Deep beneath the surface, Kawsoki discovered a glowing Ancient Tablet, radiating an overwhelming sense of dread. As he reached out to claim it, the words Marito had spoken two days ago echoed in his mind.
"From what you've told me, Neroli isn't exactly sealed. He's bound to that 'house.' That's why he can't leave. As for the other fragments of Lord Shizen... they are contained within these tablets."
Just as Kawsoki was about to touch the artifact, a violent shockwave tore through the water. Emerging from the darkness was an 8-foot-tall, One-eyed Monster. Without warning, the creature lunged forward, delivering a punch that sent Kawsoki rocketting back toward the surface.
But the assault didn't end there. The monster manifested behind him instantly as he breached the water, striking Kawsoki with a crushing blow. Kawsoki was sent flying through the air, crashing into an ancient tree on the shore with such force that the trunk shattered upon impact.Marito dove back into the depths to aid Kawsoki and secure the tablet, but the wounded beast from before wasn't finished. It thrashed blindly, obstructively blocking Marito's path.
"Baka!" Marito hissed, forced to blast the creature aside and retreat to the surface to regain his bearings.
Sensing a lapse in their defense, Hskisho didn't waste a second. He glided across the battlefield, his killing intent locked firmly onto Rio.
"Rio! You're in deep trouble! Watch out!" Gyau shouted from the sidelines, his voice laced with panic. Hskisho thrust his hand forward, unleashing a barrage of jagged Water Blades. Rio held his ground, his wooden sword vibrating as he parried each strike with desperate precision.
"Fuk! This is going south fast!" Gyau cursed, realizing he was nearly out of options as he fumbled with his weapon.
Knowing he couldn't stay on the defensive forever, Rio gathered his strength and leaped. He blurred through the air, reappearing directly behind Hskisho's blind spot. But just as Rio swung his sword for a decisive strike...
Hskisho's head snapped back, his concentric-ringed eyes locking onto Rio with a chilling, predatory calm—as if he had predicted the move before Rio even thought of it.Hskisho countered Rio's assault with a brutal kick to the abdomen, sending him hurtling across the shore. Before Hskisho could follow up, Marito intervened, closing the distance in a blur.
Hskisho managed to dodge the first punch, but Marito's follow-up roundhouse kick caught him square in the face. As Hskisho skidded back, Marito stood his ground, eyes narrowed. "Are you the guardian of this lake, or something else entirely?"
Ignoring the question, Hskisho landed at a safe distance and signaled the water. Two massive Oriental Dragons made of pure lake water erupted from the depths, lunging toward Marito.
Marito pulled a small iron rod from his pocket, infusing it with dense Shadow Energy until it vibrated with power. "Shadow Binding!" he roared, hurling the rod. Upon impact, the shadows expanded into dark chains, ensnaring the water dragons and pinning them mid-air.
But Hskisho was far from finished. He reached into the mist, pulling out a weapon that mirrored the legendary Naginata of Whitebeard. The blade's tip was encased in a swirling orb of high-pressure water, giving it a devastating edge.
With a mighty swing, Hskisho unleashed a massive energy slash toward Marito. Marito dodged by a hair's breadth, watching as the shockwave tore a deep trench into the earth behind him.Hskisho was relentless, spamming wave after wave of energy slashes from his massive weapon. The entire lake vibrated under the sheer pressure, and the air grew thick with mist.
Marito, however, found his rhythm. He sprinted through the barrage, closing the gap in a heartbeat. He launched a heavy punch aimed straight at Hskisho's chest, but the guardian parried the blow with the shaft of his Naginata.
"Not bad," Hskisho muttered, his voice calm despite the impact. "Your speed is impressive."
Marito didn't give him a second to breathe. He pivoted instantly, delivering a devastating low kick. Even though Hskisho managed to block it with his forearm, the raw force of the strike sent him skidding back across the water's surface.
Meanwhile, Anne was locked in a life-or-death struggle with the dragon-like beast. She leaped high into the air, landing with pinpoint accuracy on the creature's massive back. Infusing her iron rod with a massive amount of AIR energy, she began to batter its scales with relentless side-swipes.
Seizing an opening, Anne dashed toward the creature's head, aiming for the eyes. The beast thrashed its head violently, trying to shake her off, but Anne remained unfazed. With a fierce shout, she hurled her reinforced rod straight into the dragon's eye.Deep beneath the surface, Kawsoki discovered a glowing Ancient Tablet, radiating an overwhelming sense of dread. As he reached out to claim it, the words Marito had spoken two days ago echoed in his mind.
"From what you've told me, Neroli isn't exactly sealed. He's bound to that 'house.' That's why he can't leave. As for the other fragments of Lord Shizen... they are contained within these tablets."
Just as Kawsoki was about to touch the artifact, a violent shockwave tore through the water. Emerging from the darkness was an 8-foot-tall, One-eyed Monster. Without warning, the creature lunged forward, delivering a punch that sent Kawsoki rocketting back toward the surface.
But the assault didn't end there. The monster manifested behind him instantly as he breached the water, striking Kawsoki with a crushing blow. Kawsoki was sent flying through the air, crashing into an ancient tree on the shore with such force that the trunk shattered upon impact.