Syoruha took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly. His gaze solidified into an unwavering determination, like a miniature sun forged over a millennium. The grip on his radiant blade was as steady as a mountain, devoid of the slightest tremor.
The light around him began to expand. The flickering flames that once danced were now transformed into a blinding golden radiance. This intense glow seemed to draw upon every shred of energy from the heavens and earth, rapidly escalating into the form of a newborn sun breaking through the dawn.
Blinding golden brilliance engulfed the battlefield, consuming every shadow. Scorched earth and the fractured air were all dyed with a radiant hue. The ground beneath Syoruha groaned in protest under the weight of his power, cracks spreading like spiderwebs. Dust, shimmering in the golden light, rose into the air, merging with the dazzling domain of his energy.
"This is my final strike," he murmured, his feet slamming into the ground as his body shot forward like a meteor toward the Spider King. Every step burned with the fire of his life force, leaving blazing marks in his wake.
Sensing the threat, the Spider King let out a guttural roar, its massive claws slashing to intercept him. But Syoruha's brilliance pierced through its defenses like an unstoppable sword, striking directly at the armored head.
His battle cry erupted from the depths of his soul, shattering the battlefield's final vestiges of silence. The radiant blade in his hand became a thunderous bolt, a force of nature that surged through the heavens and earth, aimed squarely at the Spider King's crown!
Upon contact, the blade unleashed an explosive burst of searing light, a brilliance akin to a new star bursting into existence. The battlefield was illuminated, and an overwhelming shockwave accompanied by deafening thunder swept across the land, pushing the world to the brink of collapse.
The Spider King's massive frame convulsed violently, its imposing figure losing all strength. The eerie crimson glow of its multifaceted eyes extinguished as if the flames of life had been snuffed out.
Its colossal body trembled uncontrollably, the eight sinister limbs collapsing lifelessly. Then, with a heart-wrenching howl, it toppled like a crumbling mountain, crashing to the ground. Dust and debris surged into the sky, a thundering echo shaking the earth into a fractured network of deep chasms.
"It's over…" Syoruha whispered, his voice faint. The light in his hands dimmed gradually. His vision blurred, and his balance faltered.
But just then, the Spider King's gaping maw snapped open, lunging at Syoruha with its final burst of fury.
"Watch out!!" Yame's warning rang out, but the storm shield couldn't deploy in time.
The enormous fangs pierced Syoruha's abdomen mercilessly, blood spraying forth. His body was flung into the air like a broken doll, landing heavily on the ground.
"Syoruha!" Myouka's scream cut through the air, sharp with panic. She raced toward him in a frenzy.
Yame forced herself to suppress her emotions, extending her hands. The storm she controlled enveloped the remnants of the Spider King, tearing its body to shreds. At last, the monstrous creature's shadow dissolved, and the battlefield returned to an uneasy calm.
Myouka knelt beside Syoruha, tears streaming uncontrollably. His face was pale as paper, the wound in his abdomen ghastly, with blood gushing like a stream. Yet, he managed a faint smile.
"I told you I'd bring it down… didn't I?" His voice was barely audible, but his gaze carried a hint of peace.
Myouka choked on her words, clutching his hand tightly.
Yame approached, her face stoic as ever, but a subtle sorrow flickered in her eyes. She crouched down, channeling her storm's energy into a gentle breeze, attempting to staunch Syoruha's wound.
Then, a grating laugh echoed through the air.
"What a touching scene," Watcher 22 sneered coldly, his impish minions reloading their six-barreled guns. Behind him, Watcher 27's bat swarm regrouped, ready for another wave of attacks.
"Don't think it ends here. Your true despair has only just begun." Watcher 24 wiped blood from her face, her gaze seething with hatred. She gestured, summoning countless smaller spiders that crawled out from the shadows, encircling Yame and Myouka.
Syoruha's breathing grew weaker. Yame rose to her feet, her eyes colder than ever.
"Now it's my turn," she said softly. The storm surrounding her began to intensify, a maelstrom threatening to tear the battlefield apart.
As Yame's tempest gathered, it resembled a slumbering beast waking to wrath. Every wisp of wind obeyed her command with precise ferocity. Standing before Syoruha, her hands spread slightly, it seemed as though the entire battlefield lay under her dominion.
"Enough," Yame said icily, her tone sharp as a winter blade. Her mere words halted the Watchers momentarily.
Watcher 22 smirked, summoning a massive demon whose body obscured the heavens, its jagged fangs gleaming with malice. Meanwhile, the imps reloaded their weapons, aiming once more at Yame and Myouka.
Watcher 27's swarm descended like a black tide, a surging flood aimed at Yame. Watcher 24's lips curled into a wicked grin, her voice venomous. "Even the strongest storm cannot stop a collapsing mountain." She raised her hand, commanding more spiders to lunge at Myouka.
But Yame's gaze remained steady. Beneath her calm exterior, a tempest of anger churned. She lifted her hand, and the storm erupted with blinding ferocity, shaking the battlefield to its core.
"Come then," she said coldly, her voice like steel.
The massive demon was the first to strike, its claws ripping through the air with a screeching howl. Yet the storm shield enveloping Yame shredded its limbs into countless fragments the instant they touched. Blood sprayed like rain.
"Damn this woman!" Watcher 22 roared, frantically summoning more demons and imps to replace the losses inflicted by Yame's wrath.
Watcher 27's bats swarmed closer, their talons and fangs poised to strike. But as they neared, Yame's storm constricted abruptly, morphing into countless razor-sharp currents. The swarm was reduced to shreds in moments.
"She can't maintain this forever—wear her down!" Watcher 24 shouted. She sent her spiders charging at Myouka, aiming to exploit Yame's divided focus.
Myouka steadied her trembling hands and raised her bow once more. Her arrows blazed as they pierced spider after spider, yet the relentless tide pressed on. As a colossal arachnid lunged at her, an arrow streaked through the air, grazing Watcher 24's cheek.
Blood trickled down Watcher 24's face, contorting her sinister grin into a snarl. Furious, she summoned a gargantuan black-and-purple spider, its armored body towering over the battlefield.
"Spider Queen, tear them apart!" she bellowed, unleashing the monstrous beast.
The Spider Queen's shadow engulfed the battlefield, its venom dripping from fangs that corroded the earth below. Yame clenched her fists, the storm spiraling into an unrelenting force. Myouka stood firm, her bow raised and her resolve unwavering.
"Don't back down," Yame commanded, her voice resolute. "We finish this now."
Myouka nodded, drawing her bowstring tight as her arrow gleamed with a faint light. The battlefield hung in the balance, the tension at its peak.