The protector's lips curled into a smile.
"That smile disgusts me," Bruno spat, his tone sharp and his expression unwavering.
Without hesitation, he thrust a massive Renshi bone hand from the ground, seizing the protector by surprise. Before the creature could react, Bruno summoned another colossal hand from the depths of his bloodline space, a force that shook the battlefield itself.
But the protector was far from ordinary. With a crackling hiss, skeletal serpents erupted from his back, their skulls gnashing as they shredded the bone fist apart. The protector tore himself free, his serpents coiling and lashing violently to deflect the second strike.
Bruno did not waste the moment. He switched instantly, reappearing right in front of the protector and slashing down with his bone-forged blade. The cut landed deep, carving a wide gash across the protector's chest. Blood should have poured forth—yet the being stood motionless, unflinching, as though the strike was nothing more than wind brushing against him.
Bruno's eyes widened. He didn't even flinch...
Before he could recoil, one of the serpents whipped out, smashing him into the earth with bone-shattering force. The ground quaked from the impact, dust and debris rising in clouds as the protector descended, sword raised to finish the job.
But Bruno's resolve burned too fiercely to be extinguished. With a sudden switch, he appeared behind the protector, sweeping his legs in a clean strike. The protector staggered—his body crashing into the dirt with a thunderous crack.
"This ends here!" Bruno roared, summoning everything into one final attack.
The air trembled. His bloodline space split open once more, but this time, what emerged dwarfed all his earlier creations—a single gargantuan fist, ten times the size of his previous strikes. Its presence warped the air, the sheer pressure rattling the battlefield as though the earth itself rejected its existence.
The protector's serpents lashed out from the ground this time around,as he couldn't use them from his back because the bone this time was too powerful, dozens upon dozens surging forward to intercept. But Bruno was ready.
"Not this time!"
Countless Renshi bone palms erupted across the battlefield, grappling the serpents one by one. Every serpent the protector spawned was bound by the ever-growing forest of skeletal hands. The protector's defenses faltered.
And then—the colossal fist descended.
The impact shattered the ground in a blinding explosion. A shockwave burst across the battlefield, flattening trees deep into the forest and carving a vast crater.
From the heart of the devastation, the mountain roared.
---
A being slumbering deep within the volcano stirred, its ancient eyes opening in fury at the tremor that reached its core.
---
Bruno collapsed onto the earth, his breathing ragged. His bone shield—his only protection from the destructive force of his own technique—faded into dust.
"Haa... haa... I... just... hope that did it..." he muttered, clutching at his chest. His vision blurred, his body trembling from exhaustion. "Don't come back... this time... you moron..."
He switched weakly to the center of the crater, surveying the smoking wasteland. His gaze fell toward the volcano. Half of its slope had crumbled under his last strike, rivers of molten fire spilling like veins of fury.
"Another waste of time..." he hissed bitterly. "These priestesses keep fooling around with me... If I reach that place, I'll kill this one myself..." His voice hardened, his eyes narrowing in resolve as he stumbled toward the edge of the forest.
But then—
In a blur of movement, five claws pierced through his chest from behind.
Blood burst from his lips as Bruno's body froze in shock. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"I told you I'd make it quick," the protector whispered coldly in his ear.
Bruno clenched his teeth. His vision darkened, his mind screaming at him to resist. The protector's other claw rose, poised to sever his head.
But Bruno wasn't done.
"Not... yet..."
With sheer willpower, he forced his inner bones to expand, piercing through the protector's claw embedded in his chest. The protector grunted, retracting his hand in annoyance. Bruno staggered backward, switching away in rapid bursts, sealing his wound with his bone technique as blood dripped down his chin.
The protector did not chase. He smiled faintly, watching Bruno disappear into the forest.
Instead, he turned toward the volcano—the mountain he was sworn to protect. Half of his home lay in ruins, shattered by Bruno's attack. Still, his steps were calm, steady.
He ascended to the volcano's rim with switch mode, gazing down into the molten abyss. The lava was restless, glowing brighter than ever before. The protector felt it—a stirring deep within.
His master was awakening.
The protector lowered himself to his knees without hesitation, bending in reverence though no figure had yet emerged. He switched to the narrow walkway close to the lava's edge and sat, eyes fixed on the molten surface, waiting for the being he served to rise.
---
The battle at the Pit of Flame had raged for four hours. The land bore scars too vast for time to mend. Bruno fled with his life barely intact, while the protector awaited the rebirth of something far worse.
Lucy and Alfie are still on their way to the pit of flame .
---
---
Same time in the small Kingdom...
Jackson sat in the dimly lit room, Sasaki still unconscious at his side. The door creaked open without a knock.
"Learn to knock before entering a room," Jackson muttered irritably. "Even if it's your house, have some manners."
"Pardon my manners," Lizzy replied softly as she stepped inside. "I just wanted to check on you... to see if you were doing okay."
Jackson sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I'm fine. No big deal. Just looking after my big brother here."
Lizzy smiled faintly, approaching the bedside. She sat near him, her presence quiet, gentle. "We've prepared food for you. Delicious dishes waiting downstairs. When you're hungry, you should eat your fill."
She leaned close, whispering the words near his ear.
Jackson flinched. "Don't whisper in my ear. You could've told me that from the door." His face remained unimpressed.
"You're such a kid, aren't you?" Lizzy teased with a sigh. "Whatever. When you're hungry, you know where to go." She stood gracefully and left, closing the door behind her.
Jackson's expression hardened as silence returned. His hand clenched around Sasaki's.
This doesn't feel right... This antidote crap... What does it have to do with her brother? Why would her brother sell poison when his own father owns this mansion? If he needed money, he could take whatever he wanted...if he's as powerful as she said....This isn't normal...
His eyes narrowed.
Master... Alfie... Whatever's waiting for you, come back alive.
He glanced down at Sasaki's unconscious form, gripping his hand tightly.
Please... both of you... come back alive.
Meanwhile...
Lucy and Alfie pressed on through the darkness, unaware of the chaos awaiting them.
"How long have we been on the road, Master?" Alfie finally asked, his voice weary.
"Don't ask questions," Lucy replied, her eyes sharp on the road ahead. It was already dark "Just keep up. Six more hours. If we keep this pace, we'll reach the Pit of Flame before the sun sets."
Her tone was cold, yet beneath it, even Lucy could not sense it—something terrifying was waiting for them.