Chapter 233: Desperation And Realization

The dust from the explosion slowly settled.

As the smoke thinned, the scene became visible.

Ron’s spear was buried halfway into Varak’s chest. The area around the spear tip was burned black, flesh charred and cracked from extreme heat. Lia’s white blade had pierced through his side, dusk-pink wind still faintly cutting around the wound. Deep gashes covered his torso.

Maera was still mid-descent, one claw gripping into the right side of his neck, red mana flickering violently.

For a second, it looked decisive.

Then—

Varak smiled.

His left arm hung useless, half frozen and half burned, steam rising from the ruined limb. The chains from Selene’s spell had already shattered. His eyes, once blinded by Drevin’s arrow, were now bloodshot red—he had forcibly purged the darkness from them.

“Kekeke… cough…”

Blood spilled from his mouth.

“You little mutts… killing me… isn’t that easy.”

Ron, Lia, and Maera’s eyes widened.

Their strongest attack.

And he was still standing.

In the distance, Jax was on one knee, panting hard. “Hah… hah… damn it…”

Drevin stared in shock.

Selene, blood seeping faintly from the corner of her mouth, was still holding her staff upright.

Then Varak roared.

“RRRRAAARGH!!!”

Corrupted mana detonated outward violently. The force expelled every weapon embedded in his body. Ron’s spear was thrown back. Lia’s blade was ripped free. Maera was blasted away mid-air.

All three were sent flying.

Varak landed heavily, aura thickening into something darker—more unstable.

His left arm still hung useless.

But the rest of him stood tall.

“Now,” he muttered, eyes glowing crimson, “which one should I deal with first?”

He vanished.

He reappeared in front of Maera.

Before she could react—

His fist drove into her guard.

CRACK.

Her arm shattered under the impact.

The next punch drove straight into her stomach.

The air left her lungs instantly as she was launched backward into the stone wall with crushing force. The wall cracked. She slid down unconscious.

Varak disappeared again.

He appeared before Drevin.

A single kick landed across Drevin’s side with brutal precision. Bone snapped audibly as the force sent him flying into another wall.

He collapsed.

Unconscious.

“I’ll torture you later,” Varak said coldly. “That blinding arrow was very annoying.”

Ron and Lia struggled to their feet, blood running down their arms, weapons shaking in their grip.

Jax remained on his knees.

Varak’s gaze shifted.

“Now… the one I want to kill most…”

His eyes slid past Ron.

Past Lia.

Past Jax—

And stopped on Selene.

“You.”

He vanished.

He reappeared before her instantly.

Unlike before—

He didn’t punch.

He used his polearm.

The blade pierced through her rune shield like thin glass.

And continued.

Straight into her chest.

Selene’s eyes widened.

Blood spilled from her lips.

All the runes she had been maintaining flickered—and vanished.

Varak withdrew the weapon.

He vanished again, reappearing at his previous position.

Silence fell.

Ron and Lia stood frozen.

Jax stared.

For a moment, the world felt distant.

Then Jax moved.

“No… no…”

His guns fell from his hands.

He walked forward without awareness of the battlefield, tears forming instantly.

“No… no… no…”

He dropped beside Selene and lifted her gently into his lap.

Her face was pale.

“Selene… no…”

His voice broke.

“My Selene… wake up… wake up… please…”

He shook slightly.

“Please…”

Tears fell freely now.

Varak smirked.

“Oh? The little mutt already lost his will to fight. Was she your lover?”

Ron’s aura exploded.

Lia’s wind screamed.

“You fucking bastard!”

Both of them entered Iron Pulse again. Their heartbeats synchronized. The chaos dulled. Only the target remained.

Blue flames surged around Ron’s spear, hotter than before.

Dusk-pink wind sharpened around Lia, butterflies scattering like fragments of wrath.

Varak grinned wider.

“Come on, little mutts.”

His corrupted mana thickened violently around him.

Ron and Lia launched themselves forward together.

And the battlefield trembled once more.

Ron and Lia moved together.

Ron attacked first, spear blazing with extreme blue heat, forcing Varak’s guard high. Lia slipped into the opening instantly, her blade flashing in tight arcs of dusk-pink wind aimed at exposed joints.

They covered each other’s blind spots seamlessly.

When Varak countered Ron, Lia intercepted.

When he redirected toward Lia, Ron’s spear forced him back.

Their breathing was synchronized with their mana pulse.

Their steps sharpened.

Iron Pulse.

Varak’s left arm still hung useless, steam rising faintly from the ruined limb. He fought entirely one-handed now, gripping the double-ended polearm with his right hand alone.

And he was still overwhelming.

His movements were violent and precise. Every swing carried corrupted force heavy enough to fracture stone. Ron blocked a descending strike, but the impact drove him to one knee. Lia darted in to relieve pressure, but Varak spun and kicked her across the ribs, sending her skidding.

He was injured.

Burned.

Pierced.

But his dominance remained.

On the other side of the battlefield—

Jax held Selene in his lap.

Her body felt too light.

Too still.

“No… no…”

Tears blurred his vision.

“Selene… wake up…”

Ding.

Ding.

A familiar chime echoed in his mind.

A small chibi figure popped into view.

Battle Bond Meter: 20% Filled.

Jax’s eyes snapped up.

“William!”

The chibi nodded seriously.

“Battle Bond meter reached twenty percent.”

“Then heal her!” Jax shouted desperately. “That’s the reward, right? Heal her!”

William’s expression dimmed.

“I want to. But the current healing reward is insufficient.”

He paused.

“She is dead.”

Jax’s eyes went dull.

Dead.

“No…”

“I refuse…”

William raised a small hand.

“But look.”

A system window opened in front of Jax.

A new bar was visible.

26%.

Slowly increasing.

William raised five fingers.

“Five minutes.”

He pointed toward Ron and Lia fighting Varak.

“If they can push the Battle Bond meter to thirty percent, the second and third rewards can combine. The resulting effect can create a revival-grade heal.”

Jax’s breathing hitched.

“Really?”

William nodded.

“Yes.”

Jax’s tears didn’t stop—but his eyes regained focus.

“Then we can save her…”

“Yes. But they must survive long enough.”

Jax clenched his jaw.

“William. Tell them.”

The chibi nodded and vanished.

Ron deflected another crushing blow, sparks flying from spear and polearm.

Lia slid beneath a horizontal sweep and slashed upward, drawing another line of blood across Varak’s torso.

Suddenly—

A faint notification shimmered at the edge of their perception.

Battle Bond Meter: 26% → 27%.

William’s voice echoed briefly in their minds.

“Reach thirty percent. We can save selene.”

That was all that they needed.

Ron’s eyes sharpened.

Lia’s expression hardened.

Their synchronization deepened.

Varak noticed the shift.

“Oh?”

Ron surged forward.

“Inferno Spear—Flaming Stab!”

A rapid thrust forced Varak to parry high. Lia instantly followed.

“Wind Butterfly—Butterfly Slash!”

Pink wind carved toward his exposed flank.

Varak twisted and countered with brutal efficiency. The polearm shaft slammed into Ron’s ribs, cracking something. Lia intercepted with her blade, but the impact numbed her arms.

More wounds opened.

Ron’s shoulder bled heavily now.

Lia’s side was soaked crimson.

Varak laughed.

“You’re breaking.”

He advanced aggressively, one-handed but relentless. A downward strike forced Ron to block. The impact drove him backward several meters. Lia attempted to flank, but Varak pivoted and nearly caught her throat with the blunt end.

He was injured.

But he was still stronger.

Battle Bond Meter: 28%.

Ron inhaled.

Pain dulled.

Focus sharpened.

Iron Pulse tightened further.

They moved again.

Lia dashed in close, not retreating this time. Ron followed from the opposite angle. Their attacks overlapped, forcing Varak to guard two lethal angles at once.

For the first time—

He had to retreat a step.

Battle Bond Meter: 28.5%.

Varak’s eyes narrowed.

His corrupted aura flared violently.

“You think teamwork can close the gap?All of you couldn’t defeat me together much less remaining two of you.”

He vanished.

Reappeared behind Ron.

But Lia had anticipated.

She intercepted with her blade, sparks exploding. Ron twisted mid-motion and thrust blindly backward, flames scraping across Varak’s side.

Varak growled.

He struck both of them simultaneously with a shockwave of corrupted mana.

They were thrown back again.

Ron hit the ground hard.

Lia rolled but barely regained footing.

Both were breathing ragged now.

Varak stood tall despite his injuries, blood dripping steadily.

Battle Bond Meter: 29 %.

On the ground, Jax whispered desperately—

“Come on…Ron…Lia”

Varak lifted his polearm.

“This ends now.”

Now this is race against time.

Varak straightened slowly.

Corrupted mana erupted from his body like a storm breaking loose. The air darkened around him as the aura thickened, swallowing light and crushing the ground beneath his feet. His polearm became fully coated in violent black-violet energy.

“Time to die, little mutts.”

He moved.

This time there was no mocking and testing.

He overwhelmed them.

His one-handed strikes carried monstrous weight. Ron blocked the first blow — his spear trembled violently. The second strike cut across his shoulder. The third slammed into Lia’s guard and sent her sliding across broken stone.

More wounds opened.

Ron’s ribs screamed with pain.

Lia’s side bled freely.

Varak pressed harder.

On the side of the battlefield, Jax gripped Selene tightly.

“William… why…? Why is the Battle Bond meter stuck?”

William’s small form appeared faintly beside him.

“From twenty-nine to thirty percent is as difficult as from twenty to twenty-nine.”

Jax stared.

“They need some sort realization.”

Back in the clash—

Lia staggered backward, barely blocking another crushing strike.

We have to save Selene.

I have to be stronger.

I can’t lose here.

Her pink wind aura sharpened further, slicing the air around her.

But it wasn’t enough.

Then—

A memory surfaced.

Running from her kingdom.

Fear and uncertainty

Meeting with Professor Zane.

The gift given by him.

He told them they hadn’t fully unleashed it yet.

This isn’t the limit.

It never was.

Lia gritted her teeth.

“Further…”

Her mana intensified without restraint. The wind around her grew sharper, denser, faster. The ground beneath her began to cut cleanly under pressure alone. Tiny lines opened across her own skin as her sharpened wind sliced her body.

She didn’t stop.

Ron felt the same shift inside himself.

I need to be hotter.

More explosive.

More than this.

His blue flames intensified violently. The air around him began to sizzle. Stone beneath him glowed faint red and his clothes also starts to burn . His own skin blistered under the extreme heat.

He didn’t care.

Varak laughed wildly.

“Last ditch effort, huh? Now you don’t even care about your broken bodies? Kekekeke!”

Ron and Lia glanced at each other.

And smiled.

Without a word, they reached out and clasped hands.

Their mana surged.

The blue flame expanded as Lia’s wind fed it oxygen and velocity. The flame roared hotter, larger.

Lia’s wind grew sharper as Ron’s heat superheated the air within it, compressing and refining it further.

Their auras began to merge.

Not separate.

One storm.

One inferno.

They flashed forward together.

Varak launched himself at them as well, corrupted mana exploding outward.

They clashed.

Varak and both of their weapons met.

Mana collided.

Shockwaves tore across the battlefield.

“You can’t win, little mutts!”

But Iron Pulse held them steady.

They were not angry.

The only things in their mind was to…

Push further.

Hotter.

Sharper.

Faster.

More.

More.

More—

Then something changed.

Lia’s white blade began to glow brighter than before.

Ron’s black spear darkened — not burned, not charred — but deepened, like swallowing light itself.

His blue flame expanded, and faint black specks began to spread through it. The brightness dimmed slightly, but the density increased terrifyingly.

Lia’s dusk-pink aura brightened and sharpened until it looked like compressed starlight.

Neither of them noticed.

Crack.

Varak’s weapon fractured.

His eyes widened.

The polearm shattered.

In the same heartbeat—

Ron’s spear and Lia’s blade plunged forward.

They pierced through Varak’s torso.

Silence—

Then detonation.

A violent explosion of blue-black flame and hyper-compressed pink wind erupted outward, swallowing the battlefield.

Varak’s scream was cut short.

Dust and fire swallowed everything.

And then—

Ding.

Ding.

Battle Bond Meter reached: 30%.

Combining Second and Third Rewards.

Revival Grade Healing Activated.

Revival of one host commencing.

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