The Rabbit's claws raked the air, distorting reality as jagged fractures rippled outward. Each swipe of its enormous paw sent waves of destruction coursing through the greenhouse, twisting the air and shattering the ground beneath Miles' feet.
Miles ducked, narrowly avoiding a strike aimed for his head. His chest heaved with ragged breaths as he stumbled back, the [Harbinger's Scythe] humming with anticipation in his grip. The black fog coiling around the weapon whispered to him, urging him to attack, but the Rabbit's sheer speed and ferocity left him no time to focus.
Even as he tried to strike with an upward arc, aiming at the Rabbit's arm, just like when he had landed a hit on it, the Rabbit vanished like it had not been there to begin with, reappearing just steps away from the scythe's range.
The Rabbit lunged again, its elongated frame a blur of interlocking gears and fur. Miles swung the scythe in a desperate arc, but the Rabbit twisted mid-air, evading the blade with supernatural precision. It landed with a heavy thud, its crimson eyes gleaming with malice as it tilted its head, mocking him.
"You're slowing down, boy," the Rabbit crooned, its voice grating like grinding metal. The pocket watch in its clawed hand spun faster, emitting a high-pitched whine that made Miles' ears ring. "Is that all you've got? Alice's gifts wasted on a thief?"
Miles didn't answer. He couldn't.
Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, his mind racing to keep up with the onslaught. His usual quips felt hollow in the face of the Rabbit's overwhelming power. Instead, he planted his feet, gripping the scythe tightly as he steadied his breathing.
'Focus, Miles!' He gritted his teeth. 'There has to be a way out of it.'
The Rabbit charged at Miles again, closing the distance between them in an instant. Miles barely had time to react as its claws came down, slamming into the ground where he'd stood moments before.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, hurling shards of broken glass and debris in every direction.
Miles rolled to the side, grimacing as a jagged shard sliced across his forearm. Blood seeped through the tear in his sleeve, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself back to his feet.
'Think, dammit!' he hissed, watching the Rabbit as it stalked toward him, its movements unnervingly deliberate.
The Rabbit's attacks weren't random. They could not be.
There was a pattern, a rhythm to it. The way the Rabbit moved, the way the pocket watch spun faster before each strike… Miles realized it wasn't just using its claws and strength; it was using his time magic to boost its attacks, unlike it did back when Miles fought the dark fog wraith.
'You bastard… You've been saving it for now, right?' Miles grinned nervously underneath the mask.
He tightened his grip on the scythe, the weapon's hum resonating in his chest. The dark energy swirling around the blade seemed to respond to his resolve, flaring briefly before settling into a steady pulse.
'Let's see if I can break your rhythm!' Miles shifted his stance, lowering himself and positioning the scythe alongside him.
"Come now, boy. Show me what you're made of." The Rabbit grinned, baring its razor-sharp teeth.
It lunged again, but this time, Miles didn't retreat. He stepped forward, swinging the scythe in a wide arc. The blade clashed against the Rabbit's claws with a deafening screech, sending sparks flying. The impact jolted through Miles' arms, but he held, locking eyes with the Rabbit as they struggled against each other.
Underneath his mask, Miles' eyes were wide as his body felt like crumbling apart, but holding on no matter what.
"You're stronger than I thought," the Rabbit hissed, its voice dripping with mockery. "But strength alone won't save you."
The Rabbit's pocket watch spun faster, and suddenly, the world around them blurred. Miles felt his movements slow despite the [Harbinger's Scythe]'s will clearly clashing against the Rabbit's watch.
His limbs became heavy as though he were wading through thick mud. The Rabbit, however, moved with ease, slipping past his defenses and slashing at his side.
Miles cried out as the claws tore through his coat, leaving deep gashes along his ribs. He stumbled back, clutching his side as blood seeped through his fingers.
'Damn it,' he muttered, his vision swimming. 'I can't keep this up for much longer.'
"Giving up already? How disappointing." The Rabbit tilted its head, watching him with an almost amused expression.
Miles forced himself to stand, leaning on the scythe for support. He couldn't let the Rabbit win. Even though it was costing his blood, Miles was starting to understand the Rabbit's movements, little by little.
It lunged again, but this time, Miles waited until the last possible second before stepping aside. The scythe hummed in his hands as he swung it upward, aiming for the Rabbit's exposed flank, going for it with not only his strength, but letting the scythe's will follow suit.
The blade grazed its side, leaving a shallow gash. However, the Rabbit let out a screech of pain as the scythe's dark energy erupted from the wound, spreading across its metallic body like cracks in glass.
'Gotcha!' Miles grinned, despite the pain radiating through his body.
But the Rabbit recovered quickly this time, though, its crimson eyes burning brighter as it glared at him. The pocket watch in its hand began to spin erratically, the high-pitched whine growing louder. And as it did, time around the Rabbit itself began to distort, and the wound closed as though Miles had not landed a hit on the enemy.
The Rabbit snarled, moving faster than ever, its claws slashing through the air in a blur of motion. Miles ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding each strike, his entire body screaming against the movements.
He focused on the Rabbit's movements, on the way its attacks synced with the spinning of the pocket watch. Every time the watch reached a certain speed, the Rabbit would strike. If he could disrupt that rhythm…
Miles clenched his jaw, tightening his grip on the scythe.
The Rabbit attacked again, its claws raking through the ground as Miles dodged to the side. He swung the scythe in a counterattack, but the Rabbit deflected it with ease, its movements precise and calculated.
"Too slow." The Rabbit taunted, its voice echoing through the shattered greenhouse.
Miles' mind raced as he dodged another strike, his heart pounding in his chest.
The Rabbit was fast, almost imperceptible, but the rhythm was there. He just needed to find the right moment to strike, like before.
The scythe pulsed in his hands, its dark energy flaring briefly before settling into a steady hum. Miles took a deep breath, centering himself as he watched the Rabbit carefully.
And then he saw it.
The watch pulsed briefly as the Rabbit struck, nearly beheading Miles this time. But it was there.
The Rabbit's movements grew sharper, more frantic, its attacks losing the precision of before. Miles ducked and rolled, his heart pounding as he realized the truth: it was protecting the watch. Every strike, every lunge, was meant to keep him away from it.
It wasn't just a weapon. It was the source of the Rabbit's power. Every movement, every attack, was tied to the spinning of the watch.
'Maybe if I can break it…'
Miles grinned and focused as he gripped the scythe tightly, the blade glowing with dark energy. He shifted his stance, his muscles tensing and screaming in protest as he prepared for the Rabbit's next attack.
The Rabbit lunged, its claws slashing through the air, and Miles ducked, rolling to the side. The roll sent a jolt of pain through his entire body, but he swung the scythe in a wide arc, aiming not for the Rabbit, but for the pocket watch in its hand.
And the blade connected, letting out a cracking sound.