I pressed a button on my watch, and a gun materialized in my hands. "You want to do this the hard way or the soft way?"
Grrrr!
"I'll take that as no," I said, aiming the gun at the nearest tiger ghost.
Bang! Bang! I pulled the trigger.
Surprisingly, the tiger ghost dodged the bullets with ease.
Hmm... wild animals, I guess I forgot... I thought, readjusting my aim.
I raised my gun again and fired another shot.
Bang! Bang! The bullet whizzed through the air, but the tiger ghost anticipated its trajectory, twisting its body mid-leap and landing nimbly on a nearby boulder. It let out a guttural snarl, its eyes blazing with fury.
I quickly assessed the situation. These creatures were faster and more agile than I had anticipated. Firing blindly wouldn't be effective. I needed a new strategy.
"IM!" I shouted, hoping he could hear me from wherever he had disappeared to. "A little help here!"
The tiger ghosts lunged at me, their claws outstretched. I dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding their attacks. The air crackled with their energy, and the ground trembled with each of their powerful strides.
Think, Xian, think! I urged myself. I couldn't just rely on brute force or my gun. I needed to use my imagination manifestation to my advantage.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind. I closed my eyes, focusing my energy, and imagined a massive net descending from the sky, ensnaring the tiger ghosts.
When I opened my eyes, the net was there, shimmering with an ethereal glow. The tiger ghosts roared in frustration as they struggled against the invisible bonds, their movements restricted.
"Now!" I shouted to IM.
A moment later, he emerged from the ground beneath one of the tiger ghosts, his hand glowing with a blue aura. He delivered a swift uppercut, sending the creature flying backwards.
I seized the opportunity, using my imagination manifestation to create a series of illusions. Ghostly figures materialized around the clearing, distracting the remaining tiger ghosts and causing them to stumble and falter.
IM and I worked in tandem, exploiting the chaos I had created. He delivered powerful blows, his fists cracking against the tiger ghosts' tough hides, while I continued to conjure illusions and disorient our enemies.
Crack! Thud! The tiger ghosts crashed into the ground, momentarily stunned by IM's surprise attack.
Seizing the opportunity, I imagined a series of glowing orbs materializing in my hands. With a flick of my wrists, I launched them at the disoriented creatures.
Boom! The orbs exploded on impact, showering the tiger ghosts with sparks and momentarily blinding them.
Roar! The creatures howled in anger and pain, their fury amplified by the assault. They shook off the remnants of the orbs and charged at us with renewed aggression.
Swish! Thwack! I narrowly dodged a swipe from a razor-sharp claw, feeling the wind from its passing ruffle my hair. I retaliated with a kick, connecting with the creature's snout.
Crack! The tiger ghost staggered back, disoriented. But another one was already upon me, its jaws snapping hungrily.
Whooom! A gust of wind knocked the second tiger ghost off its feet, sending it tumbling into the underbrush. IM had reappeared, his eyes blazing with a spectral light.
"Let's finish this!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the clearing.
We lunged at the remaining tiger ghosts, a whirlwind of fists, kicks, and imagined weaponry. The air filled with the sounds of battle: the thud of bodies hitting the ground, the crackle of energy, the snarls and roars of our monstrous foes.
IM's fists connected with the tiger ghosts' bodies, each blow echoing with a resounding thud and sending shockwaves through the clearing. Fur and blood flew as he relentlessly assaulted the creatures, his movements a blur of speed and power.
Meanwhile, I unleashed my imagination manifestation, conjuring a whirlwind of weaponry and obstacles.
Imagine... a barrage of glowing spears raining down from the sky! I thought, and with a flash of light, the spears materialized, piercing the tiger ghosts' hides and causing them to howl in pain.
Imagine... a wall of thorns erupting from the ground! The earth trembled as a thorny barrier sprang up between us and the remaining creatures, their claws scraping uselessly against the impenetrable thorns.
Imagine... a blinding flash of light! A brilliant light engulfed the clearing, momentarily disorienting the tiger ghosts and giving us a precious moment to regroup.
IM and I exchanged a quick glance, a silent understanding passing between us. We were a team, each playing to our strengths, and together, we were a force to be reckoned with.
The tiger ghosts, enraged by our defiance, roared and lunged at the thorny barrier, their claws raking against the thorns. The wall held, but it wouldn't last forever.
Imagine... a swarm of venomous snakes slithering towards the tiger ghosts! I commanded, and a writhing mass of serpents materialized, their fangs dripping with venom.
Hiss! The snakes struck, their bites sinking into the tiger ghosts' flesh, injecting their deadly venom. The creatures convulsed in agony, their roars turning into pained whimpers.
The momentum was shifting in our favor. The tiger ghosts, weakened and disoriented, began to falter. Their roars turned into desperate growls, their once-intimidating figures now riddled with wounds and dripping with venom.
Seizing the opportunity, IM lunged forward, his form momentarily flickering as he phased through one of the creatures. He reappeared behind it, his hand crackling with blue energy. With a final, mighty blow, he struck the ghost's spine, causing it to dissolve into a cloud of smoke with a despairing wail.
Whoosh! Another ghost succumbed to IM's relentless assault, its form dissipating into nothingness.
Only one remained, its eyes narrowed in a mixture of fear and fury. It snarled, baring its teeth, but its movements were sluggish, its energy waning.
< Chapter 105 > Fin.