"Don't start thanking me yet — that thing's coming out!"
Cain gave the dog-like monster a quick glance before turning toward the centre of the barrier.
The ground where the bone horn once stood began to fracture like a spiderweb, then collapsed inward. Mud and dust flew into the air as something massive stirred beneath the wasteland.
From the swirling dust rose a monster — nearly sixty meters tall, with two fleshy tendrils flailing from its forearms and a mouth that bellowed endlessly in fury.
Even through the roar, Cain could feel its rage.
As the dust finally settled, he got a clear look at the creature — and noticed its bloodshot eyes fixating on the broken horn clenched between the jaws of the dog-like monster beside him.
"So, it's you… Gagi. The monster that's been attacking cities lately."
Recognition flashed in his eyes. The horn, the barrier — it all fit.
Gagi's eyes burned crimson. Its tendrils extended like whips, lashing toward its prey.
"Rrraugh?!"
The dog monster yelped and darted behind Cain for cover.
"Seriously?"
Cain blinked, speechless. The mutt had completely hidden behind him.
"Fine, whatever."
He shook his head, tightened his fists, and took a fighting stance as the tendrils came hurtling in. The little dog clearly wasn't made for battle — if anything, dragging it into a fight might only cause trouble.
Gagi shifted its target immediately, redirecting both tendrils toward Cain.
"Hah!"
Cain's right hand turned into a blade of light. In a flash, it met one of the tendrils head-on.
CRACK!
Sparks burst where palm met flesh — but the other tendril looped around his waist, tightening fast.
SNAP!
Then, unexpectedly, the dog monster behind him lunged forward. Its sharp fangs sank deep into the tendril around Cain's waist.
Gagi let out a pained roar and recoiled, retracting its tendrils.
"Nice work!"
Cain grinned. At first, he'd thought this dog monster was useless — now, not so much.
"You stay right here. I'll go get you a few more bones."
He gave the creature a thumb-up, then dashed toward Gagi.
As he charged, pieces clicked together in his mind. So that was the barrier — Gagi's creation. A protective shell to trap prey and guard itself.
He remembered a recent report: a city had been sealed inside one of these domes after Gagi emerged from underground. The Earth Defense Force had nearly been wiped out until one of their elite members transformed into a Giant of Light and destroyed Gagi itself.
According to that member's report, the barrier had been completely indestructible — no weapon, no energy beam could crack it. Only when Gagi was defeated did the shield vanish.
"So that's how it works... which means the only way out of here is through you!"
He shouted as he closed the distance.
"Then come on! Let's see you try, you fool!"
BOOM!
No fancy moves — just a clean, powerful punch straight to the chest.
At over sixty meters tall, Gagi's upper body made for an easy target. Still, Cain held back — better to gauge its strength first.
He'd learned from experience: go all out too early, and if your attack hits a monster's most resistant point, you waste all your stamina. And now that his power came from his own body rather than an external weapon, every punch, kick, and beam drained his energy directly.
The giant's strength and his own endurance were one and the same.
The punch landed squarely. Gagi stumbled backward several steps, nearly toppling. It tried to summon its energy beam — but without its horn, it couldn't.
The realization enraged it. It roared and lunged in for close combat.
The two clashed violently — fists, claws, and light colliding in bursts of impact and flame.
Despite Gagi's size, Cain quickly took the upper hand. He knew it wasn't pure skill — breaking the horn had crippled Gagi's strongest attack.
Its beam weapon had come from that bone horn. Without it, Gagi had lost all ranged ability.
Well — not all. It still had those tendrils.
Cain drove a heavy kick into Gagi's chest, sending the creature sprawling backward. But before he could press the advantage, the tendrils shot out again — wrapping around his arms and legs.
He hit the ground hard, struggling, but the grip was brutally tight.
Gagi lumbered to its feet, looming over him.
Raising one of its clawed hands high, it gave a triumphant roar and slashed downward.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as its claws scraped against Cain's body — and, oddly, against its own tendril as well.
"You... really are an idiot."
Even while pinned down, Cain couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time he'd seen a monster hurt itself mid-fight.
Gagi, apparently embarrassed, tried again — this time avoiding the tendrils. Another slash, another shower of sparks.
"Damn it—!"
Cain twisted and rolled, sending up clouds of dust as he struggled to break free.
Gagi roared again, slowly advancing while dragging him closer with the tendrils. It raised its claw for another finishing strike—
And then a golden beam shot through the air, hitting its claw dead-on.
Gagi screamed in pain and turned toward the source — the dog monster.
Beside it on the ground lay the broken bone horn.
"Rrrraugh!!"
The dog monster growled, baring its fangs. For the first time, it stood its ground — challenging the giant beast head-on.
Gagi froze for a moment, then its eyes burned red again.
It was furious.