The battlefield quaked under the weight of an unrelenting storm. The psychic juggernaut, Josue, continued his ominous march toward the village, power radiating off him like a second sun.
Colonel Johnston narrowed his eyes and reached for his gloves. Flames flickered at his fingertips—hot, wild, ready to consume.He clenched his jaw. If fire alone won't stop him… then I'll give them Hell itself.
Just as he began pulling his gloves off, a hand suddenly clamped down on his wrist.
"Don't be so reckless, Colonel," said a smooth, teasing voice.
Startled, Johnston turned to see a man casually standing beside him, his presence undetected until now. A hunter's cloak billowed in the wind, and a half-smile tugged at his lips.
It was Justin—the notorious bounty hunter.
"You again…" Johnston muttered.
By nullifying the sound of his movements, Justin had approached both Johnston and Harrison without so much as a whisper. Stealth was his craft, and in moments like these, it proved invaluable.
Justin's voice turned serious. "I know all too well how dangerous those flames can be." He rolled up a sleeve, revealing faded, raw burn scars trailing up his arm like a haunting memory. "Dealing with this guy is bad enough. If you go out of control too, there'll be more than just scorched earth—there'll be real casualties."
Colonel Johnston looked away, silently conceding the point. He hated it—but Justin was right.
Breaking the tense silence, Harrison stepped in, scratching the back of his head with a grin. "Okay, okay, enough with the gloomy drama. Anyone got a plan for actually beating this guy?"
Justin turned to Harrison, eyes narrowing with a smug glint. "Oh, I do. After all... he's not the only one hiding his true power."
Harrison sighed heavily. "Tch… maybe you're right."
He raised his right hand slowly, positioning his fingers as if to summon something.
"It looks like I have no choice."
But before anything could happen—BOOM!
An explosion thundered across the battlefield.
Josue, still mid-stride toward the village, was struck head-on by a bolt of energy.
The smoke cleared—and from the haze emerged Christian, lightning crackling across his body.
Harrison's eyes widened, then curved into a grin. "Looks like I don't have to do it just yet…"
Eve and Koa then approached, walking through the debris and ash toward the group. Eve's eyes shimmered with resolve, her every step deliberate.
"Eve? Koa?" Harrison blinked in surprise. "What are you two doing here? This is dangerous—especially you, Eve."
She met his concern with unwavering conviction. "Mr. Harrison… I need your help."
Meanwhile…
Josue continued his march through the wreckage, ignoring the earlier attack like a passing breeze.
Christian narrowed his gaze, electricity swirling around him like a thunderstorm given form.
"Well, aren't you a tough one," he muttered, electricity tattooing itself up and down his arms like coiling serpents.
"Shout out to Rax for inspiring this one," he said with a grin, raising both arms high above his head. With a roar, he brought them down like a divine judgment.
"Lightning Slash!"
A crescent of pure lightning erupted from his strike, cutting through the battlefield and heading straight for Josue.
Josue's eyes widened.
He could feel it—this wasn't an attack he could ignore.
He raised a hand instinctively, forming a shimmering psychic barrier. But the Lightning Slash struck with overwhelming force. Josue dug in his heels, forced to brace with both hands.
"What the hell…?" he thought, panic creeping into his usually cold mind. "How is this kid… pushing me back?!"
Christian's power surged. His aura swelled until even the skies responded—storm clouds gathering, thunder booming overhead. Lightning rained down like divine wrath, each bolt fueling the growing attack.
"I always ran away…" Christian thought, the memory of Rax and the dragon woman flashing through his mind. "But not anymore. Everyone says my power is different. This time—I won't run. I'M GOING TO FIGHT!"
His scream echoed like a war cry, and the storm answered.
The Lightning Slash doubled in size, forcing Josue back even further.
"YOU WON'T STOP ME! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!!" Josue bellowed.
Then—
KA-BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion rocked the earth, engulfing both fighters in blinding light and shattering shockwaves.
[Flashback – Moments Before the Assault]
As they began to head out, Christian, Eve, and Koa stood ready.
Teddy stepped forward, adjusting his glasses. "So… how exactly do you plan to beat him?"
Christian shrugged, then smirked. "Punch him in the face. Duh."
Koa laughed. "Simple. I like it."
Teddy sighed, but Eve stepped forward, serious.
"If I can get close… really close, with his energy fields down… I think I can stop him."
Koa looked at her skeptically. "You? No offense, but the swordsman and fire guy couldn't do it. What makes you think you can?"
The uncertainty hung thick in the air.
Then Teddy spoke. "We can. But we need everyone—even the bounty hunter. Eve, can you reach out to him telepathically?"
Eve nodded and closed her eyes, reaching across the battlefield with her mind.
Teddy turned to Christian.
"For this plan to work… we need you to deliver the first strike."
Christian raised an eyebrow. "Me? Why me?"
Teddy's eyes were serious. "Christian… you're stronger than you think. When I accessed your data through my mom's system, something stood out. Your powers aren't normal. I thought it was a glitch—until I talked to Mr. Harrison."
Christian leaned in.
"He told me… he never saved you."
Christian blinked. "What?"
Teddy nodded. "You saved yourself."
The words hit like a thunderclap.
"You have a power in you that even science doesn't understand. And now we need you to harness it—to stop him."
Back to the Present
The dust settled. Christian stood tall—until his knees buckled, and he collapsed from exhaustion, his lightning finally flickering out.
The others looked on in anticipation.
Then…
A foot emerged from the smoke.
Josue.
Unscathed. Unbroken. But—something was missing.
Harrison's eyes narrowed. "His energy barrier… it's gone."
Eve placed two fingers to her temple. "Teddy. Can you hear me?"
Teddy's voice rang through her mind.
"Yeah. Did it work?"
"It worked. His barrier is down."
"Perfect… That means it's time. I'm counting on you all."
Eve's eyes flared with determination as the group stepped forward, one final clash on the horizon.
To Be Continued…