"What is that?!" Lucca shouted as an enormous jaw emerged from the ground, ready to swallow Dall in one bite.
Before the creature could close its gigantic mouth, Toco-Toco appeared in a flash and rescued the young man just in time. "Thanks," Dall stammered, still trembling as he stared at the beast with wide-eyed terror.
"You're welcome… Meow!" the feline replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the creature that had now fully emerged from the ground.
The beast resembled a tyrannosaurus, but instead of short front limbs, it had long, sharp claws that gleamed under the dim light of the cave. Its rugged skin seemed to be made of molten rock, and its eyes burned like live embers.
"It's an abominable beast," Lucca murmured, instinctively stepping back as he observed the colossal predator before them.
Without wasting a moment, Toco-Toco entered his "FELICA FORM," increasing his size and power. Despite his transformation, the creature was still much larger than him. With feline agility, the cat approached the beast and began attacking it with precise swipes at its legs and chest, making it stagger. However, the creature was far from surrendering. Suddenly, its entire back—from head to tail—began to emit burning lava, forcing Toco-Toco to retreat quickly.
The creature sank into the ground as if it were water and reappeared moments later, launching itself toward Toco-Toco with a fiery tail swipe. The impact sent the feline flying, crashing him against one of the cave walls.
"Oh no! Toco-Toco!" Golden shouted, filled with concern for his companion.
"That must be why we couldn't find the scepter," Paltio reflected, watching as the creature roared furiously. Embedded in the beast's skull was something glowing intensely. "It must be the scepter. It's trapped in its head."
The beast let out a deafening roar that shook the entire cave, sending dust and rocks flying into the air.
"Hey, Paltio!" Lukeandria called out, noticing something unsettling. "I think that thing isn't alone. I can feel the ground moving in two directions besides where this beast came from."
"Why do you say that?" Paltio asked, furrowing his brow as he tried to sense the movements.
Suddenly, two more identical creatures emerged from the ground. The three beasts began firing streams of boiling lava from their mouths, incinerating everything in their path. It was clear they would not stop for anything—or anyone.
"More trouble," Mok muttered, trying to get up from his makeshift bed. Though he had regained some strength after his battle with Aresus, he was still weak and barely able to move.
Geki and Lume exchanged glances, knowing there was no time to waste. Both animals decided to act, ready to protect their companions as the creatures advanced relentlessly, destroying everything in their path.
Geki began directing Paltio and his team with urgency. "Fall back! Go to where Mok is," he ordered as he summoned his own "FELICA FORM." In an instant, an enormous armored turtle emerged before them, imposing and protective.
"I'll cover you," Geki said with determination, his voice resonating with strength.
"Wow, that's huge!" Lucca exclaimed, impressed by Geki's transformation.
Rykaru, observing the scene with his big, curious eyes, couldn't help but get excited. "I want to try being a giant animal too," said the small cub covered in white fur.
"Relax, little one. If you grow any bigger, I won't be able to carry you anymore," Paltio responded with a warm smile.
"Not being carried by my daddy… I think I'll stay as I am," Rykaru said, resigned but content with his decision.
Meanwhile, Lukeandria glanced toward Lume, who was approaching the beasts resolutely. "Master Lume, what are you going to do?" she asked, surprised by his bravery.
"Well, my job, girl. Everyone else has pitched in, and I haven't yet," Lume replied firmly.
Suddenly, the Jurassic-like beasts continued spewing lava breath wherever they walked, heating up the ground and drawing dangerously close to Paltio's team. Lume, now near the creatures, shouted: "They're going down!" With that, he activated his "FELICA FORM." He transformed into a majestic three-tailed fox, nearly the same size as the beasts.
"Wow, that's Lume's form!" Lukeandria exclaimed, astonished.
"Show-off fox," Toco-Toco muttered, having returned to his normal form but bearing wounds from the previous attack.
"Two can play this game, enormous beasts," Lume said confidently. He began spinning his tails so fast they resembled helicopter blades. Suddenly, two exact copies of him appeared, glowing with the same energy as the original. "My real illusion magic allows me to create two identical versions of myself, with the same powers," the great green fox explained.
"We need to go help him," Paltio said, turning to Golden.
"Relax, that little fox has a few tricks up his sleeve. I'll let you know when it's time," Golden replied, carefully observing the scene.
"But we barely did anything in the fight against Aresus, and now against this beast, we have to do something," Paltio protested, visibly frustrated.
"Calm down, boy. In the last battle, you couldn't because your seed was trapped, and that worked against you. Now let Lume shine for us," Golden said calmly.
The three clones of Lume charged at the three lava Jurassic beasts, which roared furiously before them.
On Another Battlefield:
At once, Ariafilis's soldiers prepared to face the Vichus, grotesque vole-like creatures that lunged at them like possessed beings. Rodelos stepped forward, blocking the first attack with a powerful tackle. However, it wasn't enough. Twenty more Vichus surrounded the elderly warrior, baring their sharp fangs.
"I'll handle this. Go save the citizens," Rodelos ordered firmly.
"This might get ugly, even for Rodelos," Jock commented, concerned.
"You heard him: he'll distract them. You all go free and save the citizens," Ariafilis commanded, taking charge.
Upon hearing her, the soldiers decided to obey. They knew they weren't strong enough to face these creatures, so they focused on rescuing the imprisoned Reedalians.
The Vichus that Rodelos had tackled slowly rose, wiping the dark blood dripping from its mouth with a deformed claw. "Wow, these things really are resilient… This is going to be a bit tough," Rodelos murmured, his voice tinged with both admiration and concern.
Rodelos fought skillfully: dodging one, countering another. But the remaining Vichus didn't just stand by as spectators. In a coordinated move, the deformed creatures lunged at him from all directions. Despite his skill and strength, even the mighty golden lord knew he couldn't take on all twenty at once. Moreover, the beasts possessed supernatural strength that made them even more dangerous.
"Damn beasts, get off me!" Rodelos shouted as he struggled to free himself from the oppressive weight of the creatures pinning him down.
From a distance, Alita observed the scene with concern. "We need to help him, Nakia," she said, pointing toward where Rodelos was fighting desperately.
"Leave it to me," Chiki responded resolutely, transforming once again into his red wolf form. His fur glowed brightly as his size increased, ready for battle.
"If the master's going, so am I," Ron declared, summoning his armor. "Besides, the two of you need to conserve your strength to lift that wall of fire and clear our path to the exit."
"All right," Alita agreed, though her tone betrayed a hint of unease. "But be careful," she added, looking at Ron as he nodded firmly.
"Don't worry, I will," Ron replied before running toward the fray.
Chiki, wasting no time, glanced at Ron with a mischievous smile. "Well then, boy, let's see if you're as strong as you think after my training."
Ron shot him a sidelong glance. "I already showed you when I fought that thing Godar turned into."
"You think that's strength? Then you're even more foolish than I thought," Chiki retorted sarcastically as he sprinted toward the Vichus.
"What does this dog think? That I'm someone he can push around… He'll never stop nagging me if I don't prove myself now," Ron muttered to himself as he ran.
Both charged toward the battlefield, ready to confront the creatures threatening Rodelos.