After the explosion that Aserah had bravely defended the academy from, there was a short moment of silence. Neither Michael nor Era could speak, as they were both taken aback by the unexpected event. Michael still didn't realize that he had lost the student he considered like a son.But in fact, Michael was right not to realize it. There wasn't a trace of dust left of Aserah.
Michael understood everything, and he looked up at Era, but she had already started talking before he could speak, and she raised her hand to show her innocence.
"It's your fault, old man. Maybe if you could have killed me, this man you love would not have died, but you still can't spare your child. Now that I think about it, you really are a very funny man, Michael. Hahahahahhaa."
Michael gritted his teeth as Era laughed as if nothing had happened, but he knew that even if he attacked, he could do nothing against his daughter. Even if it remained in his heart as his biggest regret.
At that moment, a light flashed towards Era.
"You may not be able to, Michael, but I can!"
Gray flew up and slammed into Era, sending her speeding away from the Academy. Michael looked at them, torn, wanting to stop Gray, but he knew he shouldn't, and he forced himself to stop.It was time to make sacrifices, and everything else had to depend on the fate of his daughter.Aserah was dead because of Michael's mistake, and he deeply regretted it, but there was nothing he could do.Michael had lost, and he couldn't resurrect Aserah.
Gray flew with Era at an incredible speed, zooming through buildings.In some places, there were classes. Michael felt a sense of loss as he witnessed Gray and Era soar through the city, some places housing locker rooms, others reminiscent of a boxing arena. The people inside were visibly frightened, seeking refuge as Gray and Era moved through the area.
Gray kept pushing Era quickly, and just as Era was about to hit Gray's back with her elbow, Gray entered the wall of the academy with Era. While flying through the air, he let go of Era and kicked her hard in the face. The impact of that kick sent Era crashing to the earth like a meteor.
"You should never have come here, Era!"
"It's not up to you, Gray!"
Era raised her head and looked at Gray's face. Era, who had Mira's face, suddenly changed and her body turned white. The lightning in her eyes disappeared and was replaced by a different color. Era had become frightening, but it wasn't the first time Gray had seen this. He had seen it a long time ago in the Red Lightning Encounters.
"King Mode..."
Mira was one of the children of Uranus and therefore had the right to use King Mode. Era had a deep understanding of the path, and she had countless ways to prepare it.Era was a 600-million-year-old Beast and followed an important lineage in the Dramer Tribe.Her knowledge had grown over the millions of years she had ruled the Hunters.She was a Beast that could single-handedly challenge the Guardians of the 6 Emotions!
But, alas, despite all her wisdom, Era had passed away, leaving Gray to carry on in her stead. Now, 117 years later, Gray has reached a remarkable level of strength, matching Era's at the fourth step.
Yet, despite this strength, Gray still faced challenges. Era's strength had reached King Mode, and when she stood up and struck Gray's jaw, Gray found himself unable to defend himself.
"I'm a Kingslayer, Gray!!! You can't fight me!!!"
Gray flew into the air, somersaulting in a desperate attempt to escape, but Era's attacks came relentlessly, showering Gray with punches to the chest. Gray's body was suspended in the air, unable to defend himself.
Gray was looking up at the sky, thinking about Michael's frozen body and Aserah's death. Those events had upset Era, but Gray still felt he had to protect the people at the Academy. They couldn't do anything to help themselves, and Gray didn't want them to die.
He realized that he needed to stand up to Era, but he wasn't sure how. Even though their ranks were the same, there was a vast difference in their years of experience. Gray was no match for Era, who was using a technique like King Mode, the Peak of the Body Path. Gray knew he had to find a way to resist.
But there was more to the situation than met the eye.
Gray gazed at the sky, overcome with sadness and uncertainty, but he still remembered. He remembered how his master had rescued him from the street when he was young and weak. He had helped Gray reach the sky, and Gray had hoped to help him in return... Ursula had done it all. Gray reached the sky, but his master was no longer with him.
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Gray turned his head and looked into Mira's face.No! This face was not Mira's!It was the face of the same man who had killed his master all those years ago!The same man who had killed all his friends!That dirty smile was on his face again.
"You...you killed him!!!"
Suddenly, Era's fist flew through Gray, and Era fell to the ground once more as Gray buried his fist in Era's cheek.
Era wiped the blood from her mouth and looked at Gray.
"It was never supposed to be easy anyway.You are the champion of the Sky Tournament.I'd be surprised if it was such an easy fight!"
Suddenly, Era shot up into the sky like a bolt of lightning, and the moon shot towards Gray.
The two collided with each other in the middle of the sky.
The moment Era and Gray collided, a shockwave rippled through the sky and smashed into the mountains, causing them to collapse.
But, luckily, nothing happened to either side as a result of this collision. Gray's anger and Ezra's King Mode were very strong, but they were both incredibly strong emotions.
There was a reason why anger was the strongest emotion. There was no limit to anger. The more anger someone felt, the more power flowed through their body.That's why Gray was able to resist Era even though he was in King Mode. He was just now realizing it.
He had a chance to avenge his friends!
Gray swung his fist and tried to hit Era, but she was not weak at all. She dodged and dodged and dodged. She was able to parry each attack.That was the power of the difference in experience!
But Gray was determined to keep going.Suddenly, he pulled his hand back and a sphere appeared in his hand.
"Spirit Gravity Explosion!"
Gray had really advanced on the Spirit path, and Era was amazed. He had learned the ability from Green Lightning and combined it with the power of the Spirit Path.
Gray swung the orb at Era, and she knew she had to do something. With a surge of energy, she extended an arm to catch the orb.
BOOOM!
Era's heart pounded as she waited for the outcome. Thankfully, she wasn't hurt, but she was worried about Gray. She hoped that the impact had at least caused some harm.
"So that's how vulnerable you are without your sword!"
Suddenly, a fist emerged from the smoke in the explosion and hit Era in the face, but once again, Gray was stopped by the dark red arms coming out of Era's body.
"Don't worry, I'm not as weak as you think."
Gray understood that his arm might be torn off, but he didn't have much love in his life, so this would be a huge impact on him.
"Divine Sign!!"
All of a sudden, three circles appeared on Gray's forehead, and he threw himself backwards as Era looked at them. She had a scary feeling that this Mark was going to attack her, but she was right. Era's arms were gone.
But Era was underestimated by Gray. How could the Legendary ancestor of the Hunters be so weak?
"Torotras Time Winkle!!!"
A dewdrop fell quickly from the sky and hit Gray's face, and before he could ask what it was, Gray grabbed his heart and tried to breathe.His eyes showed an incredible will to survive, but it was not of his own doing.Suddenly, he felt his heart stop or slow down, but it was more painful than it should have been.
"You're very curious about the real reason I came here, aren't you, Gray? It never occurred to you that I might have learned your secrets.But I know everything! More than the Immortal Formation or how to break it...."
Era leaned over with a playful smile and whispered in Gray's ear."I know where all your students are...."
Gray's eyes opened this time, but he could do nothing because of the dew dripping down his body.
Era stepped back and spread her hands wide and started laughing hysterically.
"I will start the Sky War again!!!"
"Get lost!!!!"
Era's gaze had mistakenly drifted to the mark on Gray's forehead, and he had sent her into a dream world. The mistake of falling into his mind was unbecoming of a 600 million year old, but there was nothing to be done. Era's psychopathic mindset was draining away all her experience.
Right now, the earth and the sky were an ordinary brown. The ground was black, and the sky sometimes flickered with faint lights.Nothing special about this place, really.
"What did he do to me?"
"He brought you to the place of your regrets."
Era was surprised to hear a voice from a shadow up ahead. She couldn't see it, but it came closer, holding her blonde hair.Era knew that wise face of his, and he always looked like he was thinking something. But you never knew what he was thinking. He had appeared where he shouldn't have been, as he often did.Era was speechless when she saw him.
She was so surprised that her body even stopped working. She had run away from him for a very long time, even though he hadn't called her.
"But you have no regrets, do you, Era?"
"P-P-P-Poseidon!!"
"Don't be afraid, Era. I'm not going to do anything to you. I just dropped by."
"After all, you are so close to death."
Poseidon's words opened Era's eyes, and she suddenly clapped her hands together and stepped out of the illusion, but there was a hand in front of her—the Gray Spirit had done the Gravitational Blast once again, and this time Era couldn't block it.
BOOOM!!!
The explosion left only one result: both Gray and Era fell from the sky.Gray was severely injured by the dew blows, and Era was severely injured by Gray's final attack. It's such a relief that both of them were rescued! If someone hadn't come to their aid, they would have died.
It all happened so fast. If Poseidon hadn't warned Era, she wouldn't have known what happened to her.
But there was a little hiccup: Era didn't seem to be feeling any remorse. So the illusion probably shouldn't have worked on her, but somehow Poseidon came and kept it going.
It was all Poseidon's fault!
But Era didn't say a word.
And wouldn't you know it, 10 minutes later, two people showed up at the same time!
One of them was Michael. It took him a while to find and kill the Hunters around the Academy, but he didn't expect Gray and Era's fight to end like this.
On the other side was Artemis, the Queen of the Hunters. She had not participated in the Battle of the Sky, and that was why she was still on the 6th step—she was still alive.And yet Michael and Artemis had done nothing more than exchange a threatening look.
They both just took their friends and walked away from the field.