The tip of Changing Star's sword plunged into the narrow gap. Then, the sword disappeared into the monster's body, penetrating so deep that its hilt ended up brushing against the chitin.
'Hell yes!' Sunny thought, triumphant.
However, in the next second, his expression dimmed.
Because the creature didn't even seem to notice the wound that was supposed to be if not fatal, then at least heavily debilitating. Straining its body a little, it suddenly twisted, throwing the Echo off its carapace, and rose to its feet. The bone scythes scraped against the rock as it pulled them out from the ground.
Defenseless, Nephis was right in front of it, her sword still stuck in the monster's flesh.
'Oh no!'
Sunny was too far away to do anything, circling around the massive creature to attack it from behind. The Echo was on the ground, still reeling from being thrown off the enemy's back. It didn't seem like it could help either.
For the moment, Changing Star was on her own.
The scythes pierced the air, aiming for her flesh. At the last moment, however, a pair of pincers locked one of them into an iron grip. That gave Nephis another fraction of a second to react.
Letting go of the sword, she dove under the creature's body, hiding in the blind spot of the remaining scythe's attack range. As far as hiding places went, this one wasn't optimal, since all the monster had to do to crush her into a bloody pulp was to lie down. However, in that moment, Nephis had no other choice.
'This is bad, this bad...'
By then, Sunny was already behind the creature. Hoping to buy Neph some time, he brandished the Azure Blade and slashed down. The sword connected with the joint of one of the monster's rear legs, drawing azure blood. However, unlike how it was in the battle against a scavenger, he failed to completely sever the limb. It was too tough and thick.
In the next moment, the leg disappeared from Sunny's field of vision.
'Crap.'
As that thought appeared in his mind, Sunny raised his head and looked at the monster. Somehow, it had already turned around and was now facing him, two crimson flames burning with bloodlust in its eyes.
Before Sunny could properly react, the sharp tip of a bone scythe hit him in the chest with the force of a siege ram. The only thing he managed to do was to transfer the shadow from his body to the Puppeteer's Shroud.
Because of this lightning-fast decision, the armor held. He wasn't pierced through the heart and impaled on the scythe.
However, it was a small consolation.
The force of the blow was still enough to make his ribcage cave in and send his body flying through the air like a rag doll.
… Somehow, Sunny found himself lying on the ground. His body felt weird, and he couldn't breathe. Something bitter was flowing from his mouth, making him choke.
It was blood. He was drowning in his own blood.
Weakly, Sunny tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't listen to him. Only the shadow listened, enveloping his body and delaying the inevitable a little.
'I'm hurt...'
With his thoughts moving slower and slower, as though submerged in a dense fog, he looked up, hoping to see the stars.
Instead, he saw two burning crimson eyes approaching him from the darkness.