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Ulvala, Gray Phoenix Dungeon, Time: 11:00 AM
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In the basement, it was a busy mess. Ezra was locked in combat with Gosto, who, despite running like an idiot, skillfully dodged arrows.
Ezra attempted to land hits multiple times, annoyed by Gosto's elusive antics.
As Gosto continued his evasive maneuvers, an arrow flew dangerously close to his face, causing him to tumble backward.
"Woah! Hey! Be careful where you aim those things!" Gosto yelled as he quickly got back on his feet.
"Maybe stand still so that I can grant your wish," Ezra retorted, eager to finish the fight and reunite with his friend.
Meanwhile, Nathan fought off GP Soldiers, struggling but managing to push them back, creating a path for the escaping children.
"Take this, damn brat!" When a guard swung at him, Nathan dodged swiftly and countered with a powerful uppercut.
Seizing the opportunity, he picked up a fallen weapon. "I won't let you lay a hand on any of them," Nathan declared, skillfully dispatching more guards.
"You know, you could try wearing something with actual colors," Gosto taunted, still dodging arrows. "Not everything has to be black and white!"
"I feel as if that wouldn't break my true self," Ezra replied cryptically, firing an arrow at a wall. Before Gosto could react, the arrow glanced back, hitting his shoulder.
"WHY YOU?!" Gosto screamed, pulling the arrow out.
"It's time for the cat to hunt, then," Gosto declared, discarding his shirt.
His body transformed dramatically—head into a lion-like helmet, chest adorned with jungle vines, and a giant golden claw on one hand.
Ezra was surprised. "Jeez, I thought all of you were extinct." They look...ugly. Seriously what the mother nature just crap out of her ass?
"Now it's time for me to feast," Gusto proclaimed in a distorted voice, swiftly disappearing, forcing Ezra to stay alert for any impending danger.
Nathan was thoroughly enjoying himself, effortlessly knocking over guards with a simple shove.
"Thank god, I don't have to wear those metal chunks," he exclaimed, deftly dodging another guard's attack and shooting him with precision.
"We got you surrounded, brat!" A group of mages opened their palms, ready to unleash magic.
"What do you guys even got?!" Nathan yelled confidently, preparing to face them head-on.
"About 50 Mages, launching a magic missile at ya!" One of them replied, making Nathan's eyes widen.
"Oh, crap basket...Running!" Nathan observed from above as the last child completed their escape.
He swiftly decided to make a break for it as a barrage of magic missiles soared over him.
Taking cover behind a barrel, Nathan could hear the magical projectiles whizzing past.
"Jesus, I need to do something." He urgently scanned his surroundings for a way to counter the overwhelming number of mages.
Spotting something magical—an array of crates labeled 'TNT'—Nathan's face lit up.
"I have a great idea!" Delighted, he set his weapon down and entered scheming mode.
The mages were diligently searching for Nathan, even shooting magical lasers to uncover his location.
The elite mage ordered, "Find that brat and bring me his head!"
One mage forcefully opened a door only to find their comrade having a private moment with a woman.
"Uh, do you mind?" The guard politely requested them to leave as the mage apologized and closed the door.
Nathan readied himself as the mages approached the corridor he was traversing.
'Come on, a bit more...' he thought, waiting for them to gather in one place.
"This is the last hall, search for him," the elite mage commanded as they all walked together.
"Now!" Nathan kicked the crate of explosives on top of them.
"Telekinesis!" The elite mage stopped the crates in midair, laughing triumphantly.
"Not... yet!" Nathan kicked the crate down further and shot it, triggering a massive explosion that reverberated through the dungeon.
The elite mage managed to shield themselves, but the force of the blast sent Nathan flying. With his stolen shield, he was able to escape the explosion.
"Take that! Dumb bitch!" Nathan celebrated, lying on the ground, utterly exhausted but wearing a triumphant smile.
"GAAHAHA! What's wrong, you can't hit me?!" Gosto mocked as he toyed with Ezra, who struggled to keep up with his lightning-fast attacks and counterattacks.
Ezra thought to himself, 'Dammit, what can I do right now? I can't shoot him in time; he would simply dodge it again.'
He needed to come up with a plan quickly to turn the tide of the battle.
As he pulled back his bow once more to prepare for his next attack, Ezra had an idea.
"Call of Lightning!" he shouted, releasing a barrage of lightning arrows into the sky.
This seemed like the most effective move he could muster against Gosto.
"AHAHAHAHA!"
However, his opponent laughed mockingly and effortlessly dodged all of the incoming arrows. It was clear that this strategy alone wouldn't work.
"CHEETAH PURGER!" Gosto saw an opening and quickly lunged at Ezra with his deadly claws.
Ezra cried out in pain as he narrowly avoided the full force of the attack, but he couldn't keep this up for long.
The situation was dire, and Gosto knew Ezra's weakness – his stomach.
Amid the chaos, a deep voice suddenly resounded in Ezra's head, 'Let me take control, Ezra.'
Ezra hesitated, knowing the dangers of losing control and succumbing to the voice's influence. He firmly rejected the offer, clenching his head to resist.
'No! I won't let you go on a rampage!' Ezra firmly replied, showing his determination not to let this malevolent presence overpower him.
The voice persisted but eventually conceded, acknowledging the stubbornness of humans. 'Fine, I extended my offers, but you denied them. You humans are the hardest to understand,' the voice remarked, seemingly disappointed.
Now, with his mind clear, Ezra had a brilliant idea. He felt a little apprehensive about it, but he knew he couldn't let this opportunity slip away.
Taking a deep breath, he finally embraced the plan that had formed in his mind. He knew Gosto's weakness, and he would exploit it.
"Oh, finally got something in your head?" Gosto said as he rushed toward Ezra again.
Ezra steadied himself and focused on Gosto. He intentionally exposed his stomach, acting as if he was in pain and weakened.
"Gahaha! You do want to die huh? I will grant you it." Gosto saw this as an opening and went for another attack.
However, just as Gosto's claws were about to strike, Ezra swiftly jumped up and shot the ground, creating an explosion.
"AH, YOU DICK!" Gosto was blinded by it as Ezra aimed precisely at Gosto's vulnerable spot: His grey stomach.
The surprise attack caught Gosto off guard, and Ezra's arrow struck true.
"Grahh!" Gosto roared in pain, staggering back from the impact. Ezra seized the opportunity and pressed his advantage.
"What do you think you ar- AH!" Before Gosto could finish, Ezra launched a relentless series of attacks, targeting Gosto's weak points and not giving him a chance to recover.
With determination and strategic thinking, Ezra had turned the tables on his opponent.
Gosto struggled to defend against the barrage of attacks, and slowly, Ezra gained the upper hand in the battle.
"Maybe, you shouldn't be running your mouth while fighting." Ezra said as he took Ace's word to heart: 'Focus on the fight.'
The outcome was far from certain, but Ezra now had hope.
He knew he had to stay focused and keep exploiting Gosto's weaknesses to claim victory in this intense battle.
The mysterious voice in his head remained silent as if observing the unfolding events without interference. 'He might be stubborn and relentless on my commands, but he sure is a surprising person.'
As the battle raged on, Ezra knew he had to stay strong and steadfast.
He couldn't let the dark presence inside him take control, no matter how tempting its power might be.
He had to be the master of his destiny, guiding his actions with courage and resolve.
"Damn you! I will finish this once and for all!" Gosto declared, his arm opening up as he prepared his ultimate move.
Ezra sighed, realizing that his current abilities weren't enough to defeat Gosto. 'I guess I have no choice but to use it,' Ezra thought as the mysterious voice commented on his decision.
'Give him a show, Ezra.'
"Dark Claw..." Gosto readied himself, dragging his feet as he prepared to launch his devastating attack.
Ezra also charged up his powerful move, his arrow starting to glow with a green flare.
"...Lion Drill!" Gosto shot forward with incredible speed, aiming to tear into Ezra's stomach and deliver a fatal blow.
In response, Ezra's world seemed to slow down as Gosto came within range.
He released his finger from the bow, sending the arrows hurtling towards Gosto. "La Caza: La Esperanza Blanca."
In a blink of an eye, the arrows struck Gosto's stomach, halting him in his tracks. The arrows began to pulse with alternating black and white light, creating an explosion around Gosto.
"GRAAH!!!" Gosto's body was sent flying towards a nearby wall, where he struggled to get up before eventually losing consciousness.
Ezra let out a massive sigh, relieved that the battle was finally over.
"Oi, mister!" Nathan yelled out in joy. Ezra turned his attention towards him, acknowledging their victory.
Both he and Nathan had succeeded in defeating Gosto and saving the children, they cheered as they accomplished their mission.
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