Chapter 108: Sinister Clash
Scene: The battlefield at the borders of the South Nation is a stark reminder of the previous conflict. The sky is overcast, the air heavy with tension. Knights stand at the ready, their swords drawn and their shields raised. The heroes of the South Nation—Eren, Aria, Rylan, and Asher—stand at the front lines, knowing that Zarek and his forces will return.
Narrator: The South Nation has regained its strength after the last battle, but the threat of Zarek looms large. The heroes and knights have taken their positions, prepared to defend their homeland once again. Eren, Aria, Rylan, and Asher stand at the vanguard, determined to protect their comrades. They know that they must be the first line of defense, stopping the enemy before they can reach the heart of the South Nation.
Eren, his half-human, half-elf blood giving him heightened senses, stands with his hand outstretched, focusing on the distant horizon. His ability, Mana Burst, flares around him in a faint aura, his eyes glowing as he tries to detect any sign of Zarek's approach.
Eren: (frustrated) I can't sense anything… Zarek must be using some kind of cloak to hide his mana.
He frowns, his brow furrowing in concentration. Beside him, Asher, his close friend and ally, steps forward, sensing Eren's frustration.
Asher: (calmly) Let's do it together. If he's masking his mana, we'll need to combine our abilities.
Eren nods, and the two heroes focus their energies, their combined power radiating outward in a massive burst of mana. Together, they use their joint ability, "Fusion Burst," sending a ripple of energy across the battlefield like a radar, searching for any sign of the enemy.
Suddenly, Asher's eyes widen.
Asher: (urgently) There! In the sky, approaching fast!
Eren follows Asher's gaze, his heart pounding as he senses it too. A dark, ominous force is closing in on them at breakneck speed. Without hesitation, Eren turns to the rest of the knights and heroes, shouting the warning.
Eren: (shouting) The enemy is here!
The air becomes tense as the soldiers and knights grip their weapons, the feeling of dread growing heavier. Commander Thalanor, standing at the center of the South Nation's forces, raises his hand, his voice strong and steady as he addresses the ranks.
Commander Thalanor: (commanding) Hold the line! Do not let the enemy pass! We must protect the South Nation at all costs!
The knights shout in unison, their resolve solidifying as they brace for the inevitable clash. The skies darken, and the sound of wings cutting through the air becomes audible as Zarek and his allies descend from the heavens, their Divine Mana wings glowing ominously.
Zarek lands with a thunderous impact, the ground shaking beneath his feet. His dark purple mana flares around him, an aura of sheer power and malevolence. His allies land beside him, their expressions cold and determined, ready to engage the South Nation's forces.
Zarek's gaze locks onto Eren, who stands at the front, his stance unwavering despite the overwhelming presence of his foe. Zarek smirks, his eyes narrowing as he speaks with a chilling calm.
Zarek: (coldly) Surrender now, boy. This is your final warning. There will be no mercy this time.
Eren's eyes blaze with defiance, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. He tightens his grip on his sword, refusing to back down.
Eren: (fiercely) I'll never surrender to you, Zarek! We'll stop you here, no matter what it takes!
Without waiting for a response, Eren charges forward, his mana surging through his veins. He swings his sword with precision, launching himself at Zarek with unyielding speed. Their battle begins in an instant, a clash of mana and skill as they exchange blows, fists colliding with brutal force, and mana attacks lighting up the battlefield.
Zarek meets Eren's attacks with ease, his movements graceful yet deadly. The two are evenly matched, neither giving an inch as they trade punches and mana strikes with blinding speed. Eren, gritting his teeth, channels his mana into his signature ability, "Spatial Drift."
In the blink of an eye, Eren disappears from Zarek's sight, his form seemingly vanishing into thin air. He reappears behind Zarek, his sword raised high for a devastating strike.
Eren: (shouting) Got you!
But Zarek is quick, almost too quick. With a fluid motion, he spins around, blocking Eren's strike with ease. His cold smirk returns as he counterattacks, sending a burst of mana through Eren's sword and throwing him back.
Zarek: (mocking) You think a simple trick like that will work on me?
Zarek raises his hand, summoning a massive Holy Bomb and hurling it toward Eren. The glowing orb of Divine Mana streaks through the air, but Eren reacts quickly, using his mana to deflect the bomb, sending it careening into the sky where it explodes harmlessly.
Without hesitation, Eren retaliates, tapping into his unique ability—Mana Liquid. His body glows with a deep blue light as his mana transforms into a liquid form, which ripples and separates into ten identical clones of himself. The clones surround Zarek in a circle, each one glowing with energy.
Eren: (shouting) Let's see you handle this!
The clones move in unison, their combined power focused into one attack—Mana Burst. Ten bursts of concentrated mana shoot toward Zarek, their force enough to knock the demon warrior off his feet. The attack lands, and Zarek is thrown to the ground, dust and debris flying up around him.
For a moment, the battlefield falls silent. Eren stands, breathing heavily but triumphant, his clones dissolving back into his body. But the silence is soon shattered by a low, cold laugh.
Zarek rises slowly from the ground, dusting himself off, seemingly unharmed. He looks at Eren with a mixture of amusement and cold fury.
Zarek: (mocking) Is that the best you can do? You're nothing more than an insect, trying to stand in the way of a storm.
Zarek raises his hand, and the battlefield grows deathly quiet. The air around him shifts, growing heavier as dark energy begins to gather in his palm. His Divine Mana twists, transforming into something darker—more sinister.
Zarek: (quietly) You want power? I'll show you true power. Death Bomb.
Zarek unleashes the full force of his demon-infused mana. A massive sphere of dark purple energy forms above his hand, crackling with violent intensity. The Death Bomb flies toward Eren with blinding speed, too fast for him to dodge.
The explosion is deafening. Eren is hit directly, the force of the impact sending him flying across the battlefield. His body slams into the ground, skidding to a stop as he lies motionless, his sword clattering beside him. For a moment, everything is still.
Rylan, standing at the front with the other heroes, watches in horror as Eren is knocked down. His heart stops for a moment, and then fury consumes him.
Rylan: (shouting) Eren, no!
His voice is filled with rage and grief as he raises his Abyssal Blade, dark energy crackling around it. His eyes burn with anger as he glares at Zarek.
Rylan: (furiously) You'll pay for that!
With a fierce shout, Rylan fires his ability, "Black Arrow," a powerful shot of dark energy that streaks toward Zarek with deadly precision. Zarek smirks, his cold eyes locking onto Rylan as the arrow speeds toward him.
The chapter ends with Zarek standing calmly, ready to face Rylan's wrath as the dark energy closes in. The battlefield is on the brink of chaos, and the true battle between the heroes and Zarek's forces is about to begin.