"You three, stay outside the house," Azik said. "I'll draw it out. Once it comes outside, you try to kill it."
They all nodded as Azik finished speaking.
"I can form a sword of fire with my power," Lucius said, looking at him.
"You can do whatever you want," Azik replied. "Just don't die."
With that, Azik moved swiftly toward the monster. But before he could reach it, the Mindreaver attacked. It stretched out its left arm, lunging toward Azik's head at terrifying speed.
Azik bent backward, narrowly dodging the strike.
The attack missed.
He shifted sideways, leapt forward, and kicked straight at the Mindreaver's head--but the blow did nothing. His foot sank into its face as if striking wet earth.
Azik's eyes widened. In an instant, he jumped back, keeping his distance.
Is it made of mud? Azik thought as he steadied himself. This is going to be fun.
Azik smiled slightly, looking at the Mindreaver.
This time, he kicked a nearby wooden table. It broke apart instantly, wooden fragments scattering across the floor.
He bent down, picked up a broken piece, and hurled it at the Mindreaver. Then another. And another.
Each piece sank into the Mindreaver's body.
The creature shuddered. Its body twisted, and suddenly, every wooden shard was forced out, clattering onto the ground. Without slowing, the Mindreaver surged toward Azik.
"Qkdqd!" it screamed as it charged.
The floor turned brown beneath its steps, as though decay spread wherever it moved.
"Are you getting angry?" Azik said, his voice calm, almost mocking.
He turned and ran outside the house, drawing it outside.
When Aziel and the others saw him approaching, they immediately understood—the Mindreaver was coming out.
They exchanged quick looks and nodded.
They raised their guns and aimed at the gate.
The moment the Mindreaver stepped outside, bullets flew.
This time, it worked.
As the bullets struck, the Mindreaver screamed.
It's working… Aziel thought.
But there was something that Aziel did not see.
"Something is wrong!" Lucius shouted, alerting everyone.
As Lucius screamed, Aziel turned toward the Mindreaver--and something felt wrong.
The bullets were damaging its body, but still… something was off.
"Dodge!" Azik shouted.
No one hesitated. Everyone moved at once as a lot of bullets shot past them, narrowly missing their bodies.
The Mindreaver's flesh rippled--and then it ejected every bullet that had struck it. Bluish blood seeped from the wounds where the shots had landed.
What the hell is that thing? Aziel thought as he rolled into a new position.
Is it really made of mud… or is there something else I'm missing? Azik wondered, watching from the side.
Can it be…?
Azik's eyes widened.
"Everyone, listen!" he shouted. "This Mindreaver can change its body like rubber. Keep your distance and shoot!"
All three of them nodded and scattered.
The Mindreaver stretched both its arms, whipping them toward Aziel and Emilia.
It's fast. Both Emilia and Aziel thought.
Both of them leapt aside just in time. The attack missed them by inches.
That was close… Aziel thought, heart pounding.
As Aziel pushed himself up, he saw Lucius charging straight toward the Mindreaver.
What is he trying to…?
Before Aziel could finish the thought, Lucius raised his hand and shouted,
"Depths of hell--grant me the burning sword!"
Dense black smoke burst into existence around Lucius's hand. It radiating intense heat that Aziel could feel even from a distance.
Slowly… very slowly… something began to take shape within the smoke.
A sword appeared in his hand.
The sword bore a razor-sharp blade, flames crawling along its edge as if the metal itself were burning. Its golden hilt gleamed warmly, etched with faint runes that pulsed like embers, as though the fire answered to the wielder's imagination.
"Ignivar," Lucius declared, pointing the sword at the Mindreaver.
He surged forward, aiming straight for its head-
But then the Mindreaver vanished.
Lucius's instinct screamed.
Behind.
"Lucius!" Aziel shouted, sprinting toward him.
But-
Lucius's vision blurred. The world spun, and the next moment he was staring up at the sky.
He was on the ground.
Am I… dying? he thought.
"Oh. That was close," Azik said calmly.
Lucius turned his head. Azik was standing beside him, having dragged him far away from the Mindreaver.
"You almost lost your head, kid," Azik added.
What just happened? Aziel thought. I didn't even see it.
The house's door lay shattered, torn apart by the Mindreaver's attack.
Azik stood a few meters ahead, facing the creature.
"Don't die on me you all." Azik said with calm voice. "And don't worry until I am here, that won't happen."
Aziel looked at Azik.
Azik's hairs covered his eyes and a iron rod in his hand.
The Mindreaver roared and leapt at him and in the next instant, a massive iron bar flew from nowhere, slamming into the creature and hurling it across the road.
What was that? Where did it come from? Aziel thought.
Before he could ask..
"Finish it," Azik said, stepping back. "After all, this is your training."
Aziel and everyone there understood what was happening and started to shoot again at the Mindreaver.
Emilia moved closer, steadying her aim.
She fired.
The bullet struck the Mindreaver's head.
It screamed in pain and charged at her.
She ran, darting into a narrow passage between houses.
The Mindreaver followed her in fury--but the alley was too tight. Its body jammed against the walls, flesh stretching and tearing as it struggled forward.
At the other end of the passage, Emilia turned.
She aimed at its head and smiled.
"Got you."
She fired.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The Mindreaver went still. Its head tore free, and the rest of its body collapsed to the ground.
"It's over," Emilia said, turning around.
I really killed it.
I can't wait to show that idiot…
But before she could think of other things….
"Emilia! It's not over!" Azik shouted from the other street.
Her smile vanished.
She turned back and a massive hand filled her vision.
I can't dodge it.