They looked down at the boiling ocean.
This was it. Their lives were over.
Or so they thought.
Just before they struck the surface, Adrian teleported all of them away.
They reappeared on solid ground.
"Woah! You can do that?" Leo asked, surprised.
"My teacher taught me," Adrian replied.
"Your teacher must be strong," Leo said, impressed.
"He is."
Before they could continue, five strange creatures appeared in front of them and immediately charged at Adrian.
He didn't have time to react. The creatures struck him simultaneously, sending him flying into a massive boulder. The rock shattered on impact as his body slammed through it, and blood escaped his lips. One of the creatures with long, giraffe-like legs kicked him again, launching him into a tree hard enough to splinter the trunk. A massive kangaroo-like beast leapt onto him next, crushing down and breaking bones beneath its weight.
Rio appeared before him, smiling sweetly.
"Any last words?"
"Don't kill my… fellow—"
Darkness consumed him.
Or so they thought.
Warmth spread through Adrian's body.
His heartbeat felt strange.
Heavy. Slow. Deep.
It felt like sinking into an ocean.
"Is this what death feels like? It's… relaxing."
But this wasn't death, It was Adrian's ability.
A portal formed beneath him.
Subconsciously.
His body slipped inside.
The portal vanished immediately after.
Cold wind brushed against his skin.
Adrian opened his eyes and froze.
He was on Earth.
The sky was red. Buildings burned. Machines roamed the streets. In the distance, a massive crater scarred the city — something only Ren could have caused.
"Who did this…? Is this really Earth? What happened?"
But one thought drowned the rest.
"Where is Riley? Where is Kenji?"
He began flying, carefully avoiding the machines below. After searching for some time, he reached his house and rushed inside.
Riley wasn't there.
His chest tightened.
He flew toward the Hero Headquarters.
It was completely destroyed.
"Could it be… Lucius?"
A figure stood calmly on the rooftop ruins.
Hands behind his back.
Smiling.
"Oh? I didn't expect you here as well. First Ren… and now you. I thought you died on that planet."
Lucius tilted his head slightly.
"Well. I suppose I'll kill you here."
Adrian stayed cautious.
Lucius smiled wider.
"Want to know where the girl in your house is? She must be in heaven by now. She was screaming when I killed her."
Adrian's vision went red.
"NO! YOU DID NOT!"
He rushed forward blindly.
"Don't approach him!" a voice shouted. "The robots will kill you!"
Adrian stopped instantly.
Kenji stood nearby.
Bleeding.
One arm gone.
More than fifteen robots lay destroyed around him.
"TEACHER?! What happened to you?"
"Just minor injuries," Kenji said calmly.
"These are not minor injuries!"
"It's too late for me, Adrian. Let's defeat Lucius together."
Kenji picked up his katana.
"Don't let your emotions control you. If we don't defeat him now, we never will."
Before Adrian could respond, Kenji moved.
Three robots appeared instantly to block him.
Kenji swung his blade in a wide arc, activating Universe Ending Slash. The air split apart as the nearest robot was cut cleanly in half, its body collapsing before it could react. But the strain hit him immediately; blood spilled from his mouth and his stance wavered. The remaining two robots fired missiles toward him, but Adrian teleported in front of Kenji and deflected the blasts with precise strikes, the explosions bursting behind them.
"Teacher! I won't let you die so easily!"
Kenji gave a faint smile before rushing the next machine, slashing repeatedly with calculated precision. At the same time, Adrian engaged the final robot, driving his fist into its torso and slamming it into the pavement. The machine retaliated with an energy blast from its palm, forcing Adrian to twist aside at the last second. He grabbed its leg mid-motion, hurled it into a nearby building, then teleported in front of it and delivered a crushing final punch that destroyed its core.
On the other side, Kenji unleashed another Universe Ending Slash. The second robot split apart instantly.
Kenji dropped to his knees.
Coughing blood.
Adrian appeared beside him.
"You didn't need to use that skill!"
"I'm going to die anyway," Kenji said with a weak half-smile. "Better to clear them quickly."
A tear formed in Adrian's eye.
"You won't die. Please… let me handle Lucius."
Kenji forced himself back up.
"Lucius can regenerate."
Adrian froze.
"He can regenerate?"
"The only way to defeat him now is to trap him forever in an empty void."
"How?"
Kenji's expression hardened.
"I'm going to use Noah's Box."
"It's a device that seals someone in an empty void forever. It must touch the target. Once it does, they are gone."
He tightened his grip on his katana.
"It was named after one of the greatest Lights of Justice… Noah."
"No time for questions."
Kenji rushed toward Lucius.
And whatever would happen next will decide the battle's fate.