The cold air of autumn brushed along Sato who now stood face to face with his doom.
In that moment it felt like time slowed down, Eryon was bringing his greatsword down, ready to unleash all the mana concentrated in it.
Everyone was helplessly watching Sato.
I am not gonna make it.
Butterfly dashed to get Sato out of the way, but she was too far.
Tsk, I don't have enough mana to unleash it.
A drop of sweat dripped on Irina's face, not knowing how to save her exis.
Both Butterfly and Irina tried to come up with a way to save Sato, but neither could get to him in time.
The greatsword began to fall slowly.
When…
BANG
From the concrete walls of the stadium a bullet passed through. Hitting right in Eryon's hand, making all the mana concentrated in the sword to dissipate rapidly, leaving him bleeding black blood.
Everyone looked now at the way the bullet came from, Sato knowing all too well who saved him.
"Killa." He murmured under his breath.
On the rooftop of a building smoke rose in the air through the barrel of Killa's sniper.
"Like I am gonna let that happen."
She said with a smile on her face as she loaded another round, ready now to shoot again.
"So, did you get her?" Kaito asked, shifting impatiently.
"No, I didn't"
"Huh, but you said you never miss!"
Earlier, on the rooftop.
Killa and Kaito waited for Irina to show up at the stadium.
"Bingo."
Through the scope of her sniper, Killa saw how Irina got there, igniting the field ablaze.
"Did she get there?"
"Yes."
"Then what are you waiting for, shoot her."
Kaito was impatient, wanting to finish everything as quickly as possible to avenge Drastei.
"Patience."
Through the scope, Killa aimed for Irina's head, her finger firmed on the trigger ready to shoot.
A thunder then broke the quiet, making her hesitate and turned her sniper in the direction of the sudden noise.
"What was that?"
Kaito watched now in the distance how black clouds formed above an alley, shortly after followed by a blizzard.
I thought someone was missing.
Killa observed throughout the scope how Blueblade was fighting Raien and Yuki.
"There are just other heroes fighting, don't mind them."
She brought her sniper again to face the stadium, only to see how Sato and Shigure arrived there too.
"This is not good."
"What, what is it this time?" Kaito asked her, a little annoyed by all the interruptions.
"Sato got there as well."
"And what, just eliminate Irina and blame me later."
He told her, without thinking anything through.
Killa laid on her stomach, ready to fire again when she saw how Sato got out of his cover, Eryon threatening his life.
Is he for real?
Biting her lip, she rapidly switched her target on Eryon.
In an instant, she took the shot saving Sato and the others.
Back to the present.
"You said you never miss!" Kaito said, furious.
"And do you think I missed? I only changed my mind. We are gonna back them up and help defeat that hero."
"But why?"
...Do I really need to explain?
She was a little disappointed by him losing his cool like that, but in the end she decided to tell him.
"Our perfect chance to eliminate her was when Sato wasn't there, so that he would not be able to see her disappear. With him around, even if I eliminated her then, he would not want to form a contract with me after."
Killa laid down on the rooftop, looking throughout the scope as she told him all of this.
"Plus, the deal that we made would mean nothing if Sato died, even if Irina would disappear, only you would get something from all of this."
Understanding the situation, Kaito backed down, accepting the facts, letting her do whatever she pleased.
"Still, I don't like it."
"Yeah, yeah, cry about it." Killa said, mocking him.
Although this is no good, now that he knows I am here it will be harder to hit him.
Killa looked through the scope at Eryon who stared in the direction the bullet came from as well, with his hand already stopped bleeding.
At the stadium Sato dashed back in cover as Butterfly got Eryon's attention, following her once again. Irina helping her from the side.
Exhausting his mana. This is the last thing you would want to do against a hero, but when it comes to someone like him…I hate to admit it but this seems like the only solution. But the question is…
Can we even do it?
Both Irina and Butterfly thought about the same thing. Exhausting the mana of a hero is not hard because the hero would be too powerful, but because the amount of mana each hero contains is way too big in order to maintain their body.
Running along the stands Butterfly stopped for a moment close to Irina while Killa shot another round at him that he stopped with ease.
"Irina, can you annoy him a little."
"Do you have a plan?"
"I have one, although it is do or die."
"Does your "die" in that include me?"
"No."
For a second Irina thought before answering to her.
"Very well then. Keep him away from me and don't stay too close to him. Also, I am not gonna be able to support you from this moment forward."
"I know."
As Butterfly acknowledged this,she didn't hesitate. She dashed to the far end of the ruined field, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the witch.
Irina closed her eyes, letting her mana surge.
She raised a hand toward the heavens. Instantly, dark, heavy clouds materialized above the stadium, unleashing a torrential downpour.
Before the first drop even hit the ground, she lowered her arm, leveling a finger directly at Eryon. Sparks crackled at her fingertip, then exploded into a blinding bolt of lightning. It struck the wet armor with a deafening boom, stunning the beast.
She didn't stop there. Irina stomped the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth. Rock surged upward around the knight, forming a solid dome that sealed him inside completely.
An instant later, the stone prison ignited from within. Purple flames roared, pressure building until fire began to hiss and spew through the cracks of the dome.
For a second there was complete silence, everyone waiting to see what happened with the knight.
Did she get him?
Sato's hopeful thought was short as a roar like no other could be heard from the rocks.
Just then, the stone prison shattered. An explosion of uncontrolled mana blasted outward, flooding the entire stadium with a thick, suffocating aura.
As the wave of energy rolled toward them, Butterfly landed gracefully in front of Irina. She didn't turn around fully, just tilted her head slightly, looking at the witch from the corner of her eye.
"Irina, take the kids and go to safety, I am gonna take over from here."
She looked at her, at first not knowing what she wanted to do, realising after what she meant through its "do or die".
"I see, so this is your plan."
"Are you not happy?"
"Of course not, who do you take me for? I will not be able to eliminate him myself this way."
"Then, do you want to take him on one more time?"
Irina turned her back, heading towards Sato and the others without looking back.
"I am smart enough to not head straight to my doom."
"I thought this much."
Face to face with Eryon once again, she lifted her scarf at her mouth.
"It seems that the final battle will be between us."
Like he didn't even understand what she said, Eryon walked with heavy steps in her direction.
I don't even know why I expected a reply from him.
She planted two of her daggers into the ground. Then, she raised her hand, lifting two fingers to her face in a specific sign.
Let's begin then.
"Axiom: Wonder Box!"