The chamber was a cavern of ancient stone, its vastness dwarfed by the titanic presence of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast. Towering at 150 meters, its hulking form loomed like a living mountain, cascades of golden sand spilling from its jagged, tanuki-like fur. Its amber eyes blazed with manic glee, pupils slit and wild, as it surveyed the battlefield. The air quivered with its raw power, every breath a low rumble that shook dust from the ceiling.
Across the chamber, its opponent stood defiant—a serpentine beast, 50 meters long, its violet scales glinting like polished amethyst under the dim light of glowing runes etched into the walls. Its body coiled with predatory grace, each movement rippling with restrained fury. Crimson eyes locked onto Shukaku, unblinking, its aura a pulsating storm of violet energy that warped the air around it. The beast was silent, its presence a cold, unyielding challenge.
For a heartbeat, neither moved. The tension was a taut wire, stretched to the breaking point, the silence so heavy it seemed to choke the room. Then Shukaku's guttural laugh shattered the stillness, echoing like a thunderclap. "Well, well, you ugly pile of scales!" it bellowed, voice dripping with mockery.
"Let's see if you can handle the One-Tail!" Its massive tail lashed upward, cracking the air with a sonic boom that sent tremors through the stone floor.
But before the clash could begin, Shukaku's gaze flicked to the side. There, slumped against the chamber's far wall, was Arthev—his summoner, his partner. The young warrior was a broken figure, his chest caved in from a brutal blow, his left arm mangled and twisted at an unnatural angle. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the stone crimson, his shallow breaths barely audible over the hum of the beast's energy. His dark hair clung to his sweat-soaked face, and his eyes were closed, teetering on the edge of consciousness.
"Tch. Can't have you getting squashed, kid," Shukaku rumbled, its voice a telepathic growl that reverberated in Arthev's fading mind. With a flick of its massive claw, a shimmering stream of metallic grey sand rose from the floor, glinting like liquid steel in the dim light. This was no ordinary sand—it was infused with Shukaku's unique soul power, denser and stronger than any mortal metal. The sand swirled around Arthev, coalescing into a seamless, dome-shaped shield. It hardened instantly, its surface smooth and impenetrable, a fortress tougher than tempered steel.
"Sit tight, Stunned Face," Shukaku added with a smirk. "This is gonna get loud!"
The violet-scaled beast seized the moment, lunging forward with terrifying speed. Its claws slashed through the air, unleashing a crescent wave of violet energy that screamed toward Shukaku. The One-Tail roared in defiance, meeting the attack head-on. "Sand Tsunami!" it bellowed, its maw opening wide. A colossal torrent of sand erupted forth, a tidal wave of grit and force that crashed into the beast's energy wave. The collision shook the chamber, the shockwave cracking the ancient stone walls and sending fissures spiderwebbing across the floor. The sand smothered the violet energy, burying the beast beneath a mountain of churning grains.
For a moment, it seemed the beast was overwhelmed. But then, with a silent explosion of force, the beast burst free, scales flashing as it shook off the sand. It was undeterred, its crimson eyes burning with relentless determination.
"Ha! Tough guy, huh?" Shukaku grinned, its massive paws stomping forward, each step a quake that rattled the chamber. Its tail swung in a devastating arc, a blur of motion that struck the beast with the force of a meteor. The impact was cataclysmic—a deafening boom echoed as the beast was hurled into the far wall, stone shattering into a cloud of dust and debris. Chunks of rock rained down, clattering against Arthev's metallic grey dome, which stood resolute, its surface unmarred.
The beast retaliated instantly, its body pulsing with violet light. A silent shockwave of energy blasted outward, a ripple of raw power that tore through the air. Shukaku braced itself, summoning a towering wall of sand to absorb the hit. The sand shuddered under the assault, grains scattering like shrapnel, but it held firm, the beast's attack blunted.
This thing's no joke, Shukaku thought, a surge of exhilaration coursing through its ancient soul. "Alright, scale-face, let's crank it up!"
Soul power flared around Shukaku, an aura that amplified its already monstrous bulk. Its muscles tensed, sand swirling in a vortex around its form as it charged. Its claws raked the air, each swipe a sonic boom that cracked the stone beneath. The beast weaved with impossible agility, its serpentine body dodging the worst of the blows. It countered with a whip-like tail strike, the violet-tipped appendage gouging a deep furrow in Shukaku's side. sand sprayed from the wound, but no blood followed—Shukaku was a creature of soup power and earth, not flesh. "Cheap shot!" it bellowed, annoyance lacing its tone.
In retaliation, Shukaku opened its jaws, soul power coalescing in a crackling sphere of compressed air.
"Air Bullet!" it roared. The sphere launched with a thunderous crack, a projectile of raw wind that detonated on impact. The explosion was apocalyptic—half the chamber vaporized in a blinding flash, the blast wave slamming the beast into the ceiling with bone-shattering force. It crashed back to the ground, scales flickering like a dying flame, but rose again, its resilience unshaken.
The battle became a maelstrom of destruction, a clash of titans that tore the chamber apart. Shukaku unleashed a relentless onslaught: sand storms that scoured the walls to bare rock, claw strikes that split the floor into jagged chasms, air bullets that shook the very air with their detonations. The beast matched it blow for blow, its violet energy carving glowing gashes in Shukaku's sandy form, its silent fury a counterpoint to the One-Tail's boisterous taunts. The chamber was reduced to a battlefield of rubble and light, the air thick with dust and the acrid scent of scorched stone. Yet through it all, Arthev's metallic grey dome stood firm, its surface glinting defiantly amidst the chaos.
Hours seemed to pass, though time lost meaning in the frenzy of combat. The beast was relentless, its movements a blur of violet and crimson, but Shukaku's boundless stamina and cunning began to tip the scales. It baited the beast, feinting with a slow claw swipe only to pivot into a crushing tail strike. The beast, caught off-guard, overextended, lunging too far in its counterattack. Shukaku seized the opening, its massive claw slamming down like a divine hammer. The beast was pinned, its scales grinding against the shattered floor, its struggles futile under Shukaku's immense weight.
"Game over, scale-face!" Shukaku roared, its jaws parting to unleash a final, devastating attack. A highly dense air bullet formed, its surface crackling with concentrated soul power. The sphere roared forth, striking the beast's core at point-blank range. The detonation was blinding, a white-hot shockwave that cracked the remaining walls and sent a gust of superheated air howling through the chamber. When the dust settled, the beast's violet eyes dimmed, its body trembling as cracks spread across its scales. With a final shudder, it dissolved into a cascade of shimmering energy particles, scattering like embers on a dying wind.
From the beast's fading core, a small, box-like structure thudded to the ground, landing near Arthev's shield. It was unassuming, no larger than a man's torso, its surface etched with faint, glowing runes. Shukaku towered over it, panting, golden sand still swirling in eddies around its form.
"Heh. Told ya I'd win, kid," it muttered, its voice a mix of exhaustion and triumph.
Turning to Arthev, still unconscious within the metallic grey dome, Shukaku's amber eyes softened with a rare flicker of respect. Blood stained the stone beneath the shield, but the dome had held, protecting its charge through the cataclysm. "Tough little bastard," Shukaku said, a grin tugging at its maw. With a gentle nudge of its claw, it slid the runed box closer to Arthev's side—a prize for when he awoke. Then, with a final puff of smoke, Shukaku released its summon, its colossal form dissolving into a whirlwind of golden sand. The chamber fell eerily still, the only sound the faint drip of water from a cracked ceiling.
--------------
The world went dark, a void of silence swallowing all. For how long, no one could say—time was a fleeting thing in the aftermath of such chaos.
------------
Water lapped gently, a soft ripple in an endless black sea. Arthev's eyes fluttered open, his body sprawled on the glassy surface of his subconscious mind. Pain lingered—a dull, throbbing echo in his chest and arm—but here, in this dreamlike expanse, he was whole, his wounds reduced to shadows. He sat up slowly, water dripping from his dark, matted hair, and scanned the boundless horizon. The sea stretched infinitely, its surface reflecting a starless void above.
"Finally awake, huh?" Shukaku's voice boomed, cutting through the stillness. The One-Tail lounged nearby, its sandy form half-submerged in the black water, its tail swishing lazily. Despite its relaxed posture, its amber eyes glinted with their usual mischief. "Took you long enough, Stunned Face."
Arthev rubbed his temple, his voice hoarse and strained. "What happened? Did you… win?"
"Win?" Shukaku snorted, puffing out its chest with exaggerated pride. "I smashed that thing! Turned it into sparkly dust—pretty dramatic exit, if I do say so myself. You're welcome, kid."
It leaned closer, its grin widening. "Oh, and I saved your sorry hide with that fancy sand trick. Not bad, right?"
Arthev nodded, wincing as he shifted his weight. The memory of the battle was a fragmented haze—flashes of violet light, the roar of Shukaku's attacks, the crushing pain of his injuries. "Good," he muttered. "I was… out of it. How long was I unconscious?"
Shukaku's eyes gleamed with amusement, its tail flicking a spray of water. "Oh, not long," it said, pausing for effect. "Just about a month."