The battle was about to start against Deaby's new form, Shiko activated of his new skills that he obtained due leveling up, this ability allowed him to have a boost in all his stats during a specific time frame, the skill time depends on the level of the user, the name of the skill is "Swordman Art 1". Once Shiko activated his skill, he addressed some words to Asuka and Lyn.
-Shiko: Asuka… I need you to be out of combat for a while, judging on Zene's HP, he is on a critical state, his wound doesn't need to be healed unlike the one I had against Nancy, you will take a while, but you can save him.
-Asuka: Alright, looking at your new skill, you don't need my magic for now, but without another DPS the fight will be harder.
-Lyn: Do not worry my child, I will continue to defend you from any stupid things you do, I don't like you… but trust me.
-Shiko: Lyn, be careful of his attacks, they might have higher crit rate than average.
After those words, Shiko used one of his new skills -Fire active! - making the sword's edge be surrounded in a magic fire.
-Asuka: Shiko, don't you remember that guy made from rubber, his skill that ignited his hand in fire from nowhere?
-Shiko: Got it, but I rather comment on that later.
-Deaby: If you aren't capable in fighting me in my regular form even if you were 4, what else makes you think you can defeat me with only 2?
-Shiko: I don't think we could, but I'm sure we will defeat you.
Deaby took Shiko's words as a challenge and opened his mouth, and from it spawned a big dark magic beam -Doom! - he screamed while casting, forcing Shiko to block with his sword, but thanks to the boost of his skill and his flaming sword, this was too little power for him, giving him the chance to attack, but Deaby already know so instants after launching the attack he quickly got close to Shiko to try and hurt him with his claws that he acquired in his hands in his new form, but Shiko already had experience with Deaby's movement, he managed to dodge, countering his frontal attack with his sword, giving Deaby barely any time to dodge, achieving to get a cut in his face. Deaby was surprised by the scratch, after touching the wound he smiled – Well player – he said to Shiko, the lunging against him and trying to hurt him with his claws once again, Shiko, was reading his movements again trying to see an opening to dodge, and this time Lyn in a attempt to corner Deaby, attacked Deaby's back to punch him, and once he got cornered, he predicted where Shiko's sword slash could go, managing to get to the side to take the sword with a hand and stop Lyn's punch with the other.
The three of them were on position with no movements left, they struggled to disengage, and they freed themselves at the same time.
-Shiko: Lyn, I need you to be his target once more, my boost is running out and to use it again, I must recharge for a while.
-Lyn: Shiko, I need some healing for myself, once I finish using my movement, I need some Healing item.
-Shiko: I'll give you a potion after that, if you will do me a favor.
Both of them full of confidence smiled at each other, and looked back to the front to apply their strategy, then Lyn used "Love" leaving Deaby motionless, allowing Shiko to recharge his "Swordman" phase to activate it again, making Deaby angry.
-Deaby: Hey swordsman, I'll give you a challenge, I'm very interested in your fighting spirit.
-Shiko: And why should I accept your foul play?
Deaby: Since you've dared to participate as the sole attacker, and stand up to me, I want to gauge your strength level. -Shiko: What is this about?
-Deaby: We will do a "Deathmatch", your sword against my claws, the one who gets tired first will receive a critical attack from the winner, I don't want to get bored with you quickly, so if I manage to win, I won't kill you Kyakakakaka!
-Asuka: Shiko, don't listen to him, obviously he plans to play dirty, and with this chit chat you lose time of your boost.
-Lyn: Asuka is right, let's continue fighting him.
-Lyn: Asuka is right, let's continue fighting him. Without thinking about it, Shiko used a strong attack against Deaby, but when he predicted it, he managed to block the attack with his claws, causing both of them to collide their weapons, followed by this movement, Deaby attacked with his other hand, Shiko quickly dodged it and launched another attack towards Deaby, this being predictable again made the monster dodge him in an easy way, this act was repeated many times until Shiko's boost reached its limit leaving him an easy target but when Deaby saw the opportunity to hurt Shiko, Lyn stepped in to receive the block, putting his arms as a shield. Deaby, fed up with Lyn's interruptions, kicked her away in the stomach, and followed by his attack he pointed a finger at Shiko as he did with Zene -Dark! - and launched that beam of black magic again -Imbecile! - Shiko shouted very angrily and from one moment to the next he appeared behind Deaby. When Deaby reacted, his right arm went into the air, and he screamed in pain, "Aaahggg! D-Damn it! At what point did you moved like that!? - he exclaimed enraged and full of suffering "It's the last skill I have acquired for my level, I had it saved to surprise you at the right time, and you finally dared to let your guard down" Shiko replied very confident of having made a critical move.
"You're an idiot!" Deaby exclaimed with a mocking smile despite feeling hellish pain, then he used his speed to appear at one point in front of Asuka, the girl scared of the movement got up from where she was healing Zene and put herself on guard "Thank you for giving me the movement I wanted" Deaby replied, and then he cut off Zene's right arm, to stick it to himself and continue fighting – Kyakakakaka! Thanks to my new shape, my blood reacts to someone else's limbs! Did you know that if my race finds blood compatible with us, it can be attached to us? Thanks to this, I have his arm now! Zene was unconscious, so he didn't feel the pain, but his HP went down critically again, making all of Asuka's effort in vain.
-Lyn: Bastard! Now you have dared to make me angry!
-Shiko: Damn, he knows that we must be careful, and he has used Asuka's reflexes to take advantage of that.
-Lyn: Shiko, I'm going to distract him once again so that you use your technique and hit him in a place where you can cripple him or make him move less.
-Shiko: Okay, but you also have to get away from Zene again, Asuka. Can you use you heal again?
-Asuka: I had already planned it, we can't let him die despite his condition, although now it will be more difficult for me since I will have to stop his bleeding.
-Lyn: Well, let's hurry up.
Wasting no more time, Lyn used "Love" to pull Deaby to her, giving Asuka a chance to move Zene to another point and retrieve him, and so Shiko used her "Blade dash" technique once again, to cut off both wings, leaving them in serious condition.
-Rascal! I want to see if you are able to move against your own shadow!- were Deaby's words when his patience reached its limit, it was then that he showed that he had a strange ability, Lyn and Shiko's shadows stopped, both surprised moved away from them as far as they could, taking advantage of the fact that they were their shadows, Deaby made them stand behind Shiko again, then Lyn's shadow coiled around his body to leave him motionless, thus using the other shadow to start hitting him repeatedly.
-Dammit! I know there's a way I can break free from them! - Shiko thought while each blow of the shadows lowered his HP more "Insignificant, human... I'll make you suffer before I kill you, Kyakakakaka! - Deaby said with a burlesque tone, then without giving Lyn time to react, this time Deaby controlling his own shadow made it roll the girl leaving her motionless just like Shiko - Scum, let me go now! - Lyn said in a desperate tone, making Deaby only make fun of them more.
-What a beautiful girl... it would be a shame if I cut your stomach in half," Deaby said calmly to Lyn, "I have to get free from this! I have to kill him!" were Shiko's only thoughts at that moment, struggling without any result. Lyn began to cry in fear and but it was then that something happened, one of his abilities glowed red, "Love" could be used in another way, Deaby for being focused on slowly hurting Lyn to make her suffer this made the girl have the time to listen to the description that the ability gave her, "This ability can be used in reverse, if you set a target that you want to help instead of distracting, you can give it all your magic, sacrificing your vital energy" it was then that the girl, seeing no other way out, shouted to Shiko - Shiko, accept my sacrifice and defeat this demon! - then when using this skill, all the magic was passed to Shiko, it was then that the boy heard a voice, somewhat rough but with a tone of confidence, of a man speaking to him – Shiko, this power is permanently yours, her power... the power of Zene... and of the people who in the future will be your companions... all his power is yours- then a whole flash surrounded Shiko freeing him from the shadows, and giving him a new HP bar, all the damage Shiko had received in battle had disappeared and it was wrapped in magic that came out of his body.
Shiko was confused – What is this? What was that voice? Why has Lyn's magic been so powerful?" he wondered, but when he returned to his surroundings, he noticed that Lyn was unconscious still trapped by Deaby's shadow. "I trust your magic, Lyn; I will use it to save you!" exclaimed Shiko full of anger and about to throw himself at Deaby.
-No way! Their fused magic can't be that powerful! Then... He... He!" said Deaby full of fear unable to move from the shock, and before he could finish speaking, Shiko moved in a very fast way and hit Deaby's face with an abysmal force. The guardian could barely recover from the attack, this blow sent him far away from the position he was in – Damn monster! It can't be you! Come on shadows, attack!" exclaimed Deaby full of fear and pain, it was then that Shiko put her hands on the ground and said to him "You know? I don't quite understand what's going on with me or on this place, but somehow I feel like I'm meant to kill you, thanks to that strange strength that Lyn has given me, I have awakened new abilities and coincidentally one of them is to be able to turn my sword into a shadow- and then his sword disappeared and transformed into a shadow that came out of his hands, thus using it to pierce the head of the shadows controlled by Deaby, making them once again the property of their respective persons. Deaby, seeing what happened, made one last desperate attack and lunged at Shiko -Stupid human! - it was then that Shiko saw the perfect opportunity, in a moment, he disappeared completely and by the time Deaby blinked, he felt a huge cut on his chest and arms, it was then that from a shadow, Shiko appeared behind him -Dark Slide... It says it's the name of this ability," he said after cutting off his arms and making a huge wound in his chest. "I cannot be defeated... by a h-human...! - Deaby expressed full of pain and despair, it was then that Shiko used such a skill the same skill, making a cut in Deaby's throat - Die miserable! - were the last words that Shiko addressed to him, when he finished speaking Deaby's head detached from his body due to the attack causing it to fall in a place somewhat far from his body, in this way, Shiko eliminated Deaby.
Lyn was unconscious on the ground, Asuka was recovering Zene in an area somewhat far away because he was in critical condition and Shiko after this returned to normal, the aura of magic that surrounded him disappeared and he fell very tired, with his last strength, he watched as Deaby's body was wrapped in a black aura until he disappeared, leaving sacks of experience and two new items, a "vampire eye" and a "shadow horn" – I did it – were the last words that came out of Shiko, before he fainted from the fatigue of battle...
To be continued...