Jogrin could feel the tension, and most of all, fear coming from Zanphia and the others, but he couldn't just go and soothe their emotions, not that he knew how to. Even if he had to, he'd need to get rid of the threat right before him first, but it wasn't like he could do that with just a snap of his fingers.
"You're saying your strategy out loud just like that? Such a foolish move, unbelievably so!"
As Kron looked down at Jogrin and the others and spoke so, a few of the bullies moved to block the only exit, making escaping impossible, unless Jogrin chose to directly confront them, but he didn't want to hurt any of them.
Jogrin clicked his tongue as he cursed at his own abilities. as Kron continued to revel with a smug smile.
"Why are you doing all of this?"
As Jogrin and the others were forced to move away from the exit so they wouldn't be surrounded, Jogrin asked. Despite his usual flat tone, he could feel the pressure posed by the current situation.
"Are you talking about now? Or the abduction of Venrya? Or both? And why~ should I answer you, huh?! How about you tell me what's on your mind first??"
"You have us cornered, and you're getting furious? This is illogical?"
"Don't try to shift the topic, lowlife... I am fully aware that you have another strategy up your sleeve, I wonder what it could be~ Besides, you can clearly tell that I'm not furious at all, Haha!!"
"Unreasonable too. I hate dealing with people like you."
"If getting on my nerves is what you're trying to do, you don't have to think about it. You've always been on my nerves, I just don't show it."
"Then I'd say you're a coward."
"Hoh?"
"You're just floating up there, basking in the joy of watching us playing this stupid game of tag, where the hunters aren't even efficient at their job. Or are you actually just trying to induce fear in those four as they inevitably get caught? I'm sure you can do a better job than these nobodies, seeing as how terrifying your face looked to them."
"Pfft! Ahahaha!!! You're such a funny guy!!"
"What?"
"I see now. Your strategy is to get me to come close to you! And? What'll do next? Wipe out every last one of us in one go?"
"I'm not capable of that."
"Sure sure~ Whatever you say."
"You still haven't answered me, why are you doing this?"
"How about you start by learning not to be so meddlesome? It's none of your business, or are you somehow the guardian of Zuta now?"
"So it's related to this planet instead of me, what about this planet makes you so fixated on it?"
"Well OK the, Mr. Guardian. Let me tell you this: they took something they shouldn't have, and claimed it as their own. Happy?"
"That sounds hardly believable."
"I don't care about what you think, lowlife... You know what, I'm interested in what you're actually capable of, to be regarded as 'the strongest Darkian.' If you can actually hurt me, I'll let them go, how does that sound?"
As Jogrin conversed with Kron to squeeze out as much information as he could from him, he led Zanphia and the others to stay as far away from the group of bullies who were under the effect of "mind tampering" as possible. It was no easy task, since they were in an enclosed space, with the only route of escape blocked.
Meanwhile, Jogrin's plan seemed to have blown the opportunity to strike Kron as the latter figured him out from the way he attempted to provoke Kron. However, Kron was getting cocky that he made such a tempting offer.
Of course, whether he was lying or not was another matter. Still, if he was willing to take a hit thanks to his arrogance, Jogrin'd definitely seize this opportunity and kill him once and for all.
According to "emotional perception," Kron really was curious about Jogrin's true capabilities. He wasn't there to listen when Jogrin explained his powers, and Kapel and Captain Ryov kept it all to themselves. It wasn't likely Kron could read minds as he was curious.
With that in mind, Jogrin became poised again, as he perceived the bullies' emotins waning, back to the previous blank states, and their movements came to a stop once again. On the other hand, Kron slowly descended.
Upon seeing that, Zanphia, Zenover, Garty, and Suzannia all grimaced and tried to step back, but they were all blocked by the wall behind them. With nowhere to go, they could only hide behind Jogrin, and all the shivering was draining them of their stamina. They craved for this to be over so that they could finally lie down on the ground, but the adrenaline was keeping them going.
"So? What are you gonna do to me? Show me what you've got!"
Kron stated that he was "teeny bit weaker than Jogrin" at the moment, but from the way he was acting now, that certainly didn't look to be the case. Was he bluffing? Was he actually stronger or weaker?
Kron was deliberately spouting contradictory claims to confuse Jogrin. Other than curiosity, all "emotional perception" had been able to pick up were his arrogance and confidence. So it'd be safe to assume he was actually stronger?
No, how'd he know in the first place?
Either way, as soon as Kron was closer enough, it would the time to go for the kill. However, instead of continuing to descend, Kron flew backwards, and landed on the opposite corner of where Jogrin was standing.
"Who will win in this showdown of power? Me? Or you, who had yet to realize your true strength?"
"True strength? What are you saying?"
"I know more about you than you do, Jogrin."
"I don't-"
"NOW!!! Strike me with everything you've got! Like you want to kill me! Well, you already have that intention anyway! Hahaha!"
'This guy can read me so accurately, just who is he?' Jogrin couldn't help but harbor such a thought.
"You don't need to know who I am, for now. All you need to know is that, you're the bane of my existence, and I'll be the one to end you once I'm back to my peak."
"..."
"What are you waiting for?! Come!!!"
Kron flew closer gradually, above the bullies with colorless expressions
'He's so certain that whatever I do won't kill him. Approaching so defenselessly, not even making use of these bullies to divert my attention. He's not even taking this seriously. That alone will be enough to end him.'
The strategy Jogrin devised still applied. Even though Kron saw through the fact that Jogrin was getting him to come close, he couldn't tell what he'd do after the distance was small enough.
'Almost there.'
"The Darkian planet's invasion. You forgot about it all, didn't you? Don't you want to remember?? Hmm??!"
Jogrin flinched at that statement. Kron saw through even something like that, could he actually read minds? Regardless, when he put it that way, one would interpret that he was holding some useful information. Desperate to know the fate of his people, Jogrin held himself back.
In the next moment, Kron's red eyes abruptly shone brilliantly. It was then Jogrin knew, he had messed up because he didn't seize the chance and hesitated. With four powerless people that he yearned to protect behind him, he had no choice but to take the attack head on.
Jogrin put up his right arm and aimed it at Kron. Following that, red laser beam shot out from his eyes, and landed a direct hit on Jogrin's right palm.
Zanphia and the others screamed their lungs out, intimidated by the display of such intense prowess. They covered their ears because the noise released from the beam was ear-piercing, shut their eyes because the light emitted by the beam by bright. Suzannia and Zanphia also knelt down and curled up their bodies.
The red laser was being absorbed by Jogrin arm, and even with the great force from it, Jogrin wasn't pushed back one bit. The bright red light was transferred from the phalanges and metacarpals, up to the humerus as it became darker and darker, resembling the Dark Matter that dwelt within Jogrin.
From Zenover's and Garty's perspectives, it was nothing but incredulous. They then noticed the backpack Jogrin had been carrying was disintegrating.
The beam stopped, so did the noise and extreme brightness. Zanphia and Suzannia looked back at Jogrin, and witnessed the abrupt, complete disintegration of the backpack, fully exposing the spine-like tail which had dark energy climbing up from its tip.
It kept expanding in moderate speed until Jogrin's spine, pelvis and bones of his legs were cloaked in black, as Kron happily waited for the strike.
"COME ON!!! JOGRIN!!!"