The System

Prologue Ō - Part VII --> Crook VS Kal (Part - 02)

    Crook catches the huge kanabō falling onto the ship and looks at the Minotaur attacking Kal with his horns. "Hey! You forgot this." In one fluid motion, he hurls the kanabō back toward its rightful owner.

    Above Kal's smirk widens as he observes the Minotaur's decision to switch places with his own kanabō. "Pride before fall." He remarks as he shifts his stance. With the weapon now hurtling towards the ship, Kal readies himself to seize the advantage and turn the tables in his favor. In his mind, he envisions devouring the mindless Minotaur, eliminating his first foe with the void sphere. Later, work his way down Crook's crew, one by one, until his ultimate goal is achieved.

    A surge of void mana crashes upon the Minotaur, causing his horns to quiver, then crack a bit. The small crevices spread as he approaches the sphere. A sharp pain makes Minotaur regret his decision. Helpless to halt his momentum, he hurtles closer to Kal. In a matter of seconds, the sphere would shatter the Minotaur, reducing him to nothingness, and allowing Kal to refocus on his primary objective: Crook.

    As Kal hears Crook's voice intruding on his sweet victory from a distance, he pivots to witness the kanabō crashing into the Minotaur. A smirk graces Kal's face as he addresses Crook, remarking, "Ah... it seems you do value your passengers after all."

    Similar thoughts crossed the Priestess' mind as she abruptly ceases her attack, directing her attention towards Crook. She instantly berates herself for squandering her charged energy, realizing that Crook was preoccupied with the unimportant task of picking his nose instead of focusing on the ongoing battle.

    "Sure." Crook shrugs, while the Minotaur spirals farther away from the atmosphere of the ship, into the vastness of space. "What are we talking about again?"

    The Priestess intones with solemnity, her voice resonating through the air, "Holly mother, heed our plea, In this hour of our dire need. Bestow your guiding hand, for we shall worship thee, Forever bound by your blessed decree." With conviction, she extends her hand forward, a gesture of supplication.

    A mystical floating hand emerges, halting the Minotaur's spiraling motion, and extends itself for a handshake. The Minotaur fixes a steady gaze upon the hand, taking a full minute to assess it before emitting a disapproving snort in response.

    "Is this really the time to recruit?" Crook clicks his tongue in disapproval, expressing his dissent.

    Priestess seizes the opportunity to retort, grabbing Minotaur by the horns. Despite the weight and challenge, she valiantly strives to bring the hefty Minotaur back on board, while Crook remains motionless, unfazed, and unwilling to lend a hand. "You, of all people, have no right to lecture me!" she hisses back at Crook. "And that is how the gospel works..."

Crook playfully winks at the Priestess, which causes her to cringe away, lose her concentration, and nearly drop the Minotaur. Annoyed by his distraction, she turns away from Crook, redirecting her attention to Kal, who remains engrossed in charging his attack for whatever purpose the enigmatic black orb serves.

Having regained his composure, the Minotaur repositions himself with his weapon, once again finding his place inside the protective layer of the ship. Just as he prepares to launch a counterattack, Kal vanishes, leaving no trace behind.