The mysterious group of cloaked figures rushed towards Henry. Their energies meshed with each other.
Henry growled and prepared himself. Dust blew from his feet.
"Your entire family is a threat," the female cloaked figure claimed and sheathed her katana. Instantly, she faded in and out, and she disappeared completely.
Henry's eyes opened wide and blinked frequently. "She turned invisible," he remarked in disbelief.
The female cloaked figure appeared in front of him and threw a punch at his face.
Henry reacted quickly and swerved his head to the side. He threw a jab.
The female cloaked figure disappeared again and reappeared behind him. She pushed Henry towards his partners and giggled.
The other cloaked figures unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks.
Henry clenched his teeth, and he dodged the incoming attacks. In pure instinct, he redirected unavoidable attacks to other parts of his body. He could not afford taking a direct fatal blow. He retaliated with a few kicks of his own, creating distance.
The cloaked figures backed away.
The female cloaked figure chuckled and remarked, "Your reflexes are impressive for a human. It's nothing to sneeze at."
While Henry was busy fighting the cloaked figures, loud sounds from the battle echoed in the bedrooms of the house.
Stark yawned loudly and stretched. "Is it morning," he asked with his eyes closed.
Matteo rubbed his eyes and sat up.
Hafen quickly swung his blanket off him, revealing his light blue pajamas, and he sat on the edge of the bed with a fully awake state.
Adelia stood by his bed and stared out the window with a concerned expression. She cradled her sleeping baby, Ana.
Hafen looked around and noticed his bedtime book, titled Legend of The Ghost Girl, on the floor. He picked it up and placed it on his bed. He glanced at his foster mother and queried, "What's wrong?"
Adelia sweated profusely and swallowed with a click, breaking the silence. "Stay put for now, boys! When we can, we'll make a run for it," she responded.
Stark and Matteo looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean," Stark questioned.
Just then, blows of energy boomed.
Matteo jumped. "What was that," he demanded to know. He hid under his blanket and trembled.
Adelia gritted her teeth, and her eyes watered.
Hafen narrowed his eyes. He crawled on top of his bed and moved the curtain. He stared through the window, and his eyes swiftly opened wide. "It's father! He's fighting," he alerted.
Stark rushed off his bed and hurried to the window. He pried, too.
"Lay back down, boys. Don't look," Adelia urged.
Matteo, interested, walked to the window with his index finger slightly touching his lower lip.
Together, Hafen, Stark, Matteo, and Adelia witnessed the ongoing brawl with hope for Henry to be victorious.
Simultaneously, the cloaked figures lunged and attacked Henry.
Henry weaved out of the way and managed them.
However, the female cloaked figure, from earlier, appeared again from nothingness. Her kick ferociously connected with Henry's gut.
Henry spluttered blood with anguish, and his eyes were impossibly wide. He felt his insides sway and bruise with the mighty blow.
An explosion of energy emerged, and the trees swayed. The windows of the house shook, and smoke covered the scene.
Henry flew back and crashed near the porch. He bounced off and slid on the dirt. Coughing out more blood, he groaned in pain and laid.
The Exalted One smiled. "Are you already done," he inquired.
Sabre frowned and pouted with disappointment.
Without his straw hat, Henry grunted and slowly stood up a few seconds later. "Darn you," he cursed and panted. He stumbled around on his feet. His white shirt was torn up. He pulled it off, exposing his muscular and honed upper body.
Some of the cloaked figures chanted around the house. They held their hands together, and they glowed with an ominous energy.
Henry's mouth became downturned, and his eyebrows furrowed. "What are they doing," he stuttered and interrogated. "Leave us alone! We just want to live peacefully! Screw your evil ways," he insisted frantically.
"Pathetic," Sabre mocked.
The female cloaked figure revealed, "We will eliminate any threats and obstacles in the way of our plans. All for our goals of improving the world!"
"You have no idea who you're messing with and what I'm capable of," Henry announced and gritted his teeth. He raised his arms and groaned loudly. In a flash, he shone with pure energy.
Pure energy covered his body and moved upwards to his hands. It floated in the air above him and flowed around.
Henry grunted and controlled it into a condensed ball. "I heard about the crimes of your organization, liars. Pursuing genocide of humanity is not right. It's not improving the world in the slightest," he proclaimed.
The condensed ball of pure energy expanded immensely and radiated an enormous light. It was impossible to dodge due to its size and distance.
The cloaked figures hesitated to approach and nervously stepped back, instead. They stammered and murmured with themselves.
From the house, Stark, Matteo, and Hafen observed in awe. A glimmer of hope reflected off their eyes.
Adelia clenched her fist and whispered, "Take them down."
"All of you! Your reign of terror and destruction ends here with my signature technique. Now! Energy Bomb," Henry yelled and swiftly swung his arms forward with his whole body.
Energy Bomb traversed through the farm and consumed the cloaked figures, including The Exalted One and Sabre. A huge explosion occurred and knocked everyone away. Massive winds blew and toppled any nearby trees.
After the smoke dissipated, the farm was scorched and destroyed. A large path was created, and there was a huge crater at the end.
The house was slightly damaged more than before. A portion of the roofing was obliterated, exposing the bedrooms from the top.
Henry breathed heavily and stood with a slouch. His knees slightly bent, and his arms relaxed and hung.
Scattered all over on the scorched ground, the cloaked figures laid motionless.
Stark's jaw remained down for a couple of seconds. "I can't believe dad had this much power," he stuttered.
"He's amazing," Matteo exclaimed and hopped with delight.
"He's the strongest," Hafen affirmed and smiled.
Adelia looked at her adopted sons and patted their heads. "Now, head back to sleep," she suggested.
"Wait," Hafen refused with a worried look.
Adelia turned and stared back outside. Her eyes widened in shock.
In a turn of events, some of the cloaked figures gradually stood back up. Revealing parts of their identity, pieces of their cloaks were burnt off, and pieces of their masks were broken off.
Annoyed, The Exalted One steadily sat up and rubbed his head. He coughed.
Sabre got to his hands and knees. His chest heaved, and he growled in frustration.
Henry frowned in bewilderment. "How," he wanted to know.
The Exalted One, smiling, asserted, "You are one of a kind, Henry. Unfortunately for you, my organization is filled with one of a kind's."
The remaining cloaked figures chuckled maliciously and loomed closer.
Henry clenched his fists and declared, "I'll protect my family. No matter what!" He handed them a fierce glare.
"Let's test how resilient you are," a cloaked figure challenged.
In the next moment, the remaining cloaked figures charged at Henry.
Henry, determined, defended himself.
A cloaked figure threw a punch with a furry arm.
Henry caught his hand. He grappled and slammed him onto the ground.
Another cloaked figure lunged behind him. His body sounded metallic.
Henry noticed his black metallic hand.
A contraption opened on the metallic cloaked figure's arm, projecting a spinning blade. He swung it at Henry.
Henry slapped his arm and diverted his attack. He swiftly elbowed his face and blasted him away with a condensed ball of pure energy.
The metallic cloaked figure bounced off the ground and collided with a giant root of a tree.
A slimmer cloaked figure, the female from before, rushed towards him. She wielded her strange sword, the katana. Its blade oozed an aura of energy. She attempted to cut him.
Henry clasped his bare hands and carefully held the blade in place. He yanked it out of her grasp.
The female cloaked figure gasped. She quickly regained her composure. She flipped and kneed Henry in the chin. A strand of grey hair fell out of her torn hood.
Henry, staggered, let go of the katana and stumbled back.
The female cloaked figure gripped her katana and slashed across his chest. A blue flame sparked out of her katana. She leaped and attempted to take his life with another swing.
Henry clutched a large gash on his chest as blood poured out. He clenched his teeth and rolled out of the way of her attack. He punched her on the side of her waist and palmed the underside of her arm.
Thus, the female cloaked figure stepped forward to regain her balance, making her more punishable.
In an instant, Henry kicked her katana out of her hands and grabbed her arm. Utilizing his entire body for the maneuver, he swung her over and threw her away.
A barrier surrounded the female cloaked figure before she crashed into a tree. She floated to the ground, and her cloak fluttered.
Perplexed, Henry looked at her and complained, "Are you serious? I have to face them all at once." He became serious and murmured with frustration, "These techniques of my foes vary widely. I have to survive their unexpecting attacks. Then, I have to figure out a weakness for each one of them. What a challenging thing to do. Even for me."
Meanwhile, the metallic cloaked figure, from before, had his body open up. He maniacally laughed. A contraption emerged, and a small, mechanical snake jumped out.
The mechanical snake hissed and charged at Henry.
Henry evaded its attempt to bite him with a stern glare. He grabbed it and launched it away.
The mechanical snake activated its propulsions and turned around midair. It flew back with its jaw open. Its long, sharp, and venomous fangs were in full display.
Henry covered his arm with a thick layer of energy. He punched into its mouth.
The mechanical snake's fangs broke apart alongside everything else. Its pieces and wires scattered.
Another cloaked figure leaped at him. He held a stick which extended into a long staff. He flipped and swung it down at him.
Henry blocked it with his forearm and shuddered. He clutched his head as he remembered seeing that same staff before. "Where did you get that? Who are you," he interrogated and pushed him back.
The cloaked figure remained silent. He hopped side to side and spun his staff behind him, almost in a teasing manner. He lunged forward and swung it towards him.
Henry attempted to dodge the attacks.
However, the cloaked figure was fast and relentless. He hit him on the legs and the arms.
Unable to think straight, Henry staggered and struggled to stand.
Not finished, the cloaked figure hopped in place and twirled the staff. He struck Henry in the head and sent him flying.
At the same time, a different cloaked figure prepared a ball of highly pressured water, infused with energy. He tossed it. His cloak fluttered open, exposing his wrinkly, blue scaled skin and a pair of fins on his calves.
The ball exploded upon contact with Henry.
Henry screamed and crashed against the porch, completely obliterating it.
The cloaked figures were not done, yet.
The female cloaked figure ignited a big ball of blue fire out of her hands and threw it at him. She fell to one knee and panted. "I'm losing too much energy for one human," she muttered in frustration.
At the same time, the metallic cloaked figure opened contraptions on his shoulders and fired missiles. His missiles were also infused with energy.
Both attacks exploded into a massive fiery fest. Its shockwave shattered the house's windows. It knocked Stark, Hafen, Matteo, and Adelia to the back wall and floor. Smoke filled the bedrooms, and the walls facing the porch crumbled.
In a large cloud of smoke, Adelia coughed and looked down, checking on her baby.
Ana slept peacefully.
Adelia sighed in relief. She slowly stood up and called out, "Boys, are you alright?" She rushed to help them.
Hafen, Matteo, and Stark sat on their bum and groaned in pain. They were alive.
Adelia held her kids close and rubbed their heads in a comforting manner. She glanced outside and worried for her husband.
As the moon shone, Pepe had awoken in the middle of the forest. He panicked and fell off a high branch. He reached up and hung from it. "Huh? Where am I? What happened," he interrogated.
The girl of the depths stood on the branch near him and stared at the unrecognizable farm. "I can't believe you," she grumbled and curled her lips inwards. She pulled out a potato and chewed on it.
"Did you get that from their farm," Pepe interrogated.
With a mouthful, the girl nodded.
Henry, injured and bloodied, laid on the ground. His head tilted back, and his mouth hung open. His eyes rolled back, and an eerie snore came from him. Blood seeped out and formed a puddle.
Sabre chuckled and suggested, "Let's hold off on killing the rest of the family. I want to play with them for a bit."
The Exalted One obliged and sighed.
"Dad! Get up," Stark, Hafen, and Matteo called out.
Henry's eyes snapped back, and he gasped for air. He wheezed and sat up angrily. Blood trickled down his forehead. His clothes were tattered, and he was barely alive. Still, he was determined to protect his family.
The Exalted One noticed. "You're a stubborn fool," he pointed out and smirked.
The cloaked figures surrounded Henry. They were ready to finish him off.
Henry clenched his fists and looked around in a frenzy. Losing his strength, he winced and looked down in defeat. He sighed. He was on the verge of death, and the cloaked figures were not letting up. Would this be where he dies? Just then, he looked to the side and distinguished something that revitalized and pushed him forward.
"Dad! Win," Hafen, Matteo, and Stark urged loudly and raised their fists in unison.
From his broken home, Henry's family watched him and cheered for him to get back up and win.
Henry has survived through everything the cloaked figures have thrown at him and vice versa. Will he be able to find a way to put an end to their nefarious schemes before he gives out? Will he protect his family and ensure peace once and for all?