It was a perfect battle plan against Himeno Yuusha… Or so we thought.
If it's just Himeno Yuusha we're fighting, the battle has long been decided. But the opponent Kaiser; Ryan Radars is also an excellent tactician. He always activates Command Cards at the right place and time.
"Activate Transformation Card: Cyber Dark Panther!"
A black smoke burst out at the battlefield. It seemed that all light has been eaten by the void, but then I immediately saw Raynevere jump out, her Garuda Buster arrow still charging on her bow. When she made a considerable safe distance, she fired the burning phoenix towards the core of the void smoke!
Slash! Three rips in the air reassembled a claw from a monstrosity. The metal claws ripped the phoenix arrow projectile and reduced it to nothing but embers that flew like a dandelion!
The smoke faded, and the Cyber Dark Panther appeared again. Himeno is now covered with a tight bodysuit with dark metal plates. She now has a spiny mechanical tail and her feet are equipped with claws. Her head is also protected by a panther-looking helmet with a purple visor that only covers the upper half of her head.
[Combo Success. Please Draw]
The Gladiatrix System beeped on me. The Garuda Buster was destroyed, but the continuous activation of the Combo Sword will continue as long as the Skill Card made contact with the enemy. Although we did not stun Himeno, this is still a good fight plan for us!
"Second draw! I draw Skill Card: Unlimited Arrow Force!" I revealed my card.
Raynevere jumped back once again and aimed her arrow at the Cyber Dark Panther. A green portal was created, and countless arrows surged at the enemy! The arrow portal is unleashing ten projectiles per second at a rapid pace!
"Hraaah! Haaah!" Himeno Yuusha parried all those arrows that chased her perfectly. With every swing of her claws, nine of the arrows will turn to dust.
After three seconds of arrow barrages, the Unlimited Arrow Force ended! I don't know if it was the effect of the Combo Sword that kind of nerfed the duration of the Skill Card, but I will not complain as the Skill Card did not work effectively anyway! I will have to draw another card for our combo!
"Third draw! I draw Skill Card: Rail Blaster!" I shouted out loud as I raised the Command Card!
Raynevere focused energy on her bow and then fired a blue laser beam toward the enemy! However, the Rail Blaster was sliced in half by the Cyber Dark Panther's claws!
"Darn it! Fourth draw! I draw Skill Card: Guided Arrow!"
Raynevere once again charged her bow, but this time there are three gigantic arrows made of pure energy.
"Hyah!" Raynevere unleashed the arrows with all her might.
"You are annoying, you slave of a monster!" Himeno roared with full fury, and I take that fury is for me.
The Cyber Dark Panther's eyes glowed red inside her visors, and then she finally boosted forward. She zigzagged to evade all the homing arrows that Raynevere unleashed and then readied her claws to directly attack me!
"Elzane!" Raynevere cried as she rushed towards me.
"I draw the Fifth Skill Card: Fire Bunny Kick!" I raised my Command Card!
Raynevere's feet were coated in flames, and she used the power boost on her legs to kick the ground and catch up to the Cyber Dark Panther! In the nick of time, they caught each other in midair and clashed!
"Hyaaah!" Raynevere made a full-force flying and flaming kick toward the Cyber Dark Panther.
"Damn you, monster!" Himeno roared out loud once again as she spun in midair to barely dodge Raynevere's flaming kick!
After missing her first blow, Raynevere continued to barrage the enemy with her burning heels! However, the Cyber Dark Panther is agile enough to counter those fiery blows with her metal claws! The smell of melting metal started to fill in the arena!
"You're dead now, monster!" Himeno cried as she lunged forward to deliver a real fatal blow towards Raynevere.
However, Raynevere did not waver. She went to intercept the attack and made her flaming kick straight to the enemy's face!
There was blood and shockwave that blasted on the battlefield. Both Gladiatrix blasted away and fell to the ground. Since Raynevere was hit by the enemy attack, the Gladiatrix System beeped a [Combo Failed] notification, signaling the end of the effect of the Combo Sword.
"Raynevere!" I cried.
"Himeno!" Ryan Radars also exclaimed.
Himeno Yuusha was the first one to stand up. She sustained considerable damage only to her armor, and her helmet flew away earlier. She has some bent claws and a tattered bodysuit, but she's still battle-ready.
Now, the same cannot be said of Raynevere. She was on her knees, trying to stand up but to no avail. Her right eye was clawed clean, and there was a lot of blood on her face. She also has broken tendons and muscles on her right arm and right leg, which is a bad sign for this fight.
It was horrifying to see Raynevere in this state. This reminds me of that one fateful night when I saw her in the rubble before I forcefully injected the mystical nanomachines into her system out of desperation.