Juna dropped flat against the floor as a segmented curved band whipped through the empty air above her shoulders.
The pale appendage struck the opposite wall with a dull impact that shook dust from the ceiling.
Two additional ribbed bands descended from the gloom, carrying a long, suspended torso without touching the ground.
Hajin conjured an Aegis barrier using a single crimson ring, interposing the translucent shield between Juna and the creature.
The barrier absorbed no physical impact as the entity pulled itself upward along the ceiling ribs with fluid agility.
"It knew the exact position where my neck waited, though I hear no breathing inside its chest," Juna whispered.
"Keep track of its movements rather than guessing its nature before we locate Olin," Hans warned in a low voice.
"It moves with unnatural precision, anchoring each limb without causing vibrations in the floor," he observed.
