Lucy releases the arrow from her bow. The arrow is launched in an instant that it looks laser. Right at the mask of the Phantom, it explodes. The whole place is shaking and some of the screens from above fall. They colorfully shatter into pieces on the ground. And that's when I notice something odd about the lights above. It's unnatural. . . or is it just like this? Anyway, that's not important right now. It seems that Lucy's powerful shot was futile. That shot angered it.
"What the hell is that thing?" she asks.
"I thought Angelus beats Daemon," I tell her.
"I know, but that—"
Large flesh tentacles sprout from its body. They charge at us but they're hard to dodge. Give me a break, goddammit! Oh, no! ARGH!! I'm caught!
"Lucy!" I yelp.
"Rest in pieces!" she answers as she dodges.
"What?!"
No, no, no! I'm gonna get eaten! The tentacle is retracting, bringing me closer to the Phantom! I'm done.
*Baam*
The tentacle bursts from its roots. It was from her shot. She grins at me and then continues evading the tentacles coming for her. As soon as I land on the ground, I run away.
"Thank you!" I shout.
"I won't save you next time!"
Panting, I look back and the Phantom is done with its attack. That was Move Set #2— No, that was #3. #2 is the zombie horde earlier. It's idle for a moment and it gives us a chance to discuss. She's deep in her thoughts.
"Why didn't your attack hurt it a bit?" I ask.
"I don't know."
"It doesn't make any sense when you can destroy its tentacles."
"I know."
"Could you try using your Daemon Frame?"
"I will."
She transforms into her Daemon Frame. Unlike her casual Daemon look, this Frame has four arms and is clad in light armor. Her weapon is still a bow but black and glowing red like lava. Her Shadowclutch forms like wings behind her.
The next move of the Phantom is coming. It leaps back onto the field. Hundreds of mouths appear on its body. Then spit fizzling yellow substance all over the place. I don't have to ask if I should dodge this or not. After dodging one of those spits, the ground melts right at where it landed. It's acid!
"This is troublesome," Lucy remarks calmly.
"Well, I'll be damned," I retort in sarcasm.
A minute later, the attack stops. She's unscathed while some of the splashes landed on my clothes. A bit more of that, I would be walking naked right now. Ugh. . . it stings!
Now is her chance to attack. She shoots black arrows in quick succession. They whistle in the air louder than the music. None of the arrows miss their marks. Though they shatter as soon as they hit the mask. Even this is ineffective.
"That too?" she complains. "So annoying! Just die!" Out of frustration, she shoots all she can without making any difference.
"Maybe we're missing something," I theorize.
"Like what?"
The Phantom leaps in the air and aims to crush us. We dodge and I explain, "It must have a weakness!"
"For sure," she confirms.
We continue dodging the Phantom's leaping attacks while talking.
"This might not be the real body."
"What do you mean?" she asks, confused.
"Look up." I point at the air above us. She does what I told her. "What do you make of that?"
I'm referring to the strange lights above that create a faint image of a skull. It looks like an aurora and is not the result of the lights from the spotlights and lasers.
"That's a hologram," she answers.
"It is?" I can't believe I didn't think of that although it is common in this world and the other. "Oh. . ."
"Gargoyle-brain!" She runs to me and grabs me by the back of my head.
"Woah, woah! What are you doing?"
"Your turn."
She throws me at the Phantom. I land on its mask—that I just realized grew into a larger size. In a panic, I use my Anthropa Frame and stab it with the Angel's Bane. It didn't do anything! Not even a spark! I kick it to launch myself away from it.
"Why did you do that?!" I grouse.
"Oh, that didn't work too." She rubs her chin, trying to think of a better idea. I bet she couldn't think of anything. "Ugh! I got nothing!"
Just as I expected. She might have Zaori's aura but not the smarts—I think. If she's here instead of us, this Phantom would be gone already.
The rest of the fight is just us dodging its every attack. We know all of its attack patterns so we remain untouched. But I'm getting tired. She too looks tired. If she was never captured, she wouldn't be like this. We try to think of a plan but end up arguing. Instead, we just attack whenever we can, however we want. None of it worked. I tried to leave the stadium but there was suddenly a barrier. Maybe we're stuck here forever until we get killed.
"Zaori!" I yell in desperation.
"Oh, hello!" she answers from the distance while being massaged by her servants.
"Help us!"
"No can do! There is a barrier."
"Can you destroy it?"
"Nope. Nothing can. You have to kill the Phantom if you want to get out of there."
"But how?"
"I don't know. You're there, figure it out."
"Help us!" She stops answering. "Hey!"
It's no use asking her for help. How are we gonna kill this thing? It has no weak spot.
But what if that hologram above has something to do with the Phantom? We won't know unless we try.
"Lucy," I say.
"What?"
"Try shooting at the sky."