The swamp erupted into chaos.
The ground beneath Wu Hei's feet trembled as something massive and unseen barreled through the muck, sending geysers of filthy water spraying into the air. A guttural, wet snarl echoed through the mist, and then—
Snap.
A segmented, worm-like creature burst from the mud, its maw lined with rows of needle-like teeth. It lunged for Róng Róng's legs, but the dwarf yelped and barely scrambled back in time.
"Move!" Wu Hei shouted, shoving Róng Róng forward as another worm-creature breached the surface, its slick body glistening under the dim light.
Yuna was already gone—her feline reflexes carrying her effortlessly onto the nearest giant mushroom, her claws digging into the spongy cap for balance. Kael, however, wasn't as lucky. He spun on his heel, summoning a whirlwind of sharpened mud projectiles, and hurled them at the nearest worm.
The creature hissed—then vanished underground before the attack could land.
"Damn it!" Kael snarled.
Wu Hei's mind raced. The worms were fast, too fast to fight on the ground. His eyes flicked to the towering mushrooms—Yuna's safe perch, her golden eyes wide with alarm.
"Up! Now!" Wu Hei barked, grabbing Róng Róng's arm and dragging him toward the nearest mushroom. The dwarf wheezed, his stubby legs pumping furiously as the ground behind them split open again.
Wu Hei leaped, his aero shard flaring as he propelled himself upward. Róng Róng flailed, his fingers barely catching the edge of the mushroom cap before Wu Hei hauled him up. Below, the worm-creature slammed into the stalk, its jaws snapping at empty air before it retreated beneath the murky water.
Panting, Wu Hei scanned the swamp. The worms were circling, their movements causing ripples in the water.
"We can't stay here forever," Yuna muttered, her tail lashing.
Kael wiped sweat from his brow. "We need to draw it out. Force it to surface long enough to kill it."
Róng Róng, still gasping, clutched his chest. "Easier said than done! Those things are fast!"
Wu Hei clenched his fists. They needed a plan, but first a short rest was mandatory.
The group had taken shifts resting atop the mushroom, two sleeping while two kept watch. Wu Hei and Kael were the last to wake, their muscles stiff from the damp chill. As Wu Hei rubbed his eyes, he noticed Yuna and Róng Rong huddled at the edge of the cap, speaking in hushed tones.
Then he saw it.
Róng Róng was holding something—a fursuit. But not the bulky Yi Wò Kè disguise. This one was sleeker, feline.
Wu Hei's stomach dropped.
He's making a Yuna suit.
Before he could react, a distant slithering sound snapped his attention back to the swamp. The worms were stirring again.
Kael groaned, stretching. "We can't keep dodging forever. We need to fight."
Wu Hei exhaled sharply, pushing the unsettling sight of Róng Róng's new disguise from his mind. He had to focus.
He glanced at his shards—the fire shard, still warm against his chest, and the aero shard humming with energy. An idea sparked.
"The worms need to breathe," Wu Hei said slowly. "They're tunneling, but they can't stay underground forever. If we cut off their air..."
Yuna's ears perked. "Smoke them out?"
Wu Hei nodded. "We find a hole, fill it with fire, and suffocate them."
Kael grinned. "Now that's a plan."
The largest burrow was easy to spot—a gaping maw in the mud, still dripping from the worm's last retreat.
Wu Hei crouched at the edge, his palm glowing with embers. "Ready?"
Yuna and Kael nodded, poised to strike. Róng Róng hung back, clutching his half-finished fursuit like a security blanket.
Wu Hei thrust his hand into the hole.
A torrent of flames roared downward, scorching the tunnel walls. The swamp sizzled, steam rising in thick plumes. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
A screech.
The ground heaved.
The worm exploded from the mud, its body writhing, its maw gaping in agony. Smoke billowed from its gills as it flailed, disoriented.
"Now!" Wu Hei roared.
The worm erupted from the mud in a frenzy, its segmented body thrashing as smoke poured from its gills. Wu Hei barely had time to roll aside before its massive jaws snapped shut where he'd been standing, splattering fetid swamp water across his face.
Yuna moved like lightning. She launched herself from the mushroom cap, claws extended, and landed squarely on the worm's back. Her talons dug deep into its slimy hide, anchoring herself as it bucked wildly. With a snarl, she raked her claws down its spine, leaving deep, oozing gashes. The worm shrieked, its body coiling violently to throw her off—but she flipped midair, landing gracefully on another mushroom.
Enraged, the worm slammed its tail into the mushroom Kael stood on. The cap splintered, sending him tumbling into the murky water. Before he could resurface, the creature lunged, jaws gaping—
—Only for Kael to twist midair, summoning a whirlwind beneath his feet. The gust launched him upward, and he drove a hardened mud spear straight into the worm's left eye. Black ichor sprayed as the creature recoiled, hissing in agony. It retreated underground, but not before its thrashing tail clipped Kael's ribs, sending him crashing onto a nearby root.
Wu Hei didn't wait for it to resurface. He sprinted along the mushroom caps, his aero shard flaring as he leaped high—just as the worm burst from the mud beneath him. He crashed onto its head, driving a fire-charged fist into its gills. The flames seared its flesh, and the stench of burning chitin filled the air. The worm writhed, throwing him off, but not before his fire left its gills smoldering.
As the worm reared back, disoriented, something small and furry landed on its snout. Róng Róng—wearing his half-finished Yuna fursuit—plunged a dagger into its remaining eye. "Surprise, ugly!" he yelped before the worm flung him off like a ragdoll. He hit the water with a splash, but the damage was done—the creature was blind.
The worm flailed wildly, its massive body crashing into mushrooms and sending debris flying. Kael, bleeding but grinning, gathered every ounce of his strength. As the worm's thrashing exposed its underbelly, he hurled his spear like a javelin—
THUNK.
The weapon pierced its throat, sliding deep until only the hilt remained. The worm convulsed, its death throes sending waves through the swamp—then collapsed, lifeless, into the muck.
Silence.
Then—
Róng Róng surfaced, spitting out swamp water. "Did we win?"
Wu Hei, panting, wiped mud from his face. "Yeah. We won."
The group exchanged exhausted, triumphant glances.