Zero had spent considerable time coming up with his invocation for his new system. After Kai had explained how it worked, he decided he wanted it to be something meaningful.
"Let the shadows consume me!"
He felt a shift within his mind and he was suddenly connected with a different energy source - one that gives him an attachment with the darkness. Zero could feel the new pouring through him just like he had practiced on the way to the City. His knowledge from the Culinary System was still there, but he could no longer use any of the abilities until he switches back.
Askook cocked his head as he stared down Zero. "Something has changed with your energy..." He then let out a puff of spiritual smoke. "A don't understand you players and your systems."
Zero stepped away from Kai. "Shadow Cloak." He said softly.
The shadows around Zero spiraled up and swallowed him up. Even Kai, who has seen it before, was a bit surprised at how suddenly Zero was there and then...he wasn't.
"Nice" He smirked.
Askook's eyes widened as he glanced from left to right. "What trick is this?!"
Zero took small steps further away from Kai as he was now completely invisible in the dark. Even though he knew he couldn't be seen, it didn't help with the anxiety of thinking the dragon will suddenly look his way.
"Hmmm." Askook hummed. He paused as if caught in his own thoughts. "So that one is a shadow user then. No matter." He reared his head back and shot a stream of flames, missing the invisible Zero by a few feet who managed to scramble to stay in the darkness.
Shit, did he see me?! Zero thought.
Kai looked for any sign of Zero becoming visible again. If he gets hit the ability ends! Kai thought in panic.
"It's not such an issue when I'm my own light source!" Askook shouted as he released another stream of flames several feet away in the opposite direction.
No, he's shooting randomly. I've got to get to him before he ends up revealing me! Zero thought.
Zero put his nimbleness to play as Askook went to work scorching in every direction. For some reason the ground didn't stay lit after he blasted flames over it. Zero quested if it was something to do with the sand.
His quickness was paying off as he managed to get behind him just as he launched another barrage of flames.
Kai knew that this was the only way to win! This must be the situation he envisioned, Zero thought as he approached the long tail of the dragon.
"Quit hiding, player!" Askook shouted and turned immediately around and faced Zero's direction.
What-
"I'll set this whole place on fire with you in it!"
He doesn't know I'm here! I have to take the advantage, now!
Zero went into a slide and dodged under the level the dragon's mouth was, just as he shot flames out of his mouth again. The light eliminated the darkness around him and Zero became visible once more.
He could feel the heat of the flames heavily on his skin, but he kept sliding. Askook glanced down as he was mid-attack and was shocked to see Zero right underneath his outstretched neck. Before he could change tactics, Zero reached out and pressed his hand against his planted foreleg.
"Alone in the dark!"
Zero had no idea if this would work on whatever an Echo was, but this was the only shot they had out of this.
Askook went stock still for a moment and then glanced from left to right while blinking continuously.
"I...I can't see...what did you do to me?!" Wild spurts of flames shot out of his mouth as he flailed about in his blind rage.
"Protect my dreams." Kai's blade manifested in his hand once more as he was back on his feet. As he walked toward the rampaging dragon, he winced with every other step as his side was radiating with pain.
Zero managed to escape and meet up with him. "We don't have long before he'll be able to see again."
"Right." Kai agreed. "Increase output...20%!" He said as his sword vibrated and grew slightly bigger and wider. The energy appeared a bit more volatile than previously. "I'm able to pour more energy into it to increase the output. Just will have a shorter fuse."
Kai rushed the blinded Askook - he knew how tough the armor was on him at this point, so making him blind would give him the chance to go for a better target.
The head.
He jumped over an incoming random tail swipe and darted between its legs. Just as the dragon bent down to fire a low shot over the ground where he hoped his prey would be, Kai kept up from under and drew his sword back.
"Crescent STRIKE!"
With his passive upgrade plus the additional energy output, Kai was dealing an additional 50% damage in this single strike.
The dragon was about to look toward the source of the noise but the impact of Kai's attack cut him short. There was an explosion of energy from the attack landing - Kai was thrown in the opposite direction from being too close as a white light bathe over the two.
Zero swallowed as he witness the sight.
"Did...we get him?"