"Please fasten your seat belts, we are experiencing a bit of turbulence from the sudden storm. Remain calm, and in case of emergency, speak to the flight attendants. I repeat, please remain…"
The captain's voice crackled through the speakers, trying to calm the passengers of Flight 375-F. Caught in a sudden lightning storm, the airplane shuddered violently. A collective gasp rose as the vessel dropped again; a woman prayed fervently, her knuckles white, while a baby wailed in its mother's arms.
"Look, Mom!" A little boy named Ade tugged on his mother's sleeve, pointing out the window. "Look, there's someone in the sky!"
Without opening her eyes, she scolded him. "I thought I told you to pray. This is no time for your silly jokes."
"But I'm not joking, Mom... there really was someone out there," he sulked.
"I won't repeat myself, Ade. Bow your head and pray!"
"Okay, Mom," Ade said, bowing his head but still sneaking a glance at the window.
***
Meanwhile, outside the airplane, the wind roared and lightning flashed. Three figures clashed in the heart of the storm, moving at impossible speeds. They separated and collided again and again, their impacts echoing like thunder. After five minutes of relentless combat, they finally broke apart, hovering in the turbulent air.
"Rakun, stop this madness! That scroll belongs to me! I found it first. What does a Berserker even want with a Mythical Lightning Whisperer scroll?" shouted a pale, middle-aged man in a tattered black cloak crackling with lightning.
"You are not fit to call me by my name. Address me by my title, Seth," rumbled a giant of a man covered in a pulsing golden light. He had long white hair and tanned skin. "It does not matter who found it first. Power is what matters. If you have enough, you'll go home with it. If not, you're a weakling and might just lose your life here." He smirked, the golden aura around him flaring.
"As for what I want it for… I am a mercenary. Do you think I have time to bicker with weaklings over a scroll?" He glanced dismissively at the parchment in his hand. "Turns out this thing is worth a fortune. It's mythical-ranked, so that's expected. I'm sorry, but this goes home with me." A giant halberd materialized in his grasp. The golden light around him boiled, forming the transparent figure of a golden tiger behind him. The light spread, seeping into the storm clouds, calming them and staining them a brilliant gold.
"Now, could you please get serious? I might actually have to try."
The third figure, an old man in a blue robe adorned with snowflake patterns, had remained silent. Long black hair with silver streaks framed a face that would have looked gentle, were it not for a nasty scar running from his right eyebrow to his left jaw. Massive wings of ice sprouted from his back. He floated quietly until the others finished speaking.
"My clan master has use for that scroll. I must leave with it," the old man stated coldly. "We all know we don't have long in this plane before its guardians notice our presence. Let us not waste time." Pale blue light emanated from him, making his robe flutter. His thin hands glowed as strange symbols danced around him like protective spirits.
He thrust his hands forward. "Queen of the frozen peaks of the distant realms, herald of storms, come forth with your icy judgment, Naia!"
The pale blue energy intensified, and something massive materialized from the storm: a huge snow-white bird with icy blue eyes. Its beak and claws were like daggers carved from ice, an icy crown sat upon its head, and its delicate, snowflake-like feathers radiated a dangerous power. The bird spread its massive wings and screeched, its pale blue energy seizing control of the storm clouds, instantly turning the area into a blizzard.
The old man landed on its back, his ice wings vanishing. "It would be a shame if any of us were to die in this weak plane, Raging Tiger Berserk King. Release the scroll. Seth, forget about it. I will bring this to my master at once."
As he spoke, he secretly transmitted his voice to the dark-cloaked man's mind. 'Seth, we both know we can't defeat Rakun alone. I am a peak Gold Rank 3 Summoner, and you are a peak Gold Rank 3 Whisperer. He is a peak Rank 4 Berserk King. Why don't we attack together? When he's dead, we can duel for the scroll. What do you say?'
Seth's eyes flashed as he received the message. He sneered at Rakun, "Maybe this will be the last battle of the famous Raging Tiger Berserk King." Lightning crackled and intensified around him as he whispered, 'Jaikun! Lightning Saint Armor!' The electricity enveloped him, forming a crackling suit of armor with clawed gauntlets. The storm around him swelled, lightning shooting across the sky.
'Elder Zol, I never knew you were such a crafty old man,'* Seth transmitted back. *'I'll play along. Let's flank him. I have the fastest attack speed; your summon can attack his soul. When he's disoriented, I'll rush in for the kill. After he's dead, we fight.'
Seth and Zol moved to flank Rakun, each taking one side. Rakun glanced between them and laughed. "So, you've decided to work together? Good. At least now I can take you seriously. I might even break a sweat." He gripped his halberd tighter, his energy growing so potent it formed a thin, aura-like coat around him. His eyes glowed with excitement. With a flip of his hand, the scroll vanished. Gripping his halberd with both hands, he shifted his stance. "It's been so long since I used this technique. I'll use you two to sharpen my teeth." A murderous smirk played on his lips as a tiger's roar echoed faintly. "Dance of Death!"
For a moment, the world at the storm's center seemed to split in three. A tyrannical golden world, a soul-freezing pale sea of snow, and a beast-like lightning storm battled for dominance. To a distant onlooker, it would have been a terrifyingly beautiful sight.
Time seemed to freeze. The three beings stood still, a stifling silence broken only by the raging wind, roaring thunder, and the flutter of their robes. They were gasoline waiting for a spark.
'Judgment's Gaze!' Zol's voice cut through the silence.
His summon released icy blue beams of light toward Rakun. They were impossibly fast, striking him before he could react. He showed no physical wound, but his face contorted in struggle, his body seizing up.
"Seth, now!" Zol shouted.
"You don't have to remind me, old man!" Seth roared, rushing forward. His speed was so great he seemed to teleport, leaving only a trail of lightning. As he closed in, he whispered, 'Jaiten! Lightning Execution!' A giant saber made entirely of lightning formed in his right hand, and he slashed down toward Rakun's head. A direct hit would be fatal.
But as the sword descended, he caught a glimpse of Rakun's face. The struggle was gone, replaced by a bloodthirsty grin. His eyes, now locked on Seth, burned with rage and bloodlust.
"Seth, be careful! Rakun has broken—" Zol's warning was cut off.
The only thing that filled Seth's sight was Rakun lifting his halberd, and the only sound was his thundering voice. 'First Step!'
BOOM!!!
Golden light and purple lightning clashed violently in the sky.
***
Meanwhile, on the ground…
"Don't let me catch you, Chike!!!" a voice bellowed through the pouring rain. "I'll tear you limb from limb, you bastard!!"
Four bicycles zoomed across a convenience store front. One rider led the way, with three others in hot pursuit. The voice belonged to Jake, the rider of one of the pursuing bikes. His face was swollen, his lip split as if he'd just been in a fight.
"You have to catch me first, Jake!" the lead rider, Chike, shouted back over his shoulder. "Ha ha! How's your lip? I bet it stings in the rain!" His voice dripped with mockery.
"Aargh!!!! You can't run forever!!" Jake screamed, his rage evident. "Ride faster!!" he barked at the two lackeys struggling to keep up.
The high-speed chase continued through the heavy rain, Jake and his lackeys desperate to catch Chike. High above them, in the eye of the storm, beings of immense power battled, completely unaware of the petty conflict below—and vice versa.
***
Thirty minutes earlier…
"Hey there, Will. Long time no see." A figure leaned against an alley wall, blocking the path of a young boy and a girl holding his hand.
"Hello, Jake. What do you want?" Will said, stepping forward to shield the girl.
"Ouch, that was harsh, Will. Just one month out of town and you've grown fangs. Nice." Jake mocked. "Aren't you going to introduce us to the cute girl behind you?" He waved past Will. "What's her name?"
"It's none of your business, Jake. I don't want any trouble. Please, just leave us alone," Will pleaded.
Will was 14, tall for his age, and slightly taller than Jake, but slim. Jake, at 15, was more muscular, sporting a tank top with a skull on it, crazy red hair, and jeans. He did his best to look intimidating.
"Ha ha…" Jake started laughing. "Trouble? Look, guys, little Will wants no trouble. He's got a girlfriend now and thinks he can fight back." As he spoke, four other boys emerged from the shadows, surrounding Will and the girl.
"Yeah, Will's a big boy now," one of them sneered.
"Maybe we should give him a proper welcome," Jake added. "It's been a long summer; let's jog his memory. Zach, go remind him."
A chubby boy stepped forward, grinning. "Gladly."
Will raised his fists, ready to fight.
Just as Zach lunged, a rock whizzed through the air towards his face. He ducked, and the rock smacked into the boy behind him.
"Ouch! My nose!!" the boy cried, clutching his face.
"Hey, who did that?" Jake shouted.
"Jake, I see you still have nothing better to do than bully people, huh?" a voice called out. A boy stepped into the alley, casually tossing another rock in his hand.
"Chike," Jake said through clenched teeth. "This is none of your business."
"Star City is a free city. A boy can take a walk, right?" Chike said sarcastically. "I was taking a walk and saw you and your group of fools trailing Will. Thought I'd come say hi." He winked at Will. "Hi, Will. Welcome back."
Will nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Chike. How you doing?"
In a flash, Chike hurled the rock at Jake. Jake dodged, but in that moment of distraction, Will landed a solid punch on Zach's jaw.
"Aargh!!" Zach cried out, stumbling back.
Jake bellowed and charged at Chike, who sidestepped neatly and kicked Jake's legs out from under him. Chike pounced on the fallen bully, punching him repeatedly in the face.
Meanwhile, Will wrestled the startled Zach to the ground, punching him relentlessly. The other bullies were either too confused to act or were helping their rock-stricken friend.
After about twenty seconds, Chike stood up, looking down at the dazed and bleeding Jake. "That'll teach you," he murmured. He turned to Will, who was just getting to his feet after delivering a final kick to the groaning Zach. "You learned some skills this summer, huh?"
"As a kid that keeps getting beat up, I had to learn something," Will panted.
"Good. You're finally standing up for yourself." Chike nudged Will in the ribs and nodded toward the girl standing to the side, completely ignoring the death glares from Jake's crew. "Who's she?"
"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Mia. I met her on my summer holiday in South Nexus City. Her family just moved here, too!" Will's spirits lifted, a proud smile breaking through his bruises.
"She looks like she's from a big-shot family," Chike whispered, surveying her.
Mia had a smooth oval face, large dark eyes, and flowing black hair held by a flower hairpin. She wore an elegant gown with delicate flower embroidery.
"Yeah, her family is supposed to be some big deal, but don't worry, she's not stuck up like other rich kids, I promise," Will said as they walked toward Mia, ignoring the other boys.
"She's really pretty," Chike whispered.
"Thanks," Will whispered back.
As they reached Mia, Will made the introductions. "Mia, this is my best friend, Chike. Bro, this is Mia." He beamed.
While they were talking, Jake managed to get to his feet. His face was swollen, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. His eyes were red with rage as he watched the three of them chat casually, completely ignoring him. The disrespect fueled his anger even more.
He reached down, grabbed a metal pipe from the ground, and yelled, "Chike!! I'm gonna kill you!" He charged, the two able-bodied lackeys following close behind.
Startled by the yell, Chike turned. "I thought he'd stay down longer," he muttered. To Will and Mia, he said, "Run!"
Will grabbed Mia's hand and sprinted. Chike picked up another rock, hurled it at the group, and took off running.
The rock hit the same unlucky boy square on his already injured nose. "Ahh! My nose! Again!" he screamed, collapsing.
The other boys hesitated, but Jake yelled, "Leave him! If any of you stop, you'll get it too! Let's catch Chike!" He charged after his nemesis.
Chike caught up to Will and Mia. "Will, I'll go another way. He's after me, so you guys will be safe. We'll catch up later at my place tomorrow." He glanced at the darkening sky. "First things first, get Mia home. It's about to pour."
"Will you be okay?" Mia asked, her voice tight with worry.
"Don't worry," Will answered for him. "This guy is the youngest captain of the Star City high school racing team. These guys can't even dream of catching him. He'll be fine."
Chike smiled. "These guys? Catch me? Never. Just get home safe. We'll talk later." He immediately veered into a different alley as Will and Mia took another route.
Seeing them split up, Jake became even more enraged, pouring all his focus into chasing Chike. "Don't let me see you again, Will! I'll break you!!" he screamed into the rain.
After running for a while, the sky opened up, and rain began to fall in sheets. Jake and his two goons were relentless. They came across a bunch of bikes parked outside a café, their owners likely sheltering inside. Chike grabbed one, hopped on, and pedaled off. Jake and his crew did the same, giving hot pursuit.
***
Now, back in the clouds, the battle raged on.
BOOM!!!
"Hahaha!!!!" Rakun's laugh thundered. "Is this all you both can do!? I haven't even gotten started yet!"
He stood holding his halberd, a bleeding, burnt sword scar across his now bare chest. His body was covered in small, clotted cuts, and the tattered remains of his golden robe were stained with blood. His halberd, however, was clean, and the golden energy around him boiled and pulsed with power.
Zol and Seth were in worse shape. Zol's summon, Naia, was a tragic sight. Its snow-white feathers were matted with scarlet blood from numerous wounds, the largest a deep gash that nearly severed one wing. One of its eyes was blinded. Zol himself looked pale and sweaty, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His hands shook subtly as he stood panting on the bird's back.
Seth was in the worst condition. His right sleeve was empty; he had lost an arm. A deep, long claw mark bled freely on his chest, and blood seeped from his mouth. He glared at Rakun and then at Zol. *'I have to get out of here,'* he thought. 'A single scroll is not worth my life.''Jairen! LightningSteps!' he whispered. Lightning enveloped his legs as he turned to flee.
Zol and Rakun were momentarily surprised, but Zol reacted instantly. 'Icy Trail!' he shouted. His summon shot forward at blinding speed, covered in pale blue energy, leaving a trail of ice in its wake.
"You can't run away now! It's just getting fun!" Rakun roared. The golden energy around him coalesced. 'Raging Tigers' Charge!!' A tiger silhouette enveloped him, and he shot forward with fierce momentum, chasing after the fleeing figures.
Three streaks of light—gold, blue, and purple—raced across the stormy dark sky. An old lady saw them flash past her window, heading toward the hills.
"I should really go to the hospital like Susan says," she muttered to herself. "I'm starting to see things."
Not long after the lights vanished, she heard voices and the sound of water splashing.
"If you catch up, I'll put in a word for you to join the cycling team! Come on, Jake, you can do it!" It was Chike, taunting Jake as they zoomed past her house, coincidentally heading in the same direction as the three lights.
"Kids these days, always doing something dangerous," the old lady sighed, going inside to make tea.
Chike sped forward, glancing back at the furious, rain-soaked Jake. *'He sure doesn't give up, does he?'* he thought. *'I'll ditch him in the hills. He's not skilled enough to keep up in that terrain.'* He picked up speed, heading for the marshlands with Jake close behind.
***
Back in the sky...
'Seventh Step! Behemoth Slash!' Rakun's voice boomed as he swung his halberd toward the fleeing figures. A giant golden arc of energy tore through the sky.
Zol's summon screeched, creating a massive shield of ice. The golden slash crashed into it, shattering the shield, but Zol and his bird managed to deflect the attack. The slash, weakened but not dissipated, shot toward Seth.
Seth felt it coming—his instincts screamed that it would kill him. He turned, facing the attack, and the lightning around him skyrocketed. 'Jaikulin! Scarlet Lightning Saint Shield!' The lightning around him turned a violent scarlet, forming a giant, spiked shield.
Zol's eyes lit up. Seeing his chance while Rakun closed in, he shouted, 'Blind Rage!' Naia spewed a white mist. But instead of aiming at Rakun, the mist shot toward Seth, who was still bracing against the golden slash. Seth couldn't react in time, and the mist seeped into him.
A grim smile touched Zol's lips. He immediately broke through the cloud layer, diving straight for the hills below. His ice wings reappeared as he dismissed his summon. A small, blinking turtle-shaped totem appeared in his hand. "Time to get out of here," he whispered.
Seth didn't know what Zol had done, but he knew it was nothing good. As the golden slash and his shield finally dissipated, he saw Rakun speeding toward him. He was still confident he could outrun the Berserker, but not his powerful attacks. He turned to flee.
Suddenly, violent, all-consuming rage flooded his mind. The urge to run was smothered by a primal need to attack, to kill Rakun at any cost. His soul was blinded by bloodlust.
"Aaargh!!!!" he bellowed, turning back toward his pursuer. 'Jairoten!! Heaven's Rage, Scarlet Colossus Palm!'
The very heavens seemed to roar. All the lightning in the area gathered around him, turning a deadly scarlet, matching his eyes. The energy formed the faint silhouette of a giant made of scarlet lightning. The colossal figure stretched its palm toward the oncoming Rakun.
Rakun was shocked by Seth's sudden turn and the repeated use of life-draining Scarlet spells. 'Does he want to take me with him to the grave?' He stared down the incoming palm. 'Let's see him try!'
"Seth! I don't know what you're thinking, but this won't be enough to kill me! I may be hurt, but it's still lacking!" Even as he spoke, he knew the power of that attack. He was completely serious now. The golden energy around him vanished, coalescing entirely onto his lifted halberd. Protective armor materialized on his body. 'Eighth Step, World Splitter!'
Rakun's halberd grew immense, its blade gleaming with power so sharp it seemed to slice the air itself. Though smaller than the giant palm, the power concentrated within it made the very world seem to weep.
***
Below...
Chike had led Jake into the marsh hills. As he prepared to lose his pursuer, he felt a shift in the air, a pressure building above. He stopped and looked up. Through the heavy rain, he saw a pale blue flash rushing toward them. Higher up, red lightning formed a colossal figure, and a golden light raced to meet it. 'Am I seeing things?' he wondered.
Jake finally caught up, seeing Chike standing still, staring at the sky. "Have you finally gotten tired? Surrendered? I swear I'm going to kill—" He too saw the blue flash and felt it—a terrifying presence that made the world feel heavy and cold. It was pure, primal fear.
Zol was almost at the cross-plane portal. He poured his energy into the turtle totem, which glowed brightly. As he neared the ground, he noticed two kids on strange machines staring at him. They stood near the convergence point—a huge dead tree. He ignored them, retracting his aura as much as possible. This was no time to worry about mortal witnesses.
Zol sped past the boys, placed the totem on the tree's surface, and watched as it was absorbed. Strange symbols flared to life, and a tunnel-like structure swirled into existence. Through it, Zol saw a thick forest. He sighed in relief and jumped through, vanishing in a flash.
For Jake and Chike, those were the worst moments of their lives. The stifling aura of the blue flash—now clearly a bleeding, pale old man—made them feel death was imminent. They fell to their knees without realizing it. Ice formed on their clothes. Blood seeped from their eyes, ears, and noses. They couldn't breathe. Just as consciousness began to fade, the pressure vanished.
They lay on the ground, gasping, struggling to find the strength to stand, when a deafening noise ripped through the sky.
BOOM!!
***
Above...
As the giant scarlet palm and the gleaming halberd collided, time seemed to freeze. In that suspended moment, the bloodlust cleared from Seth's eyes, replaced by horrified realization. Rakun's face was a mask of strain as he pushed to pierce the colossal hand.
BOOM!!!!!
The explosion was cataclysmic, dispersing the clouds for miles and sending shockwaves in every direction. The city below rattled; houses shook, and car alarms blared. Residents who looked up saw only a blinding glow, luckily too high to make out the battling figures.
When the light faded, Seth and Rakun were visible again. Seth, already in bad shape, was now a wreck. A patch of skin was missing from half his face, and a deep wound on his chest exposed bone. *'That damned old man set me up,'* he thought, his body failing.
Rakun was also heavily injured. His armor was shattered. One arm hung by mere threads of flesh and bone. A large gash narrowly missed his eye, and blood gushed from his mouth and reopened chest wound. They hovered, panting, staring each other down.
"Did you break through to Gold Rank 4 just now?" Rakun asked, catching his breath. "Because a Rank 3 couldn't hurt me like this."
"Yes. I broke through to the mid-stage of Rank 4," Seth wheezed. "Now we are in the same rank. Fighting is useless; you can have the scroll." He was trying to negotiate for his life, showing he could now inflict serious harm.
After a moment of silence, Rakun said, "I agree. I underestimated you…" A terrifying smile spread across his bloody face. "…but who said we were in the same rank?"
Rakun gripped his halberd with his good hand. A terrifying energy, leagues above his former power, erupted from him. He felt like the emperor of the world. The storm clouds that had gathered once more instantly turned gold, proclaiming his superiority.
As Seth felt that energy, dread filled his entire being. It was the urge to run and the urge to bow, all at once.
'Shit! He broke through directly to Berserk Emperor rank! I need to get out of here now!!''Jaiden! Scarlet Lightning Sacrifice!' He immediately cast his strongest forbidden escape technique. A bolt of scarlet lightning struck him, and he vanished, reappearing just outside the cloud layer, close to the dead tree. He threw his own activated turtle totem toward the tree and sped forward.
On the ground, Jake and Chike were subjected to this new, far more terrifying aura. As they struggled to their feet, the shockwave from the explosion knocked them back to their knees, disorienting and dizzying them. They tried to crawl away from the danger.
Chike managed to stand, but immediately felt a new presence materialize near the dead tree. He had stumbled directly in front of it just as it absorbed Seth's totem, opening another silvery tunnel.
Rakun was surprised by Seth's speed but acted instantly. He lifted his halberd, pointing it at the distant, fleeing figure. *'Final Step! Death's Touch!'* His newfound energy concentrated into a single, terrifyingly condensed beam of gold that shot forward.
Seth had reappeared and was inches from the portal when he saw a human kid blocking his path. In his blind rage, he lifted his hand to vaporize the obstruction. But before he could, Rakun's attack connected. He felt his organs disintegrate, death creeping in. His final thought was one of bitter regret. *'A powerful Whisperer like me, dying in a weak plane like this... the biggest joke ever.'* The light left his eyes as his lifeless body was hurled toward the boy at a terrifying speed.
Chike was dizzy, his vision blurry as he tried to get his bearings. He felt something heavy and dangerous approaching. As his sight cleared, he saw a man's body colliding with him at high velocity, knocking him unconscious. The last thing he saw before darkness took him was the silvery tunnel closing in front of his face. Then, all was black.