The heroes instinctively moved back to back, forming a perfect defensive circle. Their eyes scanned the battlefield, every muscle tense, ready to react to the slightest movement.
"What's the plan, Ikku?" Kenny asked, his jaw clenched.
Ikku took a deep breath.
"I don't really have one."
He tightened his fists.
"We'll have to neutralize all of them."
"There are way too many," Carla added, watching the wave of soldiers closing in.
Tenma smiled calmly, almost confidently.
"Don't worry. I've got an idea."
He raised his voice.
"FENRIR!"
Fenrir rushed toward them, Nina right behind him.
"Fenrir," Tenma said without hesitation, "we're switching to offensive mode. Get ready. Nina, you too."
He glanced at Ikku and the others.
"You're all involved."
Fenrir swallowed.
"O-okay."
Then, excluding Ikku, he added:
"Come closer… and grab my arm."
They exchanged confused looks but obeyed, gripping Fenrir's arm just as several soldiers charged toward them, weapons raised.
Kenny and Yumé were about to let go.
"Don't worry," Fenrir murmured, staring at his own hand, seemingly oblivious to the danger rushing toward them.
They understood why a second later.
Thick tree branches burst from the ground, wrapping around the soldiers and lifting them into the air, hanging them upside down, helpless.
Before Ikku could even process what was happening, Tenma moved.
A flash of steel.
One clean motion.
The soldiers dropped lifelessly to the ground.
"Incredible…" Kenny whispered.
"So that's Nina's Brand."
"Stay focused," Fenrir said.
He inhaled deeply.
"Do you trust me to take care of you?"
"Uh… y-yeah, I guess," the others replied hesitantly.
A sudden light enveloped them.
"What just happened?" Yumé asked.
"Preparations complete," Fenrir announced.
"Perfect," Tenma replied.
He scanned the group.
"Ikku's friends went through the same training as he did. No need for extra stamina."
He turned to Carla.
"Anyone here fight from a distance?"
"I do. I use chains."
"Good."
Tenma gestured toward Fenrir and Nina.
"Stay close to them. Fenrir must not be injured."
He smiled.
"The rest of you, fight without restraint. Don't worry. Fenrir's watching over us."
With that, Tenma charged straight into the battlefield.
He was everywhere. Each strike sent another soldier crashing to the ground. Ikku and the others stood frozen for a brief moment, trying to understand.
"What does he mean by that?" Ikku asked.
"Fenrir's power," Kenny replied.
"Remember when you lost to Tenma? Fenrir got you back on your feet."
Ikku's eyes widened.
"That's right…"
He grinned.
"Then we've got nothing to fear. Let's go!"
They rushed into battle.
Ikku dodged the first strike, then the second, before counterattacking with brutal precision. Kenny transformed into his giant panther form, tearing through enemy ranks. Yumé focused, storing solar energy before splitting into multiple clones, attacking from all sides.
The battlefield descended into controlled chaos.
On the ship, Zeno was locked in combat with Myu.
Blades sliced through the air. Myu dodged every strike, retaliating with missiles launching from his forearms. Zeno cut them down effortlessly, teleporting in front of him for a horizontal slash, missed.
Teleport.
Behind Myu.
Vertical strike.
The blade stopped dead, just inches above Myu's head.
Zeno's eyes widened.
He didn't have time to react. A powerful kick sent him flying to the other end of the ship.
Myu approached slowly.
"You forgot your sword is made of metal."
Zeno grimaced.
"Damn it… so it really is magnetism."
He turned his head toward the shore and saw Ikku and the others fighting.
"Idiots!" Zeno shouted.
"I told them not to engage!"
He tried to move toward them, but a mass of metallic debris came crashing down. He dodged at the last second.
"Now that you're here," Myu said with a twisted smile,
"I'm not letting you leave."
"Tch."
The fight resumed.
Elsewhere, Sorento dominated Jo.
Each clash shook the ground, sending everything within twenty meters flying. The more Jo endured, the stronger he became… but it still wasn't enough.
Sorento blocked every strike. Countered instantly.
Jo was bleeding. Breathing heavily.
"Looks like you're reaching your limit," Sorento said calmly.
"Seems so… ha… ha…" Jo gasped.
"But I can still—"
A devastating right hook ended the fight.
Jo collapsed unconscious.
"Not bad for a warm-up," Sorento said.
He turned toward the shore.
"Now, let's deal with the kid."
He spotted Ikku in the middle of the chaos.
"Perfect."
Sorento crouched like a sprinter at the starting line, then leapt.
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
He landed right in front of Ikku.
"There you are, Némuri Ikku," Sorento said with a sadistic grin.
"Damn it!"
Ikku panicked.
"TURBO!"
His spiritual energy erupted, blasting soldiers away. He lunged at Sorento, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches—each one blocked.
The counterattack came instantly.
A few blows were enough.
Ikku slammed into the ground.
"Damn…" he thought.
"I didn't expect him to be this strong…"
Sorento stepped closer.
Suddenly, a massive wave surged forward, sweeping away Mekira's soldiers without touching Ikku. Sorento leapt back.
Ikku turned his head.
A familiar figure stood beside him.
"Y-you're the examiner from the first trial…"
"Mr. Dôma?"
"It's been a while, Némuri Ikku," Dôma said calmly.
"Looks like you've grown stronger… and awakened your prana."
"Interesting," Sorento said, stepping closer.
"A Sulsa. You've mastered water perfectly."
"A Sulsa?" Ikku repeated.
"Sulsa can control a single element," Dôma explained.
"Which makes us negative-type users."
"Move aside," Sorento ordered.
"Step back, Némuri Ikku," Dôma said firmly.
Ikku obeyed without hesitation.
He knew he wasn't on Sorento's level.
Another battle was about to begin.