"FUCKKK!" The collective cry of all Stones echoed across the battlefield, their usually composed faces contorted with disbelief now
Jaipa stood alone beneath the armada of his creation, the wind whipping around him making him look like the protagonist from some fantasy novel. His four eyes gleamed with fierce determination and even there was a hint of savage satisfaction playing at the corners of his mouth as he observed the Stones' reaction. The Stones remained momentarily stunned by this unexpected display of power, the confidence that had surrounded them like an aura now visibly to crumble
I couldn't tear my eyes from the spectacle, but suddenly felt a wave of weakness wash over me. It hit me like a revelation but half of my tai energy had been drained ! Then the realization struck me like lightning Jaipa was connected to me. He had his physical body because of my tai energy, and now with each technique he performed, my tai energy was being consumed as fuel in other words he was using his technique using my tai energy as fuel
If this continued, we wouldn't be able to leave this place. The sensation of my soul leaving my body grew stronger with each passing minute. I couldn't delay our departure any longer than this. I observed these facts for a moment then
The machines above us began to make a sound like angry hornets. Blue energy gathered at their mouths before unleashing devastating blasts toward the Stones.
"Form a barrier!" Crimson shouted urgently, his usually composed voice cracking with genuine alarm. Everyone instantly obeyed his command, their movements tinged with desperation.
The staff-wielding Stone slammed his twisted branch into the ground with enough force to create a small crater, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he poured his energy into the defensive formation. The tattooed one and the bandaged Stone dropped to one knee on either side of him, palms pressed to the earth, their faces tight with concentration and strain. A dome of iridescent energy erupted around them just as the first energy blasts struck.
Each impact against the barrier sent shockwaves through the ground beneath my feet. The old man who had seemed so harmless in the market stood at the barrier's edge, his hands weaving complex patterns that strengthened the shield wherever it began to crack. His ancient eyes burned with intensity, his wrinkled face set in grim determination.
Yet even their combined power struggled under Jaipa's onslaught. Fractures spider-webbed across the dome's surface with each new barrage. The Stones' faces were taut with effort, their normally confident expressions replaced by grimaces of exertion.
"We can't hold this indefinitely," the bandaged one said, strain evident in his voice despite his covered eyes. Even his voice trembled slightly the first sign of fear I'd heard from any of them. "Whatever this creature is, its power exceeds our expectations."
That child-like Stone, who had maintained a look of laziness even while fighting Jaipa earlier, suddenly seemed excited.
With a gesture that appeared almost casual, he sent his floating stone shooting upward through the barrier somehow passing through without disrupting it and into the sky where it began to grow exponentially, expanding until it rivaled the size of the machines above.
"I'll handle the toys," he said, his mature voice still oddly mismatched with his child-like body.
The floating stone crashed through several of the war machines, shattering them into fragments of blue energy that dissolved before hitting the ground. But for each one destroyed, Jaipa seemed able to manifest two more. With each new war machine, my tai energy depleted in jumps if my energy was at 60%, each new creation consumed 2% of my entire reserve. For now, all I could do was prepare our escape path, pushing aside my concerns.
Meanwhile, Obari had rejoined the group, though he moved with obvious pain from Jaipa's earlier attack. "We need to break his concentration," he said through gritted teeth.
Crimson nodded sharply. "Form the Seventh Formation. Now!"
Without another word, the barrier dropped and the Stones scattered in different directions, moving with such coordinated precision they might have been aspects of a single entity rather than separate beings.
After reaching measured distances from each other, all seven dropped to one knee, pressing their hands to the ground in unison and beginning to chant. For a moment, nothing happened. Then faint golden energy began to radiate from each of them, flowing from their hands into the earth.
A glowing circle formed beneath each Stone, and as the circles stabilized, threads of energy extended outward, linking one formation to the next until all seven were connected in a unified pattern.
By the time the circle formed perfectly, Jaipa's war machines had descended to land. Jaipa raised his hand, directed it toward the Stones, and simply said, "Move!"
With that one command, all the war machines rushed toward the kneeling Stones.
The Stones' circle had formed perfectly now, but I still didn't know what purpose it served. I didn't have to wait long to find out.
From five of the circles, chains of golden energy shot toward the rushing war machines, binding them in place. Yet even when bound, they pushed forward like mindless beasts.
Jaipa stayed still for a moment, then turned to me with a look. His lips moved, and the next second he had blurred into motion, appearing behind Crimson ready to throw his punch. Suddenly, countless chains wrapped around him out of nowhere.
"I anticipated that you would come for me," Crimson said, not even turning to face Jaipa.
From each circle, spikes of golden energy shot toward Jaipa, impaling him in multiple places. He coughed blood. His lips moved again, and he broke free from all the chains binding him. Another whispered word and he blurred to a safe distance. Once more his lips moved.
To my surprise, the wounds he'd just received began healing. Within seconds, they had vanished completely.
"Wow!" I muttered, amazed by his abilities—not just healing, but all of them. I was starting to understand what was happening here. Looking at Crimson, I realized I wasn't the only one figuring it out.
Crimson shouted with a booming voice, "Break the formation and engage in battle!" With that command, he rushed toward the war machines, destroying them one by one as the remaining Stones followed his lead. Within minutes, all the war machines were destroyed. Breathing heavily, they turned toward Jaipa as Crimson shouted again:
"Don't give him a chance to rest!"
All the Stones rushed at Jaipa. He lowered his head before looking up at the approaching enemies. "Don't you think it's time for you to drop the act of being weak!"
"Haaaaff, be it!" He blurred again, appearing at their blind spots, targeting them one by one. He continued muttering to himself as he fought, getting injured, healing, over and over. The Stones were bleeding heavily now, but none of them stopped. They kept attacking Jaipa, who avoided most of their strikes as if he knew where they were coming from. The one-sided battle continued.
Meanwhile, my shells and I did what was necessary for us to do we dragged the fallen bodies and threw them into the well. This was the last body I needed to dispose of. As I dragged it, looking at my shells, they moved before I could even command them. Standing close to the well, they helped me lift the body and throw it in.
As the last body fell into the well, nothing happened for a second. Then the blood in the well began to glow dark red before returning to normal.
Now all that remained was to jump in and see if it led us to the Forest of Absolute. I felt somewhat relieved, but I was still stressed about Jaipa, who remained engaged in battle. But now, strangely, everyone had stopped fighting and stood still, staring at each other.
"What the hell? Why are they all standing still like that?"
Crimson began speaking "Wow! You have an impressive technique there. What did you call it... was it 'Moon After the Moon'? No, it was... 'Moon Phase ! ' right?"
"Did he catch on?" I whispered to myself. Looking at him... yes, he definitely had! He took longer than expected. I thought he would catch on the moment I did, but it took him a while.
Crimson continued: "An all-in-one technique. Like the name suggests, your technique has eight phases, each granting you different abilities. In phase one, your speed increases. In the second, your strength. The third boosts defense, the fourth offense, the fifth recovery, and the sixth adaptability which enhances your capacity to learn, adjust, and evolve mid-combat."
"In the seventh, creation which you used to create those war machines, I guess. And the last phase, perception, which lets you detect enemies or predict actions."
"In simple words A cheat abilities all in one. With just this technique, you can survive against most enemies, not to mention your other techniques like 'Moon After Moon,' which was also phenomenal."
"Is that all you have to say?" Jaipa asked in a serious tone.
"No... no, that's not it. There's more. Each time you shift between phases, your body undergoes a dramatic change that causes strain on your body.And the most important and worst thing about the technique is that you can use only one phase at a time... isn't that right, Jaipa?" Crimson asked with a serious tone, taking a step forward.
"By my will, I grant you permission to break the seals," Crimson said in a dark voice