Chapter 76: Sandzilla!

Garret, still searching for the sandworm cores, stumbled upon two sand-colored orbs buried within the debris. His eyes widened in excitement.

"Guys! I found them! Two cores!" He couldn't wait to brag to the others.

However, as he clutched the cores and prepared to leave the cave, the ground began to tremble violently.

"What the—!" Garret yelped, stumbling and nearly dropping the precious cores. The cave shook with increasing intensity, dust and small rocks falling from the ceiling.

"No, no, no! Not now!" he cried, clutching the cores tightly to his chest and scrambling to find his footing.

"Earthquake! Earthquake!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cave. His eyes were wide with terror as he desperately tried to navigate his way out. "Why does this always happen to me? I just wanted to show off a little!"

Ruchir, Senior Kai, Alaric, Jack, and Flippy felt the tremors too. They braced themselves as the ground beneath them shook violently. The previously victorious mood shifted to one of tense anticipation.

"What in the world is going on?" Jack asked, his fists clenched, ready for any potential threat.

Before anyone could respond, the ground split open, and a colossal figure began to rise. The sand giant, now 250 meters tall, emerged with a terrifying presence. Its massive body was composed of swirling sand and rocks, and its eyes glowed with a malevolent light. The pressure it exuded was overwhelming, making it hard for anyone to stand straight.

"This can't be good," Ruchir muttered, eyes wide with alarm.

The sand giant roared, its voice a deep rumble that echoed across the forest. It moved with a destructive purpose, each step causing tremors and displacing the natural habitat around it. The demon horde, sensing the chaos, began to gather and follow the giant.

Garret, still within the cave but now closer to the entrance, felt the tremors subsiding. He peeked outside and his jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed. "It's even bigger now!"

He ran towards his friends, his voice a mix of panic and frustration. "Guys, we've got a huge problem! Like, literally huge!"

"Garret, what did you do?" Alaric asked, half-jokingly, half-seriously.

"I didn't do anything!" Garret protested, waving the sand cores in the air. "I just found these, and then everything started shaking!"

Ruchir, Senior Kai, and the others turned their attention to the sand giant, now causing chaos in its path. They knew they had to act quickly.

"Alright, everyone," Senior Kai commanded, "focus your attacks on its weak points. We have to bring it down again!"

They launched into action, coordinating their attacks to target the giant's joints and head. Ruchir used his ink painting techniques to create illusions that distracted the giant, while Alaric bombarded it with fireballs. Jack pummeled its legs with his Tiger Fist, and Garret, despite his fear, used his rock techniques to hurl boulders at the creature.

The battle was intense, each of them pushing themselves to their limits. Finally, through their combined efforts, they managed to topple the sand giant once more. It collapsed with a ground-shaking thud, the sand and rocks dispersing in a cloud of dust.

Garret, panting and sweating, raised his fists in triumph. "Stay down this time, you oversized sandcastle!"

But his victory was short-lived. The ground trembled once more, and the sand giant began to reassemble itself, growing another 50 meters in height and becoming even more powerful. Now standing at 300 meters tall, its presence was even more daunting.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Garret exclaimed, his face pale. "This thing is like a bad joke that keeps getting worse!"

Ruchir and the others realized that simply destroying the giant wasn't enough. They needed a new strategy.

Senior Kai narrowed his eyes, studying the giant. "I've recognized the issue. The demonic energy is what's stopping us from destroying it completely."

Garret, still trembling with fear, blurted out, "You have righteousness energy, right? It's the greatest nemesis of demonic energy!"

The others looked at Ruchir in surprise. "You've comprehended righteousness energy at such a young age?" Alaric asked, his tone a mix of admiration and astonishment.

Ruchir nodded, feeling the weight of their expectations. But before he could take any action, Senior Kai held up a hand to stop him.

"Even if you have comprehended it, it must be a prototype," Senior Kai cautioned. "Judging by the quality of demonic energy on that golem, it will be very hard for your righteousness energy to cut through it."

Garret, ever the comic relief, couldn't help but add, "Great, so we're stuck with a giant sand monster that keeps getting bigger every time we beat it. What's next? It starts shooting lasers from its eyes?"

Ruchir took a deep breath, feeling a mix of frustration and determination. "Then what do we do, Senior Kai?"

Senior Kai looked thoughtful for a moment. "We need to find a way to purify or neutralize the demonic energy at its core. Only then can we truly defeat it."

Flippy, who had been quietly observing, piped up. "Maybe we can combine our energies somehow? Like, use all our strengths together to create a powerful enough attack?"

Ruchir nodded, considering the idea. "It's worth a try. We've seen that our individual attacks aren't enough. We need to combine our strengths."

Alaric added, "And we have to be quick. The longer it stays up, the more damage it causes."

They quickly devised a plan. Ruchir would use his righteousness energy to weaken the demonic core, while Alaric, Jack, and Garret would support with their own techniques. Senior Kai would lead the final charge, using his mastery to deliver the decisive blow.

Garret, despite his fear, found himself grinning nervously. "Alright, let's do this. But if that thing grows another 50 meters, I'm out."

Ruchir smiled at his friend's humor, even in the face of danger. "Don't worry, Garret. We'll make sure it doesn't get that chance."

The group prepared for their final assault, each member focusing their energy and readying their attacks. The sand giant, now fully reformed, let out a roar and began to move towards them with renewed vigor.

Ruchir stepped forward, summoning his righteousness energy. A bright light enveloped his body, and he directed it towards the sand giant. The creature hesitated, sensing the purity of the energy.

"Now, everyone!" Senior Kai shouted.

Alaric unleashed a barrage of fireballs, each one striking the giant with precision. Jack's fists glowed with energy as he pounded the sand giant's legs, while Garret used his rock techniques to create barriers and protect his friends from the giant's counterattacks.

As Ruchir's righteousness energy began to pierce through the demonic core, the sand giant roared in pain. It thrashed about, its movements growing more erratic.

"Senior Kai, now!" Ruchir yelled.

Senior Kai leaped into the air, his sword glowing with a brilliant light. He aimed for the giant's head, where the core was located. With a powerful slash, he drove his sword deep into the sand giant's core.

There was a blinding flash of light as the righteousness energy and the combined attacks of the group overwhelmed the demonic energy. The sand giant let out one final, deafening roar before it disintegrated into a pile of inert sand and rocks.

The forest fell silent, the air thick with the remnants of the battle. The group stood there, panting and covered in sweat, but victorious.

Garret, still clutching the sand cores, let out a sigh of relief. "Please, for the love of all that is good, stay down this time."

Just as the group began to relax, a low rumble echoed through the forest. They all turned to see the sand and rocks stirring once more. To their utter disbelief, the sand golem began to reassemble itself, growing another 50 meters and becoming even more monstrous.

"Are you kidding me?!" Garret's voice was a mix of panic and exasperation. "This thing is like a bad dream that just won't end! Someone please wake me up!"

Ruchir, Alaric, Jack, and Flippy stared in horror as the sand golem rose to its now 350-meter height. The oppressive aura of demonic energy radiated even stronger, causing the air around them to feel heavy and stifling.

Senior Kai's face was grim as he watched the golem reassemble. He clenched his fists, his mind racing for a solution. Garret, trying to keep up his usual comic relief despite the dire situation, quipped nervously, "Maybe we should just give it a name and make it a permanent member of our group? Sandzilla, anyone?"

The joke fell flat as the seriousness of the situation weighed on them. Ruchir tried to channel more of his righteousness energy, but his exhaustion was evident. Alaric, Jack, and Flippy exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do next.

"Why does this thing keep coming back?" Alaric muttered, frustration clear in his voice.

Senior Kai stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Determination flickered in his eyes as he looked at his students and then back at the towering golem. "This ends now," he said firmly, his voice carrying a resolve that cut through the tension.

He gripped his sword tightly, a plan forming in his mind. The scene closed with Senior Kai standing resolute, ready to make a decisive move against the relentless sand golem.