Echoes of the Unsealed Blade

As the monstrous beast charged toward Aqua, its claws slicing through the air with devastating precision, Aqua closed his eyes for a split second, his focus shifting inward. The mana reserve in his neck—unused and untapped until now—began to stir. He could feel it flowing like a rushing river finding its path, breaking free from its confines. The sensation was overwhelming yet exhilarating, a warm embrace that coursed through his veins and enveloped his entire body.

The oppressive aura surrounding Aqua shifted as his mana surged to life, creating an almost tangible wave of power that rippled through the room. Even the monstrous presence ahead faltered for the briefest of moments, though it charged forward undeterred. The dimly lit lab, with its shattered glass and pools of strange liquid, seemed to quake under the weight of Aqua's newfound energy. Yet, the sense of foreboding in the air grew heavier—another surge of mana flooded the space. This ominous power didn't belong to Aqua or the monster but seemed to emanate from something else entirely.

Far away, Sylphia's shimmering form stiffened as she sensed the shift. Her emerald eyes widened, and her ethereal voice carried a note of wonder. "That sword has loosened its seal... It's been upgraded to the sixth grade," she announced.

The group heard her words, their despair turning into hope. Casial clenched his fists with determination, his voice brimming with renewed energy. "We need to split up! You go back and bring Mother here. I'll go help Aqua—now we have a chance!"

Adam stepped forward, matching Casial's resolve. "I'm coming too."

Without hesitation, they split up, each racing toward their objectives, leaving Aqua to face the monstrous foe alone.

Aqua, wielding the now-unsealed sixth-grade Darkness, teleported behind the monster whose head had recently reattached. With a burst of speed and precision, he slashed at the creature's vulnerable points. However, the monster turned abruptly denying Aqua the same opportunity as before. Its claw swiped at him with deadly force, but Aqua teleported again, reappearing on the beast's face. With a powerful kick, he sent the creature staggering backward, but this time, unlike last time when the monster was barely affected by Aqua's kick, this time its massive frame crashed to the ground, sending a thunderous tremor through the lab.

Aqua wasted no time. As the monster struggled, he plunged Darkness deep into its eye, driving the blade with all his might. The creature's head was sliced in half, the upper and lower parts severed cleanly by the blade's enhanced power. The beast roared in agony, its cries reverberating through the room like a storm's fury.

Blood-like fluid oozed from the monster's severed head, pooling around its twitching body. Aqua teleported away, his breath heavy, his grip tightening on Darkness. He knew the creature's regenerative abilities wouldn't be so easily overcome.

The monster's guttural roars shook the air as it struggled to rise. Its grotesque body twitched and writhed, its severed head already beginning the process of regeneration. But Aqua didn't give it the chance. He teleported onto the creature's back, slashing repeatedly with Darkness, each strike precise and infused with a torrent of mana. Darkness glowed ominously, the blade's blackened aura matching the deadly intent behind every blow. The lab lit with flashes of dark energy, the sparks clashing against the eerie green glow emanating from the monster's wounds.

Despite its mana reserves comparable to that of an 8th-circle, the monster lacked the intelligence to wield its power effectively. It relied solely on its regenerative capabilities, an instinctive mechanism it was programmed for that left it vulnerable to Aqua's relentless assault. Blow after blow, Aqua continued his barrage, refusing to let the monster regain its strength.

The lab had become a battlefield of chaos. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood and mana. The dim light from the broken lanterns cast flickering shadows across the walls, creating an oppressive atmosphere of dread. Shards of shattered glass crunched beneath Aqua's boots as he moved with blinding speed, a blur of black light against the monstrous foe.

Suddenly, a new presence emerged from the same alley Morbid had appeared from earlier. The figure stepped out casually, the dim light catching on their disheveled appearance. They stretched lazily, as if they had just awoken from a deep sleep. Their voice carried a sharp, condescending tone as they addressed the room.

"You guys are quite annoying, disturbing other people's sleep," the figure said, their tone lighthearted but dripping with disdain. "This crazy madman," they gestured dismissively toward Morbid's unconscious form, "was sleeping silently, and you brats had to wake me up."