Derivan and Laura were shocked to see Eric pierce his grandfather's body straight through. The teenager immediately rushed into action, and with a single punch to the face sent Eric flying several meters back.
"Luckily he missed the vital points, we need to get the mayor to the hospital as fast as possible," Laura said.
"Take him, I'll try to buy you some time."
"Are you sure?" Laura wasn't convinced by Derivan's idea.
"I'll manage, go."
At that moment, Eric stood up with a twisted, psychotic grin on his face.
"You bastard, how could you do this to your own grandfather? Do you really want to kill him after everything the two of you went through?"
Derivan's words made Eric's eyes twitch for a moment, but he still charged again.
"Come on then, show me what you've got." Derivan raised his guard just in time to take Eric's punch, which sent him sliding backward.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Ray was surrounded by a dozen goblins.
"Hn, do you really think your numbers will make any difference?" he commented. "Then come on, if you think you can defeat me."
The goblins rushed at Ray. The teenager dodged one of them by jumping upward. He pressed his hand against the goblin's back, unleashed his choki, and blew the creature apart. A second goblin tried to strike, but Ray ducked under the attack, formed a choki blade in his hand, and sliced the goblin in half.
"Pathetic."
The goblins began spitting slime. Ray dodged swiftly, taking out the remaining goblins one by one. Elsewhere in the city, Nohara used her ice magic to freeze the ground, causing the goblins to lose balance and fall. Then the red-haired girl leapt into the air, formed dozens of large icicles, and fired them into the goblins, killing them instantly.
"That should be all of them in this area. I'd better check if anyone else needs help," she thought as she headed off.
Laura brought the Mayor to the hospital, leaving him in the hands of the doctors.
"I have to go back and help Derivan."
Before she could run out, Henry spoke up. "Please… save my grandson. He's not a bad person."
"We'll do everything we can, don't worry," she replied, rushing out of the hospital.
At the same time, Kriro was fighting Ronibo. The former created energy orbs in his hands and hurled them at his opponent. Ronibo raised his arms toward the attack, stopping it. Then he waved his hands, dispersing the energy away. Kriro only smirked and snapped his fingers, splitting the orb into several beams that shot toward Ronibo. The man dodged the beams gracefully. Suddenly, Kriro appeared in front of him and punched him in the stomach—yet a moment later Ronibo's body dissolved into thin air.
"An illusion?"
"Actually, a residual image technique," Ronibo said, appearing behind Kriro and striking him in the back, slamming him into the ground.
"Damn it… seems I won't have a choice but to use that power."
Suddenly, Kriro's body became engulfed in a red aura, startling Ronibo.
"That power… don't tell me"
"Exactly. I found the legendary Holy Mountain, and drank the holy water. This power is incredible."
Kriro disappeared from sight in an instant and reappeared right in front of Ronibo. He grabbed him by the face and dragged him across the ground.
"How's that?" Kriro threw Ronibo into the air, then appeared above him and slammed both fists into his neck, sending him crashing down.
"His power is on a completely different level… Looks like I'll have to use that if I want to beat him," Ronibo thought as he jumped back, dodging another strike.
Suddenly Kriro appeared behind him, piercing him straight through but moments later Ronibo's body dissolved again.
"Another afterimage? Where is he?" Kriro scanned the area. "I see you." He attacked immediately, firing a beam only to hit yet another afterimage.
"Another one? Stop playing with me and show yourself!"
"If that's what you want." Ronibo stepped out from behind the trees though his appearance had changed. Blue dragon scales covered his right arm and part of his face.
Kriro lunged at him again, but this time Ronibo blocked the attack.
"What?"
He then threw Kriro back a significant distance. "You see, Kriro… you're not the only one who found a legendary place. I did too. That's where I learned the Dragon Manifestation."
"Dragon Manifestation? I thought that was only a myth!"
"As you can see it's real."
Ronibo vanished in a burst of blue flames and appeared in front of Kriro in an instant, uppercutting him and launching him into the sky.
"So fast…"
Before Kriro could react, he felt Ronibo grab his leg and slam him into the ground. Ronibo crossed his arms, summoning several blue flames around himself. He hurled them at Kriro, and upon impact, a massive explosion erupted.
Meanwhile, Derivan was still fighting Eric. The academy student was badly battered.
"Damn… I can't hold out much longer… but I can't give up."
Eric charged. Derivan tried to dodge, but pain shot through him, and a moment later Eric kneed him in the stomach. Derivan spat blood as he was sent flying backward.
"This is bad… I'm running out of Choki… If I don't think of something, it's over."
Derivan clenched his fist and attacked again. "Take this, you bastard!"
Eric easily blocked the attack, grabbed Derivan's arm, flipped him over, and fired a magic beam.
"So this is the end" Derivan closed his eyes, waiting for the strike that never came. "What… happened?"
Opening his eyes, Derivan was shocked to see Laura standing in front of him, having taken the attack herself.
"I'm… glad I made it in time," she said, coughing blood.
"Laura… LAURAAAAAA!"