The battlefield roared with chaos, the Tower’s unnatural tremors pulsing beneath Viole’s feet. His sword sang through the air as it collided with the grotesque creature’s skin, sparks flying as his blade glanced off the dark tendrils. The creature was far more resilient than anything they had faced before, its form shifting and twisting, as though defying the very laws of reality.
"Watch out!" Alisa’s voice rang out behind him, and Viole spun just in time to deflect one of the creature’s barbed appendages. 
"Thanks," he muttered, his voice tight with focus. Alisa nodded but said nothing more, her eyes locked onto the creature as she moved with calculated precision.
Yoru and Bubble flanked the other side of the beast, their combined attacks swift and relentless, yet it seemed like every blow they landed was meaningless. The creature regenerated as quickly as they could wound it, its body warping with each strike. 
“This is insane!” Bubble yelled, frustration seeping into her tone as she darted away from one of the creature’s wild swings. “We’re not even scratching this thing!”
Yoru’s calm, composed voice cut through her panic. “We need to focus. It’s regenerating, but there’s always a weak point. We just haven’t found it yet.”
“But what if there isn’t one?” Bubble shot back, her eyes wild as she barely dodged another tendril. “What if we’re fighting something we can’t kill?”
“Then we die trying,” Viole interjected, his voice grim but determined. His violet eyes blazed with intensity as he lunged at the creature once more, this time aiming for its pulsating core.
The blow landed, and for a brief moment, the creature shuddered, its regeneration stalling. Viole’s heart leaped with hope, but then the creature lashed out violently, sending him crashing into the stone floor.
“Viole!” Alisa screamed, rushing to his side as he struggled to his feet. His body ached, and his vision blurred, but he wasn’t done—not yet. 
“I'm fine,” he grunted, though the pain in his ribs said otherwise. “Keep going. We can’t stop now.”
Alisa’s hands trembled as she helped him up, her face tight with worry. “You’re pushing yourself too hard. If you keep this up—”
“I can’t stop.” His voice was harsher than he intended, but his mind was a whirlwind of pain, frustration, and desperation. “I won’t stop.”
For a moment, their eyes met—his filled with unrelenting determination, hers clouded with concern. Alisa seemed like she wanted to argue, but instead, she tightened her grip on her sword, her jaw set in resolve. 
“Alright,” she said quietly. “But don’t do this alone.”
Before Viole could respond, Bubble’s voice rang out, high-pitched and frantic. “Guys, it’s not just regenerating—it’s getting bigger!”
True enough, the creature seemed to be expanding, its limbs growing longer, its shadow stretching across the ground like an encroaching darkness. The very air around them felt heavier, thicker, as if the Tower itself was warping in response to the creature’s presence.
“We’re running out of time,” Yoru said, his voice tense. “We need to find that weak point—now.”
Bubble’s usually bright expression had darkened with fear. She had been through countless trials, laughed in the face of danger, but this was different. The stakes felt higher, and for the first time in a long time, she didn’t have a joke to defuse the tension.
Viole took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus despite the overwhelming pressure. He scanned the creature, searching for any sign of vulnerability, his mind racing. There had to be something they were missing.
And then, in the chaos of the battle, he noticed it—a small, flickering light deep within the creature’s chest. It was faint, barely noticeable, but it pulsed in time with the creature’s movements, as though it were its very heartbeat.
“There!” Viole shouted, pointing to the light. “Aim for the core!”
Yoru and Bubble exchanged quick glances before nodding in understanding. They moved as one, coordinated and swift, launching themselves toward the creature’s chest with renewed purpose.
Alisa stayed close to Viole’s side, her eyes darting between him and the battle. She could sense the strain in his movements, the toll that endless fighting was taking on him. “You don’t have to bear all of this alone, you know.”
Viole gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. “I’m not—”
“You are.” Alisa’s voice cut through his protest, her gaze unwavering. “You always act like it’s all on you, like you’re the only one who can fight. But we’re here too. We’re a team, remember?”
Her words struck a nerve, but before Viole could respond, a guttural roar echoed through the Tower, shaking the very ground beneath them. Yoru and Bubble had managed to strike the core, and the creature was writhing in agony, its form collapsing in on itself.
“We’ve got it!” Bubble shouted triumphantly, though her face was drenched in sweat, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “We actually did it!”
The creature let out one final, deafening scream before imploding, its body disintegrating into a cloud of dark energy. As the dust settled, the group stood in silence, their exhaustion palpable.
Viole’s body screamed in protest as he lowered his weapon, his breaths shallow. They had won, but it didn’t feel like a victory. 
Alisa stepped closer to him, her expression softening. “You did it,” she said quietly. “We did it.”
Viole didn’t respond immediately, his mind still reeling from the battle. But when he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost vulnerable. “I can’t lose anyone else.”
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with the weight of unspoken pain.
Alisa’s eyes softened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “You won’t. Not if we stick together.”
Viole’s heart twisted at her words. He wanted to believe her, wanted to trust in the bond they were forming. But the memories of betrayal still haunted him, lurking in the corners of his mind.
“I hope you’re right,” he whispered.
For the first time, Alisa smiled—a small, genuine smile that seemed to cut through the lingering darkness. “I know I am.”
As the group began to make their way toward the exit, the tension between them eased. They had faced death together and come out on the other side. But even as they walked, Viole couldn’t shake the feeling that the Tower still had far worse trials in store for them.