For a moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Belle fell onto her back and watched, seemingly in slow motion as the blade left her chest and an armored man appeared in a small flash of light. His grey cape billowed behind him as he kicked the mutated Miguel away from his summoner.
"....Belle....!" She heard her brother cry out through the pounding of her heart that almost drowned out all other noise.
Things escalated from there. Belle felt her mind slip into brief periods of unconsciousness. Her eyes were glued onto the summoned Vargram, who began fighting the Ether corrupted Hunter with a strange greatsword coated in wicked black flames.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!!"
The inhuman growls and screams that escaped Miguel's throat briefly kept Belle conscious long enough to tell she was being dragged away by Eous. His mutated body was being burned by Vargam's black flames, triggering further Ether mutation. Explosions and powerful strikes rocked the floor of the mall, though Belle barely felt a thing as she was dragged out of immediate danger.
*Cough*
"Belle!" She heard Wise call out, clearer this time. Her chest hurt and her body felt sore all over but it was better than the muted sensations she was feeling before.
She looked down, seeing the wound in her chest regenerating. Mahoraga's regeneration was working overtime, thanks to her passive absorbtion of Ether. Her body was greedily taking in the energy of the Hollow and using it to repair itself. Belle's mind wandered as she saw Miguel fighting against Vargram several dozen meters away. The two obliterating walls, barriers and Ether crystals in their way as they tried their utmost to kill the other.
'Mahoraga... Most powerful Shikigami. He can freely utilize positive energy. When did I unlock that...? Have I.. finally unlocked that?' Belle coughed up some leftover blood that had built up in her lungs and rested her hand on Eous' (Wise's) head, not noticing her phone blowing up with notifications.
'I get it. I get it now. This feeling of Ether energy being converted into Positive energy..! This regeneration.. I'm starting to grasp it. Ahh~ If only I had more stamina! I need to hit the gym!' Belle lamented as she wiped her bloody mouth.
"B..elle...?" Wise called out, his voice subdued.
"I'm- ..okay. I'm not dying until I get that divine cake.." Belle stated, imagining Zhu Yuan's perfect ass and licking her lips.
"No.. I'm thinking too little. I have to have all the cake..!" Belle ran her hands down her face after shakily standing back up.
Wise looked at his sister, who had suddenly recovered from the brink of death with worried and yet awestruck eyes. Her eyes were glowing, along with the tips of her hair that had suddenly become white as snow. The strangest thing, however, was the white wheel hovering over her head like a halo. It almost felt like she was undergoing Ether corruption.
In a way, she was..
"I'm gonna run that back.. That bastard almost killed me!"
Enthralled by a strange new thrilling feeling, Belle ran toward the fight, not hearing her brother's protests. Wise was still processing what exactly was happening. Belle being stabbed, the sudden appearance of a knight, Belle's recovery and finally, what he suspected was her Ether mutation.
Belle closed in on the two fighting, Vargram rolling away from being impaled by the multiple sharp spider-like legs coming out of Miguel's back. Belle coated her feet in Ether energy as she arched her back broke into a slide. She then took the opportunity to plant her left hand on the floor and raised her right foot, using her momentum and power to execute a beautiful kick.
"MANJI KICK!"
The corrupted Miguel flew several meters back, smashing through an old clothing store. Belle pumped her fist with a small grin, noticing her summon, Vargram step forward, holding his blade up in preparation.
"Hah.. yeah, I should focus. Sorry Bro." Belle stepped up with him and watched as a multi-colored Ether beam flew out at them from within the store.
"HMMPH!" Vargram lunged forward, his blade ignited in black flames as he met the beam head on.
*CREEAAAAAK!!*
The metal of his sword twisted and bent as he intercepted the attack and defended his Summoner. The two then watched as two sets of claws pried the store's doors open. Miguel stepped out, completely transformed.
An ether singularity contained inside a gap within his chest, protected by a thin barrier of Ether and magical energy. His entire body was covered in sleek black, yellow and red armor, giving him a strange knight-like appearance with a slim glowing yellow visor. Though he now possessed four arms and a bladed tail, his demeanor changed from a feral beast to a seasoned knight.
"Focus on the chest. That'll be his weakness." Belle informed, watching as Miguel summoned four shortblades created from a fusion of Ether crystals and mana. He then lunged at them, faster than he used to be.
Vargram quickly stepped to the side, seeing as two of the four blades stabbed at him at once. While the other two swung at Belle. She had tried to move away too, but her speed was lacking and thus took two cuts across her right arm.
*CLAAANG!!*
They were immediately put on the defensive as Miguel leapt ten feet and spun his body, swinging at the two so fast his Ether blades became yellow blurs. Vargram took a defensive position, hoisting up his blade to take several hits. Belle had taken more cuts, having been pushed back several feet with clean cuts along her arms and shoulder. She winced in pain but never lost her focus.
*BANG!* *BANG!*
Belle dumped two more bullets into Miguel, though only clipping his armored arms.
"Parry this, you filthy-Oh shit!" Belle moved back as Miguel's body flashed once more, striking her so fast she flew backward several dozen meters, landing onto a few tables back on the first floor.
"Shit..." Belle groaned, feeling Eous trying to help her up.
"Belle! You should really leave. A mutant Hunter isn't something you can take on right now. Just get through the fissure while that Knight Hunter deals with him." Concerned, Wise pleaded.
It was a sound idea. She may have recovered her energy but it wasn't like she suddenly gained a Shounen power up. Right?
*BAAANG!*
The sound of walls smashing and metallic thuds echoed across the mall. Vargram's body crashed through the second floor, an Ether beam drilling into his armor as it forced him into the ground. Miguel stood atop the second floor's railing, looking down at them.
"Damn.. He's aura farming on us. I ain't letting that slide.." Belle snorted and reached into her inventory.
Ether energy pulsed around her arms as she pulled out the massive Chainsword. It was heavy and a bit unwieldy due to her height, but supplied by Ether energy, she was able to handle it.
*CLINK*
Unknown to her, the wheel above her head partially rotated and holding the Chainsword became just a bit easier. Belle revved up the weapon, just in time to catch two of Miguel's blades, which had been closing in on her neck like scissors.
*VRRRRRMM!!*
-☆-♡-☆-♡-☆-♡-☆-
"Nicole.." Anby called out to her Pink haired boss. They had been waiting near the Hollow's exit for a while now. Billy had regrouped with them over ten minutes ago but there was no sign of Belle or Eous.
"She has the other Manager. I think it's time to call it in." Billy said, though he sounded hesitant too.
"Probability of her having escaped the Hollow: Eighty-Seven percent." Anby added.
"Yeah.. You're probably right. Take this safe and go back. I need to quickly look for her. These Hollows are connected. There's a chance she was knocked into another one or.. Or went in too deep. I need to make sure." Nicole stated, walking over to Billy to hand over the safe.
But suddenly, a fissure appeared several meters away, ejecting Belle, Vargram, Eous and a scarred Mutant Miguel.
"Belle!?" Nicole was about to run over when she noticed them, only for her face to pale when she noticed Belle's missing right arm. Her left arm was holding her Chainsword, which was propping her up at the moment as blood poured out of the stump that used to be her right arm.
"Hah.... Aaah.. An arm and I only scratched the bastard. Skill issue." Belle joked, though she seemed to be in a lot of pain.
Vargram stood up, blood dripping from the cuts across his armor.
"Nicole! Guys! Please help Belle! I-I think she may be in shock. She-" *CLAAAAAANG!!*
Wise's pleading was interrupted as Belle swung her Chainsword behind her, catching Miguel just as he teleported behind her, his blades cracking as the Chainsword carved into it. Belle cackled, her eyes radiating a certain unhinged delight. "HA!! Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..? Nah, I'd win!"