Asuna gripped her Exorcist's Longsword, her eyes darting toward the hotel elevators. A chilling 'pitter-patter' echoed through the lobby, a sound that gnawed at her composure. The source of the hotel's anomaly, the monstrous entity that had lurked in the water tank, was now on the move. Asuna's mind raced, recalling the horrific aftermath of the player who had exploded after drinking the tainted water. The memory sent shivers down her spine – if mere water could unleash such devastation, what terror would the creature's true form unleash?
"Violet, Necro, protective gear on," Asagiri's calm voice cut through her dread. Snapping back to reality, Asuna quickly donned her scavenged goggles and disposable mask, plugging her ears with cotton. These makeshift defenses weren't recognized by the APP, meaning they were ephemeral and useful only for this twisted reality.
Despite her mental preparation, Asuna's breath hitched when the creature finally emerged. Nearly three meters tall, its swollen, pale body—like a drowned corpse—was draped in wet white pajamas. Long, black hair dragged across the marble floor as it lumbered forward. With every step, a vile, unknown liquid seeped from its flesh, and a stench so potent that even through their masks, Asuna and Kotoko recoiled.
"Oh? So you're the anomaly's source?" Asagiri's voice, cool and mocking, sliced through the foul air. He leaped onto the front desk, a picture of audacious grace. "Walking towards me instead of running? I admire your courage, but that's about it."
With a flick of his wrist, the black firearm reappeared in Asagiri's hand. He raised it to his temple, his eyes blazing gold, and pulled the trigger. "Persona... Human Asura."
A faint red light pulsed, and a towering, shadowed figure, over two meters tall with flickering red patterns, materialized behind him. "Go," Asagiri commanded softly.
The Human Asura lunged with surprising speed for its size, a blur of dark energy. In close combat, this Persona was an unstoppable force.
Asuna moved to join the fray, but Asagiri's gentle hand on her wrist stopped her. "Don't rush," he advised, shaking his head. Though puzzled, Asuna nodded, her gaze fixed on the unfolding battle.
The Human Asura unleashed a straightforward, brutal punch. *Bang!* Its fist connected with the Floating Corpse Evil Spirit's face, instantly caving in its cheek and sending a torrent of putrid liquid spraying outward. The stench intensified, making Asuna instinctively cover her nose, grateful for her goggles protecting her eyes from the irritating fumes.
"When it gets hit, the liquid inside its body splashes out… it's practically a walking water balloon," Kotoko observed, remarkably composed. "Looking at this guy, it must be a corpse soaked in the hotel's water tank. The reason it spreads its anomaly through water is because parts of its body are in that water. Simply put, that's its corpse water."
"Just hearing you say it makes me feel a bit disgusted…" Asuna muttered, her nose still covered.
"Disgusting? I'm already immune to these things," Kotoko retorted, pointing her staff at the Human Asura. "The stench from that guy is too strong; it's probably impossible to get close. And did you notice? The corpse water erupting from its body seems to have a corrosive effect."
Asuna followed Kotoko's gaze and saw it: the Human Asura's body was visibly corroding where the noxious liquid had touched it, a small portion of its head already dissolving.
"Ugh!" The Floating Corpse Evil Spirit lunged, its swollen hands grabbing the Human Asura's shoulders. Its mouth opened to an unnatural degree, spewing a torrent of dark green liquid that engulfed the Persona. Before being entirely consumed, the Human Asura punched a hole through the Evil Spirit's stomach, but the attack, while powerful, was not fatal to the un-bleeding banshee.
Asagiri coughed, swaying slightly. Asuna remembered the description of his unique talent: a Persona's destruction drained the user's stamina and mental power. Just as she moved to assist him, Asagiri raised the firearm-shaped summoner once more, aiming it at his temple.
"Persona...Human Asura."
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