While the intense brawl between Castiel, Vez, Raza, and Pico continued outside, Nana and Nita were holed up inside the building.
"Is it going to take long?"
"A bit. His injuries are quite severe. I've got no idea how he took so much damage to his head. It's very strange."
"Yeah, that's..."
Nita was busy tending to Zefis' wounds, her expression serious as she applied healing and asked about his injuries with concern in her voice. She wanted to make sure her companion was okay and that nothing was overlooked.
Meanwhile, Nana was visibly embarrassed and impatient, her eyes constantly darting in the direction where the battle was still unfolding.
"Uh! Ah! Where am I?"
"You've finally awakened, but don't move."
"What? Who are you?"
"This is concerning. His injuries were so severe that they affected his memory. I hope it's temporary."
"Yes, it is..." Nana replied, her voice carrying a growing tone of concern.
'Who are these women? Why are they helping me? Zefis thought, as a sense of curiosity and doubt washed over him.'
'I'm Nana, your sister. Don't you remember?'
'What? You're in my head?'
'Yes, we're siblings who can share things, and sharing thoughts is one of them.'
'How am I supposed to be sure you're telling the truth, and... Arghhhh! My head hurts!'
Zefis began writhing in pain, his face contorted in agony. His expression was one of profound suffering, and he held his head in his hands as if trying to alleviate the unbearable pain that engulfed him.
"What's happening?" Nita asked with a worried expression.
"I don't know."
"Stop it!! Don't do this! No!!!!!!!"
Zefis began screaming, his voice echoing through the building, while the pain in his head burned with unbearable intensity. Each scream was a lament of suffering.
'He must be recalling the past.'
Nana couldn't bear to see her brother's suffering, and with an expression of deep concern, she approached and embraced him tenderly. Her arms enveloped Zefis in a warm and comforting hug, as if she wanted to convey strength and support.
"Calm down. It's over."
Zefis, despite the intense pain, felt the comfort of his sister's embrace. His screams diminished in intensity, replaced by muffled sobs. It was as if Nana's embrace was a safe haven amid the storm.
"Sister. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it."
"Yeah."
Boooooommmmmm.
"Another noise. We'd better hurry."
Zefis and Nana exchanged determined glances and began heading toward where Castiel was. Each step was driven by their concern and the desire to reunite with their companion.
As they approached the scene, they finally spotted Castiel. He was there, at the epicenter of the action, radiating confidence and power.
"Partial explosive mode complete!"
'Is he going to use that form? It's very dangerous.'
"First, I'll kick you, Pico, and then give you an explosive slap."
"Try your idioArggghhhh!"
Before he could finish speaking, Castiel acted with surprising speed. He executed an explosive step, propelling himself toward Pico, and in the blink of an eye, delivered a flying kick to his opponent.
Without wasting time, Castiel followed up with an explosive slap, followed by another kick, alternating between his limbs in a dance of agile movements. The second kick was so powerful that it sent Pico flying through the air.
Raza tried to launch an attack, but before he could react, Castiel executed another of his powerful kicks that sent him soaring through the skies in an uncontrollable trajectory. Meanwhile, Vez advanced with a charge, confident in his approach, but what he didn't expect was Castiel's cunning.
Without flinching, Castiel stood his ground, his body becoming a combat machine. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed a series of explosive punches at Vez, like an explosive energy machine gun. The punches hit Vez repeatedly, causing explosions and shockwaves with each impact.
Vez was hit several times and unable to defend himself against the speed and precision of Castiel's attacks. He was pushed backward, his attempts to charge completely neutralized by the barrage of explosive punches.
"Disable partial explosive mode complete."
Before the explosion could reach his organs, Castiel made a quick decision. He deactivated his explosive ability with a determined gesture and, breathing heavily, sat down on the worn floor.
"Using that ability is exhausting."
"Concentrated fire. Rain of lava!"
"What?"
Castiel, throughout the entire fight, had never let his guard down. His determination and skills had been relentless, but in the most grueling moment of the battle, his guard involuntarily faltered. It was a sign of the exhaustion he was facing, a fraction of a second of vulnerability that would cost him dearly.
It was in this crucial moment that Raza saw his chance and acted swiftly. Castiel didn't have time to dodge the approaching rain of lava, and with herculean effort, he had to withstand the devastating blow, his hands trembling under the pressure.
Raza then fell to the ground and approached Castiel with surprising speed. He placed his hand on Castiel's exhausted body, a determined expression on his face, as a mysterious energy seemed to flow between them.
"Concentrated fire. Hot hand!"
"Arrrgghhhh!"
With Raza preparing for another sequence of attacks, Castiel realized the urgency of the situation. His body was exhausted, but his determination remained steadfast. With an explosion of energy, he soared into the sky in an upward flight, escaping the imminent threats.
"Don't be a coward. City leader!" Raza said, his voice brimming with joy.
"Phew! That got me. Among all the attacks, that one caused the most damage."
With a determined gesture, Castiel tore his shirt and threw it away, exposing his body burning with fiery energy. Flames danced on his skin, radiating intense heat. In the center of his chest, a spectral hand glowed with luminosity.
"Explosion."
With a spectacular explosion, Castiel channeled his fiery energy, burning away all the open wounds on his body. The intense heat spread across his skin, causing the explosions to burn away any damage he had suffered.
Slowly, he began to descend from the sky, his expression determined as he kept his power in check. It was as if his resilience and determination were beyond human limits.
"Before we continue with this fight, I want to say something."
"Last words, is it?" Raza asked, with an ironic smile.
"Yes, last words."
Raza exchanged a meaningful look with the others, his eyes expressing determination and a shared understanding. In a simple gesture, he nodded, indicating that he was aligned with his companions and ready to act together.
"Go ahead and speak and then die!" Pico shouted.
"You know, I've tried various ways to defeat you all, but it seems to have had no effect. So, I started thinking about how I could overcome all of you. This idea has been on my mind since the beginning of our fight, although I never imagined I would use it."
"What are you trying to say?!" Vez said.
"Raza, you've had the most contact with me. I didn't have much contact with Pico, so I attacked him first. Vez, even though I didn't have much contact with you, your blows hit me several times."
"Get to the point," Raza said succinctly.
"In summary, with my explosive attacks that hit very close to you, I channeled some of that into all of you, covering the most vulnerable part of the human body."
"Do not tell me?" asked Vez, surprised.
"Before, I was thinking about attacking your brain, but after seeing someone get up after having their head blown off, I changed my plans."
"I don't believe" Raza began to feel a growing fear infiltrate his mind.
"Yes, that has to be a lie," Vez agreed with an air of skepticism evident in his voice.
"Say what you want. The requirement for this to work was a two-step sequence. First, it was necessary to affect four people."
"Four? But we're three!" Pico exclaimed, his voice filled with bewilderment.
"Don't tell me this is a suicide attack?" Vez asked, his voice tinged with evident concern.
"No. I'm practically immune to my own explosions, but you guys aren't," Castiel explained firmly.
"What's the second step?" Raza asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"The second step has just been completed," Castiel announced, his voice brimming with confidence.
"What?" Vez, Raza, and Pico said simultaneously, their voices sounding in perfect harmony of surprise.
"The second step was for all of you to stay close to me within a maximum of three meters, with me in the center," Castiel explained, clarifying the details of the plan.
Upon realizing the second step, they reacted promptly. Without wasting time, they began to move, aware that it was time to escape.
"Too late," Castiel replied succinctly and decisively.
They turned their backs to Castiel, believing they could escape, but before they could take a single step toward freedom, a sense of inevitability descended upon them.
"Deadly Explosion!!!" Castiel shouted in ecstasy, his voice echoing with fervor.
The four hearts were subjected to a simultaneous explosion, a moment of unimaginable intensity. Three of them were literally reduced to pieces, and the sight of the supposedly immortal human bodies falling to the ground was shocking.
While chaos unfolded around him, Castiel couldn't contain his triumphant laughter. His laughter echoed across the battlefield, an expression of victory over those who considered themselves immortal.