The battle against Raven isn't much of a grand battle as one could imagine.
To Rena's eyes, it's more akin to an animal lashing out, a cornered and very injured animal.
Raven and Elsword have engaged in close combat as soon they began. Here, Elsword's skill as a knight truly shine as he not only keeping up with the older swordsman but also exchanging blows with equal ferocity against the nearly feral man. The boy's words truly struck the man deep, rousing whatever deep-seated hatred he has and now unleashing it to the poor boy.
Said boy simply took it like a rock and struck back.
"Rena!" Aisha's cry alarmed the elf, she instinctively backflipped out of her position to dodge the spike descending on top her.
The spike was not a simple projectile. It's the Core of the Nasod arm attached to Raven. Rena and Aisha have been distracting and holding the thing off from helping it's master for a while now.
Appearing above a conveyor belt, Aisha unleashed bolts of lightning towards the Nasod Core. A loud crackle of lightning filled the air, striking towards the stuck spike.
With a blast of it's own electricity, the Nasod Core dispersed the lightning strike harmlessly around it, like an umbrella in the rain. The purple haired mage cursed at the badluck as the spike dislodged itself and unfurled to glare at them with its singular eye/core.
Then the wind suddenly picked up, from a chill breeze from the open air circulating in the room to a violent gale forming a miniature tornado. Aisha anchored herself with magic, creating a runic platform to block herself from being dragged at the turbulent winds epicenter, the Nasod Core.
Up the rafters, Rena had successfully casted the miniature tornado. A powerful spell casted by borrowing the power of the wind spirits in the area. Not to mention the abundance of El shards in the room, the power behind such spell is amplified.
But despite that, the Nasod Core isn't a push over. The machine was thrown and battered by the tornado after being slammed to whatever hard surface it could find in it's impromptu flight. Even so, the Nasod Core has displayed no sign of damage or weakening.
"Eeeek!" Rena yelped as the Nasod Core blasted next to her head, having tilted her perfectly intact cranium at the last second from the unexpected attack. The Nasod Core in it's spike form redirected itself midair aimed at her back before blasting off again to stab her. Having seen what the machine is capable of, the two female members of the El party had concluded not to let it touch them no matter what. With it's constant jolt of sparks, the best thing would happen is bad electro therapy and at worst, paralysis. As such, Rena immediately dropped on the main floor to avoid the attack. Meanwhile, Aisha launched a salvo of magic missiles to follow and hinder the machine's flight as it erratically try to home at either one of them.
It didn't work at all.
"Oh come on!" The girl yelled in frustration, teleporting on a conveyor belt to avoid the incoming spike.
"Aisha! We need to limit it's movements or make it stop for big attack!" The elf called below, firing a salvo of arrows to veer off the Nasod Core, gaining it's attention and away from the mage.
"How?! This thing is shrugging most of our stuff!" Aisha called back, firing fireballs at the distracted machine in hopes of the heat melting it's components. It struck the machine with zero damage to it's structure. Not only it was designed to generate insane amounts of electricity, it's also capable od withstanding the generated heat of such ability.
"I have a plan. Maybe?" Rena replied unsurely, dodging the incoming spike once more with an elegant flip. She landed on a crate full of El shards.
"I hope." She whispered before firing more arrows at the machine chasing after her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elsword's skill in the sword is top notch, that he can surely say proudly. Being taught at the young age by his sister, the youngest Captain of the Red knights and a natural prodigy in the art of the sword, Elsword's skill is far beyond normal swordsmen. He was only surpassed by his sister.
But today, he found his match.
"RAAAAGH!" Elsword roared unleashing a series of slashes, coated in the red destructive aura, towards Raven.
The older man simply displayed why he was a veteran amongst the Velder knights. He dodged and weave at each destructive slashes, stepping out of range barely as if he had memorize such techniques. It was no surprise. Raven's hatred for the Velder Kingdom run far deep, it's only natural he would study and find the weaknesses of Velder's techniques.
With a final swing, Elsword erupted under the power of El, creating a massive geyser of fire around him. At the end, it was useless effort as his opponent vanished. Panting and leaning over his sword, the boy's red eyes frantically looked for the man.
Jumping out of the Shadow step, Raven stabbed the boy on the side. Quick on his instincts, the boy leaned away from the attack but was still caught by the bite of steel, leaving a deep gash on his side.
"Ughn!" He grunted at the wound, grasping and finding blood at his palms.
The fight has been frustrating for the boy. No matter what he do, the older swordsman always have answer or a counterattack. He hadn't landed a single attack yet but he's already wounded. He's out skilled and outmatched, the distance between their levels are just too high.
Yet, why?
Why is his heart pumping so much? His heart is beating wildly, just as the same way whenever he would clash swords with his older sister.
It was a...nostalgic feeling.
A challenge!
With a roar, Elsword slammed his sword to the ground, creating a linear path of broken and superheated metal as lava spontaneously erupted on the floor (somehow on a ship!). Raven leapt back to avoid the attack, raising his Nasod Arm and began firing it with its gun. The boy simply raised his sword, using the flat of the sword as a shield as he run towards Raven. The man clicked his tongue and met the boy in his charge, swinging his Nasod Arm back. With a powerful punch, the Black Crow sent the boy back flying back.
"Guh!" Elsword winced as his back hits the wall before rolling to cover behind a crate filled with El shards as Raven began firing at his position.
"You're pretty good for a ex-Velder knight. What's your rank back then?" The boy yelled from behind his cover, trying to regulate hi breathing and wincing at his bleeding side. His red aura switching to a blue aura, Vitality, to help the bleeding.
"Why would I answer that? It's pointless." Raven replied cooly, pausing his attack. It wouldn't be good if he accidentally set off the El shards with his attacks. The whole room is filled with it and one wrong stray attack would send them straight to their graves.
If there's a body left at all.
"Nothing. Just small talk." The boy replied, "It's not every day I get to meet a swordsman as good as my sister. To be honest, I'm kinda jealous." He said with a bashful tone and a grin.
"Jealous? What's supposed to be jealous of my state? My arm? Trust me, you don't want it." Raven said as he slowly walked towards the boy's hiding place, making sure his footsteps didn't make a sound.
"Not your arm, your skill! I have met and sparred most of the Red knights in my childhood but none as good as you! Well except my sister. It's why I've been training hard since she left to reach that kind of level." The boy replied with a nostalgic tone. Raven scoffed at the mention of the Red knights. Nothing more than an order of hypocrites.
Slowly but surely, the man approached the crate. Five steps is only what he needed.
"You kinda remind me of her, my sister." Four steps.
"She was the best swordsman in Elrios." Three steps.
"She's the protector of the realm, both from inside and outside of the continent." Two steps.
"And I want to become just like her." One step.
Raven gripped the edge of the crate and pushed it aside with his Nasod Arm, slashing his blade downwards to the boy's head.
Except there was no boy.
"That's why, I'll beat you and surpass people like you." From behind! The boy had clung to the crate when it was pushed aside, unnoticed because his Nasod Arm's lack of senses.
Raven raised his arm to block the attack but it was no ordinary attack. It was full powered swing, you might as well call it a Mega Slash!
Raven's arm took the brunt of the attacks, destroying it's outer shell and revealing it's innards. The man himself was flung to the other side of the room, crashing to a pile of crates with a crash.
"Ugghh..." Raven winced, he had underestimated the boy's resourcefulness. He stood up and noticed his Nasod Arm hanging limply, damaged and inoperational.
"No more Nasod Tech, just us and our swords. I want to beat Raven the Velder Knight, not the Black Crow." Elsword said, pointing his sword at the man.
"I'm no longer a knight or affiliated to Velder." Raven snarled, ignoring his limp prosthetics and raised his blade at the boy.
"I know, I just wanna beat you in your best." Elsword gave him a cheeky smile.
With an unknown signal, the two of them crossed blades, the battle heating up!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the main bridge, Haro is panicking.
Most of the ship's personnel had bailed already, taking flight unit Nasods or simply jumping off at the nearest landmass aka Altera's cliffs. Turns out, having mercs and ex-soldiers who abandoned the army aren't so loyal to your cost, Haro will remember that. For now, Haro has to land this ship safely!
Haro has already lost most of the engines, leaving behind a paltry amount, enough to glide in the air and find a suitable area to land.
Which is none at all!
Altera is a ruined kingdom, full of broken Nasods and behemoth structures of ancient Nasod architecture. The whole area Haro had found himself gliding over is full of them, leaving no space for a smooth landing. Haro has no confidence in the ship's survival if Haro crash-lands to these ruins. The ship will surely go up in flames and lose all of their bounty.
Haro doesn't wanna lose his hard earned materials!
Another explosion tore through the ship's insides, courtesy of the heating battle. Haro wishes Haro can drop the ship and go Haro on these intruders. They're fighting with little regard to the environment except for the El shards stored, destroying everything in their path. It's frustrating for Haro to watch.
Especially when Haro can see that Raven is slowly losing.
Raven's Nasod arm was damaged and non-functional after the massive attack it took. The arm turned into a dead weight, throwing off Raven's balance. In the fight, is so much clear when he can only use one arm and trying to position himself at his good arm to counter the weight dragging him.
If only he could get his Nasod Core back, his arm could hijack and function in a very damaged yet functional state.
Except said Nasod Core is being corralled by the other two intruders, the elf and mage. It was akin to a twisted game of cat and mouse. The cat being the Nasod Core and mice being the women. But unlike the usual game, it's the cat that has no control of the game. The mice has effectively forced and kept the cat in playing the silly game.
The Nasod core is effectively neutralized, it's attention split between the elf and mage as they take turns in hit and run tactics, never letting up and pushing the Nasod Core far away from Raven.
That's when Haro saw what they doing and realized what they are planning.
Oh hell nah!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steel met steel, sparks flying before both weapons retracted for another swing. Again and again, weapon met weapon in shower of sparks, sweat and blood.
Elsword stepped back, bloodied by various shallow wounds. Most prominent suspect is the nasty gash at his side. The boy panted, wincing in pain yet the smile on his lips never wavered.
On the contrary, Raven huffed with arm shaking in exhaustion. He is panting harder, breathing hard and fast, trying to take as much oxygen as he needed. Unlike the boy, he had sustained minor cuts and bruises compared to the bloodied boy.
Still, he had underestimated him. Raven had thought he could defeat the boy through skill and experience alone despite his defective Nasod Arm being a hindrance. How wrong he was. He underestimated the boy's attacks, each swing having enough strength to break one's arm. The only reason his didn't because of him diverting the force of the boy's attacks away by parrying them and that took toll on his body and stamina.
Raven can't keep this up. His arm is shaking, exhausted from shouldering each hit. His lungs burning under the adrenaline and his heart beats loud and painful in his chest. Deep inside he knew-
His enhancements and Nasod arm is killing him. He had already suspected since he started losing control, attacking the Pongos to capture and seize their knowledge of Nasod technology, his pilliage on Fieta and more.
Since the that day, he has always been broken and lost despite the Nasod's efforts.
A walking corpse, fueled only by rage and thoughts of vengeance.
Yet here he is, without his Nasod arm and relying only at his human side. He can now clearly see it.
How pathetic had he become.
"... You've been impressive. Your grasp of the fundamental techniques are far beyond your age and the standard members of the Red knights." Raven compliments the boy, huffing.
"Thanks, I guess. My sister taught me well." Elsword replied with a bit of confusion but happy to see a small but of humanity in the Black Crow.
"She would be proud indeed." Raven took a deep breath, closing his eyes. As he opened it, cold resolution can be seen beneath those eyes.
"But you haven't took the next step yet. So as once a Captain of Velder Knights, I shall test you. Now tell me your name."
"Elsword." The boy responded, gripping his sword tight.
"Then I, Raven of the Black Crows will test you. Show me the most important technique in the Velder knights!" Raven declared with finality, raising his blade and pointing it the boy in overhead thrusting stance.
Elsword can see it.
This will be the final clash. One move and it will be done.
The world grew still.
They ignored the burning wreckage in their fight.
They ignored the clamor of the ongoing fight not so far from them.
They ignored the world collapsing beneath their feet.
Eyes met and a connection was made.
'Your still a knight/You'll be a good knight someday.'
Both of them moved.
Entering Shadow step, Raven bursts into an explosive thrust dead center to the boy's heart.
Elsword saw the attack coming from a mile away already, yet the speed was as astonishing as it's user. His sword swung upwards, not slash nor meet steel with steel.
No, it was block.
A perfect counter.
And then the world exploded and he knew no more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Those bad girls used the El shards as IED (improvised explosive devise)!!!
Not only they had to destroy Haro's ship, they just have to turn it into scrap too! When Haro gets to on them, Haro will show them a piece of Haro's mind!!!
They dealt with Raven's Nasod Core with such overkill. Not only they trapped the poor thing on a crate filled of El shards, they overloaded it with elemental attacks, the kind that would make things go haywire into a massive explosion!
The worse part? They underestimated the explosion they would make! The explosion broke the ship in half! The tail end coming apart and falling behind while the nose dove to the ground.
Hard!!!
Guess where is Haro through all of it!
On the main bridge, aka the nose!
Haro didn't have a good landing. Haro flew into the goddamn window, breaking it, thrown out of the ship and broke Haro's fall on top of ruined Nasods. Oh, Haro is also damaged but Haro's storee up DG cells from Burning East mission is fixing it.
But Haro's ship is broken!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!
Ooh? Haro's sees people! It's the intruders and Raven!
Kinda?
Among the intruders, only the elf is standing. She had dragged her companions out of the crashed and burning ship before dragging Raven out, lifting him up with an arm around her shoulders.
Haro is mad!
When Haro is mad, Haro goes hungry.
What does Haro eats? Materials, raw fucking materials.
And this elf will feel the wrath of Haro!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh, what a cute round Nasod. You're a Nas-Hey! What are you doing?! Don't eat my skirt!!!"
Raven didn't bother opening his eyes, too tired and injured. Still, he smiled.
Haro had survived too, that's good. The robot was far too useful to be broken.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
Next Chapter
Raven's Healing and recuperating from the crash.
Meanwhile, danger lurks underground as a daughter cries for it's father.
Still sick asf