The Ebon Star’s tentacles moved with terrifying speed, converging on Andrey from every direction. He weaved and dodged, using Phantom Step to slip through gaps, but the creature’s attacks were relentless. One tentacle caught him across the ribs, sending him spinning. Another wrapped around his ankle, yanking him off balance.

"Guh—!" Andrey hit the ground hard, the impact driving the air from his lungs. Before he could recover, a third tentacle slammed into his chest, pinning him against the stone floor. He coughed, blood spattering across his lips as the pressure crushed his ribs.

"ANDREY!" Lisa’s voice cut through the chaos. Her hands blazed with healing light as she cast Refreshing Breeze, a wave of mint-green energy washing over Andrey. The wounds on his chest began to close, the pressure on his ribs easing as the healing magic did its work.

Hope moved to intercept the tentacle, her greatsword swinging in a wide arc. "Radiant Judgment!" The golden blade carved through the tentacle, severing it and freeing Andrey. He scrambled back, gasping, his body aching but functional.

Hope’s eyes were fixed on the Ebon Star, her voice grim. "This is pointless. We’re not making any progress. Every time we land a hit, it heals almost instantly. It’s regenerating faster than we can damage it."

Sein landed beside her, flames flickering weakly around her fists. "The only thing that seems to slow it down is overwhelming force, and even that barely scratches it."

Sarah raised her wand, her voice tight. "Then what are we supposed to do? We can’t just keep hitting it until we run out of mana!"

Andrey pushed himself upright, his staff in hand, his eyes fixed on the pulsing glow in the Ebon Star’s core. His voice was calm despite the blood still drying on his lips. "We don’t need to overwhelm it. We need to destroy the fragment."

Sein’s head snapped toward him. "And how exactly do we do that? That thing’s core is buried deep inside its body, and it’s protected by layers of that regenerating flesh."

Andrey’s grip on his staff tightened. "I’ll get close. I can use Overdrive to break through its defenses. But I’ll need an opening."

Hope planted her feet, her greatsword blazing with golden light. Her voice rang out across the chamber, fierce and unwavering. "Then I’ll make the opening! I’ll carve a path straight to its core!"

Sein stepped forward, flames roaring around her fists, her expression fierce. "Don’t think you’re the only one who can do something flashy! I’m not about to let you have all the glory!"

Andrey looked at both of them, and despite everything, a small, genuine smile crossed his face. "I’ll be relying on all of you, then."

The Ebon Star let out a piercing shriek, its tentacles surging forward. Hope met them head-on, her greatsword swinging in wide, devastating arcs, each strike carving through the dark tendrils with golden light. She moved with practiced precision, cutting a path toward the creature’s core.

Sein followed close behind, flames roaring, burning through any tentacles that tried to flank Hope. "Crimson Cataclysm!" A wave of fire exploded outward, clearing a wide space around them.

Sarah hovered above, her wand blazing as she rained down Pink Rain on the creature’s flank, forcing its tentacles to recoil. "I’ll keep its attention from above! Don’t worry about the small ones—focus on getting through!"

Lisa’s hands glowed as she cast Purifying Aura, a wave of mint-green energy washing over the team, cleansing the lingering dark energy that clung to their weapons and armor. "I’ll keep the corruption off you! Just keep pushing forward!"

But the Ebon Star was relentless. A massive tentacle slammed into Sein from the side, sending her flying across the chamber. She crashed into a pillar, sliding to the ground with a groan.

"Sein!" Hope’s voice was sharp, but she couldn’t stop. She pressed forward, carving deeper into the creature’s defenses, but her movements were slowing. The constant attacks were wearing her down.

Lisa rushed to Sein’s side, her hands glowing with healing light. "Refreshing Breeze!" The mint-green energy washed over Sein, knitting her wounds and restoring her strength. "Get back in there! We need you!"

Sein pushed herself up, flames roaring back to life. "Thanks, Lisa. I owe you one."

Sarah’s voice cut through the chaos from above. "Hope, I’m going to hit its core with everything I have! Get ready to strike when it staggers!"

Hope gritted her teeth, carving through another wave of tentacles. "Do it!"

Sarah raised her wand high, pink energy gathering into a massive, swirling storm. "Heartstorm Apocalypse!" The column of pink light slammed into the Ebon Star’s torso, and for a moment, the creature convulsed, its defenses faltering.

Andrey activated Overdrive. His body surged with power, white light blazing around him. He launched himself forward, staff extended, aiming directly for the pulsing glow in the Ebon Star’s core.

But the creature was faster. A thick tentacle wrapped around his ankle, yanking him back. Another coiled around his arm, pinning his staff against his side.

He could feel his Overdrive flickering, the strain of maintaining it while being crushed starting to take its toll. The Ebon Star’s crown of stars pulsed mockingly, as if it knew he was trapped.

’I can’t break free like this. Even with Overdrive, I’m not strong enough to overpower it directly. The more I struggle, the more it tightens its grip. If I keep fighting this way, I’ll just exhaust myself and give it an opening.’

He forced himself to stop thrashing, letting his body go still. The tentacles loosened slightly, as if confused by his sudden lack of resistance. His mind raced, running through every option.

’Physical attacks aren’t working—it regenerates too fast. If I can’t reach the core, then I need to create a distraction that it can’t ignore. Something that forces it to divert its attention away from me.’

His gaze flicked to the team—Hope was still carving through tentacles, but her movements were slowing. Sein was trading blows with a cluster of dark tendrils, flames flickering. Sarah was airborne, raining down Pink Rain, and Lisa was straining to keep her barrier intact. They were holding, but barely.

’I need something that can match its regenerative power. Something that can keep it occupied long enough for me to get close. But I don’t have a skill that can do that...’

He gritted his teeth, the dark energy pressing against his chest like a vice. His inventory flickered at the edge of his mind—the weapons, the potions, the crafting materials he’d collected. None of them were enough.

And then he remembered.

’Morgana. If I summon her here, she could keep the Ebon Star distracted while I break free and strike its core.’

"System! Use the summon ticket! Call Morgana!" Andrey’s voice was strained, his body struggling against the tentacles.

System: Summon Ticket confirmed. Summoning Morgana—now!

A flash of violet light erupted from Andrey’s body. The tentacles loosened their grip as a new presence materialized in the chamber.

Morgana stood tall, her elegant Violet Dusk outfit shimmering in the dim light. Her red eyes swept across the scene, taking in the chaos, the wounded team, and the massive corrupted entity looming before them. Her tail swayed behind her, and a slow, confident smile spread across her lips.

"Master... it seems you’ve found yourself in quite a predicament."