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[color=hotpink]"I'd like to see you try."[/color] Akiko's words were cold and calculating as Nephy got closer, Akiko's attention being momentarily distracted from the presence of the one she felt earlier rushing back [i]and[/i] the presence of the two new massive skeletons on the field. For those who could see it, Castle had manifested to block the incoming hit, but something that Akiko wasn't expecting was that she didn't have to do that herself, instead the presence inserting itself between Neph and the cat. Akiko herself flew back a decent way, Castle manifesting to help stop her from a far distance, and then the presence appeared, a quick [color=ed1c24]flashing of red eyes[/color] helping Akiko understand a little about this person. 

[color=hotpink]"Yeah, I'm alright."[/color] Akiko responded calmly to Runa's sentiment, Castle staying manifested behind the cat as she stepped back to where she had just been. She drew her fans from nowhere before she started to fan herself casually. Given the girl's calm composure and the few seconds Akiko could see with her ability, she let Runa finish her statement before Akiko offered a smile from behind her fan. [color=hotpink]"Given your appearance and composure, I'm assuming you can see what may happen. Can't say I'm not envious, since all I can see is the past. Might have to ask for a lesson after all this, but for now...~"[/color] Akiko got into a fighting stance, smiling. [color=hotpink]"I'll help in self defense. This wolf did try an attack on my life after all."[/color]

[color=forestgreen][b]Meanwhile...[/b][/color]

Behind the combatants, though, the crabs rose back from the ground, each one adorned with a light blue cluster of mushrooms sprouting from their heads and along their crusty carapaces. They moved forward, almost like soldiers, with intent to no longer attack the newcomers of the Abyss but rather to protect. Some crabs stayed back to fight the others with unyielding presence, no longer bound by the limits of their brains wanting to act with restraint for their own bodies. Some moved forward to protect certain clusters of adventurers, each cluster having one crab to its utility, and the rest all sauntered forward towards Nephy to smite the beast.

Hellsword rose again from the watery lagoon, riding a cluster of algae that strung up from the waters. His eyes were settled on the two behemoths brought forth by Nephy, his voice carrying an energy as he spoke to them. 

[color=forestgreen][b]"Brothers in undeath, bound to servitude under one who could not understand, instead drive your attempts onto your summoner. Leave nothing for the maggots to feast on."[/b][/color] If the skeletal warriors Nephetos summoned could feel, they'd have to strangle with a sudden and overpowering compulsion towards what could only be described as freedom and unrestraint at the necromancer's request, with only one desire. Instead of focusing their efforts onto a group of foes, they just needed to worry about one.

Whether that compulsion forced their wills, however, was in the air. At the very least, Hellsword hoped it would stagger them and give a chance for the crabs to move in and take their attention.

Regardless of anything, one couldn't deny that the bioluminescent glow of the mushrooms crabs around the battlefield made for a [url=https://youtu.be/17IZjvr5c1I]fantastic backdrop for this fight.[/url]