Cherreads

Chapter 30 - Chapter 30 - WHO IS THAT?

What—what?! An earthquake in Yuzen City?!

Aster's eyes went wide. "I have to stop him… now."

Meanwhile…

Sunny gripped his chest. His voice trembled with emotion.

"I'll save you, buddy. No matter what… I'll save you!"

Orb Call—

"Miss Scarlet! Our troops… our troops are down! Aster is coming your way! What should we do?!"

Scarlet's hands shook. "This is bad… Sunny, rush! Tell me more! Who is your friend? Who are you? What was your name in the Grand Era? Sunny, we're out of time!"

Sunny's eyes sparkled.

"The Grand Era… haha… That wasn't 'grand'; that was the Dark Era…"

BOOM!

The palace vibrated harshly.

Scarlet yelled, "Sunny, quick—tell me something before—!"

"I… I am…" Su.

BOOOOOM!!

An explosion ripped through the top floor. The roof went up in flames.

Sunny woke up from his daze. back to senses...

Scarlet dashed to the balcony.

Below, a lava serpent coiled through the midair, its burning molten skin incinerating whatever was in its way.

"Aster," she snarled. "You motherf—!"

"Nature Saki!!"

Trees and vines erupted from the streets, creating a thick forest wall. Branches ensnared Aster, stopping him in his tracks.

Roots' veins crushed the pavement, immobilizing his limbs.

Aster growled, "Kagunir!"

The lava serpent bellowed, firing flames that engulfed the forest in ash.

CRASH!

A lightning bolt descended and struck the serpent from above. Kagunir dissolved.

Aster stepped back.

Sia had come.

"Thunder Splash!!"

A sizzling bolt struck Aster directly in the chest, sending him crashing into the outer wall of the royal palace.

BOOOOM.

At the same time…

Rose was immobile. "What is… this feeling?"

she whispered.

Violet squinted. "I think… the enemy has reached this far."

Auren turned to her. "What do we do? We can't let Sunny die… We just can't."

Violet balled her fists. "That kid… he's the key. To the Grand Era. To everything. But right now… we can only hope."

Rose wiped her face, shaking.

"Auren… I don't like this."

Her voice cracked.

What if Sunny actually dies? He rode with us… had memories with us… and now someone just wants to kill him like he's nothing… How can people be so heartless?"

Her tears started falling.

Her words stopped the room.

Violet looked at her, a gentle sadness in her smile.

"You're so kind, Rose. Never lose that light within you."

Auren tightened his fists, rage growing.

Hey Rose...

"You know what I think, Rose?"

His eyes were blazing now. I just want to say...

"I swear… if anyone ever attempt to harm the innocent, if someone attempts to distort peace into chaos—"

Why, why, why do the weak always suffer?

He yelled with all his might:

"I'll consume them. I'll color their war red with blood. I don't care if I don't have Vita! If I had even a single drop of it—they'd never even dare to show up here."

Rose looked at him, horrified. "Auren… What's wrong with you?"

"I just can't see innocent people die any longer," he muttered, his eyes burning.

Rose looked at Auren, eyes shaking.

"I'm telling you again, Auren… Don't become someone you're not."

She moved closer, her voice gentler now.

"If you keep thinking like that… I'm afraid you'll lose yourself."

Auren gazed at her. His rage shook, but his voice broke with anguish.

"Rose… I don't want to lose you either."

His eyes shone. "But I always had this one question in my heart…" 

"If there's a god… then why does he hate me?

Why didn't he grant me powers?

Although I am born Ryuki… Why am I the exception?

Violet walked forward, her tone smooth like morning dew.

"Auren," she replied softly. "Not awakening your Vita at the age of 15 doesn't necessarily mean it won't ever occur. Occasionally… exceptions do exist."

She sat down, reminiscing.

"There was once a boy. A Rompo Clan member—a clan renowned for its legendary fighters and a 90% awakening ratio.

Rose and Auren listened quietly.

"That boy… awakened at age 17. He was the only one in his family who hadn't awakened by 15. Everyone gave up on him."

"But when he finally awakened… his power changed everything."

She looked directly at Auren.

"So, who knows? Maybe… you're one of those exceptions."

A BOOOOM echoed from outside.

The ground trembled. Violet's expression hardened.

"Looks like the real battle's getting intense now…"

Rooms are shaking.

Auren balled his fists. "Let's just hope he'll be safe."

Rose nodded. "Yes… let's hope."

Outside—Scholar Plateau

Sia vs. Aster.

Their powers clashed with the intensity of gods.

"Thunderbolt Strike!" Sia bellowed, her body radiating electric blue.

"Lava Sword Dance!" Aster retaliated, fire swirling like lethal ribbons.

CLASH!

Sparks, heat, and thunder crashed into each other in midair.

"Lava Beam!!"

Aster pointed his hands forward, a colossal lava burst ripping through the atmosphere.

Sia held firm—eyes alert.

"What is this power…? His aura—it's crushing!"

She clenched her teeth. "No… I can shatter this."

"Bubu—Electrify the lightning!!"

Her small cat cried out.

BOOM!

A titanic lightning shockwave burst out from Bubu's body, filling the field with blinding white.

"Wha—what is this?!" Aster bellowed. "I can't see anything—!!"

SWOOSH!

From atop the royal palace, a dozen wooden arrows flew down like spears.

Branches swirled through the air—targeting Aster.

It was Scarlet.

But Aster's eyes flared. "Kagunir Prototype-2!!"

THUUUUD!

Bigger lava serpents burst forth from the ground—towering, snarling, dissolving everything in their lava.

"Burn everything," Aster commanded.

The snakes fired thick streams of lava.

"SIA—BEWARE!" someone scarlet screamed.

"Shield!!" she threw at once.

The lava splashed.

FUSHHHHH!!

The shield held—but only just.

The power sent her tumbling into the street.

Her body crashing through towers: dhumm, dhumm, dhummm.

"Sia!!" Scarlet shrieked.

Then Aster spun, throwing lava directly toward Scarlet.

Scarlet gasped. "No… I can't avoid this one—"

The intensity is so high

FUSHHH!

The stream of lava… halted in midair.

Scarlet's eyes opened wide.

"What just happened?!"

She gazed upward.

In the air… A man soared over them—on the back of a huge bat.

His cloak billowed behind him in the tempest.

His eyes glimmered silver.

Scarlet breathed softly, amazed.

"Who… is that?"

More Chapters