I Can See Evolution Paths

Sun charged forward, Long erupting with fire as he rushed toward the Spider General.

"Get away from him!"

The Spider General swung one of its massive limbs toward him. Sun raised Long and blocked the attack head-on, but the impact sent him sliding several meters across the stone floor. His boots scraped against the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance, and his hands trembled around the staff from the sheer force of the blow.

Sun looked up at the Beast and gave it a crooked smile. "You’re... pretty strong."

The Spider General answered with a furious roar and raised another limb.

Sun’s smile widened. "But you’re still ugly."

Before the Beast could attack again, Kong climbed out of the crater nearby. Sun glanced toward him, and the two immediately understood what they needed to do.

"Ready?"

Kong nodded.

Without wasting another second, they charged together.

For several seconds, the two actually managed to hold the Spider General back. Kong leaped onto its body and seized two of its front limbs, using his enormous strength to keep the Beast from moving freely while Sun circled around them.

Sun immediately took advantage of the opening. "Hold it there!"

Kong tightened his grip as the Spider General violently struggled against him, its claws scraping across the stone. "GRAAAH!"

Sun thrust Long forward and unleashed another Ember Shock. The shockwave slammed into the Beast’s body with tremendous force, sending it stumbling backward while Kong continued clinging to it.

Sun grinned when he saw the result. "That’s it!"

But Rokkaku finally intervened. Two black threads shot across the battlefield, one striking Sun from the side while another wrapped around Kong before violently yanking him away.

The two were torn away from the Spider General and sent crashing in opposite directions, their momentum carrying them several meters across the ruined chamber.

Mithra decided to stop fighting the Spider General and go directly for Rokkaku.

She disappeared in a burst of speed, forcing her way through the oppressive pressure that had been slowing everyone else. For a brief moment, her speed was enough to overcome it.

She reappeared directly behind Rokkaku, Kusa already swinging toward his neck.

Rokkaku reacted at the last possible moment. He turned sharply, and a mass of black threads appeared between them. Kusa crashed into the threads with a metallic clang, stopping the blade just before it reached him.

Mithra’s eyes widened.

Rokkaku had caught the blade with black threads. "Found you." The threads wrapped around Kusa. Mithra tried to pull away but it was useless as a fist came rushing towards her.

Mithra twisted, the fist barely missing her face. And then she kicked Rokkaku in the chest, and launched herself away while he stared at her.

Mithra landed beside Athena.

Athena immediately raised Aegis. "You’re hurt."

Mithra wiped blood from her cheek. "Nothing serious."

Athena looked toward Rokkaku. "We’re being pushed back."

Mithra nodded. "I know."

Athena’s eyes narrowed. "We need to change something."

Mithra glanced at her. "Any ideas?"

Athena raised her shield. "Survive."

Mithra laughed despite herself. "Great plan."

They moved together once again. A wave of black threads rushed toward them, and Athena stepped forward to meet it with Aegis. The threads struck the shield repeatedly, forcing her backward, but Mithra immediately slipped through the opening and cut several of them apart.

Another attack came from the side.

Athena turned Aegis and redirected it away from Mithra, giving her just enough room to counter. Mithra moved through the opening and cut down the remaining threads before they could surround them.

For several exchanges, their coordination allowed them to hold their ground.

But Rokkaku’s pressure continued to increase.

Cracks spread farther across Aegis, while Mithra’s movements gradually became slower. She could still move quickly, but every step now felt as though she were pushing against an invisible wall.

"This isn’t going to work forever."

Athena nodded. "I know."

Arthur slowly pushed himself upright, every part of his body aching from the pressure that continued weighing down on him.

He looked across the battlefield.

Vedas was down on one knee, still refusing to release his spear. Sun was helping Kong back to his feet after Rokkaku had separated them. Mithra and Athena were struggling to defend themselves against another wave of black threads, while Athy could barely maintain her position in the air under the overwhelming pressure.

Eden remained beside Luna, using her power to protect her from the worst of the aura, while Melo continued trying to distract the Spider General with her dream mist.

They were all fighting.

They were all giving everything they had.

And Rokkaku was still standing.

Arthur looked across the battlefield and slowly lowered his gaze toward his own hands.

They had pushed Rokkaku back.

They had made him bleed, damaged his Beast, and broken several of his formations. For a moment, they had even believed they could defeat him.

But all of that had happened while Rokkaku was injured and conserving his strength.

Now they were facing him at full power.

Arthur finally understood the difference.

He exhaled slowly. "We can’t win."

Vedas looked at him. "Arthur..."

Arthur shook his head. "Not like this."

Sun looked over. "You mean..."

Arthur nodded. "He’s too strong."

Mithra heard him. She didn’t argue. Athena lowered Aegis slightly. She knew it too. Rokkaku’s aura was crushing their movements before they could even properly attack.

Rokkaku’s black threads suddenly began gathering above him.

Athena noticed first.

Her expression changed immediately. "Arthur."

Arthur looked up.

Thousands of black threads were twisting together in the air, weaving around one another until they formed a massive sphere of condensed energy above Rokkaku. The space surrounding it began to distort, and cracks appeared across the stone floor beneath his feet as the sheer amount of power gathered inside it.

Sun stared upward. "That’s..."

Vedas tightened his grip on his spear. "He’s going to kill us."

Arthur raised his hand. "Everyone!"

The others immediately understood and began gathering around him. Athena planted Aegis in front of the group, while Vedas forced himself upright and moved to Arthur’s side despite the pain running through his body.

Mithra positioned herself in front of Sun and Kong, while Athy descended beside Eden and Luna. Melo gathered what remained of her dream mist around the group.

Arthur took a slow breath before activating Guardian Shield.

Golden light spread outward from his body, forming a large barrier around them. Everyone looked toward Rokkaku. None of them needed to say it. They knew the barrier might not be enough.

Rokkaku looked at them. "You fought well." The black sphere grew larger. "But this ends here."

Arthur stared upward. He knew the barrier wouldn’t hold. He knew they couldn’t dodge. And he knew that if Rokkaku released that attack, they would lose.

Then Rokkaku’s expression suddenly changed.

His head turned toward the entrance.

Arthur noticed the movement immediately.

At first, he couldn’t understand what had caught Rokkaku’s attention. Then he felt it.

A powerful presence had entered the chamber.

Before Arthur could identify it, another aura appeared beside the first.

Then a third.

The atmosphere inside the chamber changed.

Arthur slowly turned toward the entrance.

Three powerful auras were approaching through the darkness.

One carried the fierce intensity of red.

Another was sharp and controlled, like a blade drawn from its sheath.

Blue.

The final presence was quieter, but no less powerful.

Green.

Arthur’s eyes widened.

He recognized them.

The Agents had returned.

A red figure stepped out of the darkness first.

He didn’t say a word.

The moment his eyes settled on Rokkaku, his body vanished.

Arthur barely had time to follow the movement before a violent impact shook the chamber.

BOOOOOOM!

Red’s attack crashed directly into Rokkaku, disrupting the massive black sphere above him. The gathered energy exploded apart, scattering black threads throughout the chamber as Rokkaku was thrown backward.

Arthur stared. "He moved him..."

Before Rokkaku could recover, Blue appeared behind him. A blade flashed. Rokkaku twisted, and the blade sliced through his robe.

Blue’s voice was cold. "You’re not leaving."

Rokkaku’s threads exploded outward. Blue cut through them. Green appeared from the opposite side.

"You’re surrounded."

Rokkaku’s eyes narrowed. For the first time since unleashing his full power, he looked genuinely irritated. "You came back."

Red attacked again before Rokkaku could fully recover. Rokkaku raised his black threads and blocked the strike, but the impact still forced him backward.

CLANG!

Green immediately appeared from the side and attacked while Rokkaku’s attention was occupied. Rokkaku twisted his body and barely managed to intercept the blow.

Before he could counter, Blue appeared behind him.

Rokkaku spun around, narrowly avoiding the blade as it passed across his back.

The three Agents moved without hesitation, each attack naturally creating an opening for the next. Red kept Rokkaku under constant pressure from the front, Blue cut off his attempts to retreat, while Green attacked whenever Rokkaku shifted his attention toward either of the others.

Rokkaku was being forced backward.

Sun slowly smiled. "Looks like we aren’t the only ones who wanted to punch him."

Mithra laughed softly. "Apparently not."

Vedas slowly raised his spear as he watched the Agents force Rokkaku farther across the chamber. "Should we help?"

Arthur looked toward the three Agents, then shifted his attention toward the Spider General, which was already preparing to move back toward Rokkaku. "We should."

Athena immediately stopped him. "Arthur."

He turned toward her.

Athena glanced at the others before looking back at him. "We’re exhausted. If we rush into another fight against Rokkaku, we’ll only get in their way."

Arthur paused.

She was right.

He looked toward the Spider General again. "Then we’ll support them."

Sun nodded. "That’s better."

The group immediately attacked the Spider General again. Kong grabbed its leg. Sun blasted it with Long. Mithra cut through black threads. Athena blocked its attacks. Melo spread dream mist. Athy provided vision. Eden connected everyone’s perception.

The Agents fought Rokkaku while Arthur’s group held the Spider General back. For the first time, Rokkaku was losing ground.

Red’s weapon crashed against Rokkaku’s threads. Clang! Rokkaku countered. Red blocked. Blue appeared. Rokkaku turned. Green attacked. Rokkaku barely escaped.

The three Agents weren’t overwhelmingly stronger. They were simply better at controlling the battle. Rokkaku realized this. He summoned more corpse puppets. Red destroyed them. He summoned another wave. Blue cut them apart.

The Spider General attempted to return to him. Mithra intercepted it. "Not so fast." Kusa flashed. The Spider General roared.

Rokkaku looked toward the battlefield, his expression becoming colder. He had several options, but every one cost him. He looked toward the Water Mirror, then toward Arthur.

Arthur noticed. "He’s thinking about leaving."

Athena nodded. "He knows this isn’t worth the cost anymore."

Rokkaku raised his hand. Black threads suddenly erupted from the floor, a wall of darkness separating him from the Agents. Red immediately destroyed it. But Rokkaku had already moved, reaching the edge of the chamber.

Blue tried to intercept but Rokkaku sent the Spider General forward. The Beast crashed into Blue. Green attacked. Rokkaku blocked. Red appeared behind him. Rokkaku barely escaped.

The Agents continued chasing. Rokkaku finally looked back, his eyes settling on Arthur for one final moment. Arthur didn’t move. Neither did Rokkaku. No words passed between them.

Then Rokkaku turned and disappeared into the darkness. The Spider General followed. Red immediately chased. Blue followed. Green disappeared after them.

Before leaving, Red turned his head. "Stay here!"

Arthur looked toward him, then toward the Water Mirror. He nodded. "We’re not going anywhere."

The Agents disappeared after Rokkaku. Silence returned to the chamber.

Arthur slowly lowered his bow.

Sun exhaled. "That was..." He looked around. "A lot."

Vedas laughed weakly. "You think?"

Kong dropped onto the floor. Sun looked at him. "You okay?"

Kong gave a tired thumbs up.

Sun smiled. "Good."

Mithra sheathed Kusa. "At least we survived."

Athena looked toward the entrance. "For now."

Arthur didn’t answer right away, the aftermath of everything they’d just been through still settling over him. He was staring at the Water Mirror instead. The surface was moving, slowly, almost like water reacting to a disturbance.

Then the Mirror began to glow.

Arthur took one step closer. His expression changed. "It knows we’re here."

Eden floated beside him. "The Mirror?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah."

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