"Look, I know you are more than capable of just summoning a monster to fight for you. I'm sure Devel and Helioc also know this but they aren't saying anything because it doesn't change the situation. However, what I'm about to tell you might change it, after all, it's not like you will be at a disadvantage." - Nina
"Alright, tell me before the two idiots down there die." - SanShiGo
"The monster's weakness also happens to be one of its greatest strengths, the Separation skill. From what we have seen, the monster can detach parts of his body away from each other but it can also split itself in half, which means there isn't a limit on the 'way' it separates. We also don't know if there is a limit to the number of times it can separate, or why it doesn't choose to just keep separating instead of taking the attacks.
However, we can use this to our advantage. The only time we have seen the body parts reconnect is due to the finger's directing it to reconnect. It's just a theory, but if we can separate the hands away from the body and make sure it doesn't move then we might be able to isolate the different body parts. Then, there is the chance that there is a restriction on the distance between the body parts, which might affect the overall outcome.
What I need you to do, is to get down there and tell the plan to Devel and Helioc. Get them to focus on the arms, wrists, or shoulders and make the monster separate. The more times it separates the better. Afterward, Sylva, Ian, and you will take a body part and run. Run in different directions and keep running no matter what happens. If this doesn't work, then we just need to figure out a different plan but at least this gives us some direction." - Nina
"Hmm… Excellent observation skills. There is a slight problem, what if the separated parts are strong on their own?" - SanShiGo
"Then I guess you lose to just a hand or a foot." - Nina
"Hrmp, fair enough. Fine. I will head back down. PanPan might need my help anyways." - SanShiGo
Turning away, SanShiGo rushes toward the panda, as Smile suddenly bursts through the small hole in its paw. Retracting in pain, the panda roars desperately, swinging its head around to look for its master.
"PanPan, come! Time to show them what we can do. Mascot Fusion!" - SanShiGo
Glancing at its master, the panda roars loudly as its body shines a bright white light. Scattering into tiny pieces as it swirls around in the area, traveling to SanShiGo, as he continues running toward Smile. As it spins around SanShiGo, it slowly covers him, making a moving white egg as it glows brighter. Bursting out, it reveals the 'new' SanShiGo underneath, as his skill finishes.
Instead of the holy figure we were once used to, the SanShiGo we see now looks more like a comedian who lost his job and can only earn money from entertaining children at parties. Wrapped over his head, is a Panda Mascot head, bulging out from the sides with a fluffy texture as its small round ears stand on end. Still wearing his white robe, covering his hand and feet, were similar panda-like paw gloves and shoes, that were bigger by a size or two.
"Disgusting…" - Nina
"What do you mean? It's so cute! Imagine that on you!" - Sabrina
"HAHAHAHAHA! What is that outfit?! EVEN a slug looks better than you!" - Smile
"Shut it, monster. PAAAAAAANDA PUUUUUNCH!" - SanShiGo
Dashing forward the moment his transformation finishes, SanShiGo appears right in front of the laughing monster within seconds. Not giving him time to think, he sends an uppercut to the chest, lifting the monster slightly off the ground, before sending a hook across its face. Following the momentum of the punch, Smile is sent toward the rubble of a broken stone pillar, crashing into it headfirst.
"Alright, Devel and Helioc, I got a plan for you, courtesy of Nina. Attack the shoulder, elbow, or wrist until the monster separates. You can mix up the attacks with attacks to the knees or feet. We just need the monster to separate, and the more it does the better. Sylvia, Ian, and I will take the separated parts away, doing our best to restrict any and all of their movement. During that time, keep beating down whatever is left here. Understood?" - SanShiGo
"Understood." - Devel, Helioc, Sylvia, Mikki
Leaving SanShiGo's side, Devel sprints toward Smile, his blade still zapping around as the lightning bolt illuminates the immediate area. Attacking the still-immobile monster, Devel sends multiple downward strikes into the rubble. The sword disintegrates the rubble, reaching Smile's arm, only for it cut through cleanly, or so we thought. Bursting out from whatever remains of the rubble, Smile, spins in the air, slamming his leg across Devel's face.
In the last second, Devel tilts his head away, barely dodging, while catching a glimpse of Smile's right arm reattaching itself in the corner of his eye. Slashing horizontally, Devel's lighting bolt passes through the air as Smile separates his chest into two. Smirking at his smart thinking, Smile chuckles to himself, as his other leg swings around to hit Devel on the back of his head.
Supporting Devel, Helioc appears at this moment, grabbing onto the upper half of Smile, and pushing it further into the sky, before tossing both knives at the monster. Appearing behind Smile, Helioc grabs onto the flying knives and presses them against Smile's neck.
"Act 3 - Void to the Moon." - Helioc
Decapitating Smile, or Smile separating his head from his body at the last second, Helioc proceeds to kick his head far to the side, like a soccer ball. Laughter fills the air, as Smile's hysterical giggling continues even though his head had separated from his body. Reaching Sylvia who was preparing herself off to the side, Smile takes another punch to his face, sending him straight to the ground.
With a loud thud, Sylvia continues to beat down the defenseless face, with her Mystic Palms. Unwavering and unmoving, she repeatedly strikes Smile, like a drummer. In the meantime, Devel kicks Smile's lower half away, slashing at the thighs and calves with his sword, searing through the black bandages and burning the flesh. Helioc stabs the upper half with his knives as they descend to the ground quickly, somersaulting off, the moment the body lands.
Landing softly on his feet, Helioc continues his assault stabbing at the monster as he mounts the chest. Remembering SanShiGo's little speech, he starts to cut at the wrists, as his knife tears through the bandages and the flesh. Cutting away the hands, Helioc tosses them over his shoulder, letting SanShiGo and Mikki catch them. Smiling, Mikki dashes away, while SanShiGo rushes in another direction.
Smile's body has been separated 5 times, with his hands rapidly getting further and further away from his body. Yet despite this, Smile continues to giggle through Sylvia's assault. Little by little I start to see the bandages covering his eyes and the top of his head loosening with each hit. Before I could warn, Sylvia of any potential risks of revealing what was underneath the bandages, her right fist intensifies as the flames around it grow brighter.
"Solar FLARE!" - Sylvia
The moment her fists, land on Smile's face, the last of the bandages burn away at the same time, revealing two rubies embedded in its eye sockets. Engulfing Sylvia in a bright scarlet light, her skill gets canceled and she is pushed to the side.
"HAHAHAHA! So, EXCITING! WHAT A PLAN! What a plan. Take my body parts. Move them away, FAR AWAY! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! BUT, a miscalculation. I don't need any sort of command to bring them back~" - Smile
Coming from under Smile's head, several black bandages zoom out, spreading in different directions as they dodge past us and reconnect with the separated body parts. No matter how far away SanShiGo or Mikki was, the black bandages reach them, tearing the body part away from their hands. Two black bandages also retrieve the giant crimson skull hammer as well, bringing it to Smile's hand the moment his body reattaches itself.
"Hehehe~ I guess playtime is over." - Smile
Disappearing from the spot, I quickly glance in every direction, to find the missing monster. Hearing a scream, nearby, I glance to my left, to see the monster standing in front of Rebecca. Pushing her and everyone else there to the side, David steps forward blocking the incoming swing. Smashing through the tower shield, David's body gets catapulted over Devel and Helioc landing on the ground.
Disappearing and reappearing once more, Smile slams his hammer down on Sabrina's group. Only Song, Tsugi, and Sabrina were able to react in time, jumping out of the way before the hammer slammed into the ground. Glancing up, I see the monster's grin. Its eyes glitter with a scarlet shine as it disappears once more. Without even thinking, I activate Awakening, jumping forward desperately.
"TURTLE SHELL!" - ManTerror
"LAST STAND!" - Travys
"Puny humans~ HEHEHEHE!" - Smile
Looking over my shoulder as I land ungracefully on the ground, I see Travys and ManTerror both try to defend against the attack, only for their defensive skills to be broken. Both of them were unable to dodge the attack, as blood splatters out from their mouths, before being tossed to the side.
"Now, then. The only human that was SMART enough to think of a strategy. Hehehe~ I think you have to die." - Smile
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