like a toy. He crashed into a cluster of cocoons, sending pale shells tumbling.
Marcus tried to constrict it, weaving his serpent body around its segments. But the centipede was too long, too flexible. It twisted, and Marcus was thrown off, slamming into the cavern wall.
"This thing is too tough," Felicia said, her voice trembling.
Beatrice's eyes narrowed. "There's always a weak point. We just haven't found it yet."
Hiro watched the centipede's movements. His golden eyes tracked every lunge, every recoil. Its pattern was chaotic, but it had a rhythm. Strike. Recoil. Strike again. And every time it recoiled, its head lifted—exposing the soft underside of its throat.
There.
"Beatrice," he called out. "The throat. When it rears back."
Her eyes met his. She understood immediately.
"Everyone, draw its attention! Give me an opening!"
The unit scattered, attacking from different angles. Winston clawed at its flank. Stanley jabbed its legs. Marcus struck at its tail. Felicia and Ramona hurled whatever they could find—rocks, broken cocoons, anything to distract.
The centipede thrashed, confused, unable to focus on any single target. Its antennae swept wildly, but the attacks came from everywhere.
Hiro darted in, his tails lashing, drawing the creature's gaze. He slashed at its face, not to wound but to enrage.
It worked.
The centipede lunged at him, mandibles wide, lightning crackling. Hiro dodged barely—feeling the heat of the bolt singe his fur.
The centipede's head lifted. Its throat was exposed.
Beatrice moved.
She wasn't fast—not compared to Daisy or Yurei. But she was precise. Her feet found the perfect angles. Her body twisted, channeling all her strength into a single upward punch.
Brute — Full Output.
Her fist connected with the centipede's throat.
*CRACK. *
The chitin shattered. The centipede screamed—a horrible, keening sound that vibrated through Hiro's bones and collapsed, its body thrashing.
Bang!!
The cavern shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. Finally it's body stopped moving as it laid completely still.
Finally it's dead Hiro thought
"That thing wouldn't stay down," Markus said with hisses coming out of his serpent mouth.
"Like for us, it won't do a final boss resurrection type shit," Felicia spoke sarcastically.
Everyone then paused and stared at Felicia with blank expressions.
"You just had to raise a death flag , didn't you," Beatrice said ready to punch the lights out of Felicia.
But then the centipede's body started releasing a wave of corrupted Aether
it wasn't dead.
Its eyes glowed brighter—burning purple, like miniature suns. Energy coursed through its segmented body, and its wounds began to close. The chitin regenerated. The legs regrew.
"It's powering up!" Marian shouted, stepping forward. "Kill it now!"
The centipede's body swelled, its segments splitting and reforming. And from the walls of the cavern, more soldier centipedes emerged—drawn by their mother's call. They poured from cracks in the stone, from broken cocoons, from the shadows.
Dozens of them.
"Now there are more of them?" Ramona wailed, her voice cracking.
Beatrice's jaw tightened. Her fists clenched. Her unit was exhausted. Bleeding. Scattered.
But she didn't run.
"We end this," she said, her voice low and steady. "Now."
Marian moved to stand beside Hiro. Her shoulder pressed against his. He could feel her warmth through his fur.
"Stay close," she murmured.
"Wasn't planning to leave."
Her hand brushed his tail. Brief. Accidental. Or maybe not.
The centipede rose again, fully healed, its purple eyes blazing with fury. Behind it, the soldier centipedes formed a wall of chitin and teeth.
SCREEEE!!!!!!!
The Centipede gate keeper released a loud screeching sound, wanting to display it's dominance.
But Beatrice didn't falter,she calmly raised her fist.
"On me!"
The unit rallied. Scott stood, shaking off the debris. Winston circled, claws extended. Stanley snorted, pawing the ground. Marcus coiled, ready to strike.
And Hiro, each of his nine tails fanned behind him, each tip glowing with a bright light.
Marian saw it. Her breath caught.
He's not the same kid anymore.
She didn't realize she was smiling until the centipede charged.
"Now!" Beatrice roared.
They met it together.