PHASE 82 - ALL ANIME GIRLS HATE TENTACLES!

At exactly 3:00 AM, the shadow appeared out of nowhere. It materialized from the smoke that came from the skies, and now the dark lady silhouette floated as it wandered in the area.

We were hiding under the short bridge that is the very same place I had in my dream. With make-up kit mirrors, Jecchan and Erylle watched the shadow’s movements until it enters the entrance of the bridge.

The shadow did not appear that it was aware of our presence, so it continued to cross the bridge. When she’s halfway finished, Erylle and Jecchan signaled the Gate Guardians, which is the appropriate time to attack!

All of us jumped upwards and blocked all the entrance and exit points of the bridge. The Aether Crusade barricaded the north side of the bridge while the Blazing Heart blocked the south side. I don’t know if this type of pincer attack would work considering that the enemy shadow can float freely in the air.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” The shadow sang, which is a sign of aggressiveness. It’s like a hissing of a cornered kitten.

“Frontlines, charge towards the battle! Support, ready the sealing spells!” Erylle commanded as she pointed her charged bow to the shadow.

The frontliners of the Aether Crusade are Rikkun, Drex, and Helena. On the Blazing Heart’s side, Yohan and Heushac. Rikkun, Heushac, and Helena deployed their swords, Drex materialized his giant mace, and Yohan readied his kite-like shield. They all had their determined gaze towards the shadow.

The support on the Aether Crusade is Jecchan and me, while on the Blazing Heart, Erylle, and Mianette. I and Mianette deployed our staves, Jecchan deployed her gunblades, and Erylle breathed to materialize arrows for her bow.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!” The shadow cried as if giving a final warning to back off. A shockwave roared in the area which made us step back for three steps.

“Follow me!” Rikkun cried as he raised his sword. “!!!”

With Rikkun as the flagship, the other Gate Guardians followed. Helena and Drex went in line behind him as he carefully paves his way all to the shadow.

The shadow noticed Rikkun’s extraordinary power, which is his Aether Armor. It turned towards their side and then unleashed ten tentacle tails towards Rikkun’s position!

“Grah!”

Rikkun cried as he felt the painful piercing tentacles on his skin. The Aether Armor slowly chipped off, piece by piece, until Rikkun’s left shoulder, right chest, left arm, and right leg is free of protection!

“What the heck!? How can it pierce through !?” Rikkun cried. “Is that shadow connected to the Frozen Sou- gyah!”

Rikkun fell down on the floor, with his butt catching the impact. Several tentacles pinned him to the asphalt of the bridge, making him unable to move an inch!

“!!!” I waved my staff that summoned a white dragon. The white dragon sprinkled healing dust towards my lover who is currently helpless like a sitting duck.

“Now’s the chance!” Heushac cried as he charged with his buster sword which is now coated with flame energy. “Hraaaagh!”

Heushac managed to cleanly slice the shadow symmetrically, but the sword just passed through as if he is just hitting a cloud.

“!!!” Helena burst forward with her fast stab attack that went through the shadow’s heart. Just like before, the sword attack just passed through the shadow. It even almost hit Heushac’s head!

“Whoa there, sis!” Heushac cried as ducked.

“Ahahaha! I’m sorry, baby brother~” Helena laughed obliviously.

“I’m not a baby anymore!” Heushac embarrassingly cried with reddish cheeks.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!” The shadow once again cried, and hundreds, thousands of tentacles spawned from its back. The shadow gracefully spun like a tornado, slapping anyone near with its dark tendrils!

“Wah!” , “Aaargh!” Helena and Heushac were throw away from the bridge with a powerful tentacle slap on their faces. Both of them splashed water as their bodies sunk to the shallow river.

“Hraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!” Drex cried as he relentlessly and recklessly charged forward. He leaped, focusing all his weight on his gigantic mace and planning to smash the shadow with full force. “Tectonic Sma-”

Drex did not finish his attack as a tentacle rushed forward and pierced his heart, resulting in his immediate death. His body fell down next to the impaled Rikkun.

“...Oh… He died again.” Rikkun made a cold remark.

“Rikkun!” I scolded out loud. I used my fists to crunch through the tentacles that have been impaling him and I dragged his helpless body away from the battlefield. “Stop being so insensitive!”

“Haha… I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”

<>

Meanwhile...

“!!!”

Yohan inflated his kite shield into a huge dragon-shell that is capable of withstanding the shadow’s tentacle attacks. Or not. Because the moment the tentacles started to peck on his shield, it immediately shattered to pieces. The tentacles then made their way to the poor Yohan which pierced his left lung, right kidney, stomach, and right leg.

“Ahck!” Yohan spurted out blood from his mouth.

“Yohan!” Erylle immediately went to her shielder’s side and carried him away from the battlefield.

Seeing that all front liners are at risk, Erylle issued an immediate command.

“All front line units, retreat! Mianette, go rescue Heushac and Helena in the river!” Erylle commanded as she held her chest. “!!!”

“!!!” Jecchan followed.

Lord Artemis and Lord Freya ascended to the skies and readied their long-ranged weapons. Lord Artemis pointed her winged longbow towards the skies, while Lord Freya pointed her gunblades towards the rampaging shadow.

“!!!” Lord Artemis fired a green magic arrow to the skies, which lighted up all the stars in the space. The stars immediately landed as colorful magical arrows that rained towards the shadow!

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!” The shadow cried. Each and every tentacle surrounding it was impaled to the ground because of the raining arrows!

“!!!” Lord Freya fired swords from her gunblade, which immediately exploded upon hitting the shadow!

The loud explosion noises and the thick smoke engulfed the area. The short bridge collapsed, and countless debris fell into the shallow river below.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh…” Because of the deafening blasts, the shadow’s cries are a little bit faint. However, I can still see from here its silhouette. It is still standing, completely unaffected by Lord Freya’s attack. For some reason, only Lord Artemis' attacks work.

Suddenly, the shadow unleashed another wave of tendrils that wrapped the flying goddesses and smashed them unto the river! A huge splash was made and the sharp rocks grazed the beautiful bodies of the goddesses!

“Kyaaaah!” Both Lord Freya and Lord Artemis cried in pain.

<>

My eyes opened in awe.

Most of my allies now are combat ineffective. Rikkun is injured which made him a little bit slower and his Aether Armor cannot protect him anymore. Erylle and Jecchan are still restrained by the tendrils. Drex is dead, and Yohan is in critical condition. Mianette is busy rescuing Helena and Heushac who just fell to the river.

I cannot stay in the support role healing people any longer.

My body moved on its own.

“Tiara!” Rikkun cried, but he cannot stop me. I have already jumped towards the battlefield with my on. Hundreds of rainbow tails swayed to follow my movement. My flaming white goddess robe gave radiance in the place.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…?” The shadow finally noticed my appearance. Its crimson eyes glared at me not with killing intent, but with curiosity as if it just found a new species of animal.

“I can’t let you hurt my friends any longer!” I pumped my fists and charged divine energy. “With determination, I refuse to give up!”