Oh!
If they're undead, then I have to find a way to keep them from moving. Undead usually have mana cores to destroy. The Blaze Hounds don't have one, meaning that I need to destroy something else. Something else like...
As one of the hounds pounced at me, I dodged to the side and sliced its skull mask in two. Then, the flames dissipated and the bones toppled to the ground.
"The mask! Destroy their skull masks!"
I told them.
They proceeded to do what I said.
Kuro went from one hound to another, destroying their masks with a single punch. Kaguya cast a spell, creating a blade of flames, she slashed the masks while Emika used Water Blade to slice the masks.
"Seems like you do have a brain in there."
The blonde-haired girl commented.
Is her sole purpose in this team just to insult me at any given time?!
"That wasn't too hard. D+ beasts for what?"
Kaguya began boasting.
Is this really a bad habit of hers or...?
An aggressive roar broke me out of my thoughts. The roar echoed throughout the molten cave. It came from deeper within.
I nervously smiled.
"That must be one big Crimson Panther."
We ran toward the source of the roar. It took around 3 minutes but we finally reached the boss room.
On the way, we did face a few Blaze Hounds but once you know the trick to defeating them, it's as easy as pie.
Though, this boss is... definitely not as easy as pie. The size itself was enough to make me slightly nervous.
It was a red panther with yellow eyes. However, it was as big as an elephant, if not slightly bigger.
I'm sure I could defeat it by myself but there's no point in a team if I do all of the work.
"Uh... Is it just me or is that panther growling at me?"
Kuro suggested, pointing at the beast with her jet-black cat claws.
Yeah, it, in fact, was growling at Kuro. The Crimson Panther was slobbering as it edged closer to Kuro in specific.
Abruptly, the panther jumped away when a Water Bullet was fired at it.
Is it that afraid of Water Magic? Well, it's not like it's that surprising.
The panther's cheek and chest swelled as it lifted its head.
That motion it made reminded me of a dragon getting ready to breathe fire. With its size, I can dodge but I can't say the same for the rest of them.
"Kaguya! Give us a large--"
I shouted at her but she already moved in front of the group.
"Already on it! Give birth to catastrophe; Infernal Whirlwind!"
At the same time, the Crimson Panther and Kaguya both released Flame spells. They collided, pushing against each other. It seemed like an even match.
What I noticed about Kaguya's flames is that they were closer to red than the flickering orange of normal flames.
"Emika!"
I called out to her.
She nodded at me and practically read my mind.
"God, accept this prayer and give my ambitions form; Cross of Light!"
Above the clash of flame tornados, a light cross appeared. As she swung her arm down, it pierced the panther's back. Its tailbone.
As it was stabbed, its spell dissipated and it was driven into the wall by Kaguya's Infernal Whirlwind.
Guess I should get ready for my part.
The Crimson Panther got out of the crater in the wall and was ready to pounce once more.
"Ms. Frister, you can do something about this, right? This shouldn't change anything too much."
I asked her.
The girl looked over at me and sighed.
"I guess not."
Ms. Frister laid out her hand.
Once the Crimson Panther moved, it stopped, almost like something was holding it. The beast continued flinching as it tried to break out of Ms. Frister's hold.
Her magic ability is scary...
"My turn~!"
Kuro didn't even waste a single moment.
"Time to test out my new form."
"New form?"
I repeated.
My eyes widened as I saw black smoke, shadows, come off of Kuro's cat features. The shadows became stronger and so did her cat hands and ears. Her ears elongated, like a fox's, and a black halo formed above her head. Three lines appeared on each cheek and her irises become narrower.
She could have fooled me. I wouldn't have believed that girl in front of me was Kuro if I hadn't seen it.
"Nyx."
Nyx? That's an interesting name.
Wait, hasn't she tested this form yet?
"Looks like I don't need to hold it any longer."
Ms. Frister said, releasing her tense hand position.
As the beast rushed forward, escaping from the girl's control, rushed towards the group.
Kuro walked towards the Crimson Panther as it ran. She had her hands out.
What could she be planning to--?
"Foul beast, you must prostrate yourself in front of a higher being."
She pointed one of her claws at the Crimson Beast. As she lowered it, shadow hands formed and began strangling the beast.
The panther randomly breathed fire as it attempted to escape the shadow hands' grasp.
What's with her change of speech? Kuro would never talk like that. Meaning that someone or something is possessing her. Kind of like my exchange with Altair...
"Still running rampant? Then, I shall put you out of your misery, you poor beast."
It seemed like she was looking at the panther with sympathy.
After she created a fist, the hands snapped the Crimson Panther's neck and the corpse dropped, motionless.
"Ah,"
Kuro--or whoever controlling her--sighed.
"If only beasts were as gentle as they were in past times..."
I felt my hands shaking. No, I wasn't the one feeling fear. It wasn't Altair, inside my consciousness, either. It was the weapons in my hand.
Erebus. I never thought my weapons had a consciousness but... Erebus is definitely afraid. Afraid of whoever is controlling Kuro.
"Kuroha, no, you're not her. Who are you?"
Kaguya seemed to ask the question for all of us.
The being inside Kuro's body looked back at us and smirked.
"Me? I am a daughter of Khaos. I am Nyx, Personification of the Night."
Nyx then looked over at me, more specifically, at the daggers in my hands.
"I'm also the sister of those daggers you have in your hand."