As Seiju's gaze travels over Niack's scarred body, the burn marks catch his attention, their fiery red hue a stark juxtaposition against his deep black skin. Seiju's face lights up with a wicked grin, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, as he beholds the aftermath of their relentless attacks. "We really did a number on him. Just a few more strikes, and he's finished."
Despite the visible damage, Niack regains his composure, but his knees tremble with searing pain. "You won't bring me down that easily. As long as I roam these lands, carrying my father's legacy, no one will get past me!"
"I can tell you one thing for certain: his sister was nowhere near as resilient as him. We've bombarded him with assault after assault, and he still stands his ground. His endurance is astounding," says Mei.
"No kidding. Hopefully, the others can wake up to give us a hand with him."
"Look at him, Seiju. He can barely stand. You and I can handle this on our own don't worry."
"Alright, I'll hold you to that if we end up injured."
"You two brats keep going about how you will defeat me. Why don't you come try it?!" As Niack yanks out two spikes from his back, a resounding war cry escapes his lips, sending echoes through the area as he charges toward Mei and Seiju. Despite his efforts, the damage from the battle has slowed down his attack speed. His swings of the spikes are sluggish, missing their intended targets.
Seiju and Mei ascend into the air with a powerful jump, evading Niack's reach. Seiju's bow crackles with fiery energy as he conjures three searing arrows of Flame JōKai. With a steady hand, he pulls the string back and takes careful aim at Niack, his eyes narrowing in concentration. As he releases the arrows, the surrounding foliage and plants are torched by the scorching flames, turning to ash in an instant. "Flame Bow: Tri Arrow Shot!"
All three arrows hit their target, piercing through Niack's flesh and eliciting a piercing scream of agony.
"Alright, time to finish this!" Mei conjures two Flame JōKai balls of energy, their luminous orange hue casting a brilliant glow that fills the area. The palpable intensity of the heat emanating from her hands signaling the impending release of her devastating attack. "Flame Summoning: Descending Ember Volley!" She releases the balls of energy, unleashing a relentless volley of flaming fireballs that light up the sky. Each fireball slams into Niack with astonishing power, leaving him staggering and struggling to maintain his balance.
As the smoke dissipates from the fiery assault, Niack's battle condition becomes hidden, suggesting that Mei's attack buried him underground. Seiju and Mei exchange triumphant glances, their eyes filled with satisfaction, convinced they had finally vanquished Niack. "Well, I'll be. We finally took that crazy dude down," says Seiju.
"Yeah, we showed him who's boss, little bro. Now come on, let's go wake up the others," However, their celebration is short-lived as Mei suddenly hears a powerful gust of wind rushing past her left ear. She reacts quick, evading the attack with a leap forward. She turns her gaze toward the source of the gust, and Mei's eyes widen in disbelief as she sees Niack, his face contorted in pain and blood staining his lips. "Damn, even after all that. That crazy guy is still standing."
"You're lucky I'm slower. Cause if I were a hair faster, your head would be a trophy for my father's collection."
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" Why are his children so dead set on killing us?!" says Seiju.
"Why do you persist in fighting, even though you're clearly about to lose?" asks Mei.
"Because I made a promise to my father! I promised I wouldn't let any intruders pass through this forest, even if it means death for me!" Niack lets out a thunderous war cry, his movements fueled by the last remnants of his energy, as he sprints toward Seiju and Mei. Mei and Seiju nimbly sidestep each of Niack's sluggish attacks, then jump onto a nearby hill. "What's wrong?! Are you two getting scared?"
"Bro, why would we be scared of you?" You haven't even scratched us this whole freaking time!"
"Grah! Shut up, you annoying brat!" Niack springs onto the hill, his arm pulled back, readying himself for a forceful sweep. The wind whistles as his spiked arm swings through the air, narrowly missing its target.
Mei conjures a blazing ball of Flame JōKai, hurling it with immense force at Niack, who is sent hurtling through the air by the fiery impact. Mei's eyes meet Seiju's, and a flicker of relief washes over her. "Ok, little bro, you can shoot him now that he's down. Please do me a favor and don't miss this time."
"That was only one time, idiot! Gosh, you're so fucking annoying sometimes!"
Seiju's angered retort elicits a chuckle from Mei. "Woah, dude, watch the language. I'm just messing with you. I love seeing you get riled up. It reminds me of how Mom used to be."
Niack stands, his chest rising and falling with every labored breath, sweat streaming down his forehead, mixing with the grime and blood staining his face. His body, adorned with a myriad of bruises, serves as a painful reminder that he can no longer continue his fight. "Father, I'm sorry. I can't defeat these brats; I leave it to you and brother," Niack stands on his two feet, his legs trembling beneath him, and opens his arms in a gesture of surrender.
Mei, her eyes ablaze with determination, summons a massive ball of Flame JōKai in her hands, its fiery glow illuminating the area with an orange hue. With a powerful thrust, she launches it towards Niack, the gust of wind created by the flames blowing leaves and twigs in every direction. "Flame Summoning: Searing Heat Ball!"
Seiju's fingers tremble with anticipation as he raises his bow, summoning a massive amount of Flame JōKai. With a swift motion, he uses JōKai Exertion, pulling the string back with all his might. Ablaze with fiery rage, the arrow is unleashed with a resounding twang. With incredible speed, the arrow surpasses Mach speeds, causing a sonic boom that echoes through the forest. Its searing heat is so intense that it obliterates everything, transforming the surroundings into a desolate landscape of ashes. "Flame Bow: Uni Arrow Blaze!"
The combined attack of Mei and Seiju hits Niack with such force that a searing heat immediately consumes him. The pain surges through his body, feeling like a thousand fiery needles piercing his skin. Unable to bear the torment any longer, it becomes too much for him to handle, causing him to pass out and crumble to the ground.
"Now that he's finished, let's wake everyone up and continue our journey throughout this forest," says Mei.
"Right on, I told you I wouldn't miss that shot."