"RUN!"
Abhimanyu's voice echoed through the jungle.
The beast roared and released another wave of blue energy.
The attack rushed toward the group like a massive flood.
Everyone scattered in different directions.
"Move!"
"Get out of the way!"
"Watch your left!"
The jungle erupted into chaos.
The strange blue energy struck the ground, tearing through trees and sending branches flying in every direction. The force of the attack was unlike anything they had ever faced.
Aditya, Manan, Li Wei, Yuna, and Aanya finally joined the others.
"We can't just stand back!" Aditya shouted.
He grabbed another bomb.
"We have to fight!"
The others nodded.
The group rushed forward.
But the monster was far stronger than they had expected.
Aditya threw another bomb.
BOOOM!
The explosion struck the beast's body.
The monster staggered.
But it didn't fall.
Instead, it turned its terrifying eyes toward them.
A blue glow gathered around its claws. The monster swung its massive arm.
A wave of blue energy exploded outward.
The group scattered again.
Aanya tried to move away, but she was too slow.
"Aanya!"
Abhimanyu saw the attack coming.
Without thinking, he rushed toward her.
"Get down!"
He threw himself between Aanya and the attack.
The blue energy slammed directly into him.
BOOOOOOM!
"ABHIMANYU!"
Aanya screamed.
Abhimanyu's body was thrown through the air.
He crashed violently into the ground.
For a moment, everything became silent.
"Abhimanyu..."
Aanya stared at him in horror.
He didn't move.
Blood covered his injured body.
He looked so badly hurt that, for a terrifying moment, Aanya thought he was dead.
"No..."
She rushed toward him.
"Abhimanyu!"
She fell beside him and desperately tried to wake him.
"Please... wake up!"
But Abhimanyu remained unconscious.
Tears filled Aanya's eyes.
"Why did you do that?"
Her voice trembled.
"You idiot..."
The monster roared again.
Aarav suddenly shouted.
"AANYA! MOVE!"
She looked up.
The monster was already attacking again.
Aarav rushed forward.
But the beast was too fast.
A powerful blue attack struck him.
Aarav tried to defend himself.
The impact was overwhelming.
He was thrown backward.
"AARAV!"
He landed heavily on the ground.
When the others looked at him, they froze.
His left arm had been severely injured.
"Aarav!"
Ravi rushed toward him.
"Are you okay?"
Aarav gritted his teeth.
"Do I look okay?"
Despite his pain, he still tried to smile.
"Don't worry about me."
"Just focus on that thing."
The monster continued advancing.
The group tried everything.
They attacked with whatever weapons they had.
They threw stones.
They used fire.
They used the remaining bombs.
But nothing worked.
One bomb exploded near the beast's legs.
Another struck its side.
The final bomb was thrown directly toward its chest.
BOOOOM!
Smoke covered the battlefield.
Everyone waited.
But once again...
The monster emerged from the smoke.
Still standing.
Still alive.
Still angry.
The group slowly realized the truth.
They had used all their bombs.
They had no more weapons.
Abhimanyu was unconscious.
Aarav was badly injured.
Everyone else was exhausted.
The monster was still standing.
And it was getting closer.
Ravi stared at the beast.
For the first time, there was no joke on his face.
"So..."
Everyone looked at him.
Ravi gave a tired smile.
"Anyone regret anything?"
Nobody answered.
Ravi looked around.
"Anyone want to say something before we die?"
Javier suddenly raised his hand slightly.
"Actually, yeah."
Everyone turned toward him.
"I have something to say."
Aarav, still struggling with his injuries, looked at him.
"Me too."
Ravi blinked.
"Really?"
"What is it?"
Javier and Aarav looked at each other.
Then they both answered at the same time.
"Shut your bullshit."
Ravi stared at them.
"...Wow."
He placed a hand against his chest.
"I was expecting something emotional."
Javier shrugged.
"You asked for honesty."
For a brief moment, nobody spoke.
Then, despite everything...
A few people almost laughed.
It was strange.
They were surrounded by danger.
Their leader was unconscious.
Their friend was badly injured.
And a monster was preparing to kill them.
Yet somehow, that small exchange reminded them that they were still together.
They hadn't given up.
Not yet.
The monster suddenly roared.
Its blue energy began gathering again.
Everyone turned toward it.
"Here it comes..."
Hana stepped backward.
"Everyone..."
The beast raised its massive arm.
Its attention shifted toward Hana.
"Hana!"
The monster suddenly charged.
Hana froze.
She couldn't move.
The beast was already in front of her.
Its massive claws were raised.
And then—
A strange light flickered deep within the jungle.
Everyone froze.
"What...?"
Something moved.
A small object shot through the darkness.
It was too fast for anyone to see clearly.
A steel blade.
The weapon flew directly toward the monster.
The beast didn't even notice it.
The blade struck its head and comes out with a small blue ball with 1 line.
THUD!
Everything stopped.
The monster froze.
Hana stared at the creature in disbelief.
The blade had pierced directly through its head.
Then something strange happened.
The weapon began to glow.
A faint blue light surrounded the blade.
At its center was a small blue core with a single line running through it.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The monster's enormous body slowly began to tremble.
Its eyes flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the blue light inside them disappeared.
The beast collapsed.
BOOOOOOM!
The ground shook as its massive body crashed into the jungle floor.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Everyone stared.
The monster...
Was dead.
Nobody could believe it.
Ravi slowly opened his mouth.
"Did..."
He looked at the others.
"Did we just..."
He pointed toward the dead monster.
"Did someone else just kill that thing?"
No one answered.
Aarav, still injured, stared at the blade.
"Where did that come from?"
Abhimanyu remained unconscious on the ground.
Aanya was still beside him.
The others slowly looked toward the jungle.
The blade had come from somewhere deep within the trees.
But there was no sign of anyone.
No footsteps.
No voice.
Nothing.
Only the faint rustling of leaves.
Li Wei swallowed nervously.
"Someone is there."
Everyone immediately turned toward the jungle.
Aditya raised his weapon.
"Who?"
No answer came.
The jungle remained completely silent.
Then...
The blade disappeared.
It vanished into the darkness as if it had never existed.
Everyone stood frozen.
They had come to this world believing that the monsters were the greatest danger.
But now they had learned something else.
Something—or someone—had been watching them.
And whatever had thrown that blade...
Was powerful enough to kill a monster that their entire group couldn't defeat.
Aanya looked down at Abhimanyu.
Then she slowly looked toward the dark jungle.
"Who are you?"
The jungle gave no answer.
Only the wind moved through the trees.
And somewhere far beyond their sight...
Something was watching.
— End —