The inhuman roar still echoed through the ruins of Ashwind Post. Kiana's form, now enveloped in an immense aura of blackish-red flame, stood tall amidst the circle of destruction. Small, blackish-red horns sprouted from her forehead, accentuating her blood-red eyes blazing with abyssal fire. Fine, blackish-red scales appeared in patches on her arms and neck. Her still-incomplete fiery wings flapped gently, sending out intense heat that distorted the air around her. Sharp claws grew long from her fingertips. Every fiber of her being screamed of rage and the desire for destruction.
Viper, one of the Seven Hunters, watched the "Avatar of Fury" before her, her expression shifting from amusement to utter surprise mixed with extreme excitement. She wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, a twisted smile slowly reappearing, but this time it was tinged with a true thirst for battle.
"Heehee... not bad at all... this kind of power... it seems I underestimated you filthy rats a little..." Viper murmured to herself. She began to feel the "pressure" emanating from Kiana's form. It wasn't just ordinary fire power, but "something" more "ancient" and "primal."
Kiana, in her demonic form, didn't wait. She roared again before lunging at Viper like a blackish-red meteor! Her speed had increased incredibly, leaving only fiery footprints on the cracked earth.
Viper's eyes widened slightly, not expecting "that thing" to move so quickly. She twisted her body, narrowly dodging the fiery claws aimed at tearing her apart. The tips of those claws scraped against her leather armor, creating a horrifying screeching sound!
"Whoa... that was close, dear!" Viper laughed, but her mind was already rapidly "analyzing" Kiana's movements. "Immense power... increased speed... but control is still crude... lacking precision..."
The first wave of clashes began fiercely! Kiana attacked wildly and continuously, every movement filled with destructive power. Blackish-red flames were unleashed in shockwaves, incinerating the remaining ruins. The ground trembled as if a minor earthquake was occurring.
Viper was forced entirely onto the defensive. She used her excellent agility and combat experience to miraculously evade the frenzied attacks. Her long black tail whipped around, deflecting debris sent flying by the explosions, like a third limb. She moved through the crumbling ruins like a shadow, tricking Kiana into missing her attacks again and again.
"Too slow! Too slow!" Viper taunted. "All that power... but it's meaningless if you can't hit anything, little demon!"
Viper's taunts only enraged Kiana further. She roared louder, unleashing her fiery power in a wide arc, intending to burn everything in her path!
"Dangerous!" Da Vinci shouted a warning. He sensed Kiana's flames were becoming uncontrollable and might endanger the remaining comrades. He quickly looked around. "Everyone! Take cover! Kiana's power right now is..."
But before he could finish, Viper seized the opportunity as Kiana was erratically releasing her power. She shot out from her hiding place like an arrow, her tail, now with a tip as sharp as a blade, lunging at a blind spot in Kiana's defense on her side!
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out loudly! But it wasn't Viper's tail that struck Kiana's body directly, but "something" Da Vinci had "drawn" in a split second! It was a small "black light shield" that appeared suddenly! The shield vibrated violently before shattering, but it managed to reduce the impact and slightly deflect Viper's tail, causing its tip to merely "graze" Kiana's side, leaving only a small burn mark instead of a piercing wound!
Da Vinci panted heavily, large beads of sweat on his forehead. Using the "black light brush" to draw that shield had "drained his energy" more than he expected, and he felt a "chilling sensation" run through the arm holding the brush. This... is not a power to be used recklessly... he thought, but there was no time to hesitate.
"Thank you, Da Vinci-dono!" Ryu shouted, having seen the whole thing. "Bacchus! Taurus! Create an opening for Kiana!"
Bacchus and Taurus (whose numbness from the poison was beginning to subside after Raven used an emergency antidote she carried) roared in response. They charged Viper again, but this time their goal wasn't a direct attack, but to "harass" and "restrict her movement"!
"Earthen Power: Stone Wall!" Bacchus slammed his fist on the ground, and a small earthen wall briefly shot up in front of Viper.
Viper scoffed, her tail easily shattering the earthen wall, but it caused her to lose her rhythm for a moment.
And in that moment...
Kiana, who didn't seem badly injured by the tail (perhaps the forming dragon scales had provided some protection), roared again. Blackish-red fiery power condensed on her claws!
"Burn to ashes!!!"
She lunged at Viper again, but this time her attack seemed to have a bit more "focus"! Her fiery claws raked at Viper's body with frenzy!
This was a true exchange of blows! Viper might have attacked more frequently and dodged better, but every time Kiana managed to "touch" or "graze" Viper's body, the destructive power of the blackish-red flames inflicted visible damage! Viper's clothes began to show more burn marks, and shallow scratches appeared on her arms and legs!
"Damn you... you power-crazed brat!" Viper's expression was now clearly annoyed. She had never encountered anyone so "resilient" and "bloodthirsty" before!
As the battle between Kiana and Viper reached its peak intensity...
Kairo, who had been assessing the situation, decided, "This is our chance!" He turned to order the remaining Spark Faction members (some of whom had recovered from their shock). "You! Provide suppressing fire on Viper from a distance! Don't let her escape or regroup! That swordsman (nodding towards Ryu) and I will go help Elder Eldrin!"
Ryu nodded immediately. "I'll clear a path for you!"
Kairo and Ryu, along with a few other Spark Faction members, began to move as quickly and silently as possible, taking advantage of Viper being fully engaged with Kiana, and Da Vinci, Bacchus, Taurus, and Raven providing covering fire or creating distractions from the perimeter.
Rescuing Eldrin... was no easy task... The ruins and the heat from Kiana's flames were significant obstacles. But with Kairo and Ryu's determination and skill, they slowly crept closer to the old leader, who lay gasping for breath under a pile of wood...
The deadly poison was still spreading through Eldrin's body. His breathing grew shallower with each passing moment...
Finally! Kairo's hand reached Eldrin's body! "Elder! Can you hear me! We're here to help!"
Eldrin's closed eyes slowly fluttered open... The faint light in them saw Kairo's face... and Ryu's... His dry lips moved slightly... trying to say something...
But then... Viper, who seemed to have noticed! Her sharp, spear-like tail shot directly at Kairo's group, who were about to lift Eldrin!
"Thinking of escaping so easily... you filthy rats!"
"Watch out!!!" Raven's shout came with the crack of her guns! Special bullets hit Viper's tail with precision, slightly deflecting its trajectory, but it still grazed the arm of a Spark Faction member, drawing blood!
"Argh!"
"Stay out of this!" Viper roared furiously, about to turn and deal with those trying to steal her "prey"...
But in that very moment...
Kiana, whose power was becoming unstable and whose body was starting to emit more smoke, let out a final, deafening roar! All the blackish-red energy in her body condensed into her right claw!
"Perish... and... VANISH!!!"
She lunged at Viper with all her remaining strength! A desperate, all-out attack!
Viper's eyes widened! She could feel the immense destructive power about to hit her! She tried to dodge... but this attack was too "fast" and too "wide"!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Another massive explosion erupted! Blackish-red light flashed across the entire area! The force of the blast was so intense the ground trembled violently! The remaining ruined buildings completely collapsed!
Thick smoke and dust obscured everything...
Silence fell for a moment...
When the smoke began to clear...
The scene revealed... a large crater in the middle of the ruined village...
Viper's body lay crumpled on the ground... her clothes tattered... a large burn mark on her torso... fresh red blood seeping from multiple wounds... She was still conscious... but her serpentine eyes were wide with disbelief mixed with pain...
As for Kiana... the blackish-red flames that had engulfed her body had now died down... leaving a small figure covered in severe burns and wounds... her dragon horns and some scales were gone... She lay unconscious not far from Viper... her breathing shallow, as if about to stop...
Eldrin... had been successfully carried out of the danger zone by Kairo and Ryu... but the deadly poison... had seeped too deeply into his body... His eyes were about to close...
[End of Chapter 43]