The monster was on top of Sota.
Its massive weight pressed him into the ground, crushing the air out of his lungs. The creature slowly opened its enormous mouth, revealing rows of jagged, uneven teeth coated in thick, dark blood.
From its mouth, sticky red saliva dripped down—falling drop by drop onto Sota's face.
Each drop felt burning hot.
The stench was unbearable.
Sota's pupils trembled violently.
In his eyes, the reflection of the monster wavered—distorted, shaking, like his own fear had taken shape.
His entire body had gone stiff.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe properly.
Couldn't even scream.
As the monster leaned closer, its breath brushing against his skin—
Sota shut his eyes tightly.
Everything went dark.
His grip tightened around the iron rod in his hand.
His fingers trembled… but they didn't let go.
The monster lunged forward—
"KHAAAAANNNN…!"
The sound exploded through the narrow alley.
A heavy impact echoed against the walls.
Then—
Silence.
A thick splash of blood spread across the ground.
Across the city—
Knights were still fighting desperately.
Every clash, every strike, every kill—
Monsters were falling.
But something strange was happening.
From the bodies of the fallen monsters, fragments of dark lightning magic began to emerge.
Thin streaks of black energy crackled out—like broken veins of power leaking into the air.
At first, it was small.
Barely noticeable.
But as more monsters died…
That energy increased.
From every corner of the city, from every battlefield—
That same black lightning flowed outward.
Drawn toward a single direction.
Toward one alley.
Medusa, in the middle of his battle against the giant monster, noticed it.
Even while dodging attacks—
Even while countering with his blade—
His eyes flickered toward that strange phenomenon.
The black energy… gathering.
Condensing.
Moving with intent.
"…Can he handle that?"
The thought crossed his mind.
But he couldn't stop.
Not now.
Back in the alley—
Sota's hands trembled.
His breathing was uneven.
His eyes were still closed.
The monster above him moved again—
Its jaws descending.
Closer.
Closer—
At the last possible moment—
Sota swung the iron rod.
With everything he had.
"KHAAANNN!"
The impact rang out.
A sharp, metallic echo.
Blood exploded outward.
Warm liquid splashed across his face.
The smell—
It got worse.
Much worse.
For a moment…
Nothing moved.
Then—
Slowly—
Sota opened his eyes.
His vision blurred.
Then focused.
And froze.
The monster above him—
Its head was gone.
Completely shattered.
Fragments of bone and flesh hung in the air for a brief second before collapsing.
Sota stared.
His mouth slightly open.
His arm was still raised in the air—
As if his body hadn't yet realized what had happened.
He pushed the body off himself.
It slid to the side with a wet, heavy sound.
Sota tried to sit up—
But pain shot through his body.
A deep wound tore across his abdomen.
His shoulders were ripped open by claw marks.
Blood kept flowing.
His body didn't respond properly.
It felt… distant.
Like it didn't belong to him anymore.
His heartbeat slowed.
His limbs felt numb.
Still—
He forced himself.
After struggling for what felt like forever—
He managed to sit up.
Barely.
He looked down at his hands.
And froze again.
Black lightning.
Crackling.
Dancing across his skin.
Thin streaks of dark energy moved through his veins—visible under the surface.
He turned his head slowly.
That same energy—
The one gathering from across the city—
It was flowing into him.
Entering his body.
Filling him.
"This… doesn't feel like that day…"
His voice was weak.
Broken.
He remembered—
The first time.
When this power had entered him before.
That overwhelming pain.
That loss of control.
But this time…
"…Today… it feels different."
It wasn't chaotic.
It wasn't tearing him apart.
It was… settling.
Responding.
Becoming a part of him.
Suddenly—
Reality hit him again.
He stood up—unsteadily.
His legs shook violently.
But he didn't stop.
Without wasting another second, he stumbled out of the alley.
He ran.
Or at least—tried to.
His body barely kept up.
He entered a nearby house—
And collapsed into a corner.
His breathing was loud.
Heavy.
Echoing in the empty space.
His vision began to darken.
The edges fading first.
Then slowly closing in.
In a faint voice, barely audible—
"…Is Medusa… okay…?"
Meanwhile—
The battle against the giant monster continued.
A wind-spell user joined Medusa.
Together, they attacked in coordination.
A powerful tornado spell surrounded the monster—
Trapping it.
Restraining its movements.
Its massive body struggled inside the rotating storm.
Then—
The knights moved.
Striking.
Cutting.
Severing its tentacles one after another.
Black and green gas burst from every wound.
The monster roared.
But Medusa didn't stop.
He ran his hand across his sword.
Dark energy gathered along the blade.
Then—
He launched himself into the sky.
Higher.
Higher—
Until he stopped.
Far above the battlefield.
Below him—
Chaos.
Destruction.
And the monster.
Medusa gripped his sword with both hands.
His voice cut through the battlefield—
"GET BACK… NOW!"
No hesitation.
The knights retreated instantly.
They knew.
This wasn't something they could stay near.
Red and black lightning surged across Medusa's blade.
The air itself trembled.
Then—
He descended.
Fast.
Spinning.
Like a falling star of destruction.
"Sunless… Domination…!"
The moment he struck—
The world erupted.
"BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!"
An explosion tore through the area.
Black and red lightning spread violently in every direction.
A massive shockwave blasted outward—
Flattening everything in its path.
The ground cracked.
Buildings shattered.
The air itself roared.
Knights struggled to stay on their feet.
Some were thrown back.
Others barely held their ground.
Medusa landed.
His black armor slowly faded away.
His breathing was heavy.
"…Finally…"
"…It's over…"
The smoke began to clear.
Slowly.
Piece by piece.
Then—
Everyone froze.
"What… is that…?"
Medusa's eyes widened.
"…How…?"
"…How is it still alive?"
The smoke fully cleared.
And there it was.
The monster.
Still standing.
Its entire body was covered in a thick, hardened layer—
Like a shell.
No—
Like a cocoon.
A massive, grotesque cocoon.
Standing in the middle of the destroyed city.
Silent.
Unmoving.
Waiting.
Knights.
Medusa.
Even the remaining monsters—
All of them stared.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Because everyone understood—
This…
Wasn't over.