"Ready, let's go!" Alita exclaimed as she focused her power to immobilize the beast. The ground beneath the creature began to harden and compress, pinning it in place. The beast roared furiously, realizing it could no longer move freely. It tried to break free with brute force, but each attempt only caused Alita to reinforce her grip.
"It's incredibly strong," Alita murmured between gasps, feeling her energy drain rapidly.
"Don't worry, I'll help you," Nakia said, transforming into her alternate form. Her wings grew even larger, and with an elegant motion, she unleashed a flurry of feathers that turned into magical vines. These wrapped around the beast, further restricting its movements.
On Another Front…
"How's the evacuation going?" Ariafilis asked one of the soldiers as she surveyed the chaos.
"It's going well, my lady. We're leading everyone out of the kingdom through the southern gate," the soldier replied, though his tone betrayed some concern. "But there are still many people trapped."
Suddenly, a massive boulder flew toward them. Unable to move freely, the beast had spread its enormous wings, causing several structures to collapse. Ludra reacted quickly and, with a powerful kick, shattered the boulder before it could strike the civilians.
"Wow, you're always amazing!" Ban exclaimed, impressed by Ludra's skill.
"Right? That kid Ron and Lord Rodelos aren't the only strong ones here," she responded with a confident smile.
"We'd better help the others," Ban said, turning his attention back to the situation. Meanwhile, Lucca used his staff like a propeller, repelling debris and sending it flying away to prevent casualties among the citizens.
"Come on, hurry, get out of here!" Lukeandria shouted as she drove a carriage at full speed, ferrying groups of people toward the outskirts of the kingdom.
A group of elders watched the scene with expressions of terror. One of them muttered: "I didn't know! The monster from centuries ago has returned to exact revenge! That infernal beast emerged because they desecrated the hero's tomb!"
"Why do you say that, elder?" Lukeandria asked, approaching with curiosity.
"It's an enormous beast known as Lavafire. Legend has it that it was defeated by the ancient hero, who sealed it deep within the kingdom using a magical weapon. But now… it seems someone desecrated the site and allowed it to escape," the elder explained, visibly shaken.
"Wow, what a 'great' hero… Just putting the beast to sleep instead of killing it. It's like leaving a latent danger ready to awaken at any moment," Lukeandria commented, somewhat indignant about the supposed great hero's decision. However, noticing the fear on the elders' faces, she softened her tone and added: "Well, well, thank you for the information, sir. But leave it to the new heroes. We'll take care of it."
"Oh, Paltio, I hope you can get out of this!" Lukeandria thought as she left the group safely behind and sprinted back to the battlefield to assist the others.
Ron ran toward one of the beast's legs, attempting to bring it down alongside Rodelos and Chiki. Despite their combined efforts, the creature was too powerful; they only managed to push it back a few centimeters. Meanwhile, Alita and Nakia worked together to weaken the other leg, reinforcing their magical hold.
Lume, in his alternate form, launched a coordinated attack alongside his three duplicates against the beast. However, the creature didn't even flinch, shrugging off the blows as if they were mere annoying pinpricks.
"Geki, launch me over there! That's the spot Paltio indicated. It's our chance," Mok said urgently.
Geki quickly improvised a catapult-like mechanism to launch Mok toward the beast's abdomen. "I'm going with you. You'll need help," Rykaru declared, determined to accompany him.
Both climbed onto the catapult and were launched toward their target. Unfortunately, the arrow they used as support broke midair, but thanks to Mok's air ring and Rykaru managing to dig his claws into the beast's skin, they managed to hold on.
"Not bad, little Rykaru," Mok said as he precariously clung to the young cub.
"Now all you have to do is use your sword to save my daddy," Rykaru said with determination.
Mok shook his head. "Damn it, I'm still tired and injured… You'd better use it, little buddy. I don't think I can hold on any longer. The last battle left me completely drained," the butler replied, weakly hanging onto Rykaru's hand.
"No, no! You're not leaving me with something this hard. I don't even know how to use a sword!" Rykaru protested, visibly nervous.
"It doesn't matter. Just make a cut when Paltio gives you the signal. I trust you," Mok said before letting go and falling.
"No, Mok! If you die, my daddy will be so sad!" Rykaru shouted, desperate.
"Don't worry, I've got him!" Toco-Toco intervened, transforming into his larger form and catching Mok on his back just before he hit the ground.
"Rykaru, everything depends on you now, my dear son," Paltio said through Golden's mental link. His voice was firm, but it also reflected the pressure of the moment.
"Listen, Rykaru. Be brave. I know you can do it," Paltio encouraged, instilling courage in the little one.
"At my signal, Rykaru," Paltio continued. "3, 2, 1… Now!"
Rykaru made a swift motion, as if swinging an invisible sword. Simultaneously, Paltio launched a powerful punch from inside the beast. Both attacks collided at a critical point, creating a small fissure in the creature's body—but large enough for Paltio to escape.
"It's now or never!" Golden exclaimed, using his telekinesis to push Paltio out of the beast. Through the crack emerged Paltio, who was quickly caught by Rykaru just in time. As soon as he exited, lava began to pour from the wound, sealing it once again.
"Damn it! That beast is incredibly powerful! How are we supposed to defeat it?" Rodelos shouted as he did everything in his power to halt the creature's advance.
Seeing that Rodelos and the others were slowing its progress, the beast decided to change tactics. With a deafening roar, it raised its massive fists and slammed them into the ground, unleashing a devastating shockwave. Everyone was repelled by the force of the impact, and several nearby structures collapsed under the pressure.
Rodelos, Ron, and Chiki were sent flying through the air by the beast's powerful punch against the ground. However, just before they could crash, one of Lume's illusory duplicates appeared to catch them, cushioning their fall.
The beast, realizing something was slowing its advance, prepared to unleash another of its devastating attacks with its massive fists.
"No, you won't do it again!" Rodelos shouted as he tried to stop one of the creature's arms, aided by Ron and Chiki. But the arm was immensely heavy, and the pressure was overwhelming. It was practically impossible to hold it back.
With its other arm free, the beast wasted no time in delivering a second punch to the ground. "You won't!" Geki exclaimed, transforming into his giant turtle form and positioning himself directly at the point of impact. His shell withstood the blow, though it vibrated violently under the force of the attack.
"Come on, Rykaru! If we can reach its head, maybe we can finish this thing," Paltio said as he observed the scene from his position.
"All right!" Rykaru responded with determination. He began scaling the side of the beast quickly, carrying Paltio on his back. The scorching heat radiating from the creature's skin made every movement even more difficult, but Rykaru refused to give up. He knew that everyone's fate depended on his success.
Everyone was fighting with all their might against the colossal monster, but no one was certain if they could truly defeat it. The battle seemed endless, and despair was beginning to take its toll on some hearts.
Nevertheless, despite the adversities, each of them pressed on, clinging to the hope that together they could find a way to bring down the beast. Every strike, every strategy, every sacrifice had a purpose: to protect the innocent and save Reedalia.