Pain [C154]

The explosion from the formation and the four Solar Orbs appeared able to destroy anything, not only creating an earthquake but also shaking the air.

In front of such explosion, even the man was slightly shivering, 'Is this seriously an explosion created from a Dantian Core Formation, and a lower quality soul of the Nascent Soul Realm? This is impossible!'

Even he felt that if caught inside the explosion, he would have no way to resist.

However, as the explosion slowly subsided, an enormous sphere came in their view, a transparent sphere, yet thick enough to be visible even by mortals.

As the sphere gradually vanished, the unharmed figure of Met-2 appeared, as its voice echoed through the air, "Damage received: none. Increased the threat of the two opponents: High. Activating hyper-shoes, version 3: instant-boost."

Suddenly, from its calves appeared four rods, possessing a hole not only in the tip but also a couple of holes in its sides.

Shu Himo, seeing that the rods were different from the ones used by Met-3 frowned, perhaps, they were faster?

As if answering his doubt, Met-2 disappeared, and a moment later, suddenly reappeared behind him, as it sent a punch.

"Oh, sh-"

*Dunn!*

Even if parrying with the violin, the punch of an empowered Met-2 was both too strong and fast, so Shu Himo could not resist at all and was sent flying from it.

Somewhat disoriented by the blow, Shu Himo attempted to look around to find a way to land safely, when he noticed to be about to crash on a tree.

"Perfect!" Smiling due to having found a foothold, he turned on himself, and then crashed on top of the tree with his feet.

*Trr*

Failing to endure the impact, the tree immediately broke in half, as Shu Himo frowned in disbelief, 'Can't you at least resist a moment?'

[Is the User seriously blaming the tree?]

While Shu Himo argued with the system, Aura Azusa noticing the speed of Met-2 had a grim look, as she hastily chanted, "Space shift."

The space appeared to shift, as she vanished and reappeared a couple of meters away. In the spot she was a moment before, a punch from Met-2 appeared, tearing the air. The speed of Met-2 was so swift that only by predicting its attacks they could evade it, their low cultivation did not allow them to react otherwise.

Immediately reacting to Aura Azusa's spell, Met-2 said, "Space shift spell detected. Proceeding spell resolving."

As a white mist came out of its shoulders, Met-2 chanted, "Space lock."

Around the area, a purple cube appeared for merely an instant, sealing the space. Within the space sealed, the spell 'Space shift' would not work anymore.

Being put in such a tight spot, she could only chant, "Ice shield; Ice corruption."

Suddenly, around her an ice shield formed, as Met-2 became covered once again in ice, slowing it down. At that moment, she could only blame the fact that she did not have any spell which could resolve such a situation.

While 'Air Bomb' could give her a burst of speed, against the speed of Met-2 it was useless. Even against Shu Himo, it worked exclusively because it could repel him and not because of the speed she could gain from it.

As if the ice didn't exist, Met-2 moved immediately, rushing once again toward Aura Azusa, and sent a punch toward her.

Gritting her teeth, she knew that she could not dodge it, and could only cast "Air Bomb" as she parried with her arms. Unlike Shu Himo, she did not have a reliable way to resist its blow, and could even end up in a near-death state from it.

However, before she could finish the chant, her eyes widened in disbelief, noticing that someone was in front of her to take the blow in her place: it was Phylia!

The moment the punch from Met-2 reached Phylia's belly, her torso was completely crushed by the impact, given the difference in strength, there was no way she could resist.

Yet… she didn't feel any pain from it, she was slime after all! A physic blow had no way to hurt her, unless it reached a certain threshold.

However, instead of being launched away from the impact, she morphed her body into many cables, binding completely Met-2 and perforating the ground, clinging to it, attempting to stop Met-2 from moving.

At the same time, from the cables she tried to morph in many blades, yet, to her dismay, the sharpness of the blades was not enough to seriously damage Met-2, the most she could do were mere scratches.

Even while bound by Phylia's desperate attempt, Met-2 was still able to move, yet it decided to prioritize the threat closer to it, "A target is clinging to the main body. Ejecting melting gas."

From its shoulders, a green gas came out, threatening to melt anything it touched.

The moment the gas touched Phylia, was also the moment she felt pain for the first time after becoming Shu Himo's tamed monster.

Her body continuously melted and recomposed, and, not being able to endure the excruciating pain she was not used to, she almost screamed, yet she did her best to hold back her screams, no matter how pain she felt.

She did her best, trying to stop Met-2 even for a single further second, as if uncaring of the pain she was going through. 'I... will… not give up! Any second passed... is... one second closer... to its death!'

Aura Azusa, seeing her sacrifice felt pained, witnessing her state, death was not out of the possibilities. She bit her lips in regret, and she screamed, "Just let it go, there is no need to go so far!"

In front of her sacrifice, she continuously blamed herself, 'Why am I this weak? Had I known stronger spells, she would not be suffering right now!' Clenching her fists until nails penetrated her skin, she vowed to herself to get stronger, to not make similar situations ever happen again.

The man on the side, seeing what was happening was bewildered, she was a monster? But… even if she was a monster, he also felt stunned seeing her sacrifice and, feeling touched by such behavior, hoped she would survive.

However… he suddenly felt the temperature drastically growing lower, as if something ominous was going to happen.

His body froze in place, as he shivered in fright, not able to move a single finger. Behind him, a cold, frightening voice echoed, which threatened to claim the life of anyone who heard it.

"How… dare you…"