Impending danger

Shu and Hanz sat down in front of the monster, waiting impatiently. All Hanz could think about was the precious time being wasted just sitting around, but he didn't have a choice.

He had only two options: either allow Shu to keep moving and risk the Kaiju breaking free—stronger than before—and killing them, then go on to kill everyone else before Shu could reach the river… or wait for Hannah to recover, letting precious time slip away.

Waiting was eating Hanz alive. He could already sense Dracula’s Kantar steadily increasing, and upon looking at the sky, it was already twilight. Very soon, Dracula would be upon them—and their mission was far from complete.

After hours of silent debate with himself, Hanz finally made a decision. He turned to Shu. “Keep going. We're running out of time. If we stay here, we're just sitting ducks waiting for Dracula to kill us all.”

Shu looked at Hanz with a serious expression. “Is this truly all we can do? I can't help but hate myself for not mastering the arcane technique. I never knew that my limitations would lead us down such a dangerous path.”

Hanz punched him lightly on the head. “Don’t blame yourself, kid. You gave it everything you had. Sometimes, even your best isn’t enough. But that doesn't mean there's no other way forward. This path may be dangerous, but it's still a path. Now go!”

Shu’s spirit lifted with Hanz’s words. With newfound resolve, he sprinted toward the river, using the map to guide him. He ran so fast that the force of his movement tore through the trees.

Meanwhile, Hanz glared at the frozen Kaiju with intense focus. He could feel his Kantar slowly diminishing within the creature. It was starting to regain movement. He reverted to his Aberrant Awakening form and entered a battle stance, ready for round two.

It didn’t take long. With an angry roar, the Kaiju broke free and charged at Hanz, landing a powerful blow to his stomach and sending him flying, blood spraying from his mouth.

Hanz recovered quickly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I have to lean more into my demon half if I’m going to stand a chance.” He clasped his hands together as dark Kantar erupted from his body. “Malevolent Kantar Technique: Black Dragon Lord Descent.”

A rift opened in the sky, and a massive black dragon—twice the size of the forest—descended, spewing black flames at the Kaiju. The creature began to burn and turn to ash, screaming in agony. But before it was destroyed, its body adapted to the flames and regenerated, dousing the fire with its own Kantar.

Hanz’s eyes widened. “That was my trump card. Those flames came from the depths of the underworld… It shouldn’t have adapted that easily. I’m out of moves. Looks like I’ll have to stall until Hannah recovers.”

He rushed the Kaiju, fists coated in dense Kantar. They clashed in a brutal hand-to-hand battle. The Kaiju dominated, delivering heavy, precise blows that were too fast to block while maintaining an impenetrable defense.

Eventually, Hanz leaped back to create distance. His mask was cracked, his control slipping. Blood dripped from his mouth as he struggled to stay standing. “You’re insanely tough. In this form, I was able to defeat a demon lord… but not you. You have my respect. But I won’t go down.”

He flared his Kantar to its limit. His muscles swelled. “Fist of the Great Lion: Power increase twenty-fold!”

His power skyrocketed. For the next twenty minutes, he fought the Kaiju almost evenly. But eventually, his energy gave out. His mask shattered, and he collapsed, unconscious.

The Kaiju approached, preparing to strike the final blow. “I almost thought I’d die… but he burned himself out,” it said to itself subtly. 

Just as it raised its arm, Hannah appeared in front of Hanz, hand outstretched. Her voice was calm but carried immense authority. “Begone from existence.”

A purple aura enveloped the Kaiju. In an instant, it vanished—reduced to nothing.

Hannah looked down at Hanz and muttered, “That Kaiju must’ve been something else to do this to you. I wish we could catch a break… but the sun is already down. I can sense Dracula’s presence. He’s coming—and fast.”

A few miles from the forest, Dracula and an army of ghostly figures rode demonic, skeletal horses wreathed in flame. Their eyes glowed like embers, and their hooves left trails of fire in their wake.

At the head of the charge, Dracula grinned. Not with joy—but with hunger. He knew his prey was at its weakest.

The hunt had begun.