The toad boss slamd into the far wall with a thunderous crash. Evelyn landed atop our barrier, her descent gentle, and controlled.
Though the purple gas had thinned enough for us to see through it, none of us dared step beyond; fear of its poison was anchoring us in place.
"Slls like thane," Evelyn said, eyes locked on the toad’s broken form.
"How long can you hold out?" Cupcake asked, eyes tracking Evelyn overhead.
Evelyn twirled her kusarigama, eyes locked on the toad as it rose and shook the rubble from its back. "I could do this all night," she said coolly. "But your barrier? It’s paper-thin."
Cupcake bit her lip, gripping her sword tighter. "Is the poison airborne only," she asked, her voice low, "or can it seep in through the skin?"
Evelyn shifted her stance, eyes following the toad’s slow march toward the altar. "Don’t bother holding your breath," she said softly. "Just stay put inside your little bubble Momma’s got your back."
"Tsk."
Cupcake looked away, her jaw tight. "Don’t think being poison-proof makes you invincible," she muttered.
"Evelyn," Lucy called out.
Evelyn looked down from above the barrier. "What?"
"Ever since we arrived in Silver Bell," Lucy said, not bothering to look up, "you’ve done nothing but piss off."
Evelyn crouched on the barrier, eyes fixed on Lucy. "And?" she said, one brow lifting.
Lucy grinned, slowly shaking her head. "I’m going to make you pay for everything you’ve done."
From within the barrier, I watched Evelyn’s ears as they twitched. A slow, hungry smile spread across her face. "Do your worst, Lucy," she purred, her eyes gleaming. "I promise to savor every mont."
"If you insist," Lucy said, a comfortable smile on her face.
"Blood Art technique: Inferno."
In a heart-stopping instant, Evelyn’s clothes erupted into flas, and before we could blink, the fire roared to life, encircling her like a fierce predator.
The blaze ignited the thane contained in the poison gases, unleashing a furious inferno that engulfed the entire structure in a spectacular display of fire and chaos.
The fla flashed into existence and vanished in under three seconds, enough to cook both Evelyn and the toad at insane temperature.
Cupcake lowered the barrier, and Evelyn’s body dropped into my arms. I looked down at her face, thin wisps of smoke drifted from her mouth like she’d just exhaled a cigar.
Evelyn’s clothes were scorched away, leaving her bare in my arms. She glanced at , then turned slightly toward Lucy. "That tasted delicious," she whispered, then her eyes fluttered shut.
’Thud-thud.’
The toad moved a few inches forward before suddenly tumbling over. Unfazed, he quickly righted himself, shaking his body vigorously.
To everyone’s astonishnt, his tough outer scales sloughed off, unveiling a strikingly vibrant red skin underneath, smooth and supple, reminiscent of a snake’s.
’EEEEEK!’
The red toad let out a shriek, shot us a quick glance, then sprang sideways, landing against the wall and clinging to it like a spider.
The toad darted across the cathedral walls in chaotic bursts, zigzagging like a rabbit with terrifying speed.
In an instant, he was gone, his skin mimicking the stone so perfectly it was like he’d never been there.
’Clang!’
Cupcake materialized before , her shield slamming against an invisible force, narrowly deflecting a hidden claw that would have skewered Evelyn’s guts.
I eased Evelyn down and stepped forward, sword drawn. Lucy and Cupcake mirrored , forming a triangle around Evelyn, our blades ready, eyes sharp, looking out for danger.
Cupcake raised a fresh barrier, her eyes flicking from wall to wall, tracking every shadow.
’Bam!’
The toad crashed onto the barrier, shaking it hard. None of us had seen where he ca from; not until he was already on top of us.
’Bam!’
The toad slamd into the barrier inches from Lucy, and the cracks spread like lightning across the surface.
"Drop the barrier!" I shouted, lunging forward. But just before my blade landed, the silhouette slipped away, vanishing into the shadows of the hall.
For a split second, as he neared the barrier, my ocean eyes caught him—flickering into sight like a ripple on glass.
Leaning toward Cupcake, I murmured, "Up close I think I can track it."
"How close?"
"One ter."
I stepped to the edge of the barrier, palm resting against it. "Let out. I’ll draw him in then finish it."
’Bam!’
’Bam!’
’Bam!’
The frog slamd into the barrier three tis, each hit deeper than the last until it shattered. Before he could crush us from above, Cupcake erected another barrier.
Her breathing grew faint, slow enough that I could count each fragile inhale.
I knew she could take the toad down alone, but she chose to shield us instead, worried the invisible beast might strike when we least expected, especially with Evelyn unconscious.
I laid a hand on Cupcake’s shoulder. "This won’t hold much longer. You’ll burn through your mana, let finish this."
Cupcake brushed my hand away. "Darling, that thing lands a clean hit on you, and you’re gone. I won’t risk it."
My fingers clenched tighter around the hilt. I stepped to the edge of the barrier, casting a glance at Cupcake over my shoulder.
"Let out,"
"But—"
"Trust ... I will be fine."
For a re instant, Cupcake dropped the barrier, and I burst through.
I kept running until I reached the center of the barrier and halted. My feet planted firmly on the stone, my eyes darted frantically from left to right, up and sideways, desperately searching for the invisible frog.
’Clunk!’
’Argh!’
The toad lunged from my left, its claws extending in a blur, thrusting directly for my ribcage.
My eyes fell short of noticing his claws until they t my skin. In that instant, I spun on the sa axis and kicked the frog’s incoming body, sending it crashing against the wall.
’Ribbit-ribbit!’
I turned toward where the body had landed, but it was gone. He’d vanished, silent as a spider slipping across the wall.
’Clang!’
My heartbeat surged, pounding against my ribs. From above, the frog dove, claws aid straight for the top of my head.
I caught it only monts before impact, barely deflecting the claws with my sword.
’Drip-drip,’
I clutched the wound on my chest where his claws had grazed . Blood dripped silently, pulling my attention from the frog’s next move.
Focus, focus.
"Blood Art Technique: Inverted Square."
An invisible cube ford around , placing at its center.
With just ten percent of my core capacity, I shifted from one angle of the cube to another through my third eye.
The skill allows to see clearly inside the cube—but nothing outside it registers.
Focus, focus.
10ps
20ps
30ps
40ps
My knees gave out, dropping to one knee, but I rose quickly, pressing a hand to my forehead for balance.
My hand sizzled from the heat it emitted, and sweat beaded behind my ears, quickly saturating my entire body.
Three more eyes erged as my heartbeat surged from 10ps to 40ps.
The sensation was disorienting; four vantage points feeding into at once, pulling my thoughts apart as they tried to keep pace.
I watched from all four corners of the cube, eyes glancing upward, anticipating the sweep of the toad’s claws.
With my original eyes shut, I set the sword beside my legs and let the soft patter of blood fill the silence.
I perceived my body from all angles. Back, chest, limbs—nothing hidden, everything rendered with 4K clarity.
"Slash!
The toad struck from behind. The mont its claws breached my cube, ti slowed. I sidestepped, gripped my sword, and drove it into its lunging limb.
The frog’s montum dragged it deeper into the cube. I stood firm, sword braced, then tore it in the opposite direction as the beast slamd past, carving through flesh.
’Bam!’
The frog’s body hit the ground, sliding far from the cathedral’s center. Its invisibility faded, revealing supple red skin drenched in green blood.
The toad boss was dead; I killed it.
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