The creatures stopped.

  The battle between them ended as if it had never happened.

  The two black masses slowly turned toward him.

  Now there was no competition.

  No distraction.

  Their attention was entirely focused on him.

  The anomaly.

  He held the blade with difficulty.

  The weight felt strange in his hands, as if the weapon did not belong to that place.

  Yet… he held it.

  The creatures began to move.

  This time they were not fighting each other.

  They advanced together.

  The layer rippled beneath their distorted bodies.

  The smaller one attacked first.

  Fast.

  Much faster than he expected.

  He tried to raise the sword.

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  Too late.

  The creature struck his body.

  His essence vibrated violently.

  He was thrown backward before he even understood what had happened.

  The larger creature came immediately after.

  The impact was brutal.

  Far heavier.

  He tried to block.

  The blade absorbed part of the force.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  He was hurled against the layer.

  The surface cracked beneath his body.

  He fell.

  But he still existed.

  The smaller creature appeared again.

  Side attack.

  He tried to follow the movement.

  Failed.

  Another blow.

  The larger creature struck at the same time.

  Strength and speed combined.

  He could not keep up.

  Could not predict.

  The sword felt too heavy.

  He tried to defend again.

  The impact passed through the blade.

  His essence almost shattered.

  He dropped to his knees.

  The smaller creature appeared behind him.

  Another strike.

  He was dragged across the layer for several meters.

  He tried to rise.

  The larger creature was already above him.

  The blow drove him partially into the surface.

  Everything went dark.

  For a moment he believed it was over.

  But it wasn’t.

  He still existed.

  The smaller creature attacked again.

  He tried to react.

  Too slow.

  He was struck.

  Again.

  And again.

  There was no rhythm.

  No chance.

  One was too fast.

  The other too strong.

  He couldn’t read their movements.

  Couldn’t adapt.

  The sword cut through the air once.

  A glancing hit.

  A fragment of the creature fell.

  And immediately began to rebuild.

  The regeneration was instantaneous.

  He understood.

  Cutting wasn’t enough.

  But he had no time to think further.

  Another impact sent him flying.

  He fell again.

  Motionless for several seconds.

  The creatures approached.

  Confident predators.

  He still held the sword.

  But he was being crushed.

  No progress.

  No advantage.

  Only raw survival.

  The smaller creature tilted its head.

  Observing.

  The larger one stepped closer.

  And then—

  For the first time—

  The creature spoke.

  The voice had no sound.

  But the message pierced directly into his consciousnes

  s.

  “You do not belong here.”

  Silence.

  “Anomalies must be erased.”

  The two creatures advanced.