The Wrothgnir sprints toward Seiju and Juyon, its eyes blazing with malice and its teeth bared in a snarl. Juyon glances at Nozomi from afar. "Nozomi, open a Mental Link to Shinjiro and the others!"
Nozomi opens a Mental Link to Shinjiro. "Shinjiro."
"What's going on?"
"A beast is attacking the village. We don't know whether it's an enemy-controlled one or if it's just wild. Right now, Juyon and Seiju are trying to stop it."
"Thank you for relaying the message to me, Nozomi. Juyon and Seiju, if you two are listening, ensure that the beast causes no casualties. Protect that village at all costs."
"Yes, sir," says Nozomi, Seiju, and Juyon.
Nozomi closes the Mental Link then, we enter the POV of Shinjiro and the others rushing up the mountainside, the chilly wind blowing in their hair.
Upon arriving at the second outpost, they crouch behind two tall trees to obscure themselves from the enemy's view. Shinjiro surveys the base and notices two turrets perched atop the wall. He returns his gaze to his subordinates, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "This outpost has two turrets, so charging in like we did last time is out of the question."
"Then what should we do?" asks Denkei.
"I got an idea, Denkei. Do you still have that catapult figurine inside your robe?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Take it out."
Denkei moves his fingers around the catapult figurine. "Magic Spell Alchemy: Size Expansion!" The compact catapult figurine grows to a regular-sized one.
Navar scurries to the catapult and glances at Shinjiro with an amiable expression. "Can I go on? Please, Please, Please!"
"Sure, once you're launched there, take out the goblins behind the turrets, then we'll help you take out the rest of them."
"Ok!" Navar throws himself into the bucket of the catapult, his hands grazing the cool metal surface.
Denkei sends a boulder crashing onto the spring, launching Navar into the air with a powerful jolt. A goblin manning the turret sees Navar soaring overhead. "Incoming attack! Everyone go on the defensive!"
The goblin behind the turret fires a bright green Ion beam toward Navar. While floating in mid-air, Navar shifts his body upward, angling his sword to the left and clutching the hilt of his sword with a tight grip. He swings his blade up in the air, rattling against the blast bolt and deflecting it toward the turret. "Okayasu Blade: Okayasu Parry!" The beam being deflected at the turret destroys it, causing a loud explosion.
"One turret down! Let's make our move!" said Shinjiro. Shinjiro, Miri, and Denkei infiltrate the base, attacking the goblins armed with ion blasters. The trio dispatches the group of soldiers on the first floor and climb the stairs to the rooftop. Navar stands with a satisfied smirk as they arrive on the top floor, his sword draped confidently across his shoulders. "I got the other guy on the turret and the rest of those bandits. We're all done here!"
"Good job Navar! Now, let's rest, guys, and chill out for a bit!" Shinjiro invokes Ice JōKai on his blade. Everyone scowls and shakes their heads in disbelief at the terrible pun. "Dang, I thought the joke would work this time." Shinjiro thinks to himself.
After a brief break to recover from their fight, Shinjiro, Navar, Miri, and Denkei continue their journey, their footsteps crunching against the icy terrain. They arrive at the second outpost and notice three large turrets leaning over the wall. They crouch behind a large rock to obscure themselves from enemy sight. "Damn, they got way more turrets on the wall than last time. Anyone got any ideas?" says Shinjiro.
Navar's face lights up with a wide, toothy grin. "I have an idea. And it involves that catapult Denkei let us use earlier."
"What would that be?" asks Shinjiro.
We now change to the POV of Goblin soldiers on the third outpost towers. "You heard about the group of Ozanian Warriors invading our base?" asks One Goblin.
"Yeah, I'd like to see them try to get past this wall," Suddenly, Navar and Miri's war cries echo throughout the area, immediately catching the attention of the bandits. The lookout wrinkles his forehead as he hears the sounds. "What the hell?"
Navar and Miri appear in the sky, the wind whipping their hair back as they ready their weapons. Miri places two daggers in her wrist slots, then uses JōKai Amplification to propel herself to the enemy wall. "Two Daggers: Pouncing Strike!" Miri moves in a blur as she whittles down a group of Goblins, her daggers cutting through their defenses.
"What are you all doing?!" Don't just stand there. Attack them!"
"Yes, sir!" At the command, a shower of searing energy blasts flies toward Navar.
While sailing through the air, Navar adjusts his body in a vertical position, and he clutches the hilt of his blade with two hands. With a swift movement, he brings his sword right; the metal glinting in the light as he sends the beams back toward the Goblins. "Okayasu Blade: Okayasu Parry!" Navar's counter sends Goblin soldiers scattering in all directions.
Once they stick a full landing on the wall, Navar and Miri pursue the Goblins in the turrets of the fortress. "Don't let them get to the turrets!" A swarm of ionic blaster bolts streams toward Navar and Miri, but their blast bolts are obstructed by a wall emerging from the floor. "Magic Spell Alchemy: Great Barrier."
"Sweet, thanks Denkei!" says Navar. Navar and Miri jump over the wall in a single bound, taking out the goblins manning the turrets.
After they defeat their foes on the front wall, Navar, Miri, Shinjiro, and Denkei reunite at the entrance of the base. "Let's go in," says Shinjiro.
The wooden double doors swing open with a loud creak as they burst into the room filled with armed bandits. "There they are. Attack them!" says a Goblin. A thunderous roar fills the room as emerald-hued blast bolts careen toward them.
Denkei pulls a shimmering silver disc from his robe and throws it into the air with a flick of his wrist. "I call up the forces of frenetic energy! Magic Spell Alchemy: Object Frenzy!"
"That should throw off their blast shots. We can attack them now!" says Denkei.
Shinjiro unsheathes his blade and runs forward, the clanking of his sword echoing in the air as he charges toward the bandits. "Frost Sword: Drawing Technique…." Shinjiro blitzes through the bandit's defenses with a leap forward. "Breeze Assault!" The icy breeze of his attack freezes some of their limbs and then shatters them apart like crystals.
Navar uses JōKai Amplification to increase his speed. He springs into the air, the force of his movement sending a gust of wind in its wake as he swings his blade to the left and deflects the blast bolts back at the enemies. "Okayasu Blade: Okayasu Parry!"
Miri invokes JōKai Amplification on her body, intensifying her muscles as he leaps on her hands. She twirls her legs, the motion resembling a miniature tornado. "Two Daggers Leg Variant: Fernir's Wrath!" Miri's attack cuts through the rest of the Goblin horde, clearing out the third outpost.
"Good work, you guys!" says Shinjiro
Denkei hunches over, his breath coming out in loud, shallow gasps. "Yeah, can we take a minute, though? All that magic has me exhausted."
"Ok, Denkei, we'll rest up for now. Let's take 30 minutes then; we will find this "Xolly" guy," says Shinjiro.
"Yes, Sir!" says Navar, Miri and Denkei.
We now switch to the POV of Juyon and Seiju attempting to halt the Beast's rampaging destruction. "Hey Juyon, do you know how we can stop this thing!?" asks Seiju.
"Shoot a hole in its path with one of your arrows. Once it falls into a hole, I'll hit it with a powerful attack."
"Will do, big guy. Watch the master work," Seiju pulls back on the bowstring, tensing his muscles as he focuses on the target, waiting for the right moment to fire. At the correct time, Seiju uses JōKai Amplification with a massive amount of Flame JōKai and releases two arrows toward the ground. "Flame Bow: Double Flame Shot!" The beast clumsily steps on the arrow holes, stumbling and slowing its movement.
Juyon races toward the trembling beast, his hands materialized with the power of Hard Terrain JōKai. He unleashes a powerful barrage of rapid-fire punches, using JōKai Amplification to move his fists at remarkable speeds, battering the beast on its head. "Mandruk Barrage!"
The beast barrels into the building, breaking glass and crumbling stone filling the air. He walks back to Seiju after completing the attack. "That should keep him at bay for now."
"So he's done?" asks Seiju.
"No, this is a Wrothgnir variant beast. They can regenerate their skin, and their skin can withstand the strike of a missile. We'll need much more than we did to take him down."
"That's not the answer I wanted to hear, big guy."
The beast emerges from the rubble, debris from the emergence scattering throughout the area as he lets out a resounding roar. Juyon conjures Hard Terrain JōKai on his fists and glances at Seiju. "Do you have another shot like that within you?"
"Yeah, I do. However, that'll probably be my limit."
"Good, aim for the throat. Wrothgnir's bodies paralyze if you strike them there. Once he's still, I'll try to knock him unconscious."
Seiju smirks, accompanied by a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sounds like a plan, big guy," As the beast charges towards them, he holds the bow, feeling the strain in the string as he pulls it back, waiting for the right moment to release. When he sees the moment, he releases his arrow, watching it soar as it sets the sky ablaze with its flame. "Flame Bow: Flame Shot!" His arrow strikes the beast clean in the throat, causing the enraged beast to yelp in pain as it becomes still in place. "Hey, big guy, I sure hope this next punch will do the trick."
Juyon sprints toward the beast, his feet pounding the ground as Hard Terrain JōKai forms on his hands. Juyon springs into the air, the wind ruffling his hair as he brings his fist back and punches the beast's head. "Bellowing Bison!" The beast's eyes glass over as the punch connects, sending it crashing to the ground.
Seiju grins as he clenches his hand in celebration. "Yes, we got him!"
"Come on, Seiju, let's go back to the village to see if there were any casualties."
"Alright, big guy."
Then, Juyon and Seiju's skin prickles when they hear the loud, guttural roar of the beast behind them. Seiju's arms flail upwards, accompanied by a loud groan of frustration. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me! That attack didn't finish him?! Now he's just even more pissed at us."
To prepare for another battle with the wild beast, Juyon summons Hard Terrain JōKai on his fists. "We'll have to give it another try."
Before Seiju and Juyon can do anything, Nozomi walks in, her steps slow and sure as she makes her way toward the beast.
Juyon's heart races as his eyes widen in terror. "Nozomi, what the hell are you doing?! Get out of here!"
"D-don't worry. I got it," Nozomi shuts her eyes, her body immobile, her mind focused and alert. "You guys cover me in case I fail."
"Got you," said Juyon and Seiju. As the beast dashes toward them, they feel the earth trembling beneath their feet while standing in front of Nozomi.
"Concentrate on finding the link. Concentrate," Nozomi thinks to herself.
Seiju feels his palms sweat as he nervously grasps his bow, the beast's growls echoing in his ears. "Nozomi, I think you outta hurry. That thing is coming in hot!"
"Give her time!" says Juyon.
"There!" Nozomi reaches out her hand, and suddenly the beast's pupils disappear, and it stops in its tracks. She pivots her body toward Seiju and Juyon. "T-that should stop him."
"Wow th-." A beam from a spacecraft hits the beast in the throat, killing it instantly. Seiju jumps in surprise and spins around to see Jax in the pilot seat of the spaceship. "What the hell was that, bro!? You could have killed us!"
"Sorry, you guys, I should have given you a heads up," says Jax through the speaker. Jax and Haru step off the spacecraft, and the snow crunches beneath their feet as they walk toward Seiju, Nozomi, and Juyon.
"Where are Shinjiro and the others?" asks Haru.
"They're looking for Xolly right now, the leader of these so-called X Bandits," says Juyon.
"Ok, we'll just wait for them while we rest up here," says Haru.
"Good, because I could use some water and food right now," says Seiju.
Now we go into the POV of the other group headed to the primary base. They arrive at the tall blue and black building concealed by many trees. A deep and menacing voice reverberates through the air as they proceed. "Good Job on advancing past my troops. No one has ever gotten this far. However, this will be as far as you get," says the voice.
"As far as we get! I'd like to see you come out here and force us out!" says Navar.
Miri smacks Navar on the back of his head. "Don't say that, dumbass!"
"A feisty one, aren't you," says the voice with a chuckle.
Immediately after Navar's bold statement, the sound of goblins clambering out of the building, brandishing guns and weapons, sounds throughout the air.
Shinjiro grasps the hilt of his sword, feeling the chill of the steel in his hands as he imbues his blade in Ice JōKai, ready for the oncoming enemies. "Be alert!"
Navar, Miri, Denkei, and Shinjiro effortlessly dispatch the Goblin bandits. "Oh, you all are Supernaturals. This should be a worthy challenge," says the man through the speaker.
A wide-bodied, muscular goblin standing an imposing 395 centimeters steps out of the building, his presence filling the area with an oppressive aura. His outfit comprises black and red metal overalls, a red metal kilt, and a set of black boots reaching up to his knees. "That's him, guys," says Shinjiro.
"This is as far as you will go," Xolly opens his palm and unleashes a wave of Lava JōKai onto the ground, the fiery energy coursing through the air. "Lava Summoning: Lava Floor!" The Lava spreads across the snowy surface, the heat radiating off it and creating a sizzling sound as it melts the snow.
Denkei springs into action, using his Mage Stick to leave a deep, crisp line in the snow. "Magic Spell Alchemy: Great Barrier!" A massive brick wall rises from the ground and impedes the flow of Xolly's lava.
"Magic is so damn annoying!" Xolly creates a Lava ball in his hand, and with incredible force, he hurls it at Denkei's wall, and it's reduced to nothing. He surveys the area, searching for any sign of his enemies after destroying the wall. "Where did they go?"
Navar emerges over the top of Xolly, his sword raised high above his head to prepare to attack him. "There you are!" Xolly thrusts his arm forward, and a Lava JōKai wave shoots from his open palm toward Navar. "Lava Summoning. Scorch Stream!"
Navar holds his blade tightly with both hands, harnessing the power of JōKai Amplification to brace himself against Xolly's attack. "Okayasu Parry!" Navar clenches his fist tightly as he twirls his blade to the right. Once the lava makes contact with Navar's sword, he's thrown meters back into a tree.
Miri inserts two daggers into her wrist slots and then propels her body forward, using JōKai Amplification to enhance her attack. "Two Daggers: Pouncing Strike!"
Xolly turns up the corner of his mouth in a smirk as he takes aim below Miri. "Too slow," Xolly blasts a hole in the ground, making Miri miss a step and causing her to fall into the freezing water.
"The Hands I have Drawn have my opponents in their grasp. Magic Spell Binding: Five-Handed Bind!" Xolly becomes trapped by several hands of bright green stretched out from beneath the snow.
Xolly struggles against the restraints then, a triumphant grin appears on his face. "Heh, that's a good spell, but not good enough!" Xolly flings his arms outward, shattering the binding spell, and a rush of molten lava surges toward Denkei. "Lava Summoning: Molten Volley!"
Denkei feels the searing heat of the lava as he's thrown through the boulder. Xolly's lips curl into a sinister smirk as he gazes at Shinjiro. "I've defeated all of your allies with ease! Now it's your turn!" Xolly advances toward Shinjiro with an intimidating aura, his dark eyes blazing as he conjures Lava JōKai in his hand.
"Of all JōKai powers, he has one of my weaknesses. No, wait, stay calm. Just stall him long enough for Navar, Miri, and Denkei to recover so they can help me defeat this guy," Shinjiro thinks to himself.
Shinjiro sprints toward Xolly, the cold air around them intensifying as he summons Ice JōKai onto his claymore. His grip tightens, and his blade becomes coated in a layer of frosty icicles. Shinjiro leaps forward and rearranges his sword behind his shoulder. "Frost Blade: Polar Waltz!" Shinjiro swings his claymore at Xolly's chest.
Xolly fires a lava blast at the icicles on Shinjiro's blade, melting them instantly. "Dammit!" says Shinjiro.
After Xolly's attack, Shinjiro retreats from Xolly's attack range by performing a series of lateral leaps.
Xolly lets out an arrogant chuckle. "What's the matter? Getting scared?"
"No, not at all," Shinjiro places his finger on his head and smiles. "I got it now."
"What are you up to?"
"…"
"Fine then, I'll force it right out of you!" Xolly fires off a barrage of Lava JōKai blasts, melting the snow around Shinjiro and leaving smoking craters in the ground. Miri appears behind Xolly, soaring in midair as she looms closer to him. "Two Daggers: Pouncing Strike!" Xolly averts Miri's attack by leaping left, then summons Lava JōKai onto his palm and shoots a raging Lava JōKai blast in her direction. "Lava Summoning: Scorch Stream!" Once the attack reaches Miri, she vanishes. Xolly's jaw tightens as he realizes the Miri he just attacked was an illusion. "Damn, it was just a fake! Where in the hell did the real one go?"
"We're right beside you!" Navar charges forward, bringing his sword up in a full arc, the blade glinting in the light as he aims for Xolly's head. "Okayasu Blade: Brave Man's Slash!"
Miri leaps forward, her daggers drawn and ready to be thrust down. "Two Daggers: Pouncing Strike!"
Xolly feels the wind rush past him as he leaps backward, barely out of reach of the attack. "Heh! Even with the sneak attack, you're still too slow to catch me!" As Xolly jumps back, a string connected to a tree and the base causes him to trip and fall into the shivering water, with his head barely above the surface of it. "That was clever, but that-"
Shinjiro sticks his claymore into the water and freezes it. "Dammit!" says Xolly.
"Denkei now!" says Shinjiro.
With ten circles drawn in a circular pattern in the area, Denkei plants his mage stick on the ground, preparing for a spell. "I call upon the forces of the universe to grant me strength. Magic Spell Alchemy: Ten Great Hands!" From the red circles arise ten gigantic hands 8 meters in height. Each hand picks up a boulder and hurls one at Xolly, knocking him unconscious.
"Good job, guys!" says Shinjiro.
"Yeah, and that was a good idea to communicate with Nozomi telepathically. We could plan so he couldn't hear it," says Miri.
Shinjiro walks towards Xolly, lifts him from the water, and places JōKai disabling cuffs around him. "Good job. Now let's head back."
As they return to the village, they feel the tension emanating from Haru as he nervously paces back and forth. "What's going on?" asks Shinjiro.
Haru holds up his pager. "Ozania is on high alert. There was an attack on the capital city!"
"An attack on the capital city?! How in the hell did that happen?" asks Seiju.
"I think our question will be answered if we return," says Juyon.
"Alright then, let's go back to the capital world to see what the hell is going on," says Shinjiro
As everyone boards the ship, Shinjiro is presented with a bowl of steaming white rice from the older woman they had met earlier. "Sit down and eat. It's a token of gratitude from us."
"I appreciate the gesture, mam, but Ozania is on high alert now, and we must get back."
"I see. Well, you all travel safely."
"Thank you. You guys call us if you need anything else."
The spaceship roars as it leaves Xorus, embarking on its journey to the Ozanian Capital. As the 50-minute ride ends, they feel the slight bump of the landing as they arrive in the capital city. As they step out of the spacecraft, the sound of silence is deafening, and they look in horror at the ruins of the once-bustling city.
"What in the world happened here?" asks Navar.
Then, menacing laughter from Xolly catches their attention. "I can't believe that bastard did it. He finally attacked."
"Who did! Who attacked?!" asks Shinjiro.
"Overlord..."