The six-armed blade wielder lunged at Jeromy, its swords a blur of venomous steel.
Jeromy's Plasma-whip snapped through the air with a crackling hiss - a glowing arc of blue light - as he sidestepped the first flurry of attacks. His movements were swift and fluid, his whip coiling around one of the monster's arms before he yanked hard, sending the creature staggering.
Jeromy: "You're fast... but not fast enough."
With a powerful spin, Jeromy lashed his whip in a wide arc, slicing through two more of the monster's arms - the severed limbs disintegrating into dark smoke.
The creature roared in agony, but before it could react, Jeromy dashed forward and delivered a bone-crushing kick to its head - sending it flying across the chamber. It crashed against the wall with a sickening thud, then dissolved into a pool of black mist.
Blooma's misty projection clapped, unimpressed.
Blooma: "That was just the appetizer... let's move on to the main course."
The shadowy tendril beast emerged next - a swirling mass of darkness with glowing red eyes. Its tendrils lashed out in all directions, cracking the floor with every strike.
Jeromy narrowed his eyes.
Jeromy: "Alright... let's dance."
He dodged the first set of tendrils, but they were faster - one wrapped around his arm and another slammed into his chest, sending him skidding backward. The pain was sharp, and his suit was torn from the impact.
Snarling, Jeromy used his whip to grab a loose tendril, then yanked it with all his strength, pulling the creature forward. Before it could recover, Jeromy delivered a brutal knee strike to its face, cracking its shadowy form like glass.
The tendrils flailed wildly, wrapping around his legs, but Jeromy roared, summoning a surge of plasma energy through his whip. With a final, thunderous strike, the whip exploded in a flash of light - vaporizing the monster into a cloud of smoke.
He panted, his muscles burning - the exhaustion from earlier battles was catching up.
But Blooma only smiled.
Blooma: "Not bad... but we're just getting started."
The lava-mouthed brute stomped forward next - its rocky skin glowing with molten cracks. Every step it took left a trail of fire.
Jeromy's grip on his Plasma-whip tightened.
Jeromy: "Here we go again."
The brute roared, spitting a stream of molten lava straight at Jeromy. He barely dodged, rolling to the side, but the heat scorched his arm - the pain searing through him.
With a growl, Jeromy lashed his whip at the creature's legs, but the molten armor absorbed most of the attack. The brute charged, slamming a fiery fist into Jeromy's ribs, sending him crashing against a wall.
Aron rushed forward, his medkit already glowing with healing energy.
Aron: "Stay still - I got you!"
He placed a hand on Jeromy's side as he used his medical equipments in a fast paced technique, a warm light flowing into his cracked ribs and burnt skin.
Jeromy coughed but gave a tired smirk.
Jeromy: "Thanks, Doc... but I'm not done yet."
Fueled by Aron's healing, Jeromy charged back - this time dodging the lava blasts with precise footwork.
He leapt onto the brute's back, wrapping his whip around its neck and pulling it tight. The molten beast thrashed violently, but Jeromy roared - sending a pulse of plasma energy through the whip - until the brute's molten form cracked open and exploded into embers.
Jeromy dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged.
Blooma only laughed.
Blooma: "You look tired... should we stop? No? Fine..."
The wraith-like monster floated forward next - its blue flames casting ghostly shadows across the chamber. Its mere presence seemed to drain the heat from the air, and Jeromy shivered despite himself.
The wraith didn't attack physically - instead, it projected illusions of Jeromy's comrades screaming in pain, including Sheila's broken form.
Jeromy clutched his head for a moment - the illusions clawed at his mind.
Aron: "Stay focused - it's not real!"
Grinding his teeth, Jeromy pushed through the mental assault, his whip glowing faintly.
He focused his energy - the plasma whip crackling brighter than ever - and lashed out blindly at the wraith's core.
The whip sliced through the illusion, dispersing it into a fiery burst.
The wraith shrieked, its form flickering and distorting.
With a final leap, Jeromy wrapped his whip around its core, then crushed it with a pulse of plasma energy - obliterating the wraith into nothingness.
He fell to one knee again, coughing hard, his vision blurring from the overwhelming effort.
Aron rushed to his side, his equipments glowing.
Aron: "You're pushing too hard - let me heal you!"
Jeromy panted, but nodded as Aron's healing sealed his cuts and soothed his burns.
But before they could catch their breath -
The final monster emerged - the two-headed abomination with spiked chains dragging behind it, both heads snarling and baring rows of jagged teeth. It radiated a black aura so intense it made the air feel heavier.
Even Jeromy's jaw tightened.
Jeromy: "...This one's different."
Blooma's misty form purred.
Blooma: "Yes... my precious pet... stronger than all the others combined."
The abomination roared - the chains snapping against the floor with a metallic clang.
Jeromy wiped the blood from his mouth.
Jeromy: "Alright... let's finish this."
The two-headed abomination lunged forward, its spiked chains whipping through the air like vipers. The metallic sound echoed through the chamber, each strike shattering stone and sending shockwaves rippling through the ground.
Jeromy barely dodged the first swing - the chain nicked his shoulder, tearing through his suit and leaving a deep gash.
Jeromy: "Tch... this thing's faster than it looks."
One head spewed a dark, smoky blast - a toxic miasma - while the other let out a blood-curdling roar that shook the chamber walls. The air felt heavier, and the smoke made it hard to breathe.
Aron, coughing and struggling to stand, quickly wrapped a glowing bandage around Jeromy's shoulder to slow the bleeding.
Aron: "This smoke-it's draining your energy too!"
Jeromy clenched his teeth. His plasma whip flickered - the monster's aura was siphoning their strength with each passing second.
The abomination lashed out again - one chain toward Jeromy, the other at Aron.
Jeromy grabbed Aron and rolled to the side just in time - the chains slammed into the ground, leaving deep cracks.
Jeromy: "Stay behind me, Doc - I'll handle this."
But before he could react - the beast whirled around, the chains wrapping around Jeromy's legs - yanking him into the air.
Jeromy: "Gah-!"
The abomination slammed him into the ground - once, twice - before flinging him across the chamber. Jeromy crashed into the wall, a sickening crack echoing through the room.
Blood dripped from his mouth, his ribs likely fractured.
Aron: "JEROMY!"
He rushed over trying to mend the broken bones as fast as he could.
But the abomination wasn't done.
It stalked toward them - the chains dragging behind, sparking against the stone floor.
Blooma's voice echoed from the misty projection:
Blooma: "Is this all the mighty Champion Jeromy can do? How pathetic..."
Jeromy coughed, wiping the blood from his lips. His eyes - fierce and unwavering - still burned with defiance.
Jeromy: "You talk too much."
Aron's healing mended his ribs just enough for him to stand again.
Jeromy tightened his grip on his Plasma-whip - the energy was faint but still flickering.
Then, suddenly -
A whimper echoed behind them.
It was Gravik - curled up against the wall, trembling like a leaf.
Gravik: "W-We're gonna die... w-we're all gonna die..."
Jeromy's jaw tightened.
He stormed over to Gravik and grabbed him by the collar.
Jeromy: "Get it together!"
Gravik: "Sh-She's too strong - we can't win - I'm gonna be killed if she knows I helped you-!"
Jeromy shook him violently.
Jeromy: "If you don't help us fight, you'll die anyway!"
The abomination roared again - the chains slamming into the ground - getting closer.
Jeromy shoved Gravik back.
Jeromy: "If you want to survive, stop whining and give me your damn energy!"
Gravik's eyes darted between Jeromy and the monster.
His hands were shaking, but he finally focused his energy - a faint purple aura flickering to life.
He transferred his power into Jeromy - the plasma whip burning brighter now, glowing with a mix of blue and purple energy.
Jeromy's breathing steadied. His muscles, still aching, now surged with renewed strength.
Jeromy: "Alright... let's end this."
The abomination charged - both chains whipping toward Jeromy at breakneck speed.
But Jeromy didn't move.
Instead -
He snapped the Plasma-whip forward, coiling it around both chains - locking them in place. The monster struggled to pull them free, but Jeromy held firm.
Jeromy: "Gotcha."
With a ferocious yank, Jeromy pulled the beast toward him - using the momentum to leap into the air.
Jeromy's Plasma-whip glowed at full intensity - crackling with overcharged energy.
Jeromy: "Plasma Lash: Lightning Strike!"
He brought the whip down like a lightning bolt - slashing across the monster's chest in a blinding flash of light.
The abomination let out a deafening roar as its core split apart - the two heads screeching in unison - before the creature's form exploded into black smoke.
Silence.
Jeromy landed, his legs shaky but steady.
Aron rushed to his side, healing the last of his wounds.
Gravik just... stared - still frozen in place.
The misty projection of Blooma flickered again - her grin faltering.
Blooma: "Hmph... you're more troublesome than I thought."
Jeromy wiped his mouth again, his knuckles still clenched.
Jeromy: "You think this is troublesome? Wait till we tear this whole place down."
The mist thickened - swirling like a dark storm cloud - before Blooma's smirking projection reappeared in front of Jeromy, Aron, and Gravik.
Her cold, haunting voice echoed through the chamber:
Blooma: "Congratulations... you've won."
Her smile was sharp as a blade.
Blooma: "And as a reward... I shall allow only one of you to meet dear Sheila, as promised."
Jeromy's eyes blazed with fury. His fists were still clenched, blood from his recent battle dripping onto the cold, cracked floor.
Jeromy: "What kind of sick game is this?! After all that-!"
Blooma chuckled softly, her voice like nails scraping against glass.
Blooma: "Did you truly think I'd let her rescuers walk freely into my domain? No, no, no... This is my game, and I make the rules."
She pointed a slender, misty finger at Dr. Aron.
Blooma: "The only one allowed to see Sheila... will be you, Doctor."
The chamber fell into a tense silence.
Jeromy grabbed Gravik by the collar, yanking him forward, his rage boiling over.
Jeromy: "That's not fair! He can't go in there alone - he doesn't even fight!"
Blooma tilted her head, eyes glowing faintly.
Blooma: "That's the point."
She locked her gaze onto Aron.
Blooma: "No protectors. No warriors. Just the husband- helpless, desperate, and alone."
Before Jeromy could respond -
A dark vortex opened beneath his and Gravik's feet.
Jeromy's eyes went wide, realizing what was happening.
Jeromy: "No-!"
But it was too late.
The vortex swallowed them whole.