"Atomic Slasher x3!" the curse master roared, shaking off the primal fear that had crept up on him after hearing Sonia's chilling howl. His cursed knife moved with incredible speed and precision, slicing Sonia's body into minced meat, then dicing the minced meat into even finer pieces, and finally reducing those pieces into near-powder. Still, there was no blood.
He had used his most powerful technique three times in rapid succession. By the time he stopped, he was doubled over, gasping for air, sweat dripping from his forehead, and a thin trail of blood running from his nose. Yet, his eyes stayed locked on the scattered remains on the ground.
His frown deepened as he noticed something unsettling—the tiny particles of flesh weren't dispersing like they should. Instead, they began moving, gathering together in defiance of logic and reforming piece by piece into a fully intact Sonia. Her naked body was once again draped in her signature Werefur coat as if the attack hadn't even grazed her.
The curse master stumbled back instinctively, fear flickering across his face.
Before he could react further, Sonia vanished.
"Your knife is sharp and fast. I'll give you that," she said, suddenly reappearing behind him. Her claws pressed against his throat, sharp enough to draw tiny drops of blood that slid down his neck. "I'll do you the honor of letting you tell me your name before I kill you."
The curse master froze. His body sagged under the weight of exhaustion. Using his most powerful move in succession had drained him completely, leaving him defenseless. Closing his dark eyes, he sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak his name, Sonia's head exploded.
The curse master flinched as her grip loosened, and blood sprayed from her neck. But to his horror—and everyone else's—her head grew back in an instant, fully formed as if nothing had happened.
"Damn it!" a voice shouted from the sidelines.
A second curse user intervened, seizing the opportunity to grab the curse master and drag him away. Sonia's glowing eyes followed their retreat with a predator's hunger, her grin widening as if the interruption had only made things more exciting.
Just as Sonia prepared to give chase, a blinding flash of light illuminated the room, followed by an arc of electricity that struck her. The bolt hit with such force that it evaporated more than half of her body, leaving behind smoldering, charred remains.
Before anyone could react, another arc of electricity surged through the air, reducing what was left of her body to ash. But then, from within the ash, a mass of flesh began to grow. As it reached the size of a football, yet another arc of electricity struck it, incinerating it back into ash.
This time, the ash scattered across the hall as another arc followed, spreading the remains further and filling the air with the acrid stench of charred flesh. Everyone instinctively covered their noses and mouths, wincing at the nauseating barbecue-like odor and trying not to inhale the floating particles.
To everyone's horror, a new mass of flesh began to form mid-air, defying all logic. The shapeless clump grew rapidly, contorting and twisting as it took on a humanoid form. Even the bravest in the room hesitated, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had seen the horrors the "World of Curses" could offer, but this was something else entirely—something unnatural and deeply unnerving.
With the growing fear of the onlookers, the flesh's growth accelerated. Within seconds, Sonia stood before them again, fully formed, her glowing eyes locking onto her target—the curse master who had narrowly escaped her earlier.
This time, she wasted no time. With a burst of speed even greater than before, Sonia dashed toward him, a manic grin stretching across her face. Just as she was within striking distance, another arc of electricity struck her.
Unlike before, this attack didn't evaporate parts of her body but instead left her fur coat and skin badly burned, with the point of impact charred black. Yet, despite her injuries, Sonia didn't falter. She surged forward, her grin widening as if the pain only fueled her.
Before she could reach her target, thick roots burst from the floor and wrapped around her, coiling tightly around her limbs and torso like living ropes. They pinned her in place, twisting and squeezing until she was completely restrained, her body wrapped mummy-style.
Sonia struggled violently, her muscles straining as she fought to break free. The roots only tightened, their grip relentless, until her body was crushed into a pool of viscous meat juice. The liquid seeped through the gaps in the roots, pooling on the floor.
Then, as if mocking the laws of nature, the meat juice began to move. It slipped across the ground, gathering into a single spot and quickly reassembling into Sonia's form once more.
Her Werefur curseling appeared around her like a dark fur coat, and without missing a beat, she rushed at her target again, her glowing eyes blazing with madness. But before she could strike, the roots erupted from the floor once more, coiling around her in an instant and binding her tightly.
Once again, Sonia was wrapped like a mummy, restrained in the relentless grip of the roots. However, this time, the roots didn't try to crush her—having apparently learned their lesson. Instead, they branched out, drilling into her body with a vengeance, causing excruciating pain. Sonia responded with a blood-curdling howl, "Awooo!" The sound reverberated through the hall, carrying a primal madness that clawed at the minds of everyone who heard it.
The veterans in the room stiffened but managed to steady themselves, their experience allowing them to resist the howl's maddening pull. EAD Matthews subtly shifted her gaze toward Ace, who stood frozen, his wide eyes fixed on the scene. Though fear was evident in his expression, he showed no sign of being influenced by Sonia's howl. Matthews narrowed her eyes slightly, suspicion flickering across her face.