Wizard Of Cosmos

295 - Daddy is So Strong

"Shit," Amelia cursed under her breath as she deflected blow after blow, desperately trying to protect Jason from the relentless attacks.

It wasn’t just her previous enemies; there was another massive threat looming on the horizon. She could feel the presence of a greater demon, its oppressive aura emanating from afar, finally ready to make its move.

'I can't take on this thing,' she thought, parrying another strike aimed at her.

She didn't have the luxury of time to grab Jason and flee. Besides, with the monstrous force approaching, running seemed pointless. This new threat was undoubtedly stronger than her.

'If only he can fight,' she lamented, her grip tightening around her sword. She couldn't even afford a glance at Jason to check if he was still holding on. All she could hear were his painful grunts, each one a stab to her focus.

…

"Daddy, Daddy, no, I have to go!" Hanna cried out, trying to rush toward the mine entrance.

Before she could take another step, Nocturne leapt from her head, its tentacles wrapping firmly around her, gently but firmly holding her back.

"Let me go, Little Cuttlefish!" Hanna struggled, her small fists beating against the creature’s soft, yet unyielding grip.

“Little human, you can't go,” Brood’s voice echoed as the giant spider rose from the ground, positioning herself between Hanna and the mine entrance.

Brood’s massive form cast a shadow over Hanna as she blocked her path. 

“You can't do anything,” Brood argued, her voice a mix of authority and concern.

Hanna’s eyes filled with tears, but she stood her ground. "I have to help Daddy! He’s hurt!" she protested, her voice trembling with urgency.

"Grr," Nyx growled, its deep rumble filled with unease, but it didn’t move to assist Hanna.

"No, no, you can’t go," Hanna’s little fairy floated in front of her face, waving its tiny hands frantically. Both Nyx and the fairy were supposed to follow Hanna’s commands, but even they understood the dangers lurking within the mine were far beyond what Hanna could handle.

"Protect Miss Hanna and create a circle," Samson ordered, springing into action. His duty was clear: protect Hanna in the absence of her parents.

Fortunately, her pets didn’t aid her in that moment, or they would have stood no chance of stopping her from whatever reckless action she planned. Samson’s mind raced, thinking of the gravity of the situation.

'Jason won’t die while he’s in the game, but what about Amelia?' he wondered, his heart heavy with concern. 

It was clear that something serious had happened inside the mine for Hanna to react so strongly. They all knew about her bizarre powers, particularly her alarming ability to read minds.

Whatever had happened, Samson understood they were powerless to assist Jason or Amelia directly.

‘If anything can help them, it’s this thing… but it is also afraid of whatever’s in there.’ His eyes shifted toward the gigantic spider standing resolutely in front of Hanna, blocking her path into the mines.

…

Amelia's vision blurred as she struggled to stay upright, her knee pressed against the cold ground. Every breath she took felt like fire in her lungs, and the weight of her sword grew heavier with each passing second. The Greater Demon, as they called it, towered over her—a two-legged artificial mutant with massive, flaming wings, horns like jagged spires, and a face twisted in pure malice. Its burning eyes fixed on her, promising only death.

‘They actually left a weapon of war on this tiny planet? Is this a joke?’ She couldn’t believe what this kind of planet-obliterating weapon was doing here, but it was too late for her to realise it. 

She had been pushed to her limits, and the creature’s blade hammered down upon her with unrelenting force, forcing her to her knee.

"Just a bit longer... Jason..." She gritted her teeth, steadying her sword in front of her as she shielded him. She knew she had nothing left to give. But as much as she hated to admit it, she had already accepted her fate. If it meant protecting him, she would endure it.

Then, the demon brought its massive sword down in a blinding instant for a final, devastating strike. Amelia braced herself, knowing this could be her end. But just as the blade was about to land, something stopped it—cold and effortless.

A shiny, black arm, covered in countless specks of light like the night sky, caught the demon’s sword mid-swing.

Amelia’s eyes widened in shock as she looked up. Floating just a few feet off the ground, Jason hovered between her and the demon, transformed in a way she had never seen. The left half of his body, including his face, had taken on an otherworldly, starlit darkness as if the cosmos themselves had merged with his flesh. Tiny lights shimmered across his skin, creating the illusion of a living night sky. The right half of his body was even more fearsome—black spikes jutted out along his arm and shoulder, and his right arm bore massive, razor-sharp claws where his nails should have been.

“Grade A, no he is stronger.” She whispered in a daze, trying to assess Jason’s strength. 

His mutated form radiated an intense, chilling power, and without a word, he tightened his grip on the demon’s sword, twisting it with ease before snapping it in half as if it were nothing more than a twig. His darkened eyes, glinting with an unearthly glow, fixed on the Greater Demon, who staggered back, stunned and momentarily powerless.

For a moment, Jason turned his head back, looking into an unknown distance. His lips curled into an awkward smile as if he was smiling at something distance. 

…

“Eh?” Hanna stopped struggling instantly.

She tilted her head, her gaze fixed on the mouth of the cave with a puzzled expression. Her teary eyes blinked rapidly, and then, as if a switch had flipped, she broke into a sudden, radiant smile.

Her Daddy was smiling at her—she could feel it. He was okay. But more than that, she sensed something else: a surge of immense power, vast and overwhelming, radiating from deep within the cave. It was a force so grand it felt like it could envelop the entire world.

Yet, despite its enormity, it didn’t frighten her. Instead, it brought her a profound sense of security and joy. That power was her Daddy’s, and it was as if he had become an unyielding, towering mountain—one that would shelter her from any storm, any danger.

"Daddy... Daddy is so strong," she whispered in a daze.