"You see, Yukini, this is the type of predicament that unfolds when you don't heed my advice," Shango said as he maneuvered between the spider's legs, launching a relentless barrage of punches while searching for a vulnerable spot. With each strike against the rock spider, a numbing sensation coursed through his arm, reaching a point where he'd completely lost feeling in his limbs. Clenching his teeth, he pressed on with his relentless assault.
Yukini seemed to protest in her own way, emitting a low growl before launching a barrage of ice spears at one of the spider's legs. The ice spears shattered on impact, inflicting only minimal damage. However, her determination remained unwavering. She growled with frustration and unleashed another volley of icy projectiles at the rock spider.
The rock spider refused to remain passive, retaliating with a fierce display of power. It spat forth molten lava in the direction of Shango and Yukini, creating a pool of scorching magma nearly ten feet wide. Simultaneously, it employed its massive legs in an attempt to crush its assailants. This deadly back-and-forth engagement had persisted for what felt like an interminable 30 minutes, with no end in sight.
Meanwhile, in a place enveloped by near-total darkness, an elderly woman was seated, wrapped in a large, weighted blanket, in a room that was quite large in size. If Shango was present an eerie sense of déjà vu would have it hit. The room bore a striking resemblance to his old room back on earth a time from when he was young, he would probably die from embarrassment since this was around the time when he was going through his weeaboo phase. Anime posters adorned every corner of the room, anime figurines were scattered about, and his bed was overrun with an excessive number of anime-themed pillows. The only thing out of place was the elderly woman reclining on her side, her gaze fixated intently on a crystal ball roughly the size of a basketball, with a discarded dagger lying nearby. Upon closer inspection of the crystal ball, an image of Shango and Yukini locked in battle with the rock spider came into view.
"You truly are an strange one," The mysterious old granny remarked as she observed the ongoing skirmish between Shango and the rock spider.
"Despite every fiber of your being soaked in fear, and the persistent urge to flee echoing in the recesses of your mind, you manage to retain your composure. It's truly remarkable," she mused with a chuckle. Over centuries, she had witnessed countless remarkable individuals succumb to their emotions, succumbing to the primal weight of their fears. She understood that most humans experienced a fight-or-flight response when confronted with something they feared. However, with rigorous training and the accumulation of years of life-and-death experience, they could conquer their fears and confront their challenges head-on.
Nonetheless, Shango possessed an exceptional serenity, the hallmark of a seasoned warrior, a composure rarely found in someone who had only faced a single life-and-death encounter. She was convinced that there was more to his story, yet those segments of his memories remained sealed off from her, and it would cost her more energy than she was willing to spend to access them besides, she preferred to allocate her time indulging in her passion for watching anime and reading manga. Nevertheless, the ongoing battle had altered her perception of delving into Shango's memories to do such.
Sitting upright and clapping her hands together, she declared, "Now then, let's bestow a small gift upon my new master, enabling him to conclude this ordeal quickly." With that, she retrieved the dagger she had taken from Shango, brought it to her mouth, and bit into it. One might expect her teeth to shatter, but she tore through it as easily as one would a freshly baked doughnut. She consumed the dagger piece by piece until it vanished, and after a brief seething moment, she radiated a soothing light blue aura.
"Now, that was invigorating," she remarked, running her tongue over her lips.
Returning to the battle outside, Shango and Yukini continued their all-out struggle against the rock snake. Both were visibly fatigued and although the damage to the rock snake appeared minimal, it was not insignificant.
"Alright, Yukini, fall back. I believe I can finish this in one decisive blow," Shango declared before making a dash for one of the rock spider's hind legs. There, he unleashed a monstrous attack with such force that it sent him hurtling backward into a mound of sand. Despite not having fully mastered this attack yet, extended combat against the rock spider had provided him with the necessary experience to wield it effectively.
"Ptui, ptui! I've consumed far too much sand today!" he exclaimed as he climbed to his feet. He sprinted in a different direction, narrowly evading the rock spider's incoming assault. Predictably, lava landed at the exact spot Shango had just vacated.
More than an hour had elapsed since the battle's commencement. Through several close calls, Shango had meticulously cataloged the rock spider's attack patterns. He occasionally found himself slightly singed from delayed evasion or experiencing a harsh impact from one of the spider's legs. On numerous occasions, Yukini had intervened to shield him from sustaining the full brunt of these attacks. He harbored immense gratitude for his steadfast companion, recognizing her as a handful, yet acknowledging her pivotal role in their survival throughout this encounter.
"Yukini, aim for its eyes, the eye!" Shango bellowed as he narrowly eluded a potentially devastating crush.
In response, Yukini roared and proceeded to hurl a volley of ice spears at the rock spider's eyes. Following her assault, she swiftly retreated to a new vantage point, adhering to the hit-and-run strategy that she and Shango had adopted.
"Perhaps we should retreat and devise a strategy to overcome this guy later," Shango mumbled, his thoughts momentarily fixated on the idea of abandoning the confrontation. He harbored doubts regarding their ability to outlast the rock spider's relentless onslaught, compounded by the realization that their offensive output fell short of swiftly concluding the battle. Just as he contemplated signaling to Yukini to commence a hasty withdrawal, a dramatic change seized his attention.
Suddenly, Shango's gauntlets began to emit a radiant glow, accompanied by an icy sensation permeating his hands. Panic threatened to consume him as he grappled with the mysterious occurrence.
"What in the world is happening?"
"This skirmish of yours has persisted for far too long and has disrupted my television time. Employ this newfound power to conclude the battle swiftly," the enigmatic granny interjected, her voice brimming with urgency. Without waiting for a response, she ceased communication abruptly.
Instantly, the glow within Shango's gauntlets dissipated, replaced by a transformation. His gauntlets underwent a remarkable change as the fingertips elongated to approximately twelve inches. A misty fog began to emanate from his claws as they brushed against the sand, setting the stage for a breathtaking development in their confrontation with the formidable rock spider.
