As I leap from the cliff, time seems to stretch.

The roar of the wind engulfs me, whipping against my face, cold and sharp, like an old friend pulling me into its embrace.

I grip my sword tightly, channeling my waves into it. The energy surges through the blade, and with each pulse, it pulls me forward, steady and controlled.

Then I feel it—the subtle, defiant push upward. It's not enough to counter gravity, but it eases its grip. My fall becomes lighter, a controlled descent rather than a reckless plunge.

I glide over a sea of giant crabs, propelled by nothing but my sword.

Laughter bursts from my chest, uncontrollable and raw.

Below me, the horde of giant crabs fades into insignificance. In this moment, I am free.

I look out at the vastness of the world around me—the horizon stretching endlessly, the wind painting vivid streaks of exhilaration across my skin.

I'm not there yet, but I'm close. Close to that impossible dream, that primal yearning etched into the bones of so many before me. I... I will fly.

The air rushes against me, my body tilting as my momentum carries me forward. The ground below blurs into motion, yet the thrill of the fall consumes me. My heart pounds, my senses sharpen. I feel alive. Truly alive.

The ground rushes closer, the crabs swelling into focus like a living, churning sea of shells and pincers.

A wild laugh escapes me, unrestrained and electric. The wind tears it from my lips as I angle toward one of the massive creatures below.

The beast tracks me, its eyes glinting, pincers poised. But I don't stop—well, I can't stop. Instead, I twist midair, spinning into a perfect barrel roll, the motion fluid and effortless. The world blurs for an instant before sharpening as I level out. The crab adjusts, pincers snapping at the spot where it expects me to land.

I grin.

At the last second, I tilt my trajectory, using the waves to nudge myself slightly off course. The creature's claw snaps, barely missing me by inches.

With a sharp downward chop, I strike the claw with precision. The force of the blow, combined with my forward momentum, launches me into a fluid front flip and lands me perfectly on its shell.

I run across its back, keeping my balance as I navigate the ridges and grooves of its massive form.

Another leap.

The air catches me again, and I twist just enough to lock onto my next target. The horde stretches endlessly ahead, each crab a stepping stone waiting to be conquered.

I grip my sword, channeling energy through the blade. The force slows my descent just enough while propelling me forward, launching me onto the next crab.

Another laugh bursts from my chest, exhilaration coursing through every nerve. The rhythm becomes instinctive—a seamless dance between gravity and control.

Shell to shell, I glide and leap, each movement flowing effortlessly into the next. The crabs snap their claws, pincers slashing at nothing but air as I dart just out of reach.

With each landing, the horde feels less overwhelming, less monstrous. I am untouchable, weaving through them as if they were static boulders or crashing waves, and I the surfer.

Giant crab surfing crosses my mind. I laugh. It would make a hell of a sport.

And so I keep going, and before I know it, I'm already there.

I launch myself from the last crab, the wind rushing past me.

I let out a sharp breath as my boots crunch against the rocky coastal ground.

The change is immediate. The ground ahead is eerily barren, a wide, desolate circle where not a single crab dares to tread. The silence here is deafening, the faint roar of the waves crashing in the distance only amplifying it.

Then my gaze shifts forward, locking onto it.

There, less than two hundred meters away, it stands. Towering over 30 meters tall, its massive form radiates power.

Holy shit…

Up close, it is huge.

Its shell gleams like darkened steel under the dim light, ridged and scarred for some reason. Pincers, each as large as a bedroom, move with a slow, deliberate menace, their movements exuding a chilling precision. Its eyes, two glowing orbs of amber, seem to pierce straight through me, unblinking and cold.

The weight of its presence hits me like a wave, heavier than the air itself. My heart pounds—not from fear, but from awe. Raw, unfiltered awe.

From a distance, it was imposing. Up close, it's overwhelming. Every fiber of my being screams to move, to act, yet I stand frozen for a heartbeat longer, taking it all in.

I… I'm really going to fight that?

A laugh escapes me, low and incredulous. Maybe I'm a bit over the top, but… I tighten my grip on the sword. Why not give it a try?

Before I step forward, something catches my attention. It doesn't have the usual antennae on top. Odd. Instead, there are long appendages protruding from its mouth. Do they serve the same function?

Well, no time to dwell on that. The only weak point seems to be the eyes. That shell? He guessed even modern tanks would struggle to make a dent in it.

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Here goes nothing.

I push Overdrive to its limit, the full 75%.

Let's dance, shall we?

I surge forward.

The sea's sharp tang floods my senses. The air reeks of salt and crabs. Wind slashes against my skin.

Every sound is sharp. Claws snapping. Waves crashing. My heart pounding. Each beat matches the chaos inside me. My pulse roars in my ears. I push harder.

The claw lunges.

I dive left.

The air splits with a deafening crack.

Wind from the missed strike slams into me, harder than I expected, like a battering ram.

My feet skid across the rocky ground, struggling for purchase. I thrust my sword into the earth, waves surging through it, anchoring me just enough to keep upright.

I twist mid-step. No time. The second claw swings, faster than the first.

I duck low. The claw tears through the air above me, the wind snapping at my head. My sword moves without thought. I slash upward, sparks flying as steel scrapes against its armored shell. Nothing.

A shockwave ripples out as the pincers snap shut.

The force slams into me like a tidal wave of raw energy. It burns through my arms, racing down to my legs, every nerve screaming in protest. I pour everything into my pulse, channeling it in concentrated bursts to counter the impact. My muscles strain, the backlash threatening to drop me, but I shove forward, refusing to fall.

Another strike comes. I leap. The claw smashes into the ground, shattering stone into sharp fragments that spray like shrapnel.

The wind from the impact slams into me midair, throwing me off balance and sending me rolling across the ground. Scratches burn along my skin, but I ignore them.

The beast looms above, pincers raised high, poised to crush me.

I surge forward, sword spinning like a blur of light ahead of me. The mouthparts lash out, writhing like serpents. I drop to the ground, rolling under one.

One of its huge legs whips toward me. I swing hard, my blade connecting, but it barely leaves a scratch. The impact reverberates up my arm.

A claw slams down, its massive shadow engulfing me.

I dive to the side just as it crashes into the ground, the force shaking the earth. The wind from the strike blasts into me, pushing me back as my feet skid across the rocky surface.

"You're quite fast for an oversized lobster," I mutter with a grin, feeling the sand, and saltwater scrape against my skin.

Its amber eyes glow, fierce and cold. My target.

I charge.

The pincer slams down again. I vault over it, using the push from my sword to propel myself high onto its shell.

The crab twists faster than I expect, tracking my movement. But I'm gonna reach it.

Then I notice something strange. The creature moves differently, its focus sharp and deliberate.

A faint vibration hums through the air, almost imperceptible at first. Its long appendages tremble, quivering like taut wires about to snap. The mandibular begins to close inward. There are two smaller ones above and two slightly bigger ones below.

They're about to connect.

Wait—

I don't think. I push myself back, channeling every ounce of my pulse into my sword to thrust me away. The world blurs. But I'm too late.

They shut.

Instinct takes over. I throw everything forward, channeling a desperate pulse to shield myself from the incoming shock wave. My focus sharpens, splitting between interfering with it and reinforcing my mental walls against the inevitable shock.

And then it hits.

The electric surge tears through my defenses, ripping into me with unrelenting force.

My nerves scream, every fiber of my body ablaze, as if a thousand fiery needles stab me all at once.

The world twists violently, my vision blurring as I lose all sense of control. My grip on the sword slips.

I plummet, crashing hard onto the rocky ground below.

Pain explodes across my head. The impact forces the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping as my pulse sputters. My muscles tremble, unresponsive. Darkness claws at the edges of my vision.

I lie there, sprawled and vulnerable, my sword a few feet away.

The crab looms above, its glowing amber eyes fixed on me, cold and calculating. Wasting no time, it moves its pincer to finish the job.

Move!

The voice slams into my mind like a lightning strike, clear and fierce.

"Get up, Alonso!"

Houston? I… I…

Fuck it!

The pincer is coming. I bite down hard on my lip, the taste of blood sharp and metallic, desperate to jolt my body into action. I push harder, forcing Overdrive beyond what feels possible, trying to break through the limit.

No time.

The pincer looms closer. I lock my gaze on the sword, pouring everything into my strongest pulse to yank it toward me. It comes, humming with raw energy, and I channel the momentum to roll my body across the ground, just out of the claw's path.

Then it hits.

The pincer slams into the earth with the force of a bomb. The ground erupts, dirt and rock flying in every direction. I'm just at the edge, but the kinetic shockwave tears into me. It sends me tumbling backward, rolling through jagged dirt and debris.

My body screams with every scratch and tear, fragments of my helmet cracking and flying off.

The front is riddled with holes, but at least the antennae are still standing.

The sling strapped to my back, however, is torn, dangling uselessly. Completely broken. I take it off and throw it away.

I push myself up, gripping my sword tighter.

I lower Overdrive just enough to catch my breath. I need to think.

My gaze locks onto the giant monster.

Its glowing eyes seem to stare straight through me, like it's sizing me up. A bug. I catch my reflection in them—small, insignificant.

The metallic taste of blood spreads across my tongue. My nose is bleeding, dripping down to my lips.

I chuckle, a low, bitter sound.

"You're a tough bastard."

My focus shifts to its long, writhing appendages. They vibrate faintly, an almost imperceptible hum radiating from them.

Those things are the key. They're fueling the shock.

Hmm. I can't risk melee with that thing again. I need to cut them from a distance. Somehow.

I glance behind me and see no crabs approaching. They seem to respect the boss fight. Good.

My eyes return to the behemoth. It doesn't move, standing silently, its glowing eyes locked onto me. Its pincers remain still but poised, exuding confidence.

I've barely made a scratch on it, and I'm already like this.

Should I keep going?

I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

I raise my head.

I step forward.

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