Omnis didn't answer immediately. He hovered steadily, wings humming with a low vibration, as if the battle below was less a fight and more a spectacle. Without a hint of haste, he glided sideways, landing casually on a jagged mountain ledge.
Below, amidst dust, poison mist, and shattered rock, Poison Queen was regaining her stance. Omnis looked down, his voice cold. "You could have hunted this creature earlier. You had the chance. But you didn't attack directly. You observed our group… our movements, our strategy, our limits. Smart move."
Poison Queen didn't react instantly. She lowered her sword, controlled her breathing, and then offered a slow, venomous smile. "So you figured it out." Her eyes held that same old poison. "Is that why you're here? To see what move I'll make against it?"
Omnis shrugged slightly. "Maybe."
Poison Queen maintained her distance, cutting straight to the point. "Let's make a deal. For the next three days, I'll try to kill it. Then, for three days, you. Whoever hunts it, the other won't interfere."
She hadn't even finished speaking when the creature lunged without warning. The ground cracked. Poison Queen instantly side-stepped, sliding ten meters away. The impact wave ruffled her hair and clothes. Just as she found her balance, Omnis's voice came from above.
"Don't play childish games." He looked down. "This isn't a scheduled prey. It hunts when it wants. And if it gets the chance, it'll tear both of us apart."
Poison Queen showed no irritation. She backed up further, stepping out of the creature's angle, and spoke calmly. "I expected as much, Omnis." She dragged his name out slightly. "But one thing doesn't make sense." She kept her eyes on the creature, but her words were for him. "How did you find that shelter?"
The air grew cold for a second. "The top hundred humans and aliens on this moon have been searching for that shelter for years." Her eyes lifted. "And you… a man as low as you, claimed it?"
Omnis remained silent. No change in expression, no shift in stance. Poison Queen wasn't angry at his silence; she had likely expected it.
"No answer?" she asked with a faint laugh. "Fine, I'll find out myself."
She drew a sword from the armor on her side. The blade was clearly no ordinary weapon. Symbols, curved runes, and unknown script were carved across its entire surface. Lines ran from the hilt to the tip, glowing with a dull, dormant energy. Poison Queen brought the blade near her palm and released her poison aura. A green-black vapor spiraled from her hand, wrapping around the sword. Within seconds, a thick, oily liquid film coated the blade. The symbols began to glow, one by one.
Omnis narrowed his eyes slightly. "Interesting,"he thought.
Poison Queen spun sharply and lunged at the creature. Her speed was different now. Every step was measured, every slash deceptive. She targeted the neck. The creature raised its shield. She pivoted instantly, slashing at the legs. Then a reverse slash at the spine. Then a diagonal strike at the chest joints. Every hit was precise, aimed at vulnerable points.
But the result? Nothing. The black crystal skin remained unmarked. Only the transparent shield showed dents and hairline fractures, which began to repair themselves within seconds. Poison Queen unleashed another flurry dozens of cuts in less than ten seconds. The air filled with the sound of tearing. But when she backed away, the creature stood exactly as it had. Only its blue veins pulsed brighter.
Omnis, standing on the ledge, watched. "Listen to me," he called down. "Leave this place."
Poison Queen looked up, laughing through heavy breathing. "You listen to me." She rested the sword on her shoulder. "Become my slave. I promise… I'll give you an easy death."
Omnis laughed loudly, mocking her. "Me? Your slave?" He shook his head. "That's a good joke."
Poison Queen's smile shifted slightly. "Fine then."
The next moment was so fast even trained eyes lagged. She feinted a strike at the creature—just enough to shift its attention for a blink. Then, in a reverse burst, she sprinted toward Omnis. Before he could react, she was there. As she passed, she whispered, "Why aren't you fighting, Omnis?" At the same time, the tip of her blade brushed lightly against the side of his neck.
The scratch was so small an ordinary person would have ignored it. But Poison Queen's poison worked on contact, not just through wounds. Omnis felt heat instantly like a burning thread entering his neck. Fire spread through his veins. His Red Eye suit reacted instantly; liquid armor surged to seal the wound, and sensor-like lines blinked as it tried to isolate the toxin.
But it was too late. The poison was already in his bloodstream.
Omnis gritted his teeth. His vision wobbled for a second. He turned to call her a traitor, but before the words left his lips, Poison Queen stepped in and delivered a brutal punch to his stomach. The impact folded his body, launching him into the air where he slammed into the creature's side armor. The sound was like stone cracking against stone. He slid to the ground, landing on his knees. His breathing was heavy, and dark, thick blood poured from his mouth. The poison was spreading from his neck, and the shock of the punch burned separately in his stomach.
The creature immediately identified the nearest threat. Its head tilted, and it threw a fast punch at Omnis. Poison Queen jumped back to a safe distance, folding her arms to watch. "See," she said with a slight smile, "I didn't lie. You fight… I'll watch."
Omnis looked up. The world seemed double. The Red Eye suit moved frantically across his chest and neck in repair patterns. Then, a powerful punch sent him soaring into the sky. The strike was so devastating that his suit was severely damaged, and it looked as if blood was raining from the heavens.
The creature took a step forward. Omnis struggled to regain his balance. The poison was numbing his muscles and slowing his reflexes.
"By the way," Poison Queen commented from the side, "your suit is impressive. It slowed my poison." She touched her chin. "But it couldn't stop it."
The creature launched another attack. Omnis barely dodged to the side. The impact sent a chunk of mountain rock flying. He stumbled as he landed. The poison was eating away at his coordination.
"Master…" a faint internal voice from the Omnis Power House,"Master, this poison will be nullified in a few seconds."
Omnis answered internally,"Not yet, It'll take at least 90 seconds."
The creature attacked again. Omnis flickered his mimic wings, using a half-flight burst to dodge upward, but his movement was unstable. He spiraled and landed on a side cliff.
Poison Queen clapped with a faint smile,"Good, You're worthy of staying alive."
Omnis looked at her,"You made a mistake."
Poison Queen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really?"