Weakness Exposed

The battle continued in a flurry of dust and broken earth as Atomic Samurai's blade sliced cleanly through the creature's thick, alien flesh. With a single fluid motion, he severed the grotesque limbs one by one, his strikes so precise that chunks of Melzargard's body fell to the ground in rapid succession, littering the battlefield with pieces of the alien menace. Azar watched with a smirk, silently admiring the swordsman's technique; it was ruthless and methodical.

But the severed pieces did not stay scattered for long. Each chunk of Melzargard's body began to writhe and pulsate, melding and merging back together with shocking speed. A few seconds later, Melzargard stood whole and unscathed, as if Atomic Samurai's attacks had merely been a warm-up exercise.

The heroes exchanged grim glances, realizing the alien's regeneration wasn't merely impressive—it was potentially unstoppable.

"That's irritating," Atomic Samurai muttered, his eyes narrowing as he clenched his sword tighter. He adjusted his stance, clearly strategizing his next approach.

Azar didn't waste any time, either. Stepping forward, he allowed his Devouring Fist technique to activate, feeling the faint tugging sensation as he siphoned small fragments of energy from Melzargard. It wasn't much—barely a sliver of the alien's strength—but it was enough to tell him that the creature's power was vast, and Melzargard didn't seem to notice the siphoning at all.

As the battle raged on, Azar's strikes became increasingly targeted, his fists landing with pinpoint accuracy, absorbing tiny increments of power each time. The sensation was faint, like droplets of water from a waterfall, but he pressed on, feeling the power trickling into him bit by bit. Yet, Melzargard's overwhelming vitality made the siphoning seem minuscule, almost negligible. If anything, the alien appeared irritated more than anything else by Azar's attacks, swatting at him with each regeneration as though he were nothing more than a persistent fly.

But through each strike, Azar started to notice something peculiar. Every time he siphoned even the smallest fragment of energy, it seemed to originate from one specific spot within Melzargard's body. It wasn't a single location, but rather tiny, scattered sources spread throughout the alien's mass. They were no larger than marbles, but each one radiated an unusual energy, distinct from the rest of Melzargard's body.

Azar's eyes narrowed as he delivered a final punch, feeling the same pinpointed pull from a bead buried deep within the alien's chest. A realization struck him: these beads weren't just random; they were essential. Each bead seemed to be a nucleus of energy—perhaps the very core of Melzargard's regeneration ability.

Azar backed off, wiping sweat from his brow, and turned to Atomic Samurai, Bang, and the others. "I think I've found something," he called out, his voice cutting through the sounds of battle. The heroes turned, giving him their full attention.

"Those beads," he said, pointing to Melzargard's chest where he'd felt the last energy source. "There are tiny beads scattered throughout its body. Every time it regenerates, I'm sensing the energy coming from those spots."

Bang's sharp gaze flickered with understanding. "So, if we destroy those…"

"…it might stop its healing altogether," Azar finished with a nod.

Metal Bat grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Finally, a way to kill this thing for good."

Atomic Samurai adjusted his grip on his blade, his eyes glinting with renewed determination. "So all we have to do is find and destroy these beads, then?"

With the new strategy in mind, the heroes reoriented themselves, each of them now focusing on exposing and destroying the beads that powered Melzargard's regenerative abilities. The alien, sensing their intent, let out a furious roar, its many eyes flashing with rage. It lunged forward with renewed aggression, its movements wild and unpredictable as it tried to protect its vulnerable cores.

Azar and the heroes dodged and parried, each of them working together in an intricate dance of strikes and feints, aiming to unearth the alien's hidden weaknesses. Azar's Devouring Fist strikes targeted each bead as he found them, trying to draw out any remaining power to weaken the creature further. The others struck with precise, devastating blows, relentlessly tearing apart Melzargard's outer defenses.

For the first time since the battle began, Melzargard was on the defensive, backing away as the heroes closed in with their newfound plan. The alien's furious roars echoed across the wasteland that was once City A, each defiant howl a testament to the terrifying strength of the monster they faced.

But Azar and the others pressed on, undeterred, as they prepared to shatter the last of Melzargard's regenerative power once and for all.