[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210324/c514e8101f58f889421092edb63edaa1.png[/img][/center][right][sub]April 10th - ???[/sub][/right][hr]
The shadow was bigger than Daigo expected. Okay, he wasn't really sure what to expect - and in hindsight, he should've expected something with such long arms to be massive - but when the first part of the thing's body peeked out of the top of the well and [i]kept coming[/i], Daigo was at a loss for what he should do. He'd done a good job so far; clearly they could hurt it if they got it outside, but with Mira being sucked in and restrained so easily, he wasn't sure how to go about attacking it. Even tugging it around was exhausting, and he hadn't even been the one pulling. Or... was he? Was Khepri him? Or thou? Thee? If someone last week told him archaic grammar might be the key to understanding his superpowers, he would've laughed in their face.

Unfortunately, biology class quickly became more relevant than Japanese as the shadowy ooze engulfed his persona like those white blood cell animations he also didn't pay enough attention to. Khepri thrashed and pulled away with surprisingly little resistance as the goop sloughed off and the beetle creature tore itself free. Judging by how Mira had faired, Daigo had to assume his own body wouldn't be so lucky. Or the other students, now that the shadow was no longer concerned with only their game of tug-of-war. Khepri dematerialized in a tuft of flame rather than wrestle with formless slime, and the ginger made a few evasive hops to backpedal from the encroaching monster. Physical attacks weren't working on the body itself, so the spear in his hand was essentially worthless. Maybe Hoshino needed to light it on fire again. He may not've known what a neutrophil was, but he knew the thing was definitely flammable by the way it screeched at the other teen's attack. Wait, couldn't he do that too?

[color=ff9933]"Oi, Sasaki-san, Mori-kun, get behind me,"[/color] Daigo called out while he internally fumbled with command of his persona. Even if he did get it right, they were just as likely as the shadow to get hit while they jumped around unpredictably.

[color=ff9933]"Okay Khepri, um... fire? Or, uh... no, that wasn't it. Maybe... laser?"[/color] The redhead deliberated under his breath while his persona reformed to hover defensively before him. His face twisted into a frustrated pout briefly before he shouted, [color=ff9933]"Just blast it already,"[/color] though Khepri was already in motion from the moment it sensed Daigo's resolve. Another Kouha manifested between the figure's horns as its master snapped his head around sporadically in search of a target. The beam earlier was pretty precise; Daigo could probably melt Mira free without collateral damage to the girl herself. Probably. No, it'd be fine! Besides, if he left it to Hoshino, his flames would burn the catgirl too out of spite if not inaccuracy.

Then again, it might not be a good idea to draw the thing's attention now that he'd foolishly volunteered to be the unawakened's shield. Whatever, they'd all get swallowed by goo if he hesitated. If Mira was free, it would have more targets to focus on and less means to attack Daigo and the others anyway.

[color=ff9933]"[i]IfthishitsyouI'msorry![/i]"[/color] He frantically yelped with barely a pause between words as he released the beam straight at the mass that held their feline companion, careful not to pierce any area that was obviously wrapped around one of her body parts.

[hr][@Hero][@Asura][@RiverMaiden][@Lord Orgasmo]