The sea churned violently.
Monster Otohime's whimper echoed, a sound of both pain and defiance.
"Haa…haah…"
The platform beneath the lone player faded and he began free-falling. Before he dropped, his mana swelled, left eye pulsing, and the footing returned. Kazi Hossain should have been at top-shape but he wasn't. He dropped to his knees, his nerves twisting at the ends. His whole body burned his flesh, every individual strip of it felt and turned up with heat.
'Expending all my mana like that…probably…' His right arm drooped, suddenly heavy. 'Not…good…!'
For a moment, it seemed as though Kazi's strike had landed a decisive blow. The water around them hissed and steamed from the residual energy and arcs of blue lightning danced across Monster Otohime's enormous form. Kazi stood on the chaotic waters, weakly elevated by his mana platforms, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
'I should have known.'
