Stubborn

--- Ren's POV ---

As I fought against their minions, I couldn't help but notice a peculiar way they addressed each other – by numbers. It seemed to correlate with their individual strength, with "Eight" being weaker than "Seven." It was an unusual system, but I had no time to dwell on it in the midst of battle.

Their abilities were equally perplexing. They possessed a dark power that covered any injuries and swiftly healed them, making it difficult to take them down. The only surefire ways to kill them were to sever their heads or destroy their hearts. But in a battle where adversaries were on equal footing, executing such precise and overwhelming moves would prove problematic.

As I fought, my senses, augmented by Lucy's capabilities, indicated that none of them exceeded level 5. However, I witnessed Finn, who was on the verge of reaching level 7, struggling against Three, a level 4. It defied conventional logic and left us all perplexed.

But time was not on our side, and we had no luxury to leisurely ponder this enigma.

Amidst the chaos, I stole glances at the other adventurers fighting alongside us – particularly at Ais. My concern for her was evident, but I knew she was a formidable warrior. She could handle herself, even against these mysterious adversaries.

"...She was clearly not this strong when we first clashed..."

Finn's words broke my train of thought, and I could only nod in agreement. It seemed they could strengthen themselves using some strange power.

[Situation Recorded, Analysis...]

I doubted Lucy's analysis would yield immediate answers, but I hoped her abilities, coupled with some reference, might offer insight into the situation.

Their powers were reminiscent of what Malachi had done to the monsters, but it still didn't make sense. How could they disregard the laws of this world so effortlessly? It was a puzzle I was determined to solve, but for now, all I could focus on was the battle at hand. The answers would have to wait until after this crisis was dealt with-

"Did you think I was dead?"

The atmosphere turned tense, and a bone-chilling silence enveloped us as those haunting words echoed through the air, causing a shiver to run down my spine. It was as if time had frozen.

The hole I had torn in Three's chest began to pulsate with an eerie darkness, and an ominous aura surrounded her lifeless body. It was as if a malevolent force had taken hold of her, defying the laws of nature.

Her limbs twitched, and her body convulsed as the dark power surged within her. The wounds that I had inflicted earlier started to knit themselves back together, healing at an unnatural speed. My heart raced with both shock and horror, unable to comprehend the unnatural resurrection unfolding before my eyes.

The black energy seemed to breathe life back into her, animating her body like a sinister puppeteer. Her eyes, once empty and lifeless, flickered with a malevolent light as she turned her gaze toward us.

It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie, and both Finn and I turned to face the source of that chilling voice.

My confusion was written all over my face as I stared at the heart I had ripped from her chest, now intact once more. To test it out, I clenched her heart tightly until it exploded from the sheer pressure, expecting some kind of reaction from her. But she merely smiled

"I shall bring him with me before my death,"

Her words were cryptic, and her finger pointed firmly at Finn, leaving me wondering what her intentions were. Ignoring my presence, she directed her sword towards Finn, poised to strike him down. Was she completely oblivious to the threat I posed?

As her sword bore down on Finn, a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my instincts took over. In a split second, I made a choice – I eschewed my own weapon and met her attack head-on with a powerful punch. The clash was thunderous, a deafening boom echoing across the battleground as our opposing forces collided.

The sheer impact of our confrontation sent shockwaves rippling through the air, causing the ground beneath us to tremble. The sound was nothing short of ear-splitting, a cacophony of power and force that reverberated through the entire area.

In that intense moment of collision, her sword shattered into countless fragments, scattering like dark stars across the sky. But that was not all – the sheer force of the blow severed half of her arm, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The severed limb exploded into a burst of dark energy, adding to the surreal display of chaos.

Amidst the debris and dust, the battlefield seemed to transform into a scene from a nightmare. Yet, despite the devastation, she remained unfazed, her eyes fixated on Finn with an unnerving intensity. It was as if the loss of her arm meant nothing to her as if she were an entity devoid of pain or fear.

"Impressive," I muttered, my mind buzzing with questions.

Intrigued by the enigmatic figure before me, I reacted on instinct, seizing her throat firmly in my grip. The dark aura that surrounded her only heightened my curiosity, and I allowed Lucy to analyze her as well, hoping to glean any insight into her mysterious abilities.

She attempted to break free by biting me, a desperate struggle to escape my hold. But her efforts were futile. It was evident there were limits to her sudden strengthening. At least, she could not grow strong enough to be worth something in my eyes.

Yet, it was not important, as her goal was seemingly to end Finn's life at any cost...

I found myself grappling with the unknown. Yet, I couldn't afford to be distracted for too long. The battleground around us was still alive with the sounds of battle, and Finn's safety was of utmost importance.

Suddenly, she stopped attempting to free herself.

With a gut feeling that something was amiss, I made a snap decision and hurled her high into the air.

The momentum of her ascent was powerful, and her figure stood out starkly against the backdrop of the sky. It was like witnessing a dark comet soaring through space.

Then, in a mesmerizing display of power, her body exploded with an otherworldly force that made everyone stop fighting for a moment. The shockwave radiated outwards in a crescendo of chaotic energy, an iridescent maelstrom of colors that rippled and danced through the atmosphere. It was a spectacle that defied comprehension as if the very fabric of space itself was contorting and reshaping.

The explosion painted the sky with hues of deep violet and ominous indigo, a manifestation of the malevolence she wielded. The air itself seemed to wail in protest, unleashing a deafening sound that reverberated through the battlefield like a thousand wailing banshees. The sound was almost too much to bear, a symphony of destruction that threatened to consume all in its path.

The shockwave expanded rapidly, engulfing the surrounding area in a violent whirlwind. Trees were uprooted and scattered like mere leaves, and rocks were thrown into the air with a force that defied gravity. Dust and debris filled the atmosphere, creating a haze of chaos that obscured the world around us.

In the midst of this tempest, I held my ground, shielding my eyes from the blinding brilliance of the explosion. The sheer power she displayed in her death throes was staggering, far beyond what her physical form should have been capable of. It was as if she tapped into an abyssal well of dark energy, drawing upon forces beyond mortal comprehension.

As the explosion subsided and the dust settled, I scanned the area, my senses on high alert. The aftermath of the blast left a desolate landscape in its wake, but there was no time to dwell on the destruction; the battle had to continue.

"The situation is dire, Finn. Return to the healing area for treatment. I will protect the rest of the Loki Familia members."