Ellen's tail drooped weakly, falling into Phaga's arms.
Phaga froze, his gaze following the tail as it traced up Ellen's trembling spine. He saw her entire face buried in the back of the driver's seat, tearing a gaping hole that spilled stuffing everywhere.
Seeing this, Phaga hesitated before patting her shoulder. "You okay?"
Ellen gave no response.
Phaga frowned, debating whether to check further, when Ellen suddenly exploded upward—as if the cotton tangled in her hair had turned into pure resentment.
Thud!
Snapping awake, Ellen slammed her hand against the back of the driver's seat, her pale fingers gripping so hard that the steel frame groaned and warped.
A cold chill swept over Ruby's nape. An icy glare bore down on her as Ellen's grip made the seat creak in protest.
Ellen definitely wasn't in the best of moods after being woken.
But before she could lash out, Ruby—without even pulling the handbrake—leaned forward, discreetly pressing Ellen's hand down as she whispered urgently:
"Quick, Ellen! Some huge monster just appeared—take it down! It stopped our car!"
A huge one?
Ellen lifted her head impatiently, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the Ethereal blocking the road. She muttered, "Thanatos?"
It was a humanoid Ethereal with pale skin. Spinal bones jutted from its shoulders like a flower, protecting its core. Its missing left arm seemed almost like nature's pity, while its remaining right arm had morphed into a double-edged blade.
Thanatos, better known as Flash Guy—scum among scum, infamous for unpredictable attacks.
A Cataclysm-class Ethereal, deadly to rookies at first encounter. Most Hollow raiders dreaming of a quick payday ended up brutally schooled by him. Even veterans would rather avoid him if they could.
Now, Thanatos had already spotted the three vehicles. He instantly blinked forward and slashed the SUV's tire.
If not for the Class President's skill—keeping straight and hitting the brakes instead of swerving—they would have flipped.
A little less luck, and the fuel tank might've blown.
With the SUV disabled, the van tried to ram him head-on. But Flash Guy flickered out of sight at the last moment.
By the time the van roared past, he had reappeared in place.
[Buzz!]
Ethereals couldn't speak, but their cores sometimes flashed with light.
The yellow glow pulsing from Thanatos's core now could only mean one thing: mocking the bus passengers, daring them to come at him.
"So annoying."
Ellen cursed under her breath. Before Phaga could even react, she had already leapt straight out the window.
"Tsk."
Phaga clicked his tongue and followed, vaulting out after her.
Landing on the ground, he whipped up his parasol and fired.
The flame-charged bullet tore through the air with explosive speed. Even Flash Guy was caught off guard—struck square in the chest, he staggered back clutching at his core.
That stumble was all Ellen needed. She sprinted forward, instantly entering [Roaming Hunt] mode. Her speed doubled, and in seconds she was on him.
She leapt, her slim waist snapping with sudden strength, and her little leather shoe smashed into his torso with a kick.
Thanatos's midsection caved inward. If it were human, it would already be on its knees, incapacitated.
But it wasn't human. Ellen's tail whipped in next, lashing across his Ethereal core with all the fury of being dragged out of sleep.
Smack!
With a resounding crash, Thanatos was hurled sideways, smashing into the shutter of a nearby shop. The door caved in deep, leaving a massive dent under the stunned stares of everyone in the bus.
Phaga deactivated sniper mode. Looked like Ellen didn't need help.
He opened his parasol against the afternoon sun and walked toward the SUV crumpled against a utility pole.
In moments, he arrived, smashing the window with a fist and reaching in to unlock the door. Inside, the Class President lay unconscious against the airbag.
Phaga checked the passenger seat too—his classmate was also out cold, blood trickling down his forehead.
"Sigh."
Phaga exhaled, climbed in, and unbuckled both their seatbelts. He looked around, hoping to find help.
But the only one still bursting with energy was Ellen, chasing Thanatos down.
Even unarmed, she clearly outclassed him. Stronger, faster—each punch and lash of her tail left him staggering.
Her long battle experience let her dodge his blade swings instinctively, countering with punishing tail strikes as if to scold him for daring to resist.
Ellen pressed the attack even harder.
A punching bag, and it still dared fight back!
But as a Cataclysm, Thanatos wasn't helpless. His deadliest technique was the Flash Triple Slash.
One blade came from behind. Ellen ducked low, planted her hands, rolled forward, and struck back with her tail.
Another slash swept in from the front. She sidestepped, closed in, punched, then whipped her tail across him again.
The last strike carried all his desperation—his core flared orange-yellow, the blade shrieking through the air.
But Ellen slipped past with ease and lashed her tail across his core again.
Thanatos collapsed, pinned under Ellen's furious blows.
Phaga gave a slight nod.
So it was true—wake Ellen from sleep, and she'd unleash hell.
He turned away, deciding not to call her over. Interrupting her now would only invite disaster.
Instead, his gaze shifted to the wrecked van. The two classmates had already gotten out. Their failed charge had ended in a guardrail crash, totaling the vehicle—but at least they escaped with only minor injuries.
"Over here, give me a hand!"
Phaga barked, waving them over.
The two hurried up. "What is it, bro Phaga?"
Ignoring the random "bro" they'd added, Phaga handed them the unconscious Class President and his navigator. "Get them back to the bus."
"Got it!"
They quickly slung the two over their shoulders and hurried off.
Phaga, meanwhile, walked up behind Ellen.
She was so caught up pounding Thanatos that she hadn't noticed him approach. Her rage at being woken had her hammering him mercilessly—but still without landing the finishing blow.
Phaga shook his head, lowered the parasol, and drove its tip into Thanatos's core.
Crack!
Bang!
He pulled the trigger, shredding the Ethereal core into pulp.
Thanatos dissolved instantly into glowing Ether dust, fading into the air.
Ellen whipped her head around, glaring at Phaga with cold irritation.
"One elite monster, and you're already this worked up? Can a Thiren's Sharkian body really handle burning that much energy?"
Phaga's sudden jab snuffed out most of Ellen's anger. She lowered her head, still grumbling but sneaking glances at him to see his reaction.
When Phaga tilted his chin in a silent rebuke, Ellen swallowed her temper and followed him back toward the bus.
As soon as they boarded, Phaga said flatly, "Bad news—the other two vehicles are totaled. From here on, the bus is on its own."