Dæinvorol’s thunderous footsteps filled the air as he slowly moved toward the three. Rancour sent out a flurry of slashes, which seemingly did nothing to the towering figure. Dæinvorol swung its large mace down upon Rancour, who evaded, slashing at Dæinvorol who caught his sword with his hand, slamming him with his mace as he flew into and through multiple buildings, crashing into the ground, paralysed by the mace’s energy.

Momo dashed toward Dæinvorol, slashing at him multiple times to no effect. Dæinvorol grabbed him by his throat, slamming him into the ground, the land shaking with such violence that it began to tear York apart. The entire city began to be swallowed by violent quaking that stretched for hundreds of miles, destroying many towns tens of miles beyond York.

“That is exactly why we should send the message of prosperity to the regions, once they see the goodness of your reign, they shall respect you, rather than fear you, my king.” The minister proposed.

“I understand both of your arguments, how-” Raúl attempted to comment, as the palace shook violently.

An earthquake, in London? Raúl thought. It must be them. Something is wrong.

“Gentlemen, we will have to continue this conversation at a later date, this is not a natural earthquake.” Raúl declared as he turned to leave.

“How would you know, sire?” The minister asked.

“We are not in an Earthquake prone area minister, I can feel the trembling in the Earth, it originates from York.” Raúl explained.

Raúl sped off, coming to York, and peering into the distance beyond, seeing the ravenous beast tearing through the city, as it was becoming swallowed entirely by violent quaking perpetuated upon it by Dæinvorol.

A force of nature, to be sure, he’s marvellous. Raúl thought to himself as he examined the fighting between his former mercenary and Dæinvorol.

“燃えるような正しさの証明.” (Blazing Vindication) Takahiro chanted, as a slight spectral aura befell him once more, igniting his sword with purple flames.

Dæinvorol sprinted toward Takahiro, swinging his man down upon him with furious force, attempting to kill him before he could attack. Swiftly, Takahiro drew his blade, giving it his complete force, and cleaving the beast’s arm off, the mace dropping to the ground as Takahiro immediately slashed at the large creature with speed surpassing that of Rancour himself.

Raúl sprinted down to where Takahiro stood, watching the beast regenerate his lost arm and damaged armour. As Dæinvorol stared at the two, he moved with stunning speed, moving far faster than Takahiro could react, slamming his mace into him, and sending him flying into the same building as Momo.

Raúl and Dæinvorol shared a look of curiosity between one another, both attempting to ascertain one another’s powers. Dæinvorol did not spare his former’s patience, lashing out toward Raúl furiously. Raúl quickly reacted, distorting space and time to slow the attacks to where they had no speed whatsoever.

“Inner Vigour: Interior” Raúl recited.

Possessing the energy of darkness, Raúl created a ball of energy, creating an effect that pulled the beast inward, tearing him apart and launching Dæinvorol into the air, forcing him to hang there as Raúl began his second chant.

“Inner Vigour: Exterior” Raúl chanted, as a beam entered his hand, firing in a sharp motion, as it collided with the Interior, creating Median, which instantly collapsed, exploding and imploding at once, erasing all matter around the two-kilometre radius it covered, sealing the fate of all in York besides the trio, and as he began reforming, it was apparent Dæinvorol survived too.

Impossible. There must be some power he possesses that has prevented the full brunt of Median from destroying him. Raúl thought to himself as he beast began walking closer. Fine.

Raúl drew his sword, preparing to fight the large being, as the trio joined him, an uneasy truce befalling them.

“Interior.” He said, firing the ball of darkness ahead, pulling Dæinvorol in toward it, however, the beast began resisting its pull as it attempted to escape its intensity. Dæinvorol finally stopped, the Interior being unable to affect him. With a shockwave, Raúl forced him into the Interior, amplifying it to its maximum output as he began the that for the maximum output Median.

“Extricate Light, Wreathing Darkness. The glare of day, the shroud of night, the intertwined mediator. Complete and total, Median.” Raúl recited, firing the full output Exterior toward the Interior, as it expanded, covering and sealing Dæinvorol within its expanding radius.

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“You’ll want to raise a resonance barrier, this won’t be pretty.” Raúl suggested to the trio, who raised them in tandem.

The Median collapsed violently, exploding and imploding with an intense force that completely erased the remains of the portion of York they were in, destroying tens of houses. As the blinding power of the blast settled, the four looked on in terror and shock, the beast was regenerating its bodies’ left half from erasure.

How did it survive the full output of Median? That shouldn’t be possible. Raúl thought to himself, knowing the beast could not use resonance. It had been hit by one low scale Median and had formed a resistance to Interior.

“It can evolve!” Raúl yelled to the trio as Dæinvorol finished its regeneration.

The four, uneasy of their enemies’ newfound power, awaited his move. The beast lunged at Momo and Takahiro, grabbing Momo as he kicked Takahiro, shattering his right leg and sending a large tremor throughout his body, rupturing his vitals, forcing him to the floor, silently knocked out as he bled from the inside.

Momo screamed intently as Dæinvorol crushed his ribcage, as he charged a punch to free himself, seeing its icy glow, he knew what to do, nodding at Rancour as he reeled into the punch.

“Ardour’s Spark!”

The beast dropped Momo, being caught off guard by the severity of the strike, as Rancour and Raúl converged on Dæinvorol, staggering him with multiple blows, carving through his armour. Dæinvorol closed his arms, letting out a powerful omnidirectional wave that sent the four flying away. Rancour recovered quickly, engaging Dæinvorol with a high kick, spinning around into a full force drop kick into his midsection, backflipping as he landed, twisting his blade to face the monster.

The two closed the gap again, as Rancour fired his bow, energising its arrow at point blank range, exploding and taking off a portion of the monster’s armoured face. Dæinvorol slammed his mace into Rancour’s face and picking him up by his leg, slamming him onto the ground.

Before he could finish off the wraith, Momo kicked the beast backward, throwing off his mace swing as he sent out Spectral Slashes, lacerating into the beast, showing no flesh.

Momo ducked under two swings of Dæinvorol’s mace, weaving to the side of a punch as he moved to slash the beasts’ leg. Dæinvorol spun around as he landed the blow, sending a heavy shockwave at Momo as he flew backward. Rancour leapt at Dæinvorol, in tandem with Raúl, who was punched away, unconscious, as the beast held Rancour in motion with his mace, pushing him off it as he thundered after him, catching him off guard as Rancour narrowly dodged his large fist.

“Let’s get serious.” Rancour taunted as the beast was repelled away by a shockwave.

Rancour sent out an amplified Spectral Slash, cleaving off the beasts’ leg as he ran into him, punching him into the air, as he instantly flew to the stunned Dæinvorol, slamming him down into the ground as he followed up with a full force kick as he descended, realising the icy aura that enveloped the air, the bliss of the fight.

“Ardour’s Spark!”

The terrifyingly large crater expanded, multiple kilometers of land being torn apart from the force of such a powerful strike. Dæinvorol stood up, completing his regeneration as he gained a small resistance to the Spectral attacks Rancour had been using.

Momo and Takahiro returned to the battlefield; Takahiro being severely wounded due to his lack of regenerative abilities.

“Get him out of here, take him back to my Sanctum, it shall tend to his wounds. Go, now, I will handle the beast!” Rancour instructed, as Momo nodded speeding off.

Raúl and Rancour now stood, ready to fight the beast.

Can you hear me? Raúl telepathically communicated to Rancour.

Yes, I am led to surmise you would have a strategy after experiencing the monster’s abilities? Rancour responded.

We will need to kill it quickly; you cannot wear down a being that can regenerate without the concept of its being. It will need to die with a coordinated strike so large it will not have time to regenerate, its abilities are based on experiencing a power, then slowly adding resistances, immunities and eventually counters that can only become more refined with time, so we must be swift. Raúl outlined, as Rancour agreed.

I can keep it in one place with my Spectral Dominion, will you be able to create an attack powerful enough to destroy it? Rancour inquired.

Yes, but I would prefer if your friend would help, he seems to be very naturally attuned to the Ardour’s Spark, which this beast cannot adapt to, as it is, at its core, simply a damage increase. It will be able to wear it down before he could have time to develop a resistance to our more powerful abilities. Raúl suggested.

Well, let’s give the beast a show whilst we wait for him to return. Rancour eagerly proposed, as the two stood off against the large being.

Momo ran to the Sanctum of the Vengeful, placing Takahiro in the center of Rancour’s Sanctum, his internal damage healing slowly.

“Momo!” Amirah yelped in joy, running up to her brother as he picked her up, hugging her warmly.

“It’s been days, where have you been?” Amirah asked curiously as Momo held her on his shoulder, walking through her slice of the realm.

It’s been months, but I’m glad time flows much more slowly here, or it would have been much more painful for her. Momo thought to himself.

“Me and Rancour have been on a mission to stop those who hurt our family, we’ve succeeded, but the evil men summoned a monster to fight us, and I have to go back to finish it off before it destroys the world.” Momo explained, placing his sister back onto the ground.

“But I don’t want you to go!” Amirah whined, latching onto his leg. Momo softly patted her head, consoling her as she began to cry.

“I’m sorry Amirah, I promise I won’t be long, you don’t need to worry, I’ll be back within a few days.” Momo affirmed, as he took Amirah off his leg, kneeling to give her a last hug before leaving.

Momo turned away, pain in his every stride as ran back to the fight.

As Momo arrived, he joined the fight, immediately slashing at Dæinvorol, and kicking him away as he joined the two in the last attempt to save the world from the monster.

“Finally, you took your time kid, right, you run him through the plan, and make it quick!” Rancour communicated to Raúl, who opened a telepathic link between himself and Momo.

Right, can you hear me? Raúl quickly asked.

Yes. Momo answered.

You have an important task, as soon as Rancour opens his Dominion, you and I must begin to ensnare the beast. Once we have, everything will ride upon you forcing the beast’s adaptor to be distracted. You must hit an Ardour’s Spark. Raúl urged.

I understand, I will do what I must. Momo answered.

“Spectral Dominion: Sanctum of the Vengeful.”