Chapter 93: White Star Radiance vs Ramorous III
The sky above the ruined forest groaned, a leaden canvas smeared with the grime of battle. Every breath drawn was a harsh mix of scorched earth, burning Ki, and the metallic tang of fresh blood.
Elton, centered amidst the chaos, began the arduous process of channeling his ultimate technique. A faint, ethereal glow emanated from him, gradually intensifying, but its full manifestation was still moments away—moments his allies had to buy with their very lives.
Ramorous, a demonic silhouette against the dim light, sensed the rising power from Elton. He bellowed, a primal roar of challenge, and surged forward. Zoro, seeing the demon's shift in focus, intercepted him with grim determination.
—One Sword Style: Instant Cutting Death!—
He roared, a blur of motion as his katana flickered, leaving a dozen razor-thin streaks of black Ki across Ramorous's bone-plated chest and arms. The demon grunted, momentarily thrown off balance, but his eyes blazed with renewed fury. With a casual, brutal backhand, he swatted Zoro aside like a fly, sending him skipping across the shattered earth. Zoro landed hard, a fresh cut bleeding freely from his lip, but his eyes, though strained, remained locked on Ramorous.
Christy moved next, a crimson flash in the gloom.
—Twin Palm Destruction!—
Her strike slammed into Ramorous's side, targeting a weak point she'd observed earlier. The impact sent a shudder through the demonic plating, and Ramorous actually grunted in pain, his focus momentarily fractured. But his retaliation was swift and savage. He caught Christy's leg mid-kick, his grip like a vice, and with a guttural roar, flung her towards a thick, broken oak.
A sickening crack echoed through the clearing as she hit. Christy gasped, collapsing to the ground. Despite the agony, she pushed herself onto an elbow, her glowing eyes fixed on the demon—unwavering.
Erica and Shayleaf, their faces pale with exhaustion, worked in desperate unison.
—Homing Fire Missiles!—
Dozens of fiery spheres screamed across the clearing, slamming into Ramorous's back.
—Static Bullet Storm!—
Bolts of lightning pelted his frame, sizzling against bone plating.
Shayleaf, trembling with effort, chanted, —Binding Roots!— summoning a surge of thicker, more resilient vines from the scarred earth. They lashed out, momentarily snaring Ramorous's massive legs. The demon roared in frustration, tearing through the verdant restraints with contemptuous ease, but the combined assault, however brief, forced him to divert his attention. Shayleaf's breath came in ragged gasps, her magic reserves nearly drained.
Just as Ramorous ripped free and lunged, his axe arcing toward the vulnerable Erica, a new surge of magic erupted onto the ravaged battlefield.
"You Hobgoblin Demon! Prepare to die!"
Joe-Pine materialized like a sudden gust of wind, his rapier flashing. With effortless grace, he parried a subsidiary demon's clawed strike, then flowed into a counter.
—Nature Magic: Verdant Lash!—
Thorny vines burst from the ground, impaling a weaker demon and flinging it aside. Joe-Pine moved with a captivating blend of elegant rapier skill and wild Nature Magic, swiftly dispatching several more encroaching foes, carving a direct path toward the hulking form of Ramorous.
Close behind him, Ramiro charged, a primal bellow tearing from his throat.
—León Dragon Spear Arts: Corazón del Dragón!—
His spear became a blur, a series of rapid, powerful thrusts aimed directly at Ramorous's thickest chest plate. The demon grunted, pushed back a precious step, the impact shuddering through his massive form, but his bone plating held firm. Ramiro stumbled, his arm aching from the strain, but a fierce, unyielding grin split his bloodied face.
Shirleaf, her eyes glowing with verdant energy, unleashed a torrent of offensive Nature Magic.
—Verdant Nova!—
A concentrated wave of green energy slammed into Ramorous's side, making him snarl in pain. Then, Amberleaf—a beacon of soothing emerald light—moved swiftly to aid her allies.
—Nature's Embrace!—
A gentle green glow washed over Shayleaf, restoring a fraction of her depleted Ki, while simultaneously erecting a —Stone Skin Barrier— around the still-recovering Christy, shielding her from a stray demonic blast.
The sudden arrival of reinforcements momentarily shifted the dynamic, preventing what could have been a catastrophic blow. But Ramorous merely grew more enraged. His demonic energy flared, dark lightning crackling around his armored body as the ground split under his feet.
The air vibrated with his fury. Facing the united front of White Star Radiance, he roared—a sound that shook the shattered forest. He launched himself at Joe-Pine, his massive axe a blur of dark steel.
Joe-Pine, despite his agility, barely managed to deflect the blow with his rapier, the impact rattling his bones and sending him skidding back, his arm screaming in protest.
Ramiro charged forward again, his spear a streak of golden light.
—León Dragon Spear Arts: Furia del León!—
He unleashed a rapid, relentless series of thrusts, each imbued with the force of a rampaging beast. The blows hammered against Ramorous's armor, forcing him back a few meters before the demon retaliated with a brutal sweeping kick that caught Ramiro in the ribs, sending him crashing through a broken tree. He landed hard, groaning, but still forced himself to one knee, defiance burning in his eyes.
Shirleaf seized the moment.
—Nature's Fury: Photon Beam!—
A concentrated blast of golden light and heat erupted from her hands, striking Ramorous directly in the chest, scorching his bone plating and drawing another bellow of rage. He lunged, ignoring the pain, and smashed through her guard, his axe narrowly missing her head.
Amberleaf intervened again, raising a glowing wall.
—Nature Essence Shield!—
The barrier formed instantly—but shattered a heartbeat later as Ramorous's swing collided, sending her sprawling. The healing light around her dimmed, flickering precariously.
Zoro, bloodied but unbroken, refused to yield.
—Two Sword Style: Battering Ram!—
His twin blades crossed, glowing with black Ki. He launched himself forward in a powerful cross-slash that carved deep into Ramorous's leg, slicing through bone and sinew.
For the first time, the hulking demon staggered, dropping to one knee with a guttural gasp, black blood gushing from the wound.
"NOW!" Zoro bellowed, voice raw and desperate. "ELTON!"
Elton's presence became a blinding vortex of power. The very air shimmered, distorted by the immense Ki he was channeling. The Blue Heavenly Star Destroyer hummed—a terrible, divine resonance that shook the world around him. Lightning arced wildly, swirling around his body like a living storm.
His aura flared—pure, radiant, and violent.
He raised the glowing blade high, its tip reaching toward the heavens. The ground beneath him cracked and heaved, unable to contain the power building within.
Elton's voice thundered across the battlefield, filled with raw conviction.
"Witness the true might of my sword! Prepare yourself for this ultimate attack!"
He drew the blade back, his entire form shining like a miniature sun. The massive sphere of pure lightning Ki forming at its tip pulsed with blinding intensity, growing larger and more unstable with every heartbeat.
The world seemed to hold its breath.
This was it. The climax of his charged skill.
—Lightning Star Collision!—
With a final, deafening roar, Elton swung forward. The colossal, crackling sphere of lightning Ki burst from his blade, screaming through the air like a meteor forged of pure destruction. It tore through the sky, leaving a blazing trail of white and blue light, and hurtled straight toward the kneeling demon.
The ground quaked under the sheer pressure.
Ramorous barely managed to rise, his own demonic energy surging wildly.
—Mountain Splitting Axe!—
Their attacks collided.
The heavens split apart in light.