The ground pulsed again.
THUMP.
Venom moved like a living thing, spreading, reacting, breathing with her.
Corjaudo stood still.
Watching.
Not panicking this time.
"…Keep fighting," he said. "…I'll find a way."
Kaito dodged a spike. "You better."
Jenres smirked. "Don't die while thinking."
"I'm trying not to!"
Naosu stepped forward slowly, her breathing uneven.
"…You're still resisting…"
Venom dripped from her hand.
ssssss—
"…Why?"
"Because you're wrong," Kaito replied.
She flinched slightly.
"…No…"
Her voice trembled.
"…I'm close…"
Another pulse.
THUUUUMMMP—
The ground erupted again.
"Move!" Daigo shouted.
They scattered.
But this time—
they weren't panicking.
They were adapting.
Corjaudo's eyes locked on her arm.
"…There…"
Pulse.
Reaction.
Delay.
"…Yeah…"
He clenched his fist.
"…That's it."
"Jenres!"
She looked back mid-motion. "What?"
"…Charge her."
A pause.
"…Oh?"
"…Don't get hit. Just keep her focused."
She grinned.
"Now that sounds fun."
She moved.
Fast.
Straight at Naosu.
"Hey," she called out. "Look at me."
Naosu's eyes snapped toward her.
Focus shifted.
Venom surged instantly toward Jenres.
SHHHHH—
She dodged.
Slipped.
Twisted.
Every movement clean.
"Yeah…that's right…" she smirked. "Focus on me."
"Shizuma," Corjaudo said quietly.
That was enough.
Shizuma moved.
Silent.
Precise.
He stepped in exactly between the pulse.
The venom rose—
then stopped.
For a fraction of a second.
That gap—
was all he needed.
"…Mute Lament."
SHHK—
A clean slash.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
Naosu froze.
Her arm—
fell.
thud.
Silence.
"…What…?" she whispered.
Venom burst from the cut.
But—
the ground reacted differently this time.
It weakened.
ssssss—
The control was breaking.
Corjaudo exhaled. "…That's it…"
Kaito smirked. "Nice."
Daigo stepped forward.
This time—
not reckless.
Controlled.
Focused.
He dashed.
Closed the distance instantly.
Naosu tried to react—
too slow.
"…Duel God."
His fist pulled back.
"…Shot."
BOOOOM—
The hit landed directly on her chest.
Shockwave exploded outward.
Naosu's body snapped back, crashing to the ground.
The venom field weakened further.
The ground began returning to normal.
Arai moved.
Calm.
Sharp.
Her eyes locked on her target.
"…There."
Naosu tried to rise.
Her breathing was broken.
Her chest unstable.
She coughed.
Blood spilled.
Arai stepped in.
Rabubaga shifted in her hand.
One clean motion.
SHHK—
The blade pierced through her chest.
Straight.
Precise.
Naosu dropped to her knees.
"…cough…cough…"
Blood fell from her lips.
Her body trembled.
Silence.
"…I was…" she whispered.
"…so close…"
Shizuma stepped forward.
"…No."
She laughed weakly.
"…Just…a little more…"
Her eyes blurred.
"…I almost fixed them…"
Jenres crossed her arms. "You destroyed them."
Naosu didn't reply.
Her head dropped.
For a moment—
it looked like she accepted it.
Then—
her fingers twitched.
Corjaudo's expression changed instantly.
"…Wait…"
Something felt wrong.
The venom didn't disappear.
It stayed.
Naosu's voice came out weak—
but clear.
"…If my body fails…"
A pause.
Her grip tightened.
"…then I don't need it…"
Corjaudo's eyes widened.
"…NO—"
Too late.
SHHHHHHH—
The venom rushed back.
Not outward.
Inward.
Covering her.
Consuming her.
Kaito stepped back. "…What is she doing?"
Arai's voice dropped. "…She's fusing…"
Daigo clenched his fist. "…So this isn't over…"
Naosu's voice echoed.
Distorted.
Breaking.
"…Final technique…"
A pause.
The venom swallowed her completely.
"…Funeral Requiem."
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Three.
The ground trembled.
THUUUUUUUUMMMMP—
The venom exploded upward.
Massive.
Violent.
Uncontrolled.
A shape formed.
Huge.
Twisting.
Alive.
Kaito stared. "…You've got to be kidding me."
Jenres smiled slowly. "Now this is interesting."
Corjaudo didn't panic.
Not this time.
He stared.
Analyzing.
"…I knew it…" he whispered.
The creature fully formed.
A monstrous body of venom.
Breathing.
Watching.
Corjaudo exhaled slowly.
"…This was always her end."
A pause.
A small, confident smile.
"…And I know how it ends too."
Shizuma stepped forward.
"…Then don't miss."
The monster moved.
The ground cracked beneath it.
The air burned.
And this time—
they weren't fighting a human.
They were fighting what she became.