"Well, it's your turn to do something, my dear friend Godar," Blaget declared with a sinister smile. Without giving him time to respond, he hurled Godar toward the battlefield, having already activated the ring that Blajon had entrusted to him. "We'll use this in extreme situations," Blajon had said, and this was precisely one of them.
Godar hit the ground with a muffled cry as his body began to transform. His humanoid avocado form quickly faded, giving way to a monstrous and grotesque creature. It was enormous, with the head of a bee but a metallic spiral where its mouth should have been, and the segmented body of a giant scorpion. Its long, robust tail ended in a sharp stinger that gleamed under the dim light of the cave. The resulting creature was as terrifying as it was lethal.
Upon seeing the complete transformation of the half-avocado hybrid, Blaget didn't hesitate for a second. He decided to leave the scene, not without first cruelly mocking him. "Good luck, Godar," he said sarcastically as he disappeared into a secret passage that took him far from the chaos. From the shadows, Blaget laughed at the foolish enemies who now had to deal with this abomination. Not even his own soldiers were spared; he abandoned them to face their fate alongside his foes.
"But what the hell is that thing?" Ron asked, incredulous at the sight.
"I don't know, but it looks dangerous," Alita replied, gripping her weapon nervously.
"All of you, fall back!" Ariafilis ordered her soldiers, who were already paralyzed with terror at the sight of the creature before them. The soldiers of the Black Shadows also ceased fighting, momentarily forgetting about the Reedalians. Instead, they watched in horror as the monster loomed imposingly, wondering where their general had gone. Meanwhile, the white-masked soldiers obeyed Ariafilis's command and began retreating toward the exit, though it remained blocked by the rocks from the earlier explosion.
The enormous creature wasted no time. With a sudden movement, it lunged at the remaining soldiers of Blaget's army. As they saw it approaching, they tried to fight back, but it was futile. The beast was incredibly strong, and its massive pincers grabbed the soldiers as if they were mere toys. Once captured, it dragged them toward its spiraling maw, where they were mercilessly crushed. Other soldiers, gripped by panic, attempted to run toward where Rodelos and the others stood, but they were swiftly struck down by the creature's venomous stinger. It paralyzed them instantly, leaving them helpless before being devoured. Chaos reigned supreme, and the only sounds were the desperate screams of the enemies being consumed.
"But how are we supposed to deal with that thing?" the Reedalian soldiers murmured as they watched the enemy being repelled and devoured by the creature.
"Poor Godar… That's what happens when you side with the Black Shadows' army," one soldier commented, shaking his head sadly.
"Well, he got what he deserved," Jock added, turning to Ariafilis.
"I wouldn't say that," Ariafilis replied with a sigh. Despite Godar's betrayal, she felt a pang of pity for him. "Even though he hurt me deeply with his betrayal, I feel sorry for that poor man. He was betrayed too and turned into that horrifying creature."
"I heard them mention the name Godar. Wasn't he one of the advisors of Avocadalia?" Ron asked, furrowing his brow as he tried to recall details about the mysterious figure.
"That's right, that man worked in Avocadalia," Ariafilis replied thoughtfully. "Though I didn't know… This surprises me."
"I think I've heard that name," Alita interjected, frowning as she struggled to remember. "If it's the person I'm thinking of, he was always giving Paltio dirty looks and walking around with a sour attitude."
"Well, yes, that guy with the sour face… Girl, I never thought he'd turn out to be a traitor," Rodelos added with a sigh. "I liked him; I never saw any sign of betrayal or ill intentions in him, though he didn't show much emotion, to be honest. What a shame."
"What do you mean he gave dirty looks to my dear grandson Paltio? Explain yourself, girl," Rodelos interrupted, fixing his gaze on Alita.
"Yes, he always looked at him even more sternly every time he passed by," Alita quickly explained.
"Then I think I can guess—or assume—that this guy was the one who let the shadows into Avocadalia so easily on that fateful day," Alita reflected quietly, feeling the pieces starting to fall into place.
"Well, we'll talk about that later," Ron said urgently, pointing to the enormous monster before them. "Right now, we have to deal with that thing." The creature had already finished off the enemy army and now fixed its gaze directly on them.
A deafening roar echoed through the cavern, emanating from the beast. From the spiral in its mouth, a swirling liquid rapidly transformed into an orange beam of pure energy. It was launched straight toward them.
"Take cover!" Rodelos shouted, attempting to block the ray with his shield. Everyone scrambled desperately. The beam was so powerful that it pushed Rodelos backward until he collided with one of the walls. Its destructive force shattered Rodelos's shield, pierced through the wall, and created a massive hole, causing parts of the cave ceiling to collapse and block the area.
"Damn it! We're going to die!" Dall exclaimed, visibly terrified as he watched the strongest member of their team, the great Rodelos, succumb to the attack. He remembered how Rodelos had single-handedly destroyed two mechanical bulls, and now he seemed helpless.
"Stay calm! We can do something about this thing," another soldier said, trying to muster courage. However, his voice trembled as much as his hands, just like everyone else's.
"Lord Rodelos!" Alita and Ron cried out desperately as they saw Paltio's grandfather fall victim to the creature's attack.
The beast roared again, this time advancing slowly toward them with heavy, menacing steps.
"Watch out! Dodge it!" Ariafilis ordered as everyone retreated.
"I'd better step in," Chiki muttered, ready to enter his FELICA FORM and confront the creature. But before he could activate his transformation, the creature paralyzed him with the stinger on its tail.
"Chiki!" Ron shouted as he saw the enormous creature turn its attention to the dog.
Quickly, Ron activated the second form of his armor to repel the beast's attack with his pincer, which was about to crush the canine. This new transformation was impressive: his armor became as hard as diamond, far more resilient than its first form. Its silvery glow intensified under the torchlight, reflecting an unbreakable strength.
"Wow! Who would've thought that kid had that kind of armor?" the soldiers commented, awestruck by the spectacle before them.
"Well, after all, he's from the 'Strong' family," Dall added casually. Everyone looked at him in surprise, though Dall himself didn't know much more about the matter.
"I've got you, Chiki!" Ron exclaimed as he held the dog tightly in his arms. But before he could celebrate, the creature seized him with its other pincer, squeezing him with overwhelming force.
"Hang in there, boy, resist!" Chiki shouted, paralyzed but fully aware of the situation. He could feel the beast's grip tightening, its stinger drawing dangerously close, attempting to plunge into Ron to paralyze him. Despite the immense pressure, Ron's armor seemed to hold… or so it appeared.
Alita looked up and saw Ron in trouble. Her eyes filled with anguish as she frantically assessed the scene. "What do I do? What do I do?" she muttered to herself, her mind racing. She knew that any magical attack she launched could severely harm Ron—and even end his life… along with Chiki's, trapped in his arms.
She watched as her friend was brutally crushed by the beast, her heart beating faster with each passing second. The weight of the situation pressed down on her chest, clouding her ability to think clearly. Her magic, usually her greatest tool, now seemed useless. She couldn't risk casting a spell without endangering those she was trying to save. She was paralyzed—not just by fear, but by the unbearable pressure of making an impossible decision.
Around her, the faces of her allies reflected fear and panic. They all knew that if they didn't act soon, they would meet the same fate. Moreover, there was nowhere to escape. They were trapped, surrounded by the ruins of the cave and the looming threat of the creature.