The flickering devil, now desperate, began to zip around them, its form becoming a blur as it attempted to find an escape route. Its flickering form made it difficult to track, its transparency adding to the confusion.
The four tried to keep up, their eyes straining as they followed the devil's moving form, their weapons poised to strike.
In a wild flurry of movement, the devil darted left and right, its form appearing and disappearing rapidly. The group watched with laser focus, their muscles tensing as it came closer to them. Touko, her blades ready, suddenly lunged forward, striking out as the devil materialized nearby.
However, the devil was quick. It vanished the moment Touko's blade made contact, its form reappearing behind them. Denji turned swiftly, his chainsaw swiping at the devil, missing by an inch.
Power, seeing an opening, threw a punch, aimed at the devil's flickering form. However, her attack passed right through it, the devil reappearing a few feet away.
"Damn it, it's still too fast!" she cursed as she landed on her feet, her face contorting with frustration.
The devil, now clearly gaining the upper hand, chuckled menacingly, its form flickering faster, its movements more erratic. The group could barely keep up with its speed, their strikes missing by the slightest margins.
Aki, despite his injury, tried to maintain his focus. "We need to think of something," he panted, holding onto his wounded back.
They stood in silence for a moment, each one trying to come up with a plan, their breathing labored and their bodies tense. The devil continued to dart around them, its form flickering, an air of triumph in its movements.
Touko, her eyes ablaze with determination, suddenly had a realization. "Wait," she began, her voice strained, "I have an idea."
The others turned to her, their eyes filled with hope. "What is it?" Aki asked, his voice steady despite the pain.
"The devil's speed, it's not all natural," she said, her mind churning. "It's materializing and dematerializing to move that fast. But every time it does that, it's not fully formed. Which means it's temporarily vulnerable."
Aki, Denji, and Power seemed to catch onto Touko's idea. "So if we can get in a hit during that moment of vulnerability..." Aki prompted.
"Exactly," Touko confirmed, a flicker of confidence in her eyes. "We have to time it perfectly, hit it when it's in the process of materializing."
The group collectively nodded, their focus renewed. The devil continued to dart around them, its form flickering faster and faster, a blur of movement. But now, the group wasn't just watching, they were waiting, their bodies poised to strike at the right moment.
The devil, realizing the group was onto its strategy, increased its pace even more, a desperate attempt to keep ahead of them. Its form flickered, almost becoming a mere blur of motion. But the group didn't waver, their eyes locked onto the devil, their instincts primed for the right moment.
Power took the lead, her eyes sharp, her reaction time lightning fast. She lunged, her strike aiming at the devil as it flickered, only to miss by a hair. Aki, his sword ready, took his turn, his swing narrowly missing as the devil vanished and reappeared.
Touko, her blades at her sides, anticipated the devil's next dematerialization, striking at the exact moment, but the devil was too fast, disappearing and reappearing away from her blades' reach, scraping against the concrete wall.
Denji, his eyes set, swung his chainsaw, aiming for the devil as it flickered, only to come up short. The devil, with its unnatural speed, vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing just out of his reach.
Aki, despite his injured state, didn't let the pain slow him down. He lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air, aiming at the devil as it danced in and out of sight. The devil, as always, vanished at the last second, reappearing a few steps away.
But Aki's movements were undeniably hindered. His body moved slower, his strikes less precise. The pain in his back and the fatigue from being slammed against the wall were becoming more and more apparent.
The group, and especially Touko, noticed his faltering. Touko, her eyes meeting Aki's briefly, saw the strain on his face. Her concern for him grew, but she held back, knowing that they couldn't afford to be distracted now.
Her eyes were glued onto Aki, saw his expression clearly. Beneath the determination in his eyes, there was a hint of suffering. Every move he made seemed to cause him immense pain. Yet, he didn't falter, kept his focus on the devil.
She looked between Aki and the devil, her eyes wide with both fear and determination. The group's chances of success were already low, and Aki's injury was making it even more difficult.
Aki fought on, driven by his determination. But with each passing moment, it was becoming harder and more dangerous for him to continue.
The devil, taking advantage of Aki's wounded state, began to switch its attack targets with each swift movement. Its translucent form appeared and disappeared amongst the group, its arms swinging out in rapid succession.
Power, Denji and Touko all began to tire as they moved to intercept each attack, their reflexes and stamina being pushed to the limit. Despite their efforts, the devil's speed and unpredictable attacks made it almost impossible to anticipate where it would strike next.
The group's movements became increasingly frantic, each of them forced to defend against the devil's onslaught as it darted from one to the next, its form flickering in and out. Aki, despite his best efforts, found it increasingly difficult to keep up. His breaths became labored, every movement sending a wave of pain shooting through his body.
Touko was the next target. The devil's attack was swift and ruthless, knocking her off her feet. She slammed hard against the ground with a loud crash, her cry cutting through the air.
Power and Denji's heads whipped around, their gazes landing on Touko, concern evident in their eyes. The devil, meanwhile, took this moment of distraction to disappear again, reappearing a small distance away, its translucent form flickering menacingly.
Aki's heart skipped a beat as he watched Touko slam against the ground, a loud crash echoing in his ears. Fear and frustration washed over him in equal measure.
The sight of Touko, in pain and vulnerable, was more than he could bear.
The devil, taking full advantage of the group's distracted state, started to rain attacks upon them with rapid succession. It targeted Power next, knocking her off her feet with a strong strike. Power, caught by surprise, cried out as she hit the ground.
Denji, still reeling from the previous attack, found himself the next target. The devil's form, flickering and elusive, struck him hard. Denji stumbled backwards, caught off balance, a gasp of pain escaping him.
The group, having all been knocked down, lay scattered across the ground, each one panting and clutching at their wounds.
They watched as the devil, its form flickering, stood a distance away, watching them with a malicious smirk. It dawned upon them with a chilling realization - the devil was far too fast for them. Each one of their attempts to hit it failed, and now they were all hurt, tired, and demoralized.
