Rumble picked up his sprint and leaped, his colossal, sculpted thighs straining and cracking under the sheer force of the jump. The stony ground beneath him shattered, and almost instantly, magma surged in to fill the cracks.
Hurtling through the air, he pulled his knees up to his body and raised his metal barrel high above his head. Its dark structure trembled and expanded, thickening until it was as massive as a five-story building.
His mouth cracked open, and a titanic roar reverberated through the cavern just as the snake Saint closed in at blinding speed, breaking the sound barrier several times. Air and sound chased behind him, desperately trying to catch up to the flying serpent.
In perfect synchrony, the snake Saint and Rumble struck the Great Tyrant at the same time, one sinking his sharp fangs deep into the Nightmare Creature's side, while the other brought his colossal barrel crashing down onto its nape with earth-shattering force.
Boom!
The second round began with a devastating explosion, sending magma and chunks of stone hurtling skyward, forming a towering mushroom cloud that stretched dozens of meters into the air.
Before the dust from the explosion could even settle, Merlin and Gale were already in motion, one soaring through the air like a missile, while the other Flash Stepped, appearing at his destination almost instantly.
Spinning his silver spear, Gale pushed aside his racing thoughts and glided across the ground like a surfer riding a wave. His arms and legs no longer ached, and his mind was sharp and clear. Merlin's wish had restored him completely.
Ignoring everything else around him, Gale leaped into the air, his focus sharp as he aimed to drive his spear straight into Elfenlied's eye.
As he shot through the air, he caught sight of Rumble atop the Tyrant, riding it like a wild bull while relentlessly smashing his thick metal barrel against its skull.
Meanwhile, the snake Saint had coiled tightly around the lizard's tail, restraining it with his powerful and long body, but this time making sure that it wouldn't simply shed it. His fangs tore into its side as he thrashed with his head, ruthlessly digging through the dense grey scales, shredding flesh with every bite.
"Rumble!" Merlin shouted, shooting past Gale with such speed that it nearly threw him off course.
Gale cursed under his breath, tightening his grip on the spear before raising it high above his head, its tip aimed directly at the lizard's rapidly closing eye.
With a roar, Gale hit his mark, driving his spear deep into the Nightmare Creature's eye. Dark blood gushed out, splattering across his form as the creature opened its maw to screech in agony.
But Rumble was faster. The stone Saint hurled his barrel upwards, making it even heavier by feeding it chunks of his own Essence. The sheer force of it sent the barrel crashing down onto the Tyrant's skull with titanic force.
Crash
It landed atop Elfenlied's gaping maw, crushing its head down as the creature bit into its own sharp, serpentine tongue.
Gale couldn't help but chuckle, twisting his spear deeper into the wound, more blood gushing out onto his already bloodied form. "Eat this, you piece of shit! Not so lucky after all, huh?!" he taunted, his voice filled with satisfaction. He really thought he did something.
Unfortunately, he failed to notice that a mouth had suddenly appeared beneath his feet, opening wide.
And when he did notice it, it was already too late.
His eyes went wide as a sound so strange and unnerving hit him that his entire body and mind went limp. It was like a soothing song, but one that scraped against his brain, slowly turning it off, shutting down his nervous system in the process.
Without even a chance to curse, Gale's hands released the shaft of his spear, no longer responding to his commands.
With nothing to grip, his body slipped down the Nightmare Creature's massive head, which was still pinned to the ground. Masker, in his giant Oni Ogre form, stomped forward with flames roaring around him, advancing toward the creature with pure wrath all over his form.
Gale's ears, nose, and eyes bled as the strange song continued to play inside his head, relentless and unyielding. The melody echoed like a memory he long wished to forget, stirring up long-buried nostalgia and melancholy, eating away his soul.
But his Flaw was also active.
Countless thoughts surged through his mind, preventing the song from digging deeper and eroding his soul.
His eyes snapped open, burning with intent, the whites of his eyes now a bloody red. He spun wildly in the air regaining control over himself as his garments and hair flared out, whipping violently from the fall.
Before he could hit the ground and shatter his bones, Gale summoned a new Memory.
Sparks erupted around his back as four silver wings materialized, etching themselves into his flesh as though they were an extension of his own body now. He could feel their weight and existence, and with a sharp will, he commanded the new limbs to beat against the air, their powerful strokes narrowly halting his fall and saving him from crashing into the ground.
Swoosh!
"Fuaaghhh!" Gale groaned all of a sudden as something unexpected slammed into his back and wings like a speeding train, sending him hurtling toward the ground. His body didn't even roll through the impact, no, the blow was so powerful that he was driven headfirst into the soil, burying him deep into the earth.
It was one of the Nightmare Creatures front legs that accidentally hit him.
If not for his Transcended armor, he'd be dead by now. His skull was cracked, as was part of his spine, ribs, and shoulder blades.
Spitting blood, Gale cursed through gritted and bloodied teeth, 'What the hell hit me?!' His bones cracked further as his body screamed for mercy, but he pushed through the pain, struggling to breathe. And each breath he took was sharp and agonizing.
He wasn't made for a fight against a Great Tyrant after all. Against its minions? Yeah, that wasn't an issue, but the Tyrant itself? Fuck no. Just now he nearly died from getting accidentally hit. It was a Great Tyrant for a reason.
'I can see why Puppeteer isn't participating in the fight with his real body,' he groaned, rolling onto his back. Even the simple motion nearly sent him into unconsciousness.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt this much pain, but he also couldn't recall the last time he fought anything above a Great Beast. The Tyrant's overwhelming power was new to him, a level of power he definitely did not expect.
'Lemme just relax for a second,' he thought, not even having the strength to speak. Fortunately, his Ascended body was already trying to heal the minor injuries.
Looking up, Gale realized he was nearly a hundred meters away from the fight. And the battle was raging on.
If he'd ever had any doubt that Merlin and Anora were Saints, it vanished in that moment. He watched as the two of them matched everyone else in the battle, proving just how terrifying they really were. Especially Merlin.
Merlin was like a shining star, darting around the Tyrant's massive form, commanding the seven stars around him to relentlessly bombard Elfenlied, each strike inflicting horrifying damage.
Anora, meanwhile, remained high above, powering up Masker's already intense flames. The flames slowly shifted to a pinkish hue as they raged on fiercer.
'Why did this fucker Merlin even ask me to join,' Gale spat, his mouth and forehead full of his own blood, but there was no real hate or venom in his thoughts toward his friend. If it came down to it, he was ready to die for Merlin, even if he never said it aloud or acknowledged it.
"Fuck it I need to help them," he groaned after a moment, already recovered enough to sit up. He pushed the negative thoughts aside, focusing instead on the battle ahead.
Boom!
Another shockwave rattled through the crater, sending dust and debris flying into the air as Rumble and Masker landed simultaneous blows on Elfenlied.
Gale shot his aching hand up to shield his face, barely managing to keep himself upright as the force of the blast threatened to send him crashing onto his back again.
A hand suddenly grabbed Gale's shoulder, making him wince as the shockwave rolled against the walls of the crater. "Stay," a sassy voice said.