Kael and Kaito stood firm, despite the overwhelming odds, as the now fully awakened God Beast loomed over them, its twisted form radiating with unnatural energy.
The beast's eyes glowed a haunting jade, as it bared its fangs in a twisted snarl, its body shifting and warping with the power of Corrupted Ascendance. The ground shook with every movement it made, the air thick with the tension of battle.
"Kael!" Kaito shouted, dodging a savage swipe from the beast's elongated claws. He used his own strength to vault backward, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have torn through him like a hot knife through butter. "It's too fast now—how are we going to deal with this?!"
Kael's gaze remained locked on the creature, calculating every move. "We don't need to beat it in one blow. We just need to wear it down. Its new form is still unstable. We need to keep it occupied until the others can arrive."
Kaito gritted his teeth. "Right, but we can't wait forever. If it keeps regenerating like this, we'll never win."
Kael closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the flow of energy around him. His mind worked in overdrive, tapping into the depths of his power, but something was nagging him—there had to be a way to exploit the weakness that was hidden in the beast's transformation.
Suddenly, the beast lunged forward again, its immense speed catching Kael off guard. It slashed toward his chest, but Kael was already moving. His body blurred as he used Voidstep, appearing behind the creature in an instant.
"Kaito! Now!" Kael shouted, his voice unwavering despite the chaos surrounding them.
Kaito, already prepared for Kael's signal, surged forward, his Aura of Overdrive flaring around him like a storm. With a roar, he slammed his fist into the beast's side, knocking it sideways. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth beneath them.
Kael immediately followed, channeling the power of the Last Will, and struck with his Void Blade—a shimmering sliver of pure energy. The blade cut through the beast's scales, leaving a deep, glowing wound.
The creature howled in rage, but instead of retreating, it retaliated fiercely. It twisted its body, its green-marked skin beginning to pulse and shift again, regenerating the damage they had inflicted.
"We're getting closer," Kael said between breaths, his chest heaving with the effort. "Keep pushing, Kaito. We need to break through its defenses before it can heal fully."
The beast let out a guttural roar, spinning to face them both. Its serpent-like body coiled, ready to strike again, but Kael and Kaito were already in motion, a single unit of destruction.