"Ahahaha! Time to shine!"
In an instant, Sako's entire body erupted with massive lightning bolts that struck every corner of the hallway. His whole body blazed with electricity, even his eyes glowing brightly. The lightning was so intense that it illuminated the entire hallway, revealing the Junoi. The Junoi took the form of a mannequin, dressed in red royal attire like a prince.
Several of Sako's lightning bolts shot toward the Junoi, but it nimbly leaped away, dodging every strike. The Junoi kept jumping around, evading Sako while emitting strange, staticky noises like a broken radio.
Before long, a horde of living mannequins came rushing at Sako from all directions front, back, even breaking through the walls of the hallway.
Seeing this, Sako quickly gathered all his lightning into a single concentrated mass, gripping it tightly in his right hand. With a swift motion, he lashed out in a circular strike, triggering an explosion that instantly obliterated all the surrounding mannequins even sending the Junoi flying.
"So you've got an army, huh?" Sako grinned, though his eyes remained sharp, locked onto the Junoi like a predator.
Realizing the danger, the Junoi scrambled to its feet and immediately fled.
"Hehe, where do you think you're going?" Sako shot forward, still clutching his lightning whip. A flash of light and thunder erupted as he accelerated.
In no time, Sako was right behind the Junoi.
"Haha! Die!" Sako swung his lightning whip horizontally, aiming for the Junoi's head.
Luckily, the Junoi managed to duck in time, but the sheer force of Sako's strike obliterated the walls on either side of the hallway. The ceiling and surrounding structure began to collapse. Without hesitation, Sako leaped forward, his hand nearly grasping the Junoi's ankle.
Seeing the hallway collapsing and Sako closing in, the Junoi suddenly opened the sole of its shoe revealing a hidden hole. A burst of fire erupted from it, propelling the Junoi forward and leaving Sako behind. Caught off guard, Sako failed to react in time and was buried under the rubble.
But moments later, an explosion blasted the debris away, and Sako quickly stood back up.
"Get back here, you damn Junoi!!"
Sako took off in pursuit once more, this time enveloped in an even larger storm of lightning. Despite the Junoi's rocket boosters, it couldn't outpace Sako. Slowly but surely, Sako closed the gap. Once she was close enough, he leaped again, trying to grab the Junoi only for it to suddenly change direction, crashing through a wall.
Sako stumbled in surprise but quickly recovered, jumping into the hole left by the Junoi. However, as she landed, she was momentarily stunned the room beyond was vast, with no floor beneath her. She plummeted downward, accelerating rapidly. As she fell, she noticed countless wooden dolls dangling around him.
At the bottom of the room, the Junoi stood waiting, pointing at Sako. Instantly, the wooden dolls swarmed her, piling on top until they formed a massive, writhing ball.
The Junoi's eyes glowed as it declared, "Explo-"
But suddenly, streaks of lightning burst through the gaps between the dolls. A tremendous explosion followed, blasting the dolls away and freeing Sako. She landed on one hand and both feet, her head lifting to reveal glowing eyes locked onto the Junoi prince with a wide grin.
The Junoi prince pointed at Sako again, summoning more dolls to attack.
"Tch, how pathetic, hiding behind your army," Sako sneered, her fists crackling with electricity.
He charged straight at the Junoi prince, smashing through any dolls in his path. Two dolls lunged at her. Sako grabbed them by their arms and hurled them into another charging doll. She kept running, only to find a whole group blocking her way. Unfazed, Sako leaped onto one, gripping its head tightly before ripping it clean off.
As his foot touched the ground, a small explosion of lightning erupted, sending nearby Junoi flying, Sako included. Still clutching the doll's head, she channeled her lightning into it until it glowed blindingly bright. With a throw, it detonated in midair, obliterating the swarm below.
Sako landed and resumed his charge. The Junoi prince raised its palm toward him, but it was too late. Sako was already in front of it, fist reared back for a devastating punch.
Suddenly, wooden dolls grabbed Sako from behind, restraining her arms, legs, and torso. Seizing the opportunity, the Junoi prince extended a hidden cannon from its palm—
BOOM!!
A massive explosion engulfed Sako.
The Junoi prince lowered its hand, the smoke slowly clearing. Silence filled the air.
But then it sensed something behind it.
Whirling around, the Junoi prince was met with Sako's fist already in motion.
"Got you."
The punch landed square on the Junoi's left cheek, shattering half its face and sending it flying. The Junoi struggled to stand, its face slowly regenerating as wood fragments regrew. Meanwhile, Sako approached with a chilling smile.
"Trying to heal? How pathetic," she taunted.
As Sako closed in, the Junoi prince summoned more dolls to block her path. But Sako plowed through them effortlessly, finally seizing the Junoi by the head.
With a vice-like grip, Sako rocketed forward, smashing the Junoi's face through wall after wall before finally slamming it back into the doll-filled room. She stomped on its chest, triggering another explosion that launched her upward. As she descended, she clenched her right fist. Now wreathed in lightning and drove it downward.
Though seemingly defeated, the Junoi prince managed to open its mouth, firing a massive LYNK energy blast. Instead of dodging, Sako met it head-on, her punch clashing against the beam.
The LYNK blast had no effect Sako's fist tore through it, landing squarely on the Junoi's face. The impact shattered its head completely, severing it from its body.
Not done yet, Sako hurled both the head and torso into the air. Lightning gathered in her hand, forming a spear. With a powerful throw, the spear pierced both pieces triggering a colossal explosion that reduced the Junoi to splinters before it vanished in a cloud of red smoke.
"Finally done," Sako exhaled. Then, remembering the child he had brought earlier, she muttered, "Oh right, time to pick up the kid."
She walked back to the room where the child was hiding only to find a tall, lanky Junoi standing there, its mouth stretched wide open, as large as the closet the child was hiding in.
"Huh? HEY!!" Sako lunged forward in alarm.
But suddenly, the ceiling caved in, and another Junoi fell from above, crashing onto the first one.
"Huh? Where'd that one come from?" Sako muttered.
Without hesitation, she dashed in, delivering a lightning-wreathed kick that obliterated both Junoi. She yanked open the nearby closet, finding the child still hiding inside.
"Ah, finally you're back!" The child immediately hugged her. "I heard weird noises earlier," he said.
"It's okay. Don't be scared anymore. I'm here now. Let's get out," Sako reassured gently.
***
Meanwhile, Mono stood amidst several defeated Junoi. Beside him was a massive crater. Wiping his sweat, he pulled something from his pocket.
"Wow I never thought I will find this," Mono murmured, examining the Arabes Seal in his hand.