SOML – Chapter 20: A battle for a friend

 Chapter 20 – A battle for a friend

***Long chapter ahead***

…

Tak. Tak. The kids heard small rocks falling and rolling into the ground. Jay went close to the adjoining passage and peered through the gap. He saw the gorilla reaching out its furry hand and squeezing itself to the passage’s wall.

“It was the monster.” Jay brought the news to everyone. But everyone was relaxed and didn’t mind. They already discussed their tactics against it.

“It is better, it will tire out because of this and it will be easy for us to dispatch.” Sarah said. She was treating her wound on the neck.

“You alright?” Jed asked. Ayill twitched and looked at Sarah.

“Don’t worry, my clan is resistant to ailments.” Sarah’s words comforted everyone.

“You guys need water?” Ben offered.

“Do you have some jerkies? I’m hungry.” Terrence heavily sat on the ground.

“What do you think is happening on the outside? We probably have casualty here.” Jay was worried and gestured to the struggling monster.

“Work, maybe.”

“Stupid.” Sara clicked her tongue. “Even if he’s working, he will still check our condition. The only reason I could think of is there an incident.”

“Incident? Like…” But before Terrence could finish her word, a gigantic explosion boomed. Rock shrapnel and grey smoke shot out and covered everything.

“Like this.” Sarah’s voice sounded. Everyone recovered after coughing for a moment. They saw Sarah looking dead serious in front of her.

Everyone gazed in front and saw the gorilla wheezing. Also, the cave was trembling and in every second, it increased in intensity. They panicked that the cave would collapse in any minute.

The gorilla struggled because it was too tight. But something mystical occurred. Its body contracted and became smaller. It flexed and felt the space around. The monster picked itself and crouched.

Sarah, Ben and Jed knew this moved and shouted to their classmates. Alas, the others weren’t able to react.

Jay crossed his arms in front. Bang. He felt a tremendous forced and thrown off the ground. While midair, his lungs swelled, and he vomited blood.

“It threw our plan into ruins!” Ben shouted. He hastily went to confront the gorilla.

The creature saw this and slapped him. It just wanted to toss the brat aside.

Ben tumbled, but he backed up again. Jed was already circling on the side. Ayill also knew what he needed to do and joined Jed.

Aside from Ben, Sarah was also there. “You sure took time beating us earlier.” She weaved like a dancer before the gorilla. It was too clumsy to hit Sarah. It was to the point that it got furious and just slammed the ground.

A huge dust wave encompassed their sight. Sarah broke in cold sweat and hastily rolled to the ground. Whoosh. A huge arm missed her by hair’s breadth, but it hit Ben instead. “Ouch.” Sarah counterattacked. She tried to kick the legs, but it was too tough. It only made the gorilla angrier. It continued its slamming to the ground until there was nothing in their sight anymore but yellowish-grey scene.

“Oh, no!” Sarah stopped breathing. A great amount of pain affected her inside as she floated in air. The creature who landed a lucky punch, sensed her next direction and rushed towards it. But two fingers shot out from the cloud and targeted the monster’s eyes.

“My turn.” It groaned in pain, but Sarah used this moment to kick its chin. Its head buckled backward while Sarah landed. She went to the crotch and elbowed it. The little girl produced a series of precise movements as she combo’ed the gorilla to the ground.

The monstrosity trashed wildly as it kneeled, but it didn’t even manage to hit her anymore. Sarah tip toed like an agile cat and beat the gorilla. The dusty smoke was now half-cleared and everyone saw a lithe shadow beating the shit out of the gorilla.

Elbow, toes, knees, chest, skull, eyes, nose, ear, armpits, mouth, joints, navel, chin… all movements hit on scattered places but the way she did precisely connected and embodied with certain charm.

“Not again!” The gorilla swung hard, which hit Ben once again. Sarah used this time to back up.

Then two shadows shot out. Two blades flashed.

One went to the back. The other went to the front. The first stabbed its skull, the second sliced its neck. Blood spurted out like a fountain.

But the gorilla was still alive. Its vitality was on display. It once again swung its arms wide, but it got nothing, only air.

A swooshing noise sounded. It was a spear. It bolted in air like eagle and its beak pecked its prey to ruination. “Die!”

Tak. It was unsettling sound. A large hole penetrated the already stabbed skull. This time, Terrence didn’t hesitate like she did earlier from her battle with Sarah. The end results showed how strong she was.

The body collapsed in a thud. However, the place finally caved in.

“Oh, no!”

“Quick, run to the passage!”

“Get Jay first.” The booming sound was like the death sentence of grim reaper. Unbeknownst to them, the supposed dead body twitched. Its hand suddenly gripped Terrence's feet and lifted her.

ROAR.

Flesh and muscles wormed through the hollow skull. The gorilla trashed Terrence to show its anger.

It wanted to smash the girl’s head again, but Sarah made herself known. She bashed its head and kicked its chest. Her other feet landed on its shoulders and she did a vertical.

Underneath her, Ben’s figure replaced her and rammed the monster hard. The creature almost toppled. Jed used this opportunity to snatch Terrence.

Pain-filled Jay struggled but managed to trip the gorilla. Ayill dashed, its target was the head once again. Instead of a stab, he swiped through it, bringing with him pieces of flesh.

However, the gorilla still didn’t die. Its eyes shown flames as it erupted. It roared as it struggled to stand up. Finally, boulders and large rocks fell, but it wasn’t able to hide the fury in the creature’s eyes.

It deeply imprinted to them as they felt despair.

“Run! I’ll stall him.” Ayill’s voice echoed. It was full of conviction, contrary to earlier. He took a stance with his back on the passage.

“Bro, you don’t need to do this!” Ben shouted. He grabbed Ayill’s shoulder and pulled him. But he was like an immovable object.

Ben was astounded by the strength of the latter’s tiny frame.

“Just go.” It sounded like creaking woods, chopping nails. The surety of the words rendered Ben and the others speechless.

They carried Jay and Terrence and hastily ran on the passage. They easily squeezed through the gap but before making a final look at Ayill’s back.

Ayill heaved a sigh of relief when he sensed them gone. It was like a heavy weight was released. Then seriousness filled his face as his eyes shone with radiance!

“I’m sorry. You will become my redemption.” Ayill’s face said it all. He rushed like a wind. As for the gorilla, its body was already crushed when a large boulder fell on it.

However, instead of lying down, it unexpectedly standing and even growling without its mouth. Its flesh twitched and mended itself. It was a grotesque sight.

Roar! Ayill met its punch without dodging, but it didn’t matter. He was ready to die. His dagger plunged through the creature’s fist. But a numbing sensation appeared on his hand after he heard a cracking noise. Ayill suppressed the immense pain and brought out another dagger. This time he held it in his left hand.

Both of their eyes met and once again clashed. His insides ruptured while the animal’s head was almost severed.

Another clash happened, and it threw Ayill into the ground.

But a head floated and rolled with a thud.

“It’s crazy.” Ayill groaned. Some rocks fell on him, making him bloodied from head to toe. He looked at the convulsing body in front of him. However, in his eyes, it was pretty much alive.

The convulsion stopped, and the body crouched down. A sense of dread caressed his chest and his eyes turn into slits.

Bang. The boy's tiny frame shot away.

Ayill never felt so much pain that was more horrendous than his tortures. His spine crooked. Underneath his clothes, his previously pale skin went from black to purple.

But instead of feeling despair, he felt peace. Ayill smiled as he brushed off the tiny yet bloody rocks from his head.

“I have created a Combat Art that can easily kill. But I haven’t even able to use it from all of my missions. I am not really determined.” The boy muttered. He ripped his sleeves and played with the dagger on his left. He felt strange now his mind was calm, he actually wanted to kill.

“I called it Unlucky Stab.”

Whoosh. A shadow moved with neck breaking speed.

Pshk. The tough body became useless in front of it. The dagger tore its heart, spine and to the back. It resembled the hole created from Terrence’s spear but made from a dagger.

It was simply fast, unavoidable in comparison.

“This is to commemorate my ill fate. Ayill, the one who was named after the ill tragedy.”

The body twitched for the last time before thumping into the ground.

Ayill looked up. His legs also gave way and slumped down. He was showered with dust, rocks and boulders.

But his face was calm. He knew he wasn’t the only child. In fact, he had a sister who was long gone before his birth.

It all started there. But it was finished now. Ayill thought.

A gigantic shadow blanketed the ground. Ayill didn’t even bother to move and instead closed his eyes.

A droplet poured down from above and wetted his shoe. A pitter patter sounded and woke Ayill, giving him the shock of his life.

“Don’t you dare die!” Ben screamed loudly as he carried the weight of the ceiling. His face warped while veins protruded on his chubby face. Creaking noise sounded within his body.

But he didn’t back down.

“You didn’t even have an ounce of conviction to kill me. Yet, you have river of reasons to kill yourself. Are you really stupid, Zombie?” An arrogant voice sounded.

Ayill look at his back and also saw Sarah and Jed struggling to work with Ben. But unlike the two, Sarah’s face was calmer, even though her hands were clearly trembling, yet she still had nonchalance and arrogance on her face.

The trio lifted their small hands. But to Ayill, it was more than that. He felt gigantic trees protecting him in the rain.

“What have I done?” Ayill put his two hands on his wet face. It replaced the peace in his heart with happiness. From the newly appeared gaps, the moonlight finally shone through it, casting its profound light to everyone.

…

Jade Hands swatted. Ytthra saw the sky outlined into enormous palm accompanied with hymning sounds. It was like the entire world was against him.

But one slashed from his sickle cut through the sky!

A dragon roar sounded beside him. Tail as large as pillar slapped towards him. A piercing clink sounded as the scaly limb and sickle greeted each other in the sky.

An almost imperceivable figure jumped before Ytthra and a punch that similar to a sun with black spots shot towards him. Ytthra blocked it with his left hand, but he stumbled for a few steps. From his back, three gigantic black fireballs with utmost intensity bombarded him.

An almost apocalyptic explosion boomed in the sky. Ytthra’s figure flew straight to the ground. But when landed, everyone saw that he was barely injured.

“My turn.” A visceral slash appeared in their vision. All of them hurried to dodge while Palm Tree put his hands together. Several numbers of palm tree sprouted from the ground and tried to block the incoming slash.

However, these trees were cut in halves and continued towards Palm Tree!

The latter’s gaze became dead serious. Green color emerged and covered his entire body. He met the slash with his own attack.

It was a fist. But instead of bringing death, it only comprised giving life. It doesn’t have attacking potential whatsoever, but it blocked death from ever approaching!

Ytthra’s eyes narrowed. “You already have your own Path.”

Everyone looked at Green Palm Tree.

Cain, on the other hand, felt bitterness. “Damn, humans really getting stronger each passing time. Only a century and he already perfected his.”

“Let’s see who has the stronger understanding of Path, shall we?” Ytthra teased. Once again, the terrifying pestilence was back. But this time it converged on his sickle. Any onlookers felt their souls harvested in any second.

“Concept of Pestilence.”

“Grass Reaping.”

Suddenly, everyone felt themselves nothing but a grass. They felt so small. They didn’t have any power to fight for their lives.

The other Venerables’ gaze became deep as the almost forgotten fear reared its ugly head on their hearts.

Whoosh. In their hearts, death was coming. There was no escaping it.

“Concept of Life.”

“Fist of a Newborn.”

But suddenly life appeared.

The lowly grasses felt the abundance of life. Life ushered, and they felt happiness even though their feet were on the ground. They calmed down and satisfied for being mortal.

Weng.

Everyone hurried to look as they saw the fist and sickle clashed.

There was not even an explosion. But the space sobbed from their sheer power!

One treated life as grass while the other used it’s all to birth life.

The intense clashed of powers suppressed everyone on the ground. Only a handful managed to resist it!

“HAHAHA.” Ytthra laughed. He enjoyed the screaming excitement and goosebumps from his body. “This is it! I have never felt so alive!”

Both fist and sickle continued to collide. Yet, Ytthra was hungry for more.

“Concept of Pestilence.”

“Soul Reaping!”

This time, the space above the sky trembled. It affected even the ground. The people now perceived that there was no escaping as the new despair superseded the previous despair.

Green Palm Tree trembled. His Path was already perfected but his body couldn’t keep up. But his eyes showed no defeat. His gaze became piercing as determination filled his whole being.

“Concept of Life.”

“Fist of a Mother.”

The mother nature loved its creation. She gave birth to trees that bear fruits and plants that heals. She embraced everyone without discrimination.

A whole new level of collision appeared. This time, it suppressed the explosion to a complete lull, only leaving the space screaming!

All the human Venerables hurried to defend the populace while Emperor Cain jumped down and rushed out crazily.

“More. MORE!” The demon screamed. The residual energy battered him, but his face was devoid of pain, only weird excitement!

“Concept of Pestilence.”

“Life Re–.” But Ytthra was cut short when an unknown tremble happened on the ground.

“Oh.” Ytthra stopped. He put his fingers into his chin.

It was almost time. The demon thought. He looked at the place where Grimo and Von fighting.

Green Palm Tree chased for his breath. He wanted to thank his lucky stars because he was completely drained. And to unleash his last move was more than the two others. He would be happy if he was alive by then.

But he wasn’t thankful because an unknown sensation creeped on his back. This gave him goosebumps. He didn’t want to think about what would happen next. He looked at his allies and saw the same look he had.

…

“You alright?” Sarah asked Ayill. Ayill was still lying on the ground. He was still feeble and barely able to respond.

“What’s next, then?” Ben sat on his butt. He wiped away the blood from his nose and mouth.

“We need to gather everyone. With all the commotion here yet the teacher still does nothing, I’m afraid the situation outside must be dire.” Jed answered.

“It’s good too, that way we can pour all of our strength together if the situation arises.” Sarah nodded.

“Let me help you bandaged that.”

“Do you have water?”

“Drink and wash your face.”

“We need to eat too.”

“We still have more. But let’s pack up and leave this place immediately. We need someplace to hide and recuperate.”

Ayill became dazed again. Seeing they conversed like nothing happened, he didn’t know how to feel. He still wasn’t able to accept. But a different emotion bubbled inside him.

Suddenly a hand reached towards him. “Hey Bro, what are you spacing out for?” Ben waved his hand in Ayill’s face.

“What do you like, this jerky from a rabbit or from a boar?” Ayill woke up from his stupor and looked at the meats dangling in front of him.

Jay arrived beside them, “I suggest you pick the rabbit’s meat; I feel it is tenderer compared to boar’s meat.”

“Nah, if you are a man, you need to eat the boar’s meat.” Ben strongly countered. Jay was speechless; eating boar’s meat doesn’t have relation to being manly, isn’t it?

“Hey stop bickering. Ayill, don’t mind them.” Finally, Sarah intervened.

Terrence chuckled on the side while writhing in pain.

Looking at them, Ayill said with emotion. “Why are you... good to me?”

Sarah looked at weak and frail figure. “Silly, Zombie. You are our comrade now.”

“I tried to kill you!”

“You should resent me!”

It was like he was releasing all pent-up emotion. Ayill screamed until his voice became hoarse. His eyes became blurry and only a hazy image of Sarah and the others remained.

But he still desperately looked at Sarah. For a moment, he didn’t want to lose sight of her. Gradually, the image came closer.

“You can come at me anytime you want. I will take you on.” Sarah punched him lightly.

His vision cleared. He looked at this particular moment.

Sarah... Ben... Jed… Terrence… Jay…

All of them wore warm smiles that passed through to his frail and lonely heart.

…

While Sarah and the others were recuperating, out of nowhere, the corpse of gorilla twitched. Then, the whole corpse melted and turn into a black liquid.

There was a semblance of spirituality on the liquid and it immediately shot like a jet towards the group.

All of them were unaware, only Jed’s terrifying perception caught it.

Not good!! From Jed’s peripheral vision, he saw the shadow of the liquid shooting towards the unwary Sarah. He felt a dangerous sensation from the shadow, as if clamping on his neck.

Time flew in slow motion. Everyone had their own secrets. Jed included. He was introverted and didn’t like to speak much. The boy was very much on his own. He felt like shouldering a heavy burden.

But these past days were really fun. Although he still spoke little, it was still greater than before.

For a time, he had forgotten about his secrets and his goals. He only cared about their situation in the trial. And even though it was dangerous, it wasn’t as dangerous of having his secret exposed.

He even came to terms once a call for was needed, he would do it.

When he saw Ayill first, his heart was icy. A nightmarish figure appeared in his mind. But as he saw how frail the guy was, his emotion became complicated.

Seeing the encroaching danger, he threw everything on the back of his head.

Because he didn’t want to feel that pain of losing someone again. Only the thought of rescuing his friend remained!

Moonsear Eye—Activate!

For a moment, the entire space bended to his will!

He was suddenly in front of Sarah, just right on time the tip of the black liquid arrived. Blood came out in all of his orifices. It was so painful that he felt he couldn’t take it.

If he exposed his secret to others, he would die. But he would die anyway if the liquid pierced him, won’t he?

That was why he would not regret his decision. He anticipated the outcome as he nudged Sarah away.

But in a split second, a hand caught the liquid in a nick of time. Jed’s eyes turned into saucers. The liquid pierced through the hand, but instead of coming out; it went right inside it, into its veins.

Ayill shouted in pain. The liquid flowed in his blood vessels, squirming like enlarged worm. Then he limped and collapsed on the ground. He shivered nonstop. Some parts of his body protruded and contorted in weird shapes and angle.

The group immediately surrounded him, but they don’t know what to do. Terrence grabbed his hands, deeply worried.

They were nervous at the situation; they just saw Jed appearing beside Sarah while bleeding from his orifices, and then Ayill screamed.

The unknown liquid met with the powder he consumed before in his body. A terrifying reaction soon followed. His limbs enlarged and his eyes reddened, bloodshot.

Ayill’s scream reached a new crescendo. Steam exited from his nose. He looked like a terrifying monster!

This power... Ayill felt overwhelming power inside him. It was intoxicating and almost fell deep within. Suddenly, chaotic streams of images flashed in his mind.

His drunken father...

His sick mother...

His mission...

His fate...

Each image represented the deepest, darkest events in his life. It was awakening and trying to corrupt him.

Aaaaarrgghhh! One of his hands snaked and flung Terrence hundred meters away. The girl had already been injured before. Now, she was helpless and fainted right away from impact.

Another of Ayill’s hand becomes so large at the height of average man. The hand was then smashed towards the ground. The shock wave blew all of them in fan formation.

Sarah tumbled down while it threw Ben upright. Only Jed could balance himself, but he also slumped later on.

Jay’s injury acted up again. He coughed blood with bits of innards. He was in a fatal condition.

Miraculously, the power of the Illusory Realm was activated. A blinding light consumed the figure of Terrence and Jay, transporting them to a separate space.

“RUN!” Ayill screamed on top of his lungs. Yet his body moved, contradicted to what his intention.

A flash of shadow leapt on top of Ben. The shadow bashed Ben’s head. Boom! A large crack appeared and Ben’s head buried under ground.

From behind, a force emerged and attempted to punch the shadow. However, the shadow twisted its body in impossible angle. It snaked; a large leg swept Sarah away.

But out of nowhere, a dagger flew, succeeding to puncture Ayill’s knees. Ayill buckled, and he knelt. But one of Ayill’s arms elongated into weird length, which slapped towards Jed.

Sarah stood up and rushed towards Ayill again. This time, Ayill’s panic reached the peak.

“No! Don’t come! Run!”

A fist went towards the girl, making her flew in parabola.

“Please! No!” A pair of hand held Ayill’s monstrous leg, only to be met with a crushing stomp.

“DONT!” A tip of knife punctured Ayill’s elbow, but it only bore a few millimeters before being stopped by the transformed muscles. Then the elbow moved, striking Jed in the chest.

“NOOOOO!”

But they still stood up. They wiped the blood in their faces. They knew they were not matched with the current Ayill. The aura he was giving was beyond the Expert Level and should be Master Level.

Ben? Yes, he was shivering. But he couldn’t run away while seeing his friend clearly in pain.

Death? That thought present to their mind. But their heart prevented them from turning their backs.

They have grim faces, but behind the grimness was a terrifying focus!

Even though they were walking towards death, they still marched towards it.

Right now, they didn’t look like kids at all, but a soldier braving the rain of arrows and turrets of fire to save their comrade!

This should be impossible normally because they didn’t have the experience, the wit and the knowledge of battlefield. They hadn’t grown up yet. 

But in the face of their comrade, they didn’t even notice that they were transforming into their mature state. For the sake of a friend.

Emotion–a word so negligible theoretically in battle. But this word alone transformed anyone into doing the impossible.

“You are not the only one who have secret.” Sarah’s chest bobbed up and down. She was clearly looking at Ayill, but this statement was towards Jed.

Exhaustion weighted on her from all the fights until now. She was barely hanging on to her remaining stamina. She meandered towards Ayill. But her steps were still firm–filled with determination, bubbling with conviction.

A terrifying aura came out from her body. An image of a small yellow sprout with a greenish hue appeared her navel. Three spell circles hovered behind her. The spell circles flashed with red lights and the atmosphere heated up. A small number of draconic scales appeared on her neck–a mixture of gold and ash-color scales.

The sprout brandished its small leaves. Multiple radiances erupted, empowering Sarah’s aura beyond her current level!

Heretical Sprout—Open!

She wasn’t finished yet. Faso. This word accompanied her whole life. Flames gathered on her palms until it gradually covered.

She waved her hands in separate directions, her feet also moved in tandem. As if she was a crane dancing, and the flaming hands was her wings. Gradually, the wings turned into flaming claws!

She was combining a Combat Art and Spell art!

Both were something she only observed and copied from her relatives. She hadn’t trained on it at all. Black veins already protruded on her young skin. It was a sign she couldn’t take the stress.

Pendragon Combat Arts–Claw of the Five Dragon. The art that leads to comprehension of Mystery of Dragon and its strongest move, Penta Claw.

Spell Arts–Dance of Flaming Crane. An art she saw from her cousin.

But she was unsatisfied. Thus, she combusted her bloodline.

“The bloodline was important to person especially those who possess special blood. They could erupt in sudden power however the price was great as they will weaken afterwards. While some others who combusted their bloodlines to the limit found that their potential decreased instead. Hence, this usually used as a last resort during life and death situation.” This thought arrived in Ayill’s head. It filled him with worry that her tiny frame couldn’t take this all.

But this time, Sarah didn’t mind and fully combusted her bloodline. Because she believed in her talent. And even without it, she believed in herself that she would became as strong as those legends in the past!

“I say it before and I will say it once again, you can come at me anytime, I will take you on. And we will still be friends.”

She erupted even beyond her limit.

Boom! Her aura was comparable to Ayill’s, if not more.

Normally, this should be impossible. She was not even using the combat and spell according to its respective books’ instruction. Doing these imitations could endanger one’s life. She needed a long time of training and resources to achieve success in one, and mastering it was even further than that.

Yet she did.

An unknown vitality kept powering her up, preventing the strains of the Combat Art and the radiation of Spell Art affecting her.

Steeling himself, Ben headed first. Behind him was the powered Sarah and Jed who have gleaming eyes.

Ayill’s enlarged fist barreled towards Ben. The latter groaned, but he clung on the arm. He was being dangled in the air, but he kept holding on.

Bam. A fist connected on Ayill’s huge body. It threw him dizzy in the air. Just right before he woke up, claws tore through his arm like clay.

One of his arms flew in an arc.

A growl came within Ayill. Everyone sensed the body’s shock. It seemed had a mind of its own.

Ayill groaned, yet he was happy despite being beaten. Then, a figure teleported and landed a knife on his chest just before his body touched the ground.

Boom! Like an earthquake, the cracks appeared, and the ground trembled.

However, everyone became grave as Ayill’s body transformed even more!

A new arm rapidly regenerated in a few seconds. The new arm became slender like whip. It became a blur and slapped Jed away. As for the other hand, it compacted resembling a stone hammer.

Flesh wormed and instantly regenerated the wound in his chest. Moreover, a black exoskeleton emerged from Ayill’s body. It had an oppressive aura that greatly scared Ben.

The huge legs also transformed into a form suited for explosive movement. Their size reduced efficiently until it looked like a kangaroo’s legs.

Against Ayill’s will, his body jumped towards Sarah like lightning. The compacted hand bashed towards her head.

But Sarah didn’t dodge. She welcomed it with her own fist.

Boom! The hand and fist connected before producing an explosion. The collision erupted towards the surroundings, excavating another layer of the ground.

But amidst the smoke, a pair of hand, again, held Ayill’s thick torso. Then, Ben bended backward, lifting Ayill up in the air before smashing him downwards.

It looked comical because of the difference in sizes. After smashing Ayill, Ben now held on to his leg. Then he tried to lift Ayill. Slowly, he picked up the speed and spun till he grew dizzy.

Ben threw Ayill, but in a direction where Sarah was already waiting. The boy limped on his butt, while Ayill flew in the air.

Sarah strutted towards Ayill; claws slashed to intercept him. But Ayill’s slender hand snaked and whipped Sarah in the face.

But just after the hand’s surface connected to her face, a knife flashed and sliced off the slender arm.

However, Jed was met with a kick. The kick broke a few of his ribs. Bleeding again and just had broken a few bones, Jed almost suffocated. He had a hard time breathing.

Yet miraculously, his state of mind couldn’t be clearer than ever. He executed another teleportation right after the kick.

Jed arrived behind Ayill. Then his dagger flashed towards the back of the knees, completely slicing the ligaments.

Ayill huge body collapsed; he couldn’t handle the weight of his body with only one leg.

Ben used this moment to punch Ayill. Alas, his exoskeleton proved to be durable. Ben’s hand broke, and he cried in agony.

Jed once again teleported to stab Ayill in the chest. But his effort was fruitless. A metallic sound echoed. He became dizzy from too much blood lost and also collapsed in the ground right after this attack.

 But before Ayill’s body could do anything to the two beside him, Sarah arrived beside Ayill.

The two danced together. Fire blazed while shadow elongated. It was like a battle between a jumpy body versus a graceful figure. This time, Sarah wasn’t competing with strength but in speed.

Their agility was out of Ben’s imagination. He wasn’t able to join and helplessly looked at the side. He carried Jed and ran away from crossfire.

In the center, the two figures kept intersecting. The degree of the fight was reaching a new intensity every minute.

Ultimately, Sarah paused. She knew her limit and decided to end it once and for all. She gazed at the speedy figure charging towards her. All the surrounding flames converged in her fist.

Then she punched.

Her World’s Energy depleted in the blink of an eye. Her bloodline combustion reached the peak. And the tiny sprout roared in anger like a supreme existence’s wrath!

Fist versus fist.

BOOM!

A large shock wave erased another layer of the ground. Dust and rabble flee from the center of impact. Two silhouettes were giving their all on their attack.

But it was the large fist that broke first.

The smaller fist met a resistance with the exoskeleton, but it still broke before Sarah’s full strength. The punch tore through all of Ayill’s defenses and paralyzed all of his nerves.

Like a cannon bolt, Ayill’s body flew in an arc.

During the whole fight, Ayill had been coughing out blood. But the previous exchanges weren’t able to fatally injured him due to his transformed body. He understood that he would just recover in a short while.

However, this time when Sarah ultimately erupted all of her powers, his body couldn’t recover anymore.

Nevertheless, after the initial panic, he didn’t speak anymore during the entire battle. He didn’t plead for help or for mercy. Almost of all the groan in pain was cried by his body. He didn’t want to affect his friends because he felt that they could really stop him!

Ayill didn’t want them to waver. He wanted them to beat him. Or even kill him. But it looked like it won’t happen. Sarah is really amazing, he thought.

His intact body screamed in pain, yet it was also suffering numbness at the same time.

“Looks like I cannot stand up anymore. Though, it is not like I can stand, I still can’t control my body.” Ayill announced. He felt the unknown thing inside body gone. Or maybe it was just slumbering. But he couldn’t care less.

After this, he would surely be in custody and he would comply to everything. The only thing he was worried about was his mother.

Plop. Sarah also collapsed. Her face became pale, and she vomited a mouthful of blood. She writhed in pain like shrimp. One of her spell circles was on the verge of shattering, and some of her veins became dim. Her blood felt heavy as lead. The tiny sprout inside her seems dispirited.

Worried, Ben rushed towards her. But her expression dumbfounded him.

“Doofus, Turtle and Zombie, even those two, Broom Head and Caveman, it was fun playing with you guys.” Sarah laughed in a hearty manner.

…

Chapter 19 | Chapter 21