Chapter 63: 63: SAY CHEESE

June pulled out his phone and stared at it. His mind had gone completely numb from the panic and the impending attack. He wasn’t thinking straight anymore.

He didn’t know what to do, and he certainly didn’t have any weapon or means of protecting himself. Then, in the middle of his panic, the craziest thought suddenly crossed his mind.

As the monsters charged closer, June raised his phone as though he intended to throw it at them as a last-ditch defense.

"Stay away, you ugly fish!"

He snapped, preparing to throw the phone.

But he stopped midway when he remembered exactly how expensive it was.

His fingers had already slipped across the screen, however, landing directly on the camera. Before he could react, the camera flash suddenly went off, shining straight toward the approaching monsters.

"Arghhhhh!"

A deafening shriek erupted from the creatures as the bright light struck their bodies and eyes.

Every monster immediately recoiled in pain. Some staggered backward and fell onto their backs, while others desperately flapped their wings and fled into the distance.

"..."

Silence settled over the group as Finn and Ryan slowly turned toward June.

They stared at him in complete disbelief. None of them could understand what had just happened, and even June himself looked as confused as they were.

"Did the camera light just...?" Ryan began, but he was too shocked to finish the question.

June blinked down at his phone before looking back at the monsters that were still shrieking in the distance.

"I’m just as shocked as you are..."

Ryan slowly smiled.

"I guess this really is an anomaly dungeon..."

June tightened his grip around his phone, his expression gradually changing into one of confidence.

"I guess phones really do come in handy after all, kids."

The monsters’ shrieks echoed again.

June and the others looked up and saw the creatures struggling back onto their feet. They were already turning toward them again, their wings flapping furiously as they prepared to charge.

This time, they seemed determined to get their revenge.

June smiled as he stepped forward and cleared his throat. He casually ran a hand through his hair, then cracked his neck with an elegant grin.

"Well, get ready to take the best pictures you’ve ever had, dear ugly fish. Remember to smile for the camera."

He opened his phone’s camera and raised it toward the approaching monsters.

"Should we use portrait mode? Or maybe tone down the saturation? Add some filters... perhaps photoshoot mode?"

June shook his head.

"Nah, it wouldn’t matter. You’d still be ugly either way."

He grinned.

"Now, say cheese!"

The camera flashed again.

The bright light struck the monsters as they charged forward, hitting their eyes and bodies with surprising intensity.

The creatures immediately shrieked in agony. Some lost control of their flight and crashed into the snow while others collapsed from the air. Strange white substances began peeling away from their bodies as the light seemed to penetrate beneath their skin, disrupting the energy within them.

While the monsters screamed and struggled helplessly on the ground, June continued taking pictures.

He took picture after picture, changing his position with every shot. Sometimes he stood tall, sometimes he dropped onto one knee, and other times he bent sideways at strange angles or spread his legs to get a better position. He moved around like a professional photographer determined to capture the perfect shot from every possible angle.

"Oh, yes! Perfect! Now, another pose! Perfect! Turn to the side... sweet! I like that one. Make that ugly face again! Perfect!"

He continued moving around and snapping pictures, ensuring every monster received its share of the camera’s strange attack.

The consequences were immediate. The monsters continued shrieking and collapsing, their bodies weakening as the strange light disrupted their energy. Their movements became increasingly sluggish as more of their strength seemed to drain away.

Meanwhile, Finn and Ryan helped Mr. Ken back onto his feet. Blood still stained his lips, and his body looked weak from maintaining the connection between the two Espers for so long. He leaned on them for support as he slowly regained his balance.

Mr. Ken cleared his throat and opened his eyes, only to stare at the bizarre scene unfolding before him.

"..."

He blinked several times, wondering if the dungeon had somehow affected his vision.

"What the hell is he doing?" Mr. Ken finally asked. "Why is he taking pictures?"

Ryan adjusted his glasses and stared at June.

"It’s a long story, but... who knows? Maybe taking pictures really can save lives someday."

Mr. Ken remained speechless.

June continued taking pictures until the monsters had become noticeably weaker. Once he was satisfied, he turned toward Ryan and handed him the phone.

"Here, hold this. I’ll go get Nyx" He reminded "Careful with it, it’s expensive"

Ryan took the phone, and June immediately turned around and rushed toward the fallen Espers.

Finn followed shortly after, heading toward Simon while Ryan continued using the camera against the remaining monsters. Each flash weakened them further, leaving Mr. Ken staring at the ridiculous sight in utter shock and disbelief.

June hurried through the snow, the freezing wind biting against his skin. He was already beginning to feel cold despite standing and moving around, so he could only imagine how much worse it must be for Nyx, who was lying almost unconscious on the freezing ground.

When June finally reached them, Simon looked up.

He was kneeling in the snow, exhausted and barely able to keep himself upright. When he saw June approaching, he instinctively waited for him, thinking that June had come to help him up.

But June simply ran past him.

His attention was fixed entirely on Nyx, who was lying motionless nearby.

Simon watched June hurry toward Nyx, and something strange stirred inside him.

Disappointment.

He didn’t understand why he felt that way.

For most of his life, Simon had never cared about June’s attention. They had been childhood friends, but their closeness had mostly existed because their parents were close. Even when June had repeatedly tried to win him over throughout high school, Simon had always rejected him without giving it much thought.

Yet now, as he watched June kneel beside Nyx without even looking back at him, Simon couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

He didn’t understand why it bothered him so much.

Finn soon reached him and helped him to his feet, supporting him firmly as they slowly made their way back toward the others.

Meanwhile, June dropped to his knees beside Nyx and carefully lifted him, resting Nyx’s head against his lap.

"Hey... wake up. Hey..."

June gently patted Nyx’s cold cheek, trying to get a response.

But Nyx didn’t move.

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