24 CHAPTER 24: Feeling crabby hero? (1/2)

After sometime, the waves were gone but, Zeran and Ru witnessed over the distance was a humongous blood spilt crab that was carapaced with thick razor-like spikes throughout its body and seething antenae for bloodlust. Not only that, it had six sharp chainsaw-like pincers that could reap-off anyone's innards in the most gruesome way possible. It taunted the both of them with its spread-out claws and monstrous roar,

”GIIIIISSSSHHHAAAAAHHHH!”.

The ground trembled in fear. Zeran and Ru weren't afraid rather, the both of them brought out their respective weapons and gotten ready for combat. Though, it seemed her weapon was kinda longer than before, making Zeran to feel worried yet, he didn't mind it that much, since he was focussed on destroying the monster right in front of them. Then, he huffed-out confidently and said,

”Well time to crack this crab inside-out...”.

Ru nodded with her devious smile and the great battle commenced. The atmosphere boiled up as the flames of battle engaged. The monster took the initiative and swung its gigantic claw at Ru, although for some reason, she was able to dodge it's strike swiftly and looked unscathed. Zeran tried to ambush the monster regaining its composure after swinging its arm at Ru but, it's steel-like carapace deflected his strike like it was nothing. As Zeran noticed that his attacks weren't effective, he told her,

”Uuh...Ru, my attacks aren't working...”.

She replies,

”Well why don't you buy me sometime for a while my li'l pet...”

”While I do something here...”.

Zeran looked stressed as he heard that from her, although he just agreed upon her demands later on. Ru went away for a few distances, while she was chanting out a powerful magical spell that needed long preperation while she was representing a graceful pose of crossing her arms and closed eyes. After sometime, he has been distracting and catching the attention of the crabmonstrosity, while he was deflecting and dodging its powerful strikes with great caution. The monster was persistent on crushing Zeran but, due to Zeran's swift movements and the crab's slow attacks, he was able to dodge all of them no problem. Though, he kinda looked pissed since, this style of fighting isn't his cup of tea nor his interest. A little while later, his feet was getting sore and he was feeling exhausted of dodging and blocking its destructive blows and swings. Not only that, he was feeling irritated of just being a meatshield and decoy. Suddenly, Ru shouts over the distance,

”It's ready Zera!”.

Zeran was filled with energy and motivation, as he heard her inspiring voice. Though, as he turned his head to see her, he was filled with huge surprise and shock, since she was now lifting a humongous ball of plasmatic and burning dark energy above her head with her two arms, such as she was holding a giant beach ball. She cracked out a menacing grin at Zeran like she was trying to scare him-off, as expected, Zeran was trembling in fear and he was sweating because, it seemed the sphere of unstable darkness was directed at him. Soon, Ru tossed the sphere of deep abyss like she was playing a beachball towards the crustacean monster. As the the humongous ball of energy hit the monster, it caused a powerful explosion that released immense black energy around the place. The intensity was so strong that made the cavern to shake as if there was an earthquake had occurred. Zeran made a jawdropping expression and dropped his golden claw, as he witnessed the amazing explosion right in front of his beady eyes. The place was engulfed by a thick black fog but, it dispersed quite fast later on. As he opened his eyes and his vision became clear, he saw the humongous monster turned to a pile of ashes and a velvet sphere was floating above it. Ru stretched her arms and wore a satisfied expression as she noticed the monster beaten into a pile of ashes in one shot although, Zeran just sighed with a tired look. She went near the thick dust and reached out her hand to the floating stony red sphere. He noticed that the velvet sphere was being siphoned by her hand, that was so entrancing to observe. A little while later, he saw the text on top of Ru's head,

[”INSTAMEAT: CRAB skill gained”].

He was in his thoughts,

(”Now she can make crab dishes...”).

His mouth salivated from the inside and his eyes looked eager for what the dark Goddess Ruhime shall cook for him in the future with the said skill she had gained. As for Ru, she was expressing an angelic smile despite her menacing foxy appearance. Afterwards, Zeran lied down on the ground very exhausted and muttered out words for her to hear,

”Hah...SACRED GROUNDS are places that monsters can't go in right?”.

Ru responds,

”Yes...but since a monster came in here...”

”There must be something strange going on outside...”

”Especially...HER place...”.

Her piercing eyes were very serious and looked stone cold, void of a smile, as she was finished talking. He didn't mind Ru's dark expression but his face looked dumbfounded. As a longtime passed, he regained his lost energy. He stood up and looked around the place since, he hasn't seen the identical plush dolls of themselves, while the two of them were fighting the scary monster. Thankfully, he was able to spot those cute plush dolls at the corner near the spring. He noticed that the Ru plush doll was brushing off the black dirt riddened all over the Zeran plush doll's face. It made Zeran to wear a stranged smiling cursed expression. He turned his face back to the real Ru and he asks with a curious look on his face,

”Also I know this sounds off-putting but...”

”Why does the plush doll look like me?”.

As Ru heard that from him, her face was brimming with grinning interest and looked towards Zeran. Soon, she went near Zeran and leaned near him and clasped her hands like a shyly maiden. She explained to him that Mai bought the Zeran plush doll on sale for 99.9% off at Celestia heavenly mall. Then, Ru said that Mai gave it to her before she descended as a non-Goddess at Himenea world. Zeran nodded with a convinced expression, as he heard that from the dark Goddess Ruhime, believing her every word she had said. Though, he was feeling annoyed inside since, he heard that the plush doll that looked-like him was that cheap. Soon enough, he asked Ru on why she had been hugging it since then, as he remembered that time where he had seen her lying on her bed and hugging it with all her heart's content. Blank silence was in the air later on. Ru had stopped bending her body to him and her face turned red such as a tomato with embarassment. Not only that, she turned her face away immediately since, she was filled with grave shamelessness for herself, while she was fidgeting, even though she was exposing her shameless self to him for a long time. Thereupon, she tries to confess her deepest secrets,

”Mmmmmmm...I can't believe I'm gonna tell you this...but I collect...err...hero plush dolls...”

”And I have a thing...for...heroes...”.

A long winding silence filled the whole atmosphere again. Zeran looked disturbed but he wasn't shocked or anything. Suddenly, he shouted with all his crying lungs out, that was so strong and his face was filled with intense rage,

”WHAT THE HELLS?!”

”B-but you're an evil Goddess!”.

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The butterflies had flown outside with a huge crowd, as they heard his scanadalous revelation. Though, Ru wasn't fazed or anything, but she looked like a little girl who was exposed for her creepy acts. Though she still tries to reach out a faking smile and agrees with him, while she was still fidgeting and blushing,

”Yeah...I know it's weird right?”.

Zeran breathed-in very deeply to control his irritated self and compose his unnerving feeling. Then exhaled, to let all of his frustrations out in a non-violent way. He delved inside his thoughts and analyzed Ru's unusual actions,

(”So I'm really in her ZONE!”)