The crash was bad—truly bad. The plane was destroyed, and yet most of the soldiers—Dean’s group included—had survived. Still, they had been separated during the crash. It had taken place in a forest. Dean was lucky; he had landed near the city, its lights shining brightly.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucsXxh0eP9
However, he was alone.
‘Our goal was the White House! I might find others if I go there!’78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsgFJ0V6JZ
And so, he started walking.
The others had more luck—they had stayed together.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgRrVMjB3W
They were deeper in the forest, which seemed strangely alive. That’s when they heard footsteps. Ghouls were approaching. Their stench was foul, and their grunts hideous. Yet among them was a surprisingly calm, familiar voice:
‘We meet again, Kong of the Beasts!’78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJFwTseqYj
Dracule emerged from the darkness.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93tCXcDLvy
‘Last time I had a time limit—but this time, there is none!’
Commander Nootra remained composed. His eyes scanned the line of his soldiers, then Dean’s group, and finally halted at Nicole, who greeted him with a bright smile.
‘Hahahah! Everyone, listen to me! We have one mission, and it’s the White House. Fight your way through and destroy whatever stands in your path. If we fail, humanity fails! I’ll deal with this bastard!’
‘And I’ll take care of the ghouls!’ Nicole added.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHDL0RgfMy
She wasted no time. Giant blood spears formed at her sides. She hurled them at the advancing ghouls, breaching the enemy line.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSDJlINHkF
‘Now!’ she bellowed, and the others ran through the gap she had created.
Next, she activated her ability: Agro—forcing all the ghouls to focus their rage and attention solely on her.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVaXRH0X4A
They stormed her.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoIXV8n0a0
White and black ghouls, countless in number.
The commander shifted into his final form and let out a war cry—not to intimidate, but to inspire the scattered soldiers in the forest.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT4GiDKIab
Then he launched himself at the enemy.
In the Sky
The sky was ablaze. Tornadoes wreaked havoc across the land.
Seraphina and Saphire were both wounded—but both smiled.
They shot forward, weapons gripped tightly, and clashed—baaaaam!78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHzVXrTeny
Seraphina went for a thrust, which Saphire managed to deflect. She countered with a slash Seraphina failed to block.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjcWxAkvmI
Her blade sliced from Seraphina’s chest diagonally down to her waist.
Saphire didn’t stop. She summoned a tornado and crashed it into her opponent. Then she unleashed a wild flurry of sword swings. With every strike, wicked energy shot from her katana, smashing into Seraphina, who was still struggling against the storm.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHRmdqQ5rQ
More tornadoes gathered—and Saphire felt confident in her victory.
‘Seems like that’s it! You were a formidable opponent. However, today—’78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nEQgVg4TZ
She stopped. Flames in the sky began to flow downward, gathering around Seraphina.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkaH3E8KVX
The heat intensified, burning away the tornadoes.
Seraphina was far from defeated. Her voice, powerful and unwavering, proved it.
‘Hahahah, no, Saphire. You were a strong opponent.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rh7oiKwWC
I was born in a thousand flames. My body is steel, and my soul is light.’
The gathering fire compressed into a small sun, hovering above her.
‘And victory is my destiny.’
Saphire gathered all her reserves and poured them into her sword.
‘Witness the new beginning of a sun.’
She shot forward, determined to stop Seraphina from releasing her power.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94XLtW2gfz
As she drew near, her skin began to burn—her weapon glowed fiercely, even started to melt.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5l4lovZcm
The sun above Seraphina hadn’t grown much, but its heat was unbearable.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYzHBJxMyC
Seraphina grabbed the blazing orb and fused it with her spear. Then she thrust it forward and roared:
‘Nova Burst!’
Saphire swung her sword one last time, putting everything she had into that final slash…
In the Forest
Larah led the charge, slicing through every tree that blocked her path.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9drJ5ifDt
She moved quickly, her slashes tearing through the forest.
From the right, Sark called out:
‘Larah, calm down! You won’t get far like this! Right, Jessie?’
Jessie was to Larah’s left. She didn’t look much better—her mind was on Niyghel and John.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAe5Z5p5Sd
She didn’t respond, even when Sark called again.
That’s when they felt it—the impact of Seraphina’s attack.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRezzqu6mqz
The heat and pressure slammed into their backs.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnpq2wXvUz
Still, Larah and Jessie pushed forward, ignoring the burning force.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DqaeE0WiA
Finally, they broke through the forest’s edge.
Some soldiers joined them, gasping for breath.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk4OPes7On
They glanced at the two women, then at Sark, who shrugged.
‘We don’t have any time to waste,’ Larah said.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Dmf9cpkKK
‘What’s the fastest way to the White House?’
She looked over her shoulder at the soldiers, who were speechless.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZEx4wXhns
Sark, however, was not:
‘If we keep going straight, we’ll get there quickest.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd1TVZpsSp
Surely the enemy will be waiting for us!’
‘I want them to wait for us,’ Larah grunted.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqiQ8khfHk
Jessie added, ‘Hopefully Niyghel and John are also there.’
‘Damn, ladies! Chill! Why don’t we take another route?’ Sark suggested.
The women didn’t answer.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdHjdGCTPT
They marched on.
Somewhere in the City
Dean wandered the streets, unsure where he was going.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAlN0rnFiq
So far, he had encountered no one. The roads were empty.
‘Yes, I am the lucky one!’78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZav2GhSPlR
Dean searched for the voice’s source.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijmEYbJCg6
He looked up—and on top of a tall building, a woman sat.
(Dean: How did I hear her?)
In the blink of an eye, the woman vanished—and appeared behind him.
She had violet skin. Her dark hair was so long it touched the ground.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmjy3ba1EI
She wore black leather boots, baggy black pants, and a violet hoodie clearly too big for her.
When Dean turned around—she vanished again.
‘You are too slow!’
Sweat broke across his forehead as he spun around.
This time he saw her—and her eyes.
‘A demon…’ he whispered—78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YeRNxThbK
and then a fist slammed into his face, knocking him to the ground.
78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9Is4LEeil
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