The crimson petal-blades howled through the air like a living storm.
Draven's black slash met the first wave head-on. *Shrrrk—!* The deep, consuming arc shattered dozens of razor-sharp petals into glittering dust, but more kept forming, swirling faster around the masked creature.
"Draven!" Lira shouted, ducking behind him as a stray petal sliced past her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. "There's too many! How do we stop it?!"
"By cutting the source," Draven replied, voice cold and focused. He spun the 7th Form in his grip, the black blade humming with restrained power. "Stay low. Don't let it isolate you."
The petal-masked monster tilted its cracked porcelain head, empty sockets flaring brighter.
"Oh? The black stage thinks it can command the wind itself?" It raised both clawed hands, and the spinning petals accelerated, forming a tightening vortex. "Let me show you true beauty in destruction!"
Hundreds more petals erupted from the ground, each edge gleaming like fresh blood. They converged on Draven and Lira from all sides.
Draven moved like shadow given form. He slashed again — two quick, overlapping black arcs that tore a temporary path through the storm.
"Run toward the open path!" he ordered, grabbing Lira's wrist and pulling her forward.
But Lira planted her feet, refusing to be dragged away. "No! I'm not leaving you here alone with that thing!" She snatched a fallen tree branch from the ground, gripping it like a makeshift weapon. "If it wants a fight, it gets both of us. Tell me what to do — I'm not useless!"
Draven glanced at her, conflict flashing in his dark eyes for the briefest moment. *She's going to get herself killed.*
"…Fine. When I slash, you throw whatever you can at its mask. Aim for the cracks."
Lira nodded fiercely, her usual bubbly smile replaced by raw determination. "Got it. Let's break that ugly flower face!"
The monster laughed, a sound like rustling dead leaves mixed with grinding bone. "How touching. The little human thinks she can play hero." It pointed one claw directly at Lira. "I'll start with you — your screams will paint the petals redder than any blossom."
A concentrated spear of spinning petals shot toward Lira like a crimson lance.
Draven intercepted it instantly. His slash met the spear with explosive force — *CRACK!* — black energy clashing against red, sending petals exploding outward in every direction. The impact pushed him back a step, but he held his ground.
"Now!" he barked.
Lira didn't hesitate. She hurled the heavy branch with all her strength. It spun through the air and slammed into the monster's porcelain mask with a loud *crack*, widening one of the existing fractures.
The creature recoiled, letting out a sharp hiss of pain. "Insolent girl!"
For a moment, the petal storm faltered.
Draven seized the opening. He lunged forward, 7th Form raised high. "Your colors are weak." A powerful overhead slash descended — deep black, absolute, and hungry. The blade carved through the air with a low, thunderous hum.
The masked monster crossed its arms, petals swirling into a makeshift shield at the last second. The black slash collided with the barrier in a violent explosion of light and shadow. *BOOM!*
Petals scattered everywhere. The monster staggered back, its porcelain mask now webbed with fresh cracks, one socket completely shattered to reveal writhing darkness beneath.
Lira pumped her fist, breathing hard. "Yes! We hurt it! Draven, did you see that? We actually—"
"Behind you!" Draven shouted.
Too late.
A single regenerated petal-blade had circled around, slicing toward Lira's back.
Draven moved faster than thought. He spun and pulled her against his chest with one arm while swinging the 7th Form with the other. The black slash intercepted the petal just inches from her spine — *Shing!* — disintegrating it into harmless sparkles.
Lira gasped, pressed against him, her heart hammering. "Draven… thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," he muttered, his voice low against her hair. For a split second, his grip tightened protectively. "This thing is learning. It's adapting to my slashes."
The petal-masked monster straightened, its shattered mask twisting into a grotesque, wider grin. "Admirable teamwork. But how long can the black stage protect its fragile flower?" It spread its arms, and the entire pond's surface began to ripple unnaturally. Crimson veins spread across the water like blood in veins. "Let's see how you dance when the park itself turns against you."
More petals rose — thousands this time — mixed now with droplets of water turned sharp as glass.
Lira looked up at Draven, eyes wide but steady. "What now? We can't keep this up forever."
Draven's jaw clenched. He could feel the 7th Form growing warmer in his grip, eagerly drinking the scattered traces of the monster's power. *One more solid hit… and it might shift.*
"…We end it quickly. Together."
Lira nodded, a small, fierce smile breaking through her fear. "Together. Just like I said — petals and shadows."
The monster's laugh echoed louder as the crimson tempest prepared to descend again.
But deep in the monster realm, the ancient cave pulsed in rhythm with the battle. A second drop of blood — this one carrying faint traces of Lira's — seeped into the stone.
The colors… were beginning to stir.
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**To be continued**