-Vol 6: Dusk of An Era-

-Becoming Popular(1)-

“Joy, Chiba, you guys shouldn’t stand here and protect me. I am just a product of a master’s skill. Even if I die, the master will create another one, there is no need for you guys to put your life in peril.” The one who said this was the zombie that Kenshin created in the image of Ellie, Ena. One of his oldest ones, at the same time, the most playful of all the zombies.

Earlier, when one of these dragons attacked Chiba, she had taken her place and got wounded. As such, she lad lost her leg, together with all her fighting capability. Even still, she fought and defended Chiba a few more times. Now, due to a mistake on her part, one of the pikes made by these filthy dragons had penetrated her heart, making her immobile. Since then, both Joy and Chiba were standing guard, trying to protect her.

“I know about this skill. Kenshin had informed me about it once. But, although you can be summoned once again, you won’t have any memories of what happened, right? We don’t want this to happen to you.” Joy declared before punching a strand of tentacle-like black protrusion that suddenly came down from one of the dragons.

“That's right. We don’t want you to forget about us all the time we spend together. Although you claimed many times that you are incapable of feeling emotions, but is that really true? I don’t think so.” Chiba too couldn’t accept the outcome and shouted as her eyes teared up. For the past few days, she had formed a strong bond with this zombie girl. She always thought of her as her best friend, not just a zombie soldier sent by Kenshin to protect her. How could she accept the outcome of her friend forgetting everything about herself?

She would really feel depress and cry if that happened.

{Roar!!}

Suddenly one of the dragons noticed their stagnancy and dived down. It opened its mouth wide enough to engulf a mountain and came down in hopes to swallow them whole. Chiba paled in fright while Joy’s face changed colors, the worse possible situation had happened.

“You guys, go, you can still make it in time if you run now. You shouldn’t die saving an already dead person like me…” although Ena shouted in desperation, though her face didn’t show it with its perpetual cold look, the two people still didn’t move. Instead, they started to charge their skills in an attempt to block it.

“They are such an annoying bunch, aren’t they?” suddenly, a familiar voice sounded in the trio’s ears, but the content was aimed at the Ena only. Then a huge pillar of flame rose around them before taking the shape of a giant’s hand. Opening the palm, it stopped the dragon in its track before forcibly closing its maw.

Another pillar of flame rose from within the first pillar before transforming into another hand, only this second pillar wasn’t orange-red, it was pure purple with a black outline. The second hand wasn’t a normal one as it’s palm was filled with shrapnel. Upon closer inspection, these shrapnels were actually tiny swords protruded out of the huge palm. What would happen when grabbed by that hand, one should ask that to the dragon that held by it.

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The dragon struggled to free itself, but all was in vain, how could Kenshin allow it to happen? He looked at the struggling dragon and smirked, “this is just the beginning.” Then he clapped his hands loudly, as he did so, the two flame hands smashed the dragon, like a fly between the two palms before smashing it to the ground.

Boom!!!

A massive explosion occurred as the huge trench formed, embedding the dragon within. But Kenshin wasn’t done. Leaping above ground, he rolled once in air before covering his body in concentrated flames that looked angry red and a purple hue, like a miniature sun.

While still airborne, Kenshin spammed [Earthen Slicer] and [Starfall Dominion] and activated the two domain type skills. As he did so, gravity gradually took hold of him, but he was more than willing to fall down.

BOOMMMM!!

A huge explosion rocked everything, whose flumes went into the sky like the shape of a mushroom. The explosion was so violent that everyone stopped for a second to look at what happened.

On the other hand, Kenshin smirked as he received the notification that he had killed the creature. The only bad thing about these monsters was that they didn’t give experience when killed. On the contrary, they grow stronger after killing and absorbing other monsters and hunters. Kenshin had his suspicion that these monsters were actually a product of skill or some other things, like how his zombies were. One wouldn’t receive exp after blocking a skill, would they?

“Kenshin!!” Chiba and joy shouted in happiness as they saw him walking out of the smoke with his sword on his shoulders. They were in a pinch just now, thinking of how to defend the attack, only for him to come to their rescue. Seeing them, Kenshin too smiled, feeling a sense of warmth originating in his heart.

Then his eyes landed on Ena, who was looking down, seeming disappointed that she couldn’t live up to his orders. But Kenshin wasn’t about to blame her, she had done enough. In fact, he was thankful to her a lot. As such, he pointed his finer at her and whispered the skill’s name.

“Respawn”

A green-colored glow enveloped her before blinding everyone. As soon as it faded, Ena walked out of it, looking a lot healthier than before. Gone was her dismembered leg and punctured heart, now only smooth skin could be visible there. Kenshin, too, went ahead and gave her the ability [Exploding Domain], after all these weird dragons were a lot weak all type of fire skills.

“Master!” Ena looked at Kenshin with gratitude and showed him a smile. Not one that she usually shows to everyone, but one that vaguely looked real. Although she was made from the image of Ellie, she was still a zombie, something that was already dead. For her to show genuine emotion was no walk in the park.

“Don’t thank me. I have done what I must, so don’t dare thank me.” After that, he pointed towards the flying dragons, who were circling above them like crows before saying, “Concentrate on killing these two.”

Then he looked at Joy and Chiba, “Let’s focus on the one that’s closer to us. I will bring it down, then we will gang up on it.”

“Yes, alright,” both Chiba and Joy agreed, as they charged their strongest magic ability.

Kenshin took in a deep breath, before opening his eyes and fixed it on the one that was flaying closest. Then he pointed his index finger at the wings that were flapping lazily and charged a Starfall Dominion and concealed it within the Plasma Beam skill. He used two hands to simultaneously charge two, making the total output 6000 if it hits the target. And he had no reason to miss it.

Swoosh!! Boom!!

With a mild explosion, he fired as two brightly shining pink-colored beams towards the flying monster. The plasma beam was something that traveled at near light speed, making it one of the skills which were impossible to dodge. The two beams, inside which lethal stars were hidden, tore open a massive hole in the greasy wings.

Roar!!

The dragon screamed, perhaps it felt pain, but Kenshin wasn’t sure and wasn’t bothered to make sure. As its wings were destroyed, it lost its balance and began falling down like a meteor towards Kenshin and his companions.

Now above its head, a long red bar was visible, which now decreased my more than 40%. Although only Kenshin could see it.

It was time for Kenshin and his party to make a name for themselves.