Chapter 126 – Clash with the Arcane General
The Arcane General straightened to its full height, blotting out the burning horizon. Its obsidian horns glowed with cracks of molten red, and its cathedral-like chest opened slightly, revealing a pulsing core of arcane fire. Each breath it exhaled warped the air, a storm of heat and decay.
Kenya planted his feet firmly, flames wrapping tighter around his body until his Fire Demon Form 2 seemed to peel the battlefield apart with heat.
Kenya (gritting teeth): "Tch… this thing's not like the others. Its aura—it's heavy, like it's crushing the air itself."
Eliz steadied her stance, black winds spiraling at her fingertips. Her runes flared brighter, though sweat streaked her face.
Eliz (calm but sharp): "That's because this isn't a beast… it's a commander. One of the generals bound in the seal. If we don't end it here, it'll summon the others."
The Arcane General raised its colossal arm, molten chains spilling from its claws like serpents of fire and steel. With a roar, it slammed the chains down, shattering the ground and sending a shockwave across the battlefield.
Kenya leapt forward, blasting through debris with Infernal Dash, flames trailing his body like a comet.
Kenya: "Try chaining me down, bastard!"
He struck the General's arm with a blazing punch, the impact exploding in a firestorm—but the General barely flinched. Its obsidian skin glowed, absorbing the flames before releasing them back as a counter-blast.
Kenya was hurled across the battlefield, crashing into a wall of shattered stone.
Eliz (yelling): "Kenya!"
Her eyes flashed, and she raised both hands, her black cyclone expanding into a Grim Vortex, tearing the chains apart before they could bind him again. But her knees buckled under the strain—her magic was draining too quickly.
The General's chest-core flared. Its mouth opened, charging a colossal blast of arcane fire aimed directly at Eliz.
For an instant, she froze. Too close—too tired to dodge.
But Kenya was there. He appeared in front of her in a blur of flames, his crimson aura blazing hotter than before. His eyes widened with fury.
Kenya (roaring): "Don't you dare touch her!!"
His flames erupted, taking the form of a fiery demon's skull. With both fists, he unleashed Hellfire Breaker, colliding with the General's chest-blast.
The impact lit the battlefield in a blinding explosion. Shockwaves tore across the ruins, forcing even the watching Drifter soldiers to shield their eyes.
When the light cleared, both Kenya and Eliz stood together—burned, bleeding, but unbroken. The Arcane General staggered back, cracks appearing across its chest.
Eliz (breathing hard, whispering): "…We hurt it. It can bleed."
Kenya smirked, fire still blazing around him.
Kenya: "Good. Then we kill it."
The chapter ends with the Arcane General howling in rage, its broken body repairing with molten light, as Kenya and Eliz prepare to push past their limits in a battle that could decide the fate of the frontline.