In the middle of the forest, Egon frantically flickered his hands, attempting to will a flame into existence.
"Appear, flame!" he cried.
"Unveil, flame! Create, flame!" Despite his efforts, the flame eluded him as he continued running.
Mega intervened and gave him a stern instruction,
"If you want to use your abilities," he said, "You must concentrate solely on your mind. You can't channel your energy if your mind is troubled. You need to focus all your anger on fueling your inner core, then you will be able to access your Visceral channel." Mega's delivered his advice, he returned to observing the scene passively.
Egon heeded Mega's advice and closed his eyes as he concentrated. He thought about his mother, who had died five years earlier. He envisioned all the mockeries he had endured as a child due to his perceived inabilities. He replayed in his mind the fight he had with his rival Leo that ultimately led to his rebirth but also resulted in Leo's death.
As Egon moved with the newly found courage across the dense forest in the nighttime, He saw a vague view of a massive cliff that looms in the darkness, commanding attention in all its imposing glory.
Even in the night, the cliff's sheer and rocky surface juts from the ground at a sharp angle, with rough and uneven shapes, crevices, and fractures that hide secrets unknown.
The cliff's height towers over the forest's trees and casts a long shadow, making anyone who sees it feel fear and admiration simultaneously.
As Egon ran closer to the cliff, his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he noticed faint lines that appeared on the cliff's surface. These lines were rough and jagged, reflecting the moonlight, making them shine and indicate where the rocks abruptly end, and the looming, black abyss begins.
Despite the darkness, the Egon remains undeterred and continues to soar towards the cliff, rising higher and higher into the sky. In the lit-up surroundings, they notice small details such as the reflective flint in the rocks that provided glimmers, making it look like the rocks were shimmering like diamonds.
At the peak, Egon finds himself suspended in mid-air, overlooking the forest. The wind is cool, and the night air adds an extra layer of intensity, making every sound and movement more significant
The Nightmauler was closing in, just a foot away from Egon. He had come to a dead end, as the forest path came to an abrupt halt, leading them to an expansive open space. The gaping abyss was as deep as a bottomless pit, but Egon didn't falter. Instead, he took a step toward the cliff's edge, poised to face his adversary.
With eyes now shut, Egon leapt forward, his body responding to the immense pressure mounting within him. Egon then quickly opened his eyes, and they glowed vividly with a radiant gold color.
Fuelled solely by rage and a fierce determination to destroy his enemy, Egon dug deep into his core and drew upon the power of his Visceral channel. With a burst of explosive energy rippling across the forest floor, Egon was now surrounded by a bright aura, casting an eerie glow that illuminated the surroundings.
With a sudden outburst of energy from his hands, Egon propelled himself off the cliff, tapping into the momentum of his movement to remain airborne as he traversed the expanse. He was now hovering above the ground, the flames in his hands blazing, casting an eerie orange glow.
Time seemed to move in slow motion around him, and the thrill of the moment filled Egon with an indescribable feeling of pleasure and wonderment. For a moment, he felt as if he were the only person in the world, with everything else suspended in mid-air.
"This is it... The feeling of flying. It's unbelievable! It seems like everything else in the world has come to a standstill, and I'm the only one moving," Egon exclaimed in astonished wonderment.
Suddenly, Mega, who was keeping pace with Egon, interjected, "You really are a genius, Egon. Mastering an elemental ability is no mean feat," he remarked, clearly impressed with Egon's ability.
Egon, still basking in the moment, merely laughed and replied jokingly, "Well, you did say I was a dumb ass at some point. I guess it's time for you to tweak your program," he teased, teasing a playful response from Mega.
With the world unfolding beneath him, Egon soared through the air with ease, propelled by the unstoppable force within him and his newfound ability to control the elements.
[Don't start celebrating yet, Egon. The Nightmauler is still out there, and we need to bring him down.]
Egon knew that playtime was over, he immediately landed at the other side of the cliff, his mind racing, as he calculated his next move.
He knew that he had a natural affinity for flames, but he needed to think beyond his initial strengths to calculate how he was going to take down the Nightmauler entirely.
Finally, the Nightmauler landed on the other side with a thunderous boom, giving a deafening roar that shook the surrounding woods to their core. "Arrrrghh!" it bellowed, and Egon was stunned by the creature's prowess. Despite its large size, the Nightmauler had enough momentum to cross the 50-foot distance.
"Wow, I admire your unfazed determination, you managed to fly across a 50 foot distance" Egon said clapping his hands.
Egon was unfazed, though. He knew that he had to face the beast head-on if he hoped to defeat it. Without a second thought, he ran straight toward the Nightmauler.
He was now merely a metre away from the beast. Suddenly, he leaped high into the air, performing a stunning 360-degree flip as he shouted out loud, "VISERCAL DAGGER CREATE!"
In an instant, the device transformed into the dagger that Egon needed. Mid-air, Egon caught the dagger and swung it with all his might, striking the Nightmauler on the leg.
Despite Egon's best efforts, the Nightmauler didn't seem to feel the cut at all. His blade had made no impression on the creature's skin, and it was as though the Nightmauler was impervious to damage.
"I had no idea your skin was so impenetrable," Egon remarked incredulously, though he refused to be discouraged. "But I know that every creature has a weak point, and I'm just getting started with you."
The Nightmauler was quick to react, raising its massive hands in an attempt to swat Egon out of existence. Egon, however, was nimble and swift. He managed to dodge the Nightmauler's strike with lightning-fast reflexes.
Egon repeated his previous action, running on his hands and slicing off the Nightmauler's hands. He then somersaulted in mid-air, landing nimbly and sidestepping the creature's attack.
With his heart racing, Egon stepped on the Nightmauler's leg, leaping high into the air before landing a fierce impact on the creature's rough skin. Yet, the Nightmauler showed no signs of weakening.
Egon changed tactics, now moving around at lightning speed, darting in and out of the creature's range. With each movement, he seemed to be learning more about the creature's anatomy, searching for any weaknesses he could exploit.
Mega watched from above, impressed by Egon's skill and determination. "That's a smart move," he observed, nodding to himself. "Egon is starting to understand what he needs to do to take down the Nightmauler."
Egon was a shadow assassin, and his motivations were mysterious and unknown. Even though the Nightmauler's skin was impervious to his blade, Egon continued to press on, seeking out any potential weaknesses that he could exploit.
After many attempts, he finally noticed a slight change in the Nightmauler's behavior when he sliced it at the back. Egon felt a burst of excitement, sensing that he may have found the key to defeating the creature.
Taking a deep breath, Egon prepared for an ultimate strike. Focusing his energy, he moved his legs to meet the precise spot he wanted to target, flipping elegantly backward through the air. His entire body was engulfed in flames as he spun like a cannonball, building up incredible momentum.
At the perfect moment, Egon flew forward and struck out with his hands, which were still blazing with inextinguishable fire. He landed a direct hit on the Nightmauler's back, unleashing a massive burst of flame that rattled the surrounding forest.
Though the creature was known for its incredible healing powers, Egon had located its most vulnerable spot through his strange and unconventional actions. He knew that he couldn't rely solely on his flames to penetrate the Nightmauler's defenses since his powers wouldn't be enough to surpass the creature's healing abilities.
With a fierce determination in his eyes, Egon screamed, "Take this, you crazy bastard!" as his scorching-hot hands made contact with the Nightmauler's back. The resulting inferno was a terrifying sight to behold and left the creature writhing in pain...….