Chapter 144: Bonbon To The Rescue
SLASH!
Auren’s wings unfolded desperately, catching the blow hoping to stop it. But the multicolored flames seared through the metal-like feathers with terrifying ease.
"What!?" Auren’s eyes widened, horror flashing across his face.
The Emperor’s blade fell like judgment itself despite Auren’s strongest form.
The blade cut deeper, and with no other choice, he blocked using his Divine Rapier.
CLAAANG!
The collision rang again, this time sending him only a few feet back instead of across the realm. His arms quivered, his chest heaving.
Are you alright, Master?!
Bigbird’s voice was laced with panic.
I’m fine,
Auren hissed, though his arms felt like they had been smashed with boulders.
But his attacks... it feels like an entire mountain is crashing on me!
Romeov shifted again, this time dropping into a predator’s stance.
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
"Impressive. You managed to block two of my attacks. Even the Heroes’ party couldn’t do that so easily. You’re starting to pique my curiosity, boy."
Then, with a sudden spike of speed, Romeov blurred out of sight.
"Too bad, we don’t have much time!"
His voice echoed from every direction.
Every step that he took sends a terrifying vibaration in the a whole space, overwhelming Auren’s senses, like a giant stomping his foot.
And every sway of his sword leaves a deadly sword wave that could easily split Auren into two!
In other words, Auren is currently facing one of his strongest opponent so far!
Probaby even stronger than the King Beast he had fought at least.
Bigbird barked, On your left!
SLASH!
Auren twisted desperately, barely avoiding the invisible strike. His right wing, however, was clipped, blood spraying into the void.
Behind you!
Another flash.
Auren’s body shifted too late—
SLASH!
Aghhk!
Pain ripped through his shoulder and leg as the blade tore flesh. He stumbled, barely catching himself on his Rapier that minimized the damage.
Defending won’t work against this man!
Bigbird shouted.
We need help, Master!
Auren grit his teeth, blood dripping down his chin.
His mind raced. There was only one being who could tilt the balance.
If he put me here to isolate me from Bonbon’s omnicient sight, then all I need... is to crack this cage open!
Channeling his remaining mana, Auren activated [Tiger Focus].
His vision shifted while barely avoiding the flashes of attack from Romeov. The world slowing as chaotic streams of mana across the dimension became visible in his eyes.
He scanned quickly, eyes darting until he spotted a fluctuation, a weak seam in the corner of the realm.
There it is.
Above you!
Bigbird warned.
Let’s do this!
Flames gathered on Auren’s blade, his body igniting without sparing his mana.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
He launched a flurry of sword strikes upward, fiery explosions blooming with each swing and halting the charging Romeov.
BOOOM! BOOOM!
Romeov, caught off guard, took two strikes directly.
"Hah!"
His armor absorbed most of the impact, but it forced him into defense mode. Auren seized the moment, pouring everything into a storm of sword slashes, each blow exploding with fire, not letting the Emperor move away.
Romeov laughed mockingly as he batted them aside.
"Hahaha! You think this will defeat me, kid? Do you honestly believe you can stand against an Emperor?"
But Auren kept going, ignoring his words. His strikes grew wilder, faster and bolder.
His eyes focused not on Romeov but on that one fluctuating spot in the realm behind him.
Romeov’s sword cut another wave apart when suddenly—
BOOOOM!
One stray strike landed exactly on the weak point. The dimension cracked like shattered glass, light spilling from the wound.
"Huh?" Romeov paused for a moment and frowned as if receiving an emergency message.
Auren smirked through bloodied lips.
"I know I can’t defeat you... but he can."
The tiny dimensional crack suddenly widened.
And out of it, a thunderous voice roared, shaking the swirling skies.
"WHO DARES TOUCH MY FRIEND!?"
A streak of green light ripped through the crack.
A small green rounded figure, burst forth with terrifying speed.
In the blink of an eye, it slammed his head into Romeov’s stomach.
UGHHHK!
Shock and fear filled Romeov’s face while his mouth spat out mouthful of blood, air and saliva.
The impact was enough to cause the Emperor’s magnificent armor to shatter.
His legendary sword snapped in two after using it to block.
Bonbon’s three tiny horns glowed blindingly before exploding on impact, the blast engulfing Romeov in violent flames and sending him forth like a giant hit by a speeding truck.
BOOOOOOM!
The spatial dimension shattered instantly, collapsing like broken glass. Auren and Bonbon reappeared in the real world, free once more and surrounded of shocked citizens of Austerra.
In the distance, Romeov’s broken body was sent hurtling across the skies, crashing into a distant mountain with an earth-shaking roar.
BGROAAGHM!
The people of Austerra watched in stunned silence, although it was only a flash, but many of them especially the soldiers saw it, their Emperor was sent flying by something tiny.
"Was that a bird?"
"No it was a wyvern!"
"No! Stupid, that was the emperor!"
"WHAAAT!?"
Meanwhile, thanks to the swirling chaos and dust, no one noticed Auren inside the thick gray haze. The battlefield shook as the remnants of clashing forces echoed through the air, but inside that veil of debris, a sudden shadow emerged.
"You, come with me," Bonbon’s voice snapped out, urgent and sharp.
Before Auren could even respond with a word of protest, Bonbon’s small round mouth stretched unnaturally wide.
With a suction force that left Auren helpless, the beast pulled him in as though he were no more than a strand of spaghetti being slurped.
Auren’s eyes widened in disbelief, his hands reaching out to grab at the dust around him, but the next instant his body folded into the void.
Bonbon leaped forward, its tiny form stretching into a burst of light before plunging into a shimmering warp hole that blinked open in the air. Both of them disappeared without leaving so much as a trace.
Far away, on the jagged surface of a towering mountain, Emperor Romeov’s body crashed down like a meteor. The impact sent cracks snaking across the rock face. His golden armor, a legendary multi-layered relic said to be indestructible, lay in shattered fragments across his stomach and chest.
"That... bastard," Romeov spat, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His voice was low but seething with rage.
His face twisted into a mask of fury as he clenched the rock beneath his fingers, trying to push himself up. The emperor’s breaths were ragged, but his pride was more wounded than his body.
"Does he think that just because he has the help of that gremlin, he can escape me?" His voice thundered despite the blood still dripping from his lips.
Inside his mind, a presence stirred.
"Greg," Romeov commanded coldly. "Tell me where they are now."
In the deep abyss of his mental space, a colossal serpentine dragon stirred awake. Its scales were darker than night, a single massive eye glowing with violet fire.
Four vast wings unfurled with a ripple of power that made the air itself tremble.
The beast, his Spiritual Guardian, opened its maw and hissed. "They have just emerged from a portal at the northern edge of Austerra," it replied in a guttural rumble that shook through Romeov’s head.
Romeov’s brows knit together in a dark frown. "The northern edge? That’s near Ugha’s territory."
"I am afraid so," Greg replied. His tone was calm, though tinged with warning. "And frankly, my Lord, I do not think he is worth your trouble anymore."
Romeov’s jaw tightened. His teeth ground together, blood mixing with saliva at the corner of his lips. "It doesn’t matter," he growled. "It has been far too long since someone dared to piss me off this much."
"..."
The dragon gave no reply.
"If anything, we might witness two Primodial Beast fighting today."
BWOOM.
A sudden burst of energy ripped out from his back. Two magnificent wings unfurled, golden scales shimmering under the sunlight.
With a single beat, Romeov launched himself into the sky, not letting Auren get away.
The air cracked with the force, and his body became a streak of light as he shot toward Auren’s location at terrifying speed.
Meanwhile, far to the north, on a wide rocky plain bordering the vast Thunga Desert, Auren stumbled forward as Bonbon spit him out.
Dust clung to his clothes, his body twitching from the backlash of mana shock. The desert wind carried the dry scent of sand and heat, brushing across the jagged rocks beneath his boots.
Bonbon’s form bounced back to its usual round, stubby self. Its little eyes squinted as it studied Auren. "Are you alright?"
Auren dropped to one knee, breathing hard. His chest rose and fell like a hammer striking an anvil. His veins pulsed with pain, a familiar aftermath of overusing mana. Sweat dripped from his forehead, stinging his eyes.
He managed to rasp out, "I... I should be alright."
His trembling hand dug into his storage ring, pulling out a small vial glowing with purple liquid. The potion shimmered like liquid crystal, faint streaks of silver running through it.
He uncorked it with shaky fingers and drank. Warmth spread through his veins, dulling the mana shock while knitting together small tears in his body.
The moment the relief hit, Auren leaned back with a long exhale, his shoulders sagging. "Thank you. Once again, Bonbon."
His voice was soft, weighted with exhaustion.
But Bonbon shook its head. Its little mouth turned into a grim line.
"Don’t thank me yet. The trouble is not over."