The city of Toki was protected by a massive magical dome barrier. It activated whenever someone attempted to force their way in, and in theory, it was impenetrable. To break it, an immense amount of magical energy, known as mana, would be required. Yet, defying all probability, there he was—a humanoid figure standing with his hands behind his back, as if hiding something. He was dressed in black and wore a white mask that resembled the face of a demon, exuding malice with a sinister smile.

  The people around him froze in fear. Their legs refused to move; they wanted to flee, but they couldn't. They wanted to scream, but their voices wouldn't come out. And then, the monster spoke.

  —Sand Woman, my lady has awakened and has ordered me to capture you —he declared in a deep, rasping voice—. I offer you a deal: come with me peacefully, and I will not slaughter the humans of this city.

  Lily rose from her seat, and her clothing began to change. Her garments dissolved into sand and reformed into a feminine armor, plated in what appeared to be bronze. In her hands, two khopesh swords, also of bronze, materialized.

  —That false goddess has never kept her word! —Lily shouted, raising her swords high and fixing her gaze on the monster—. Why should I trust yours?

  She lunged at the monster, aiming for his neck, but something stopped her. Her blades clashed against a chain floating in the air, extending from the creature's back, its tip connected to a dagger.

  The monster’s attention was solely on Lily, failing to notice the rock flying straight at him. It struck his head, forcing him to use his right hand to keep his mask from falling off. A man, undeterred by fear, stood before him.

  —You arrived at the worst possible moment, monster! —Axel exclaimed—. Just when I don’t have any weapons with me... Well, this kitchen knife the food stall owner lent me will have to do.

  Axel had appeared. The moment he heard the explosion from the barrier, he rushed to find a weapon and spotted a street food stall. He handed the owner some money and grabbed the knife. "Call the Royal Guard and tell them to get here as soon as possible," he told the man before heading straight toward the monster while it was still focused on Lily.

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  The monster began signaling with his hand—first one finger, then two, then finally four. Along with those four fingers, four chains emerged from his back, moving rapidly to attack both Axel and Lily. They slithered through the air like serpents, their trajectories and movements unpredictable. They would have been lethal to anyone, but unfortunately for the monster, his opponent was Axel.

  Axel moved swiftly, seemingly "predicting" where each chain would strike. Lily, however, was not as lucky and took several hits, leaving gaping holes in her body. This concerned Axel at first, but to his surprise, the holes closed up as if they were filling with sand, which then reshaped into flesh. "So it's true—you really are immortal," Axel thought as he continued dodging the chains.

  Using the knife, Axel parried some of the attacks and steadily advanced toward the monster. The closer he got, the faster the chains moved, yet the monster remained stationary. "This bastard thinks he's untouchable," Axel thought as he pressed forward.

  Then, something unexpected happened—a gunshot rang out. The Toki police had been the first to arrive and had begun evacuating the civilians. That shot was crucial; it distracted the monster just long enough for Axel to stab the kitchen knife into its neck.

  —How surprising! A mere human managed to scratch me —the monster said as he pulled the embedded knife from his neck. Suddenly, a fifth chain sprouted from his back, and he displayed all five fingers on his hand. The chain shot forward, piercing the chest of the officer who had fired the shot, killing him instantly.

  Axel rushed to his side, but it was too late.

  Meanwhile, the monster struggled to extract the bullet lodged in his body. Lily remained still, deep in thought. "What just happened? Could it be...?" she pondered before shouting:

  —Axel, the monster has a mana core keeping it alive! It’s a small sphere, about the size of a marble, and it glows when exposed to the air. Destroy it, and it will die! I haven't seen one in over a thousand years, and I don’t remember where they’re usually located!

  Axel closed the officer’s eyes and stood up, now armed with the fallen man’s weapons: a pistol and a police baton. It would have to be enough—otherwise, more people would die.

  —Did you really think you stood a chance against me? —the monster said, his arrogance growing—. Now, for your insolence, this city will pay a heavy price.

  The monster snapped his fingers, and a multitude of light-filled portals appeared all over the city. From them emerged an army of creatures—goblin-like monsters that spread throughout the streets, wreaking havoc.