In a blinding flash of light, it was thrown to the ground. Whisps of smoke rose from the cracks in its carapace.
In a strange turn of events, arcs of residual electricity danced on the monster's chitin, slowly accumulating on the crimson patterns on it. Under that influence, the crimson pattern changed its color, becoming white and incandescent.
Sunny stared at all this in bewilderment.
'It's… glowing?'
For a second, he hoped that the monster was dead. But no, a single strike of lightning was not enough to kill a creature like that. Just a few moments after being electrocuted, the slayer moved, slightly shaking its body.
Although it was in a rather bad shape, it was still alive and full of murderous intent.
Looking somewhat dazed, the monster gathered its limbs and tried to stand up. Slowly but surely, it was coming back to its senses. The bone scythes scraped against the rocks, helping it rise.
However, before it did, Nephis was suddenly right in front of it.
Grabbing the hilt of the longsword, she grimaced as the heat burned her hands. Then, she twisted the blade, making the slayer's body twitch, and pulled it out, breaking apart a large portion of its lower torso armor.
The monster tried to slash at her with a scythe, but Changing Star was quicker. Dashing to the side, she simultaneously lashed out with her sword. The glowing, white-hot blade caught the creature's arm right below the joint and cleaved through it, sending the terrifying bone scythe flying through the air in a rain of azure blood.
The slayer screeched and swatted her away with one of its legs. Nephis was thrown back and rolled on the rocks, losing her grip on the sword. Her eyes momentarily lost focus.
The monster, on the contrary, was back to its sense. It seemed as though the sudden pain of losing a limb had shaken it wide awake. Raising to its full height, it opened its ugly mouth and let out a deafening, enraged shriek.
Then, it lunged toward Neph with all-consuming hatred burning in its eyes.
But it didn't get far.
Right as the livid monster was beginning its attack, the battered Echo appeared in its path. Its one remaining pincer shot forward, plunging into the wide gap in the armor created by Changing Star's sword. Twisting its arm, the scavenger pushed it inside the enemy's body, wreaking havoc on its innards.
In the end, it even lifted the whole monster in the air a little, its pincer going in almost up to the shoulder.
The slayer lashed out with its scythe, piercing the Echo's chest through.
Then, it twitched a couple of times and fell still.
The scavenger screeched angrily and jerked its pincer, tearing the bigger monster's torso clean off its carapace. Proudly giving the eviscerated enemy one last look, it then staggered and collapsed to the ground.
Sunny tiredly dismissed the Echo, hoping that it can survive.
He wasn't feeling too well.
In fact, he was pretty much done for.
[You have slain an awakened monster, Carapace Centurion.]
The Spell's voice fell uselessly on his deaf ears. It sounded distorted and distant.
[You have received a Memory: Starlight Legion Armor.]
[Your shadow grows stronger.]
'I won.'
Sunny closed his eyes, finally allowing pain and exhaustion to flood his mind.
The fog was back, making everything feel like it was happening to someone else.
He was tired.
And he couldn't breathe.
Drowning in blood was not very pleasant.
As his conscience begin to slip, he heard the sound of someone's hurried steps.
And then, two soft hands gently touched his face…