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The air was thick with tension, heavy with a suffocating, malignant energy that seemed to pulse from the very earth itself. The oppressive force of the devil qi churned around them like a living thing, seeping into every corner of the battlefield. Shimmer stood tall, its golden fur glowing brightly, a beacon of light against the overwhelming darkness. Yet, even the celestial fox's magnificent energy seemed to struggle against the monstrous surge of corruption that had erupted before them.
Mochi, her amber eyes wide with a mixture of determination and fear, clutched at her chest, feeling her own qi being drawn into the vortex of devil energy. Her auburn hair whipped wildly in the wind, strands sticking to her sweaty face as she tried to steady her breath.
Zhen Hai, his body battered and bruised from the earlier attacks, shakily stood, his expression strained. Despite the blood dripping from his lips and the pain that racked his body, his eyes were sharp, focused. He had no choice but to keep going.
"Stay behind me, Mochi!" Zhen Hai called out, his voice rough but commanding.
"I… I'm not leaving!" Mochi's voice was firm, though her heart pounded. She knew her place—she wasn't ready for this level of battle, but she couldn't just stand idly by. Not when her friends were in danger. Not when Shimmer was out there, struggling against this force.
Shimmer's golden eyes glowed brighter as it stepped forward, its body rippling like liquid gold. The fox emitted a low growl, the celestial creature refusing to back down, even as the devil qi surged around them, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
The creature, a grotesque, hulking beast of swirling dark energy and corrupted flesh, let out a guttural roar, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Its eyes glowed a fiery red as it turned toward them, the malignant energy swirling around it like an unstoppable force of nature.
"We need to stop it," Zhen Hai grunted, his weapon crackling with energy. He looked to Mochi, his face grim. "Do not underestimate this enemy. It's not like anything we've faced before."
Before they could respond, the beast lunged forward, its massive claws slicing through the air with frightening speed. Zhen Hai barely had time to react. He leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the lethal swipe, but the shockwave of the beast's strike sent him crashing to the ground, his weapon skidding out of his grasp.
"Mochi!" Shimmer's voice rang out in her mind, a desperate warning.
With a determined cry, Mochi dashed forward, her hands outstretched, golden energy pouring from her palms as she aimed to protect Shimmer. She wasn't the leader of this fight, but she couldn't just let her companion suffer. Shimmer's golden energy surged with hers as they joined forces to block the next attack.
The combined wave of energy collided with the monster, but it was like trying to stop an avalanche with a pebble. The force of the creature's power sent them both tumbling backward, crashing into the earth with bone-jarring force. The ground cracked beneath them, the world spinning as Mochi struggled to regain her balance.
Shimmer's form flickered, a golden blur as it tried to right itself, but the pressure of the devil qi was overwhelming. The celestial fox's golden fur shimmered weakly as it struggled against the monstrous force of corruption.
Zhen Hai managed to push himself up, his face pale, his injuries more severe than he'd let on. His weapon was still nowhere to be seen, and his body felt like it was being torn apart by the oppressive energy. But there was no time to stop. He had to keep fighting.
With a guttural roar, Zhen Hai lunged at the beast, his body moving with a desperation that belied his exhaustion. His sword was gone, but his fists were filled with energy. He slammed into the creature, sending shockwaves through the battlefield, but the beast's flesh was impervious. It merely roared in defiance, retaliating with a barrage of dark energy that sent Zhen Hai crashing to the ground once more.
"Mochi, you have to—" Zhen Hai gasped, his voice strained.
Mochi's heart was racing as she fought to stay conscious, the ground beneath her shaking violently as another blast of devil qi surged toward them. She could see Shimmer, its body flickering as it tried to protect them, but the effort was clearly taking its toll.
Then, it happened.
A massive surge of devil qi erupted from the ground, the sky above darkening as if the heavens themselves were recoiling in fear. The energy was unlike anything they had felt before—it was the raw power of a peak-stage Nascent Soul, an overwhelming force that sent shockwaves through the air.
Zhen Hai's eyes widened in horror as the energy surged toward them, and he turned to Mochi with a grim expression.
"This is too much," Zhen Hai murmured. "We need reinforcements… now."
In a desperate move, he reached into his pouch and pulled out an emergency communication device—a small talisman that would send a distress signal to the sect. He crushed the talisman in his hand, releasing a burst of spiritual energy. The talisman shattered, its power sent out in a brilliant flash, signaling for help.
But even with reinforcements on the way, they didn't know how much time they had. The beast's power was growing stronger by the second, and their energy reserves were running dangerously low.
With a desperate cry, Shimmer's body rippled with golden light, and its form expanded. The celestial fox's body grew larger, its golden qi swirling around them like a protective barrier. The creature's form had transformed into something even more majestic—a vast celestial being that was on par with the monstrous force they faced.
Shimmer was no longer just a companion—it was a guardian.
But even as Shimmer surged with power, it couldn't move freely. The devil qi weighed heavily on them, and the fox's movements were limited as it shielded the group from the overwhelming force.
Zhen Hai grimaced as he forced himself to his feet, his energy all but depleted. "We… we need to buy more time."
But there was no time left. The surge of devil qi was upon them, and the battle had only just begun.
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