Firefly vs. Tentacle Monster

Firefly moved cautiously through the bizarre landscape of Dreamflux Reef. The ground beneath her feet was soft and ethereal, each step like treading on an unconsolidated swamp, forcing her to be constantly on guard against being dragged into a deeper nightmare. The surrounding scenery was twisted and deformed, like the world through a drunkard's eyes. Broken neon signs burst with silent sparks, flashing an eerie light that barely outlined the silhouettes of dilapidated buildings. The cloyingly sweet, rotten scent in the air grew thicker, pervading everything, eroding her senses as if countless tiny tentacles were licking at her will, trying to completely disintegrate it.

She forced herself to concentrate, the vague hints from Elio's script tumbling in her mind, trying to find any clue about Penacony's sins in this chaos. The sense of clarity brought by Daziel's fluid was gradually weakening. She could clearly feel that familiar, nauseating dizziness beginning to creep back at the edge of her consciousness—

There wasn't much time left for her to stay awake!

Just then, the space in front of her suddenly rippled, like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, the waves spreading violently. Immediately after, illusions of intertwining light and shadow emerged—twelve dreamscape miniatures, each with a different style, yet all carrying the same ethereal and decadent aura. They were like shattered mirrors, each piece reflecting the deep-seated desires and bewilderment hidden beneath Penacony's glamorous surface.

Firefly's heart suddenly tightened, her breath catching. She knew she might be about to touch the core of the Land of the Exiled.

"Is that... the Twelve Moments of Penacony? But why does it look like this?"

She murmured to herself, every nerve in her body tensing as she warily observed the reflections. Suddenly, the reflections began to shake violently, light and shadow falling into disarray, then, as if brutally stirred and crushed by a giant invisible hand, they abruptly collapsed inward and converged!

A shadow, so massive it almost took up her entire field of view, slowly emerged from the deepest part of the distorted light and shadow. It was an agglomeration of countless writhing tentacles and an unspeakable, pulsating cavity, exuding a nauseating, tangibly thick stench of desire. That smell alone was enough to make anyone with a weak will collapse on the spot. The end of each tentacle seemed to open into an eye full of greed and craving, glinting with a dark light, staring intently at Firefly, this uninvited guest.

"Something Unto Desire."

This name abruptly appeared in Firefly's mind, as if bestowed by the space itself, cold and direct.

"..."

Firefly's breath almost stopped, her body instinctively entering a combat stance. Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately activated the transformation device on her wrist.

"Sam!"

Silver-grey knight armor rapidly covered her entire body. The cold, metallic texture brought a faint, almost negligible sense of security. She tried to enter the "Complete Combustion" state immediately to obtain the strongest combat power and resistance to abnormal states. This was her instinctive choice when facing an unknown, powerful enemy. However, the scorching power that could usually be ignited with a single thought, enough to burn down stars, now seemed to be bound by invisible shackles. No matter how she tried to activate the core energy, the familiar burning sensation in her chest failed to emerge. Instead, a cold, sluggish feeling came from the energy core, making her heart tremble.

"How can this be? Could it be... there's not enough residual energy for a second startup?"

Firefly's heart sank, and a fine cold sweat instantly broke out on her forehead. The Sam armor's internal system emitted a low warning sound, confirming her suspicion. Without the enhancement of "Complete Combustion," the normal state of Sam, facing an unknown monster of this level, the chances of winning...

Were almost zero.

The tentacled monster clearly didn't give her much time to think. It let out a silent roar—

It wasn't a sound transmitted through the air, but a shockwave that directly impacted the mind, making Firefly's head buzz. Countless tentacles, like a frenzied dance of venomous snakes, wrapped in a foul-smelling gale, lunged at Firefly from all directions, sealing off all her escape routes!

Firefly immediately activated her thrusters, trying to create distance amidst the dense attacks. The Sam armor dodged nimbly in the narrow space, and the missile launchers on its shoulders sprayed deadly firelight, several high-explosive missiles whistling towards the monster. However, those missiles, powerful enough to pierce through a starship's armor, were like clay oxen entering the sea upon touching the monster's body, which seemed to be condensed from pure desire. They merely stirred up a few insignificant ripples before vanishing without a trace, failing to cause even a decent explosion.

"Attacks are ineffective?"

Firefly felt a sense of trouble, her heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably. This thing's defense, or rather, its form of existence, was beyond her comprehension. The monster's tentacle attacks became denser and faster, whistling as they tore through the air. Relying on her combat instincts as a weapon and the basic performance of the Sam armor, Firefly barely managed to dodge the deadly attacks, but her room for movement was constantly being compressed. The armor's surface was frequently grazed by tentacles, emitting a piercing scraping sound.

"Boom!"

A giant tentacle, several times thicker than all the previous ones, suddenly whipped out from her blind spot without any warning, slamming viciously into Sam's left arm. The immense force made Firefly grunt in pain, the entire mecha staggering a few steps to the side. The joint of her left arm armor emitted a tooth-grinding sound of twisting metal, and internal sensors warned that some functions of her left arm were damaged.

She gritted her teeth, enduring the shock and pain from her left arm. The beam saber on her right arm instantly popped out, shining with the light of energy, and she slashed fiercely at the tentacle that had just heavily injured her. Sparks flew. The beam saber successfully severed a section of the tentacle, and a foul-smelling black liquid gushed out. But before Firefly could even breathe a sigh of relief, the severed part began to writhe madly at a visible speed, regenerating completely within seconds, as if it had suffered no substantial damage at all.

"No, if this goes on..."

Firefly was extremely anxious. In its normal state, Sam's energy output and defense were far inferior to the "Complete Combustion" state. Every attack and dodge was rapidly consuming the already scarce energy. She could feel the armor's energy indicator bar dropping rapidly.

Just as her mind was distracted, considering countermeasures, the monster's indescribable central cavity suddenly contracted violently, then abruptly spewed out a thick pink mist. The mist spread extremely quickly, almost instantly enveloping the area she was in. Firefly held her breath and tried to retreat at the first moment, but some of the mist still penetrated the surface of the mecha and was inhaled by her.

A strong sense of dizziness and extreme exhaustion instantly rushed to her brain. She felt as if a part of her spirit had been forcibly extracted by an invisible hand. Her body became incredibly heavy, and even lifting her arm felt strenuous. The alarm lights inside the mecha began to flash frantically and rapidly, the red light illuminating her pale face, indicating that the pilot's mental state was extremely abnormal.

"Ugh..." Firefly shook her heavy head. Her vision began to blur, and the image of the monster before her started to double. Without the high effect resistance of the "Complete Combustion" state, this kind of attack that directly targeted the mind was almost fatal to her.

She felt her consciousness being dragged into a cold, dark abyss. Firefly felt she was about to collapse. The link to the Sam armor seemed to be becoming unstable, the sound of grinding metal amplifying in her ears, as if the transformation would be forcibly canceled in the next second. A sense of despair, like a cold tide, gradually submerged her, making her lose even the strength to struggle.

"Daziel..."

At the last moment before her consciousness was about to completely sink, this name, like the only point of light in the darkness, or the last straw for a drowning person, was painstakingly brought forth from the deepest part of her heart.

"Daziel... save me..."

Firefly used her last ounce of strength to send out a prayer in her heart, so faint it was almost inaudible. She didn't know if he, far away outside the dreamscape, could hear it, but this was her only, and final, hope at this moment.

If there really was a drama of a hero saving the beauty... she hoped that person would be him.

She wanted to see him one more time, even if just...

The floodgates of her consciousness slammed shut.

The perspective switched back to the dreamscape of The Reverie Hotel, in that dim and dilapidated suite.

Daziel's brow furrowed slightly. Stelle's earlier statement about Firefly being able to alleviate the erosion with his fluid made the string of worry in his heart tighten even more.

The state she was in, was the amount I gave her really enough?

How long can it last?

"How much... does she have left on her?"

He looked at Stelle, his voice tinged with an urgency he himself hadn't noticed.

Stelle's all-knowing eyes flashed with a mischievous smile. She rested her chin on her hand, her tone deliberately teasing:

"What's this? Is Mr. Daziel reminiscing? Or are you worried your 'contribution' wasn't enough, leaving her to suffer out there? Didn't you fill her to the brim, leaving her belly full of your good stuff? Worried it's not enough so soon?"

Daziel's cheeks grew slightly warm uncontrollably. He quickly looked away, clearing his throat to cover his momentary embarrassment, but his tone was undeniably firm.

"This is no time for jokes. The priority is to find Firefly as soon soon as possible. She's alone in Dreamflux Reef, and she might be in danger."

He paused, then added, "Very dangerous!"

"Oh?" Stelle raised an eyebrow. "Since that's the case, what are you waiting for?"

She spread her hands, her tone light as she urged them on.

"Aren't you going to be the hero and save the beauty? Any later, and you might miss the best time to make an impression."

As her voice fell, the monotonous black-and-white world around Daziel and Acheron shattered like a mirror struck by a heavy hammer. Vivid colors and leaping light and shadow flooded back into their vision. Acheron's signature long hair, which had been snow-white due to her special state, returned to its original deep bluish-purple, like a starry night. A few strands floated gently as the color returned.

"Benefactor, ...are you alright?"

Phantylia, who had been waiting on the side, showed a hint of concern on her perpetually proud face as she saw Daziel's consciousness return. Although she was Daziel's pet, without his explicit permission, she couldn't freely probe or enter his mindscape and could only wait outside. She was completely unaware of what had happened inside.

Daziel shook his head, indicating he was fine.

Phantylia bowed slightly. "As long as you... are alright."

"Go back and wait for orders for now. I'll call you when I need a fight."

Daziel then flicked his fingertip. The Aether Coin appeared out of thin air, spun around, and took Phantylia back inside.

Black Swan leaned gracefully against the arm of a dilapidated, weather-beaten sofa in the corner, a faint smile playing on her lips, her gaze shifting between Daziel and Acheron.

"Although I couldn't perceive your specific conversation within the consciousness space through Memoria, judging by the looks on both of your faces, it seems you've reached some important 'reconciliation'?"

Her tone was probing.

Daziel didn't hide anything. He briefly explained Acheron's true identity, her current situation, and his worries about Firefly having gone deep into Dreamflux Reef to Black Swan. After explaining, he immediately looked at Acheron and asked, "So, the problem now is, how do we get from this dream space accurately into Dreamflux Reef?"

Hearing this, Acheron silently shook her head, a rare look of helplessness and... a bit of embarrassment on her cool face.

"Don't look at me."

She was very frank. "Although I arrived in Penacony before you, counting on me to lead the way is an almost impossible task. My sense of direction... has always been rather whimsical."

She added, trying to find a euphemism for her poor sense of direction.

Black Swan's slender brows furrowed slightly. "This is a bit difficult then... The entrance to Dreamflux Reef is not fixed, and it's full of uncertainty. Even I would need time for deduction and positioning."

"It's not entirely without a way..."

Acheron suddenly spoke up. She slowly raised her hand and grasped the hilt of the tachi at her waist. In an instant, the air seemed to freeze. A sharp coldness emanated from her body, her eyes focused, her killing intent majestic. Her intention was self-evident—if there was no path, then she would forcibly cut one open!

Daziel watched her poised form without stopping her, obviously acquiescing to this simple, brutal, yet potentially effective method. He knew that sometimes the most direct means were the most effective at solving problems. After all, in the original plot, it was Acheron who, at the Penacony Grand Theater, cleanly cut Aventurine down, directly carving a fissure that allowed the Astral Express crew to fall into Dreamflux Reef.

A bead of sweat.

Now, it seemed the situation was about to repeat itself.

Just as Acheron's knuckles turned white and her blade was about to be unsheathed, a slightly childish yet clearly anxious voice suddenly sounded—

"Guest, please wait! Absolutely not! Please don't use such a crude method!"

The three looked towards the sound and saw a young boy in a hotel bellhop uniform who had appeared at the suite's entrance at some point. He was looking at them nervously, fine beads of sweat even forming on his forehead. He waved his hands frantically.

"If you forcibly break the dreamscape's barrier, all the Sins of Desire accumulated in Dreamflux Reef will escape! The consequences will be unimaginable!"

Hearing this, the sharp aura around Acheron that seemed about to tear space itself slowly receded, and her hand on the sword hilt slowly relaxed.

Daziel looked at the young boy and recognized him.

"Misha, I didn't expect to see you here."

Misha nodded repeatedly, as if relieved, yet also with a hint of unease.

Daziel continued, "A companion of ours has accidentally entered Dreamflux Reef, and the situation might be a bit dangerous. Can you take us there to find her?"

Hearing this, Misha showed a troubled look, his small hands unconsciously clutching the corner of his clothes, but he still nodded.

"By-by rights, that area of Dreamflux Reef is not open to the public. However, since a guest has accidentally entered, we certainly can't just leave her be... Please come with me."

Hearing this, Black Swan and Daziel couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Having a local to guide them was much better than them running around like headless chickens.

"We might have to pick up the pace."

Misha led them out, his small face full of worry. "Your friend, right now... she might already be fighting the guardian of that space."

"Guardian?"

Black Swan's voice rose slightly at the end, clearly very interested in this.

"Mm," Misha nodded, explaining, "It's a Memory Zone Meme. It looks... um, fierce, with many tentacles. But it's actually very obedient. Usually, Mr. Gallagher is responsible for feeding it, mainly to prevent people from accidentally entering that dangerous space."

As they reached a hidden passage leading deeper into the hotel, just as Misha was about to push open an inconspicuous door, Acheron stopped.

"Wait, you two."

Daziel looked at her, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Black Swan also cast a questioning glance.

Acheron's gaze swept over Daziel and Black Swan, her tone calm.

"The rest of the way, I'm afraid you'll have to rely on yourselves. Penacony does not welcome me, neither in the spotlight nor behind the scenes."

She paused, her gaze turning to Daziel with a hint of imperceptible scrutiny.

"With your skills, I'm sure you don't need my protection. We... shall part ways here."

"Where are you going?"

Daziel asked, though he already had a premonition, he still confirmed.

Acheron tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful look in her eyes, and even a very faint, almost negligible smile on her lips.

"I just got my sense of taste back. I think... I'll go back to reality first and eat a peach."

She added seriously, "It gathers the joy and sweetness of life, but it is also fragile and fleeting..."

"Just like my sense of taste that I have just regained. I want to experience it properly before it disappears again."

Her serious demeanor made it seem as if eating a peach was a matter of utmost importance, almost like a belief.

Daziel looked at her, and after a moment, he nodded. "Then, let's part ways here for now."

Black Swan also nodded slightly.

"Miss Acheron, until we meet again."

After a simple farewell, Acheron's figure melted into the bizarre background of the hotel, disappearing without a sound, as if she had never been there.

Meanwhile, deep within Dreamflux Reef.

The "Sam" armor, under the stormy attacks of "Something Unto Desire," its energy indicator lights flashed wildly before finally dimming. Accompanied by a piercing sound of grinding metal and the faint pop of dissipating energy, the silver-grey shell peeled off piece by piece like stripped armor, revealing Firefly's slender and somewhat wretched figure. Sweat soaked her hair, clinging to her pale cheeks. She fell weakly to her knees, gasping heavily, each breath pulling at a dull pain in her chest.

The giant Memory Zone Meme didn't seem to stop its attack just because she had disarmed. Countless slimy tentacles, like living venomous snakes, with a nauseatingly wet and sticky feeling, quickly coiled around her limbs and waist, lifting her high up, suspended in mid-air.

"Let... let me go..."

Firefly struggled weakly, but the tentacles only tightened their grip. The cold sense of restraint made her feel a wave of despair, almost as if her bones would be crushed. Then, the monster's indescribable cavity squirmed, and a sharp, thin tentacle flashing with a strange pink light, like a venomous needle, silently stabbed towards the side of Firefly's fair neck.

"No!"

Firefly only had time to let out a short cry of alarm, not even having time to turn her head to dodge, before a cold liquid was forcibly injected into her body. It wasn't a lethal poison, but a… Memoria that induced lust.

Almost instantly, an indescribable heat surged up from the depths of her lower abdomen, like a wildfire spreading rapidly to her limbs. Firefly's consciousness, like an ice cube thrown into boiling oil, rapidly melted and dissipated. Her vision went black in waves, and countless beautiful yet shameful illusions flashed before her eyes. Her vision became blurry, her ears filled with decadent music that made her blush, and a hollow, strong desire surged from the depths of her body, making her unconsciously writhe, seeking some kind of fulfillment.

She felt like… she was about to die.

Not a physical death, but a sinking of her will and soul.

She didn't want to become like this… didn't want to be devoured by desire under these circumstances.

At this critical moment, as her sanity was about to be completely submerged, a crimson fire poker, carrying an incomparably sharp fiery light, like lightning tearing through the darkness, suddenly lit up!

Tchhh—!

Where the firelight passed, several tentacles wrapped around Firefly snapped, and foul-smelling dark liquid splattered. Firefly only felt her body lighten. The sense of restraint disappeared, and she fell into a warm and solid embrace. That embrace carried a familiar, longing scent.

Her hazy vision struggled to focus, and what came into view was that face she had thought of day and night, yet at this moment, it made her feel incomparably ashamed and desirous.

"Daziel..."

Firefly subconsciously reached out and hugged him tightly, burying her burning cheek in his chest, trying to find a trace of stability from Daziel. Her voice was choked with sobs, broken and helpless as she murmured:

"I… I feel so bad… save me… I feel like… I'm going to die…"

The pink mist Memoria forcibly injected into her was raging wildly in her body, burning away her last shred of reason. She could feel her body's uncontrollable reactions, which made her want to die of shame, yet she couldn't resist that overwhelming desire.

___

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