The giant monster's eyes glow ominously as Simbad's and Jean's weapons disintegrate into magic dust, swirling together to form a massive magic ball. With a thunderous crash, the monster smashes its fork and spoon onto the table, sending shockwaves through the plate. Suddenly, everyone begins to retch violently, their souls escaping from their mouths in a horrifying display.
As the monster drives its fork into the table, it slices through the air, cutting their half souls in two. These fragmented souls merge with the magic ball, growing larger and pulsating with magic energy. In a frantic attempt to survive, everyone swallows their other half souls back into their bodies, their eyes wide with fear.
In front of the monster's face, words materialize in a glowing script: "Pull until the monster dies from hunger, or else you'll lose your other half." Ropes made of shimmering magic cascade down from the giant magic ball, landing near them.
Taking charge, Mai seizes a rope and rallies her friends. "Come on, everyone! We got this! There's no way I'm losing half of my soul to this monster!" Motivated by her determination, everyone grabs hold of their own ropes, preparing for the battle of tug of war ahead.
The monster lets out a bone-chilling howl, and with a deep inhalation, it generates a powerful gust that pulls the magic ball toward its cavernous mouth. Gritting their teeth, everyone pulls with all their might, fighting to keep the magic ball away from the creature's gaping maw.
As the monster inhales again, longer and stronger this time, the group leans back, muscles straining as they continue to pull against the relentless force. Each breath the monster takes sends tremors through the air, but they hold on, united in their struggle to keep their souls intact.
Nakao wipes the sweat from her brow, gasping as she collapses to her knees, drained. "Something doesn't feel right," she mutters, catching her breath. The rest keep pulling, now straining harder without her.
Mai grits her teeth, her voice strained as she shouts, "It's because we lost half of our souls—that's why everything feels off! We're unbalanced, low on stamina, and even our thoughts are scattered." Megan suddenly coughs up blood, falling to her knees as well just as the monster starts its next inhale, the force pulling the magic ball closer to it's mouth.
"We can't give up now!" Mai's voice trembles, but determination blazes in her eyes. "Not after everything we've been through!" Simbad echoes her resolve, yelling out, "We have to be strong!"
Jean, still pulling but visibly torn, debates whether to use his powers, knowing it might endanger the group. As the monster's inhale strengthens, Mai, Simbad, and Jean feel themselves sliding forward, their feet scraping across the surface of the plate, dangerously close to losing ground.
Suddenly, the monster shrinks slightly, grumbling in its monstrous tongue about not having eaten yet. Simbad seizes the moment, his magic flaring as he grabs all the ropes at once. With a powerful pull, he hauls the magic ball back a bit, giving them precious distance from the monster's jaws. "Just a little longer!" he shouts to the others. "If we can hold on, this thing will die from hunger!"
Nakao and Megan stagger back to their feet, joining the relentless struggle. Hours drag by, and the grueling tug-of-war takes its toll, leaving them drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. The monster, now barely a fraction of its original size, continues to shrink with every passing moment. Nakao, Mai, and Megan take turns resting as they can, but Jean and Simbad remain locked in, pulling without pause, their hands raw and bodies trembling.
Finally, the monster opens its mouth wide for what seems like its final inhale. Mai's eyes flash as she calls out, "This is it! One last pull!" They all can see how frail and skeletal the monster has become, its body nearly collapsing with the effort of this final tug.
With a thunderous inhale, the monster creates an overwhelming gust, pulling the magic ball dangerously close to its mouth. Everyone digs deep, muscles straining, as they heave against the pull with every ounce of remaining strength. The magic ball hovers just inches from the monster's open jaws, teetering on the edge of defeat.
With one last, desperate yell, they pull harder, managing to wrench the magic ball back a few precious inches. The strain finally takes its toll. Nakao and Mai collapse to the ground, unconscious, followed closely by Megan, who manages a weary smile as she murmurs, "It's all up to you…" before falling to the floor.
Simbad looks at Jean, his magic flickering out as he gasps, "I… I can't pull anymore…" The ropes slip from his hands, and as his vision blurs, he crumples to the ground, the last of his energy spent. The ropes fall limp around them as Jean is the last standing player.
Jean lets out a primal roar, realizing the situation is desperate. "If I don't use my magic now, we'll be done for!" he mutters through clenched teeth. In an instant, his arms morph into massive, muscular monkey arms, gripping the rope with renewed strength and pulling the magic ball farther from the monster. The monster's inhale intensifies, summoning tornados that yank the magic ball closer to its gaping maw.
Jean's breath comes in quick, frantic gasps as seagull wings sprout from his back. Flapping with immense force, he holds his ground, caught in an agonizing tug-of-war with the skeletal creature. The monster, now reduced to mere bones, strains with all its remaining energy, creating an array of fierce tornados that pull the magic ball relentlessly toward its mouth.
Just as the rope starts slipping through Jean's hands, burning his palms raw, he fights to regain his grip, but the relentless pull nearly wrenches it free. The magic ball is mere centimeters away from the monster's mouth, on the very edge of defeat. With a final, desperate surge, Jean tightens his hold and biting into the rope with fanged teeth to keep it from slipping further.
His eyes glaze over, all whited out, as his wings flap at blinding speed, creating a whirlwind of resistance. The magic ball jerks violently, suspended in the air as the relentless force of both Jean and the monster pulls it back and forth in a fierce, rapid tug.
As the powerful gusts and tornados slowly fades, the monster's body finally crumbles to dust. Jean pulls the magic ball back towards the group, and it explodes into shimmering particles, restoring everyone's souls. They each awaken, groggy but elated, and start celebrating—only to freeze in shock as they see Jean still transformed, struggling with monstrous features he can't seem to shake off.
Jean's massive wings swing wildly, hitting Mai and Simbad as they try to approach. Nakao steps forward, her voice filled with urgency. "Jean, remember who you are!" she pleads.
Jean's monstrous hand rises as if to strike her, but then he hesitates, whispering her name through labored breaths. Megan steps forward, channeling her white magic as it flows soothingly into Jean. The calming energy surrounds him, softening his twisted form until, finally, he returns to normal, gasping for air.
Suddenly, they're all transported back to the board game. Jean looks down at his hands, the memory of his transformation still fresh. "I'm so sorry," he says quietly. "I almost lost myself… again."
Nakao reassures him. "You did great, Jean. Without you, we would've lost half of our souls."
Megan sits down, her expression thoughtful. "Jean, your magic is corrupted, and Henry who's inside of you, has gone into a deep slumber to regain strength to rebuild those connections I've cut off in our last battle. That means your magic is unstable, every time you use your power, you'll be at risk of losing control." She pauses, looks at him from the distance. "You'll need to train—not just your magic, but your soul. Meditation could help, based on some dreams I've had… It could give you the focus to control your powers without falling into that madness. Become stronger so Henry can't control you." Jean nods, taking in her words with a sense of determination.
As the group presses on through the board game, each challenge tests their endurance, forcing them to push through pain and fatigue. Eventually some time passes, another "End Turn Phase" summons them to a small, barren island surrounded by a vast stretch of water. The air crackles with energy as glowing magic words appear: "Survive the wave to be saved."
Without warning, the waters around them pulls back, creating an eerie silence. Mai, sensing the danger, takes a steadying breath. "Simbad and Megan, we need your magic to hold off the incoming waves!" she calls out. Instantly, Simbad and Megan brace themselves, their magic auras flaring to life around them.
Massive tidal waves rise on all sides, surging forward with relentless force. Simbad unleashes his magic, pushing back one side of the tidal assault, while Megan channels her wind magic to repel the waves from the other side. Together, their combined forces create a towering wall of water that stretches high into the sky, but the pressure is immense as they struggle to hold it back.
In the shimmering depths of the water wall, Mai spots a magic card that explodes into a creature—part zombie, part stingray. Its half-decomposed body glides through the water, tails trailing from its back like serpents. Suddenly, the creature's tails aim outward and fire beams of energy from within the water wall, each one targeting the group with deadly precision.
Jean reacts quickly, dashing across the island with swift movements, summoning his katana to deflect the beams. Each strike sends sparks flying as he intercepts the blasts with precision, keeping everyone safe.
The stingray zombie crashes onto the island with a fierce roar, its many tails whipping around like deadly tentacles. Jean steps forward, eyes blazing, ready to face the monster head-on. Nakao quickly draws Simbad's katana from his waist, while Mai pulls Megan's thin sword from her own side, and the three of them form a united front. As the stingray zombie lashes out with its many tails, they slice through the writhing appendages with skill and determination. But a few manage to slip through, stinging Nakao and Mai around their bodies, causing them to flinch in pain.
Driven by rage, Jean charges forward, slicing through the stingray zombie's head, splitting it in half. At the same moment, Mai and Nakao thrust their weapons into its chest, delivering a final, powerful blow. The stingray zombie collapses, its body falling lifeless to the ground. But before they can catch their breath, Jean notices a series of magic cards appearing around the water wall. One by one, they explode, releasing a wave of A-Star zombies from the depths of the water wall.
Jean leaps forward, attacking swiftly, cutting down the oncoming horde. Simbad, sweating and straining, calls out, "The tidal waves are getting stronger!" as a powerful surge crashes out from the water wall, slamming into Nakao, Mai, and the surrounding A-Star zombies. Nakao rises, her hands steady on the katana, blocking blows from a wild-eyed zombie wielding a butterfly knife who slashes at her with manic laughter. Mai, nearby, parries attacks from multiple A-Star zombies, ducking and weaving with precision.
Amid the chaos, Mai's eyes lock onto a familiar face—a zombie bearing a striking resemblance to Jazz, Frank's brother. She recalls Frank showing her a sketch of Jazz, explaining that his brother had tragically turned into an A-Star zombie. In a twisted echo of his former self, Jazz yells out, "All I wanted was to be alone!" His arms shift into powerful drills, which he spins violently, tearing through several nearby A-Star zombies, creating a path of destruction around him.
Just as Jazz's drills slice through the crazed butterfly knife zombie attacking Nakao, Mai rushes in, pushing Nakao to safety—only to take a drill to her side, the metal burrowing painfully into her flesh. Jean, too, gets caught, a drill piercing his stomach as he gasps in shock. Simbad and Megan dodge the deadly attacks, but the surge of tidal waves grows erratic as their concentration wavers, sending many strong splashes crashing across the island, striking everyone.
The impact of the water knocks Jazz off his feet, his drilling arms finally slowing as he collapses to the ground. He gets back up right away, his rage intensifies as he tears through many A-Star zombies with his drill arms, leaving chaos in his wake. Megan, coughing blood, summons her remaining strength and unleashes her "Shining Star" spell, a surge of radiant white magic bursting forth. The tidal waves recede slightly, held back by the strength of her magic, but it takes a toll; her steps falter as exhaustion takes over. She fires white bursts at Jazz, each impact softening his rage, slowing his onslaught.
Nakao seizes a moment to lunge forward, driving the katana into Jazz's chest. He looks into her eyes, seemingly unfazed, and raises his drill arm to strike. Megan barely saves her just in time, pulling Nakao next to her with her white magic, but her efforts drains her. She collapses to her knees, panting, barely holding on as her reserves of magic dwindle. Mai, clutching her bleeding side, positions herself in front of Nakao and Megan, wielding Megan's thin sword defiantly. Her face is pale, but her gaze is steely as she locks eyes with Jazz, who takes a shaky step forward, his drills whirring dangerously.
In that moment, something shifts. Jazz freezes, seeing a glimmer of Frank's face in Mai's resolute expression. His eyes widen, and he whispers, "Frank…" His anger flickers, replaced by a flash of clarity, but he clutches his head, battling the mental torment. Simbad, struggling under the relentless force of the tidal waves, shouts that he can't hold them much longer because Megan's magic is slowly going away. Water bursts forth from the walls, crashing onto the island as Jazz howls in agony.
A sinister clown mask materializes on Jazz's face. Mai looks up to see an enormous balloon hovering ominously in the sky, and Simbad spots hundreds of magic cards floating in the water, each card detonating upon impact with the island, releasing even more A-Star zombies. Jazz lets out a guttural roar, his drill arms swinging wildly.
Mai's heart races as she watches the balloon, her gaze desperate. She takes a deep breath and, with every ounce of strength left, yells, "Michael!!!!" Her voice cuts through the chaos as Jazz lunges forward, and the sky crackles with lightning magic.
Michael explodes from the balloon in a surge of crackling lightning, his body engulfed in brilliant electric energy. In a flash, he storms downward, striking Jazz with a fierce lightning kick that sends him hurtling across the island. Moving at the speed of light, Michael darts from one A-Star zombie to another, each impact launching them skyward as arcs of lightning trail in his wake.
With a powerful shout, he releases a massive bolt that chains through Jazz and every airborne zombie, creating an awe-inspiring network of lightning that lights up the sky. The electric veins of light form a dazzling, intricate web stretching across the sky and water walls, illuminating the island below. Mai watches in astonishment, captivated by the sheer beauty of Michael's magic—a breathtaking display of power that paints the darkened sky and the reflecting water wall with streaks of electric blue.