Sukiro's fingernails began to crack, blood seeping from beneath as his grip tightened. His fingers dug into the levitator's stone body like claws desperate for survival.
The levitator thrashed violently, smashing against tree trunks, trying to shake him off. But Sukiro didn't budge.
"You will not escape not today!!!" he screamed, his voice ragged with rage.
With a raw, twisting pull, he hurled the levitator toward the ground.
CRASH!
They slammed into the ground but at the last moment, Sukiro shifted his position. The levitator struck face-first into the dirt and stone.
It twitched trying to grasp the situation.
Sukiro didn't hesitate.
STAB!!!
His daggers plunged into its stone head again. And again.
Cracks split across its skull. Dust and blood scattered.
His breath came in heaves. Hands shaking. He kept stabbing, burying the blades deeper, until the monster stopped moving entirely.
Only then did Sukiro slump to the side, gasping for air.
But the sky above had turned red.
Fire mites rained down like embers. Alongside them came fire goblins, flypers, fire wolves…
But something was wrong.
They weren't attacking they were falling.
Crashing into the ground like gravity had multiplied tenfold.
The sky boiled with crimson fire. Blood poured from above like rainwater.
The Emeralds stared upward.
Limbs. Corpses. Blood. Screams.
Elijah's voice was grave. "It's the boss Levitator… it's seen us."
A single drop landed on Sukiro's hand.
Then pain.
A blinding, mind-tearing ache split through his skull.
He clutched his head, staggering, groaning.
Visions flashed:
Dark clouds.
Suspended corpses.
Rain made of blood.
Not the past.
Something else.
"Not now…" he growled, slapping himself. "Something's off… I need to get back."
He turned and sprinted.
But just as he exited the trees
It floated there. Waiting.
A silent, massive shadow.
The A-Rank Boss — the true Levitator.
Its glowing eyes locked onto Sukiro. Not with curiosity. But hatred.
Sukiro had killed its scout.
And now it had come.
A sudden force slammed into his ribs he was launched through the forest, smashing into trees like a ragdoll.
Back with the Emeralds
"Where the hell is the Levitator?" Sebastian asked, eyes scanning the skies.
"All this chaos and it's just… gone?" Klaus muttered, adjusting his gloves.
"Wait… Was there a second one?" he asked.
"I think so. Sukiro was fighting it," Sapphire said, voice tight with worry.
Klaus paused. His expression turned cold.
"Then… that mean... the levitator is where sukiro is.."
Sukiro groaned as he crashed through branches, blood dripping from his lips.
That thing wasn't just powerful it was on another level.
"What rank is this…? There's no way it's below B…"
He wiped his mouth. Stumbled up
"I just need to hold on… until they get here…" he thought
But then the world changed.
The trees floated.
The stones. The rivers. The corpses. Even the wind.
The entire forest lifted all pulled into a swirling orbit.
At the center hovered the levitator.
The eye of the storm.
Sukiro's eyes widened with fear his body trembling at the sight he saw
Some enemies… are just too strong.
Some things… can't be defeated with willpower alone.
Sometimes… you have to lose.
Far as he could see everything was weightless.
The Emeralds ran faster now.
But then they saw it.
The forest floating.
"This is bad," Elijah muttered. "If we don't reach him in two minutes… he won't survive."
Sapphire's face had gone pale. "Sukiro… please…"
In the heart of the storm Sukiro stood.
Bloodied. Broken.
And still smiling.
He knew the truth.
He couldn't win.
He would die.
But no one could take that choice from him.
Not even death.
"So this is what S-Ranks deal with every day, huh?" he coughed. "No matter…"
He cracked his knuckles. Raised his eyes to the levitator.
"I'll give you everything I've got."
Royal Palace Throne Hall
The king sat idle, fingers drumming on the side of his golden throne.
A soldier entered and knelt.
"My king. The Emeralds have been spotted."
The king's mouth curled. "Oh? So the little heroes have finally shown. I assume… the brat is with them?"
"Yes, my king."
"Good. Observe from a distance. Alert me of any sudden movement."
In the corner a silent shadow listened.
His son.
Displeased.
"I shall take my leave," said the soldier, rising.
"Very well," the king murmured, waving him off.
The soldier stepped outside… and froze.
For a moment he felt eyes on him.
He turned. Nothing.
"Just my imagination…"
Inside, the king whispered to himself.
"Looks like it's time to inform… the North King."