Surviving These Unfair Scenarios [LITRPG - DIMENSION HOPPING]

Within the chaos of the battlefield, Kazue's body remained still, her breathing ragged as the regeneration pill worked through her system. Her broken arm lay motionless, healing slowly. From the outside, she seemed unconscious, unmoving, and defenseless. But inside her mind, a different kind of storm was raging.

Kazue floated in a vast, colorless void. Then, without warning, swirling lights exploded into existence around her. Spirals of color spun wildly in every direction. Blinding streaks of red, blue, green, gold, white, and black tore through the space like ribbons in a maelstrom. She turned her head but saw no horizon.

The ground didn't exist. Up and down were meaningless. Shapes appeared from the chaos—flames rising, waves crashing, mountains forming, lightning bolts tearing through clouds, wind rushing past her, snowflakes drifting slowly, embers spiraling. Smoke twisted around her ankles and turned into shadows. It was overwhelming and confusing. She didn't know if she was dreaming or hallucinating from the pain.

Then, suddenly, a voice called her name softly.

"Kazue…"

It was warm and calm, like a breeze brushing across her cheek. She turned toward it instinctively, but there was no one there.

"Kazue… can you hear me?"

She opened her mouth to speak but found no words. Her thoughts were scrambled. The pain was distant now, replaced by a strange clarity.

"Don't be afraid, you're safe here. You've always been safe here."

The voice said gently.

"Who are you? Where is this?"

Kazue managed to whisper.

"This is your heart… This is the place where the elements speak."

The voice replied. The lights calmed slightly, slowing their movement. Shapes began to solidify—streams of water flowing upward like rivers into the sky, flames flickering without burning, stones floating, wind coiling like a serpent, lightning pulsing like a heartbeat. Kazue stared at it all with wide eyes, unsure if she was imagining things.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"Because you are like them."

The voice said.

"You are all of them. The chaos you've felt your entire life, the need to move, change, react… it is because the elements move through you."

Kazue closed her eyes and took a breath. For a moment, she didn't feel the pain anymore. She didn't feel the battlefield. Just the sensations of the voice and the lights.

"But I don't understand."

She said.

"You will…"

The voice replied calmly.

"Each element has a rhythm. Fire destroys, but also brings renewal. Water adapts and consumes. Earth supports and endures. Air dances freely. Lightning strikes fast and leaves no time to think. Ice preserves. Smoke hides, and so on. All of them are different, but they are all necessary."

Kazue blinked. The lights moved slowly around her now, almost dancing. A tall and bright shape began to form in front of her. It had no face, no solid edges, only light in the vague outline of a person. She could feel warmth from it and a strange familiarity, though she didn't know from where.

"You are one of the few who can feel them all, you don't bend them to your will. They move with you. Through you. In harmony. You were born to hold them."

The figure said with grace. Kazue shook her head slightly, still trying to grasp the meaning.

"I'm not special. I've always just… gone with what felt right."

"Exactly."

The voice said.

"Because 'what feels right' is the call of the elements. That is your nature."

Kazue stood in silence, her gaze fixed on the swirling vortex of elements before her. The lights, once chaotic, had settled into a smooth, hypnotic rhythm. The figure had no face, no body in the conventional sense—just radiant contours and a presence that made the air feel dense and expectant. The voice returned, calm but resolute, speaking with conviction.

"If you truly want to be one with them, you must let go of everything that does not serve your nature. Harmony cannot exist where impurity reigns."

The girl tilted her head, eyes narrowed slightly.

"What are you talking about? What am I supposed to let go of?"

The figure raised its hand, and the elemental lights began to shift.

"You carry things inside you that are incompatible with what you are meant to become. They weigh you down. They interfere with your resonance. They bind your growth."

A new wave of light spread outward from the figure's palm, reshaping the swirling currents into clear, vivid images. Kazue's heart skipped a beat. One by one, memories took form—perfect, untouchable moments rendered in absolute clarity.

She saw Adam first. He was holding her in his arms, his face tired but lit with a soft smile. That had been the moment after her plan had worked in Pantheon Eternal, after they had pulled off the impossible together. His eyes had been full of pride, trust, and something deeper she couldn't name.

Then came Drake. His back was to a broken sky, light arcing from his body like a shield. He was smiling at her, calm and genuine, just after he had helped her reunite with Kurayami. That had been one of the few times Kazue had felt she could breathe again, because someone understood her without saying a word.

Next came Kurayami. It was still in chains in this vision, kneeling, head lowered, beast-like but broken. Kazue stood before him, a hand resting between his ears, and in that moment, the two had understood each other completely. That had been the start of everything. She had seen the pain of being truly alone reflected in his eyes.

Mo Yanhui followed. His expression was of extreme emotional pain, a gentle melancholy hidden behind poise. They were separated by a glowing barrier, palms pressed together from either side. That had been the moment Kazue had learned his story and chosen not to judge, but to understand, feeling a similarity between both.

And finally, Arianka. The divine figure stood with blood running down from beneath her blindfold, but her lips were curved in a small, tearful smile. That had been a moment of impossible understanding—of two opposing existences reaching across worlds to find meaning in each other's pain.

Each image shone brightly for a moment, suspended in the air around Kazue before beginning to blur and dissolve. The voice resumed, more insistent now.

"These ties, these emotions… They are poison."

The voice said, more serious now.

"They infect your essence, corrupt your balance. You carry within you what should never be bound. The elements are not held back. They move freely, alone, yet complete. That is your true nature. And until you let go, you will never be one with them."

Kazue looked around. The images faded, but the weight of the memories remained. She could feel every heartbeat from each one of those moments, each name tied to a piece of herself she had never questioned. Her hands trembled slightly. The figure continued.

"Let go of them. Cleanse your essence. Break the false attachments. You cannot awaken your full potential while they remain. This is the price."

The lights around her dimmed again, waiting for her answer. The space grew quieter. The elemental flows slowed.

Kazue remained silent. Her body didn't move. The chaos of swirling light and color had quieted around her, as if waiting for her decision. Her eyes opened slowly, and her voice followed, low but steady.

"No…"

The figure of light didn't respond at first. It stood still, its faceless glow flickering slightly. When it finally spoke, the voice was softer, almost pitying.

"Okay then, let's continue with… Wait, what do you mean no? … You don't understand what you're rejecting."

Kazue shook her head. Her expression remained calm.

"I do. I understand exactly what I'm saying."

The pause that followed was long, heavy. Then the voice shifted again, colder.

"You are clinging to attachments. They hold no meaning here."

"They hold every meaning!"

Kazue said. Her voice was firmer now.

"What I lived through with them was real. It shaped me. It gave me direction. I don't want to cut that away."

The glow of the figure trembled faintly, its form dimming at the edges.

"They are weights on your soul. You could be more. You are purposely choosing limitation."

Kazue snapped, stepping forward. Her gaze didn't waver.

"I chose what I became because of them. If that means I'll never reach whatever purity you speak of, that's fine. I don't need it."

"You will remain unfinished. Imperfect. Incomplete!"

The voice insisted, but Kazue didn't stop.

"Then I'll be imperfect. I'll move forward like this. I won't let go of what matters just to chase something hollow."

The figure's light dimmed without another word, withdrawing slowly as if the very essence of its presence was being undone by her rejection. The colors surrounding Kazue lost their cohesion, twisting apart, no longer vibrant or alive. The swirling rhythm that had once guided her through this strange realm faltered and collapsed entirely. Light collapsed inward, receding into the dark, and with it went the warmth that had enveloped her since the vision began. All sensation faded, and silence took hold.

Then, in a single, abrupt moment, Kazue's body jolted. Her eyes opened wide, her breathing sharp and ragged. She sat upright with a gasp, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her entire body trembled, soaked in sweat.

For a moment, she didn't know where she was. Her vision took a second to adjust, but then the pain in her arm—or rather, the absence of it, registered clearly. She looked down, and where once there had been searing agony, torn flesh, and broken nerves, there was only healed skin. Her arm had recovered completely. Her breathing remained uneven, but the fire in her eyes had returned.

Sweat clung to her forehead and neck, and for a moment, she couldn't tell if what she had seen had been real or not. Her senses returned all at once, and what was truly real came crashing down around her. The battlefield was in ruins. Buildings were half-demolished, the ground was split open in multiple directions, and a dense layer of ash and smoke clung to the air like mist. She pushed herself upright, the pain in her body dulled but not gone, and as she flexed her left arm, she felt it respond. It had healed. The regeneration pill had done its work, and now her body was functional again.

But what her eyes were focused on was not her own condition. In front of her, not more than a dozen meters away, Li stood like a statue about to collapse. His armor was scorched and dented across every surface. The joints sparked, tiny arcs of electricity jumping from damaged circuits. His breathing was heavy and shallow, and both arms hung low, trembling slightly.

Beside him, Kurayami was hunched forward. His white fur was matted and stained with black soot and red lines. His breathing was labored, and his muscles twitched involuntarily, a clear sign that even his endurance had limits. They had taken the brunt of every attack to protect her. That was undeniable.

Reginald, standing with that ever-present calm, adjusted his sleeves and observed the scene as if it were a disappointing conclusion to a good play. His voice cut through the dust with clarity.

"Truly remarkable."

He said, not without a tinge of admiration.

"They endured three direct hits from our joint skills. That armor of his and his spells are more effective than I had assumed."

He turned to his partner, brushing away a thin layer of soot from his shoulder.

"Perhaps there's actual merit in taking his spellbook after all."

Im Hae-rin gave a long, tired sigh and tilted her head slightly, her blue flames still faintly burning along her arms.

"That would complicate things. If we kill him, the book disappears. And he doesn't look like the type to hand it over quietly."

Reginald nodded.

"I understand. But look at him. He's moments away from collapse. One more try. If he survives, we will make the effort to recover it. If not, well… that's unfortunate."

He raised his hand and took a step back.

"Shall we?"

The girl didn't answer. She didn't need to. Her feet moved already, stepping into formation beside him. Reginald planted his staff into the cracked ground. A pulse of wind surged up from the contact point, and a new orb of compressed air began to form above the head of the cane.

He guided the spiral of energy upward, shaping it tightly. Hae-rin raised her arm, blue fire already blazing to life at her fingertips. She extended her palm, and the flames wrapped around the forming sphere in rhythmic trails. Blue fire spread from her other arm, twining around the red, forming a double helix of heat and pressure that circled the orb like tightening chains.

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They stepped forward and moved in precise coordination. Their arms crossed and twisted as if performing a dance with practiced discipline. Reginald spun once, dragging the now-flaming orb around his body with his staff. Hae-rin mirrored him on the other side, her motions sharp and controlled. When their motions met at the center, they slammed their limbs downward, slapping the orb with synchronized force. The projectile launched at blinding speed, now a massive condensed blast of red and blue energy hurtling across the battlefield like a falling star.

Kazue's body tensed the moment she saw the orb fly forward. She wasn't the target. Li and Kurayami were. But they stood directly in front of her. If the attack hit, there would be no avoiding it. Li looked up, seeing the combined blast closing the distance. His lips tightened. His body moved, not away, but forward. There was no time to dodge, no shield to raise. He braced his legs, locking into position. Sparks burst from his armor as he prepared to meet it head-on, teeth clenched.

Kurayami, standing beside him, was visibly shaking. Each breath from the white tiger was shallow and forced, his muscles twitching in fatigue. They had no strength left to evade. Neither of them could lift a limb to defend themselves. The incoming combined projectile—red and blue, compressed with destructive force—was closing in fast. There was no room to dodge, no time to even cast another spell. They were frozen, not by fear, but by exhaustion.

But Kazue was behind them, and her eyes had already locked onto the trajectory of the blast. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. There was no time to think. She didn't hesitate. The moment her gaze calculated the arc of the approaching explosion, she stepped forward and breathed in.

It wasn't a normal breath, though. It was the activation of her skill [Heavenly Demon Breathing Technique], and her lungs expanded as if drawing in the entirety of the battlefield's oxygen. Her chest rose sharply, and the rush of air flooded into her in an instant, her body bracing to release it all. Then, without pausing, she unleashed the second skill—[Storm Titan Howl].

The roar that followed was raw atmospheric force expelled from her lungs with a sonic compression that tore into the air. A tornado burst from her mouth, not one of wind alone but condensed energy, thick and fast. The spiral moved straight past her and struck Li and Kurayami with brutal precision, not to injure but to displace. The force of the gale didn't simply push them—it blasted their bodies sideways like projectiles, launching them across the ground and out of the path of the incoming explosion. Li's armor sparked as he tumbled, and Kurayami roared as his body hit the broken earth and rolled, but they were no longer in the danger zone.

Kazue had no time to celebrate her success. The red-blue projectile collided directly with the eye of her tornado.

The impact detonated like a volcanic eruption. The sound of it shattered the air. Heat burst outward in a radius, the energy wave erupting in every direction like a collapsing sun. Flames tore through the smoke, devouring the wind spiral and igniting it into a wall of fire. The shockwave hit Kazue's body, launching her backward with incredible force.

Her balance faltered mid-air, but she twisted her body instinctively, adjusting her posture just enough to avoid slamming into a broken column. She crashed into the ground, rolled once, and skidded across the rubble until she came to a stop, coughing from the pressure in her chest.

Even Reginald and Hae-rin were affected. The sudden burst of combustion forced both of them to leap back from their position, the heatwave pushing against their faces and shoulders. Reginald raised his forearm, shielding his eyes from the light and heat, while Hae-rin crouched low, stabilizing her footing before standing up again. The flames still roared in front of them, a blazing storm that blocked their view.

Reginald lowered his arm slightly and exhaled with a note of astonishment.

"I must admit, their resilience is starting to become impressive."

He said, his voice calm but curious. His gaze lingered in the direction where Kazue had flown.

"Especially the girl. She returned to the battle in that condition, and now this."

Hae-rin didn't look at him. She continued watching the edges of the firestorm carefully, her arms still partially raised in a ready stance.

"Stop talking, don't lose sight of them. The moment the fire clears, we go again."

She said flatly, narrowing her eyes and watching the heat waves flicker in the air, her flames already preparing to respond.

The space between both teams was once again filled with smoke, fire, and silence. But the battle had not ended. And now, Kazue was back on her feet.

The girl sprinted across the scorched terrain, her feet skimming over broken stone and blackened debris as she made her way toward Li. He was on one knee, struggling to remain upright while his mechanical armor hissed and cracked. Sparks leapt from the seams, and the whir of overloaded components grew louder until the entire construct began to dissolve.

Piece by piece, the atomic plating collapsed into blue particles of fading light, indicating the end of the summon's duration. Li's breath came in shallow gasps. He wasn't injured badly, but the exhaustion was obvious. He tried to stand, faltered, then looked up as Kazue reached him and extended a hand.

She helped him to his feet, gripping his arm with a firm pull. The remnants of the tornado's firestorm had given them a brief window, a momentary reprieve from the relentless advance of their enemies. The heat still clung to the air around them, but they were alive, and they had seconds—nothing more.

"We're absolutely terrible at this."

Kazue muttered without hesitation, still holding his arm to support him. Li exhaled heavily and didn't argue.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious."

He said between breaths, but Kazue didn't react to his tone.

"That first plan was trash. Those combined attacks we tried were useless. It's just like Meera said… they're specialists in teamwork. We're not, even when our skills have good chemistry. We don't stand a chance copying them at their own game."

Li's expression hardened. His jaw clenched as he nodded reluctantly.

"That means we go with the second plan."

Kazue said. Her voice was steady now, no longer pained, and her eyes had regained focus.

"We're not going to win with brute strength. We do it the other way."

Li grunted, then asked.

"What do you need?"

"Get me as close to them as possible."

The man didn't like it, but he didn't argue either. He inhaled through his nose, then shouted.

"Now!"

High above, Falk circled. The mechanical bird instantly understood and let out a sharp cry before diving. At that precise moment, both Li and Falk activated the spell together, their voices overlapping perfectly.

"[Physica Naguru]"

The book in Li's hands lit up violently. Twin serpents of flaming energy erupted from its center—one lunged toward Kazue, the other toward Kurayami, who was approaching slowly.

The two streams didn't burn. Instead, they wrapped around the bodies of their targets like streams of flowing power, coiling and pulsing. Kazue felt the surge immediately. It wasn't heat—it was strength. Her limbs regained a lightness she hadn't felt in hours. Her muscles didn't ache anymore, and the fatigue dulled to a background whisper.

Kurayami roared as the second stream enveloped him. His fur crackled with renewed static. The glow of his eyes intensified. The tiger's paws dug into the ground, claws scraping stone, and he lowered himself just enough for the girl to leap onto his back. Once seated, she turned and reached down to pull Li up behind her.

With both of them mounted on the great beast, Kazue gave Kurayami a soft pat on the head, her fingers pressing between his ears. Her voice dropped just above a whisper, full of resolve.

"If they want a soulmate battle, then we'll show them what a real 100% compatibility looks like."

She said with determination.

Meanwhile, the flames from the tornado had begun to wane, the vortex of fire dimming and dissolving in the air. On the opposite side, Reginald and Hae-rin stood alert, waiting for the path to clear. Both were tense but ready, their bodies positioned for an immediate assault the moment visibility returned.

But before the flames fully vanished, they caught sight of movement. From within the flickering fire and smoke, a shape surged forward. The massive white tiger shot out from the veil of destruction, carrying two riders on its back. The image was clear for only a split second—but it was enough.

Kazue was at the front, her fists clenched, her eyes burning with fiery resolution. Li sat just behind her, one hand gripping the edge of the saddle-like hold at Kurayami's shoulders, the other with his glowing spellbook. The tiger's body gleamed with elemental energy as it thundered forward, fast and low.

Reginald's eyes widened.

"What the—"

"Move!"

Hae-rin barked. They both jumped in opposite directions just in time, evading the charge by instinct alone. However, at that same moment, Li launched himself from Kurayami's back, his body twisting in the air as he aimed directly toward Reginald's side.

The tiger didn't pause. As soon as Li left his back, Kurayami pivoted mid-run with incredible precision, claws dragging across the cracked stone, and redirected his momentum toward Hae-rin. Kazue remained steady on his back, her body leaning with the turn, eyes locked on her new target.

The sudden split had caught both enemies off guard. Dust and broken fragments of the ground flew everywhere as Kurayami's movement tore through the terrain, his weight and speed turning the charge into a controlled slide that ended meters from Hae-rin's position. Li, on the other hand, landed with a roll and came up low, already preparing to engage Reginald at close range.

The rhythm of the fight shifted instantly. It was no longer a skirmish of resistance. It had become a full-on counterattack.

Li's fists moved fast and precise, but once again, Reginald seemed to glide effortlessly around each strike. He tilted his head to the side to avoid a jab, pivoted to duck under a hook, and twisted his body to let a punch pass by with only centimeters of space. He didn't even need to raise his weapon. After a full sequence of evasion, the fancy man let out a soft breath and commented with amusement.

"If with your enhanced armor you couldn't land a hit, what makes you think bare fists will do any better?"

Li didn't respond. He pressed forward, tightening the space between them. His eyes remained locked on his opponent's posture. And then, it happened again. Just like before, Li lunged with a punch aimed directly at Reginald's face. The gentleman sighed and sidestepped effortlessly, already rotating his torso to deliver an upward blow with his cane. The motion was swift, aimed right at Li's chin again. But this time, the man anticipated it.

He turned his head at the last instant, letting the staff graze past. His body shifted with the motion, and his leg came up with a brutal front kick. Reginald barely had time to cross his arms in front of himself and absorb the blow. The impact echoed sharply, and his feet skidded backward several steps.

Li took a breath and muttered coldly.

"The difference is that I learn."

Reginald's arms lowered slowly. A grin crept across his face, sharper than before.

"Interesting."

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the ruins, Kazue and Kurayami clashed violently against Hae-rin. Unlike their previous exchanges, things were different now. The boost from [Physica Naguru] surged through both the girl and her soul beast. Kazue's mechanical right gauntlet sparked with energy at every punch, and Kurayami's limbs were a blur of motion, striking with precision and speed.

Hae-rin still fought with full control of her body, her footwork flawless, her kicks sharp and relentless. But it was clear that the enhanced strength of her opponents was making each engagement more difficult to read and repel. A left kick aimed at Kazue's side was met with the raised gauntlet, sparks flashing as foot and metal collided. She jumped back, only for Kurayami to lunge with a low swipe.

Hae-rin barely blocked the claws with her shin, twisting to spin away from the impact. Kazue followed up again, closing the distance rapidly. The exchange was tight and brutal, fists clashing against legs, claws against flame-covered boots.

Even with the difference in styles, it was no longer one-sided.

Hae-rin's expression didn't change much, but her movements grew more calculated. After parrying another strike from Kazue, she finally spoke, her voice clear and calm despite the exertion.

"This is pointless. You think separating us will help? You think that we don't have countermeasures for this situation?"

Kazue didn't stop moving, but her voice cut through sharply.

"Why the desperation to rejoin him, then?"

Hae-rin's eyes narrowed slightly, confused. Kazue continued, her tone lighter, teasing, and taking advantage of their proximity during the last attack exchange.

"You like him or something? That's why you're in such a rush to be near him again?"

The reaction was instantaneous. Hae-rin's eyes widened with visible shock. Her posture faltered for the first time since the fight had begun. The sudden shift in focus broke her rhythm entirely.

"W-What are you saying?!"

For a second—just one—she was completely still. That was all Kazue needed.

Her fist, already glowing with lightning, crashed into Hae-rin's guard. The girl had just enough time to cross her arms in front of her chest, but the electricity surged violently through the impact point. The shock ran down her limbs and through her core, and she screamed—not from the force of the blow, but from the current that jolted her nerves into chaos.

For the first time, she had taken a clean hit.

Hae-rin's scream echoed across the broken terrain, raw and abrupt, slicing through the smoke and dust like a siren. The sound cut through the air and reached Reginald instantly. His expression changed, and without hesitation, he turned his head toward the source of the scream and shouted her name.

"Hae-rin!"

His usual calm was replaced by sudden concern, and that one moment of distraction was all his enemy needed.

Li clenched his jaw and surged forward, his right fist driving directly into Reginald's cheek. The impact was solid, snapping the gentleman's head slightly to the side. But the retaliation was immediate. Reginald's cane swept up in a tight arc and struck Li clean across the face. The force knocked him back a few steps, blood spurting from a cut on his brow. Both men staggered but quickly regained their footing, taking distance again from one another. Their breath was heavy, their eyes locked.

Reginald didn't smile this time. His expression was sharp and focused, tinged with something closer to frustration than amusement.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for this."

He muttered under his breath. He lifted his arm toward the sky.

"Magnetic Force!"

A loud hum filled the air. In an instant, Reginald's body was engulfed in a pulsing blue aura, and with no further warning, he shot off like a missile, vanishing from the spot at high speed, trailing wind and streaks of light behind him.

At the other end of the battlefield, Kazue was already charging toward her rival one more time. Hae-rin was still recovering, steam rising off her body from the previous shock. She barely had time to glance up before her body began to glow red. She didn't even move on her own—her form launched backwards at unnatural speed, as if yanked by an invisible force.

Kazue came to a stop and looked up. Li, staggering on one knee, did the same. Their eyes followed the arcs of red and blue light in the sky. Both enemies had been pulled by polarizing energy, carried through the air in different trajectories. But their final destination was the same.

A burst of force echoed as Reginald and Hae-rin collided midair and landed side by side, holding each other's hands. The skill had forced them together once again.

"What happened?!"

Reginald asked, breathing hard, still gripping her arm.

"Nothing happened!"

Hae-rin barked at him, her face flushed.

"Shut up! Just finish this already!"

Reginald blinked in confusion, but said nothing more. He nodded and began channeling energy through his cane once again.

A new sphere of pressurized air formed at the top of the staff, swirling violently. The heat rose instantly as their bodies began to glow, Hae-rin with her blue flames and Reginald with his crimson aura. The pair leapt into the air with practiced ease, twisting their bodies into the perfect trajectory. Just as before, they executed the rotation, preparing to fire the combined projectile down upon their enemies.

But something was different this time. Kurayami was charging directly at them, lightning running across his fur, with Kazue mounted on his back and shouting a single word with full force.

"What is she doing?!"

Reginald narrowed his eyes, confused.

"She's an idiot, she's going to take it head-on."

Hae-rin snapped. But before either of them could deliver the synchronized strike, Kazue's next words reached them clearly through the wind.

"So it's true—you really do like him!"

The effect was immediate. Just like before.

Hae-rin froze. Her body stiffened midair. Her eyes widened in horror as the rotation failed. Her foot missed the timing by a fraction of a second. The aura around them destabilized. The compressed sphere between them dissolved instantly, the gathered energy vanishing in a pop of sparks.

"Hey!"

Reginald cried out. But it was too late. Kurayami was already there.

The impact hit both of them with brutal force. The soulbeast's body, enhanced and electrified, struck like a wrecking ball. Both Hae-rin and Reginald were flung backward, their bodies convulsing from the voltage that tore through them. They crashed violently across the broken floor, dragging lines in the ground as they tumbled away from the point of contact. The sound of their fall echoed across the battlefield.

Kazue and Kurayami came to a stop several meters ahead, both breathing heavily. Sparks still danced along the tiger's white fur. The girl inhaled sharply, the adrenaline pumping through her veins, her heart racing faster than it had all day.

The words of Meera echoed in her mind, resurfacing exactly as she remembered them.

—

"You need to understand something."

Meera had said in a quiet moment during the planning phase.

"Those two? Their teamwork is nearly flawless. Their skill combinations are perfectly tuned. The problem is that it makes them fragile. Every single joint technique they use relies on perfect timing. If even one of them messes up their rhythm, the whole thing collapses."

Kazue had blinked.

"But how do we break their rhythm?"

Meera had smiled knowingly with a mischievous smirk.

"I'll let you in on a secret. One that the whole team knows… except Reginald."

—

Back in the present, Kazue stood tall on Kurayami's back and exhaled with a mix of disbelief and triumph.

"I can't believe that actually worked."

She muttered. Ahead of her, Hae-rin and Reginald were slowly picking themselves up, clearly injured, their breathing ragged. The momentum had finally shifted.