Chapter 55: Not Suited For Battle

The situation at hand is not on our side at all – Michael and Eliza both have the immense advantage of flight, while on our side, we’re all limited one way or another. Pelle and Petra can fly using their respective powers, but from what I remembered from both of them, their abilities are temporary, and neither can sustain themselves in a long fight. As for the two boys, the one with long black hair seems to be more natural in his ability to manipulate the wind, while the redhead is like me – barely keeping up with the others using our other power and agility.

Since I’m the only one capable of controlling the ground, it’s my job to at least level the playing field a bit.

“Hey!” I order. “Those that can fly, do it now! And you without flight, jump as high as you can!”

“Got it!” The reactions among them are mixed – some get my tactics, others are confused, but all of them do as I said nonetheless.

Wasting no time, I put power into Excalibur, stabbing it to the pit’s walls once more. The earth spikes from before, following my command, grow thicker and stronger, until most of the pit below us is covered by a solid webbing of them, safe enough for us to gain a stable footing. Seeing the result of my actions, the rest of my comrades soon take their stand as well.

However, we don’t get a moment to rest, as I’m soon met by a flash of silver right as I take out my sword. Michael dives in like a speeding hawk hunting for its prey but is quickly met by a deflect from Galatine, resulting in a clanging echo throughout the once bottomless pit.

“Good reaction,” the angel compliments.

“Would have been better if I can finish you off.”

Our swords clash once more. Just as our previous skirmish suggested, Michael’s way with his blade is no laughing matter. Slashes after slashes, thrusts after thrusts, everything is done in utmost precision and power that I’m already struggling to return the favor after twenty or so swings.

The angel’s assault pushes me further and further back until I’m only a couple of steps away from having my back against the wall. However, at that moment, a timely spear on the ground blocks Michael’s advances, saving me by the skin of my teeth.

“Don’t get sucked into his game!” Yells Petra. “The guy is invincible as long as you’re showing bloodlust, right? Calm down and gain distance!”

Never before would I imagine Petra saying those words when our first encounter was her jumping in to kill me whenever she had the chance. Two years can change a person this much, it seems.

“You’ve grown since we last met, Miss Petra,” Michael, on the other hand, is still unfazed by the situation. However, to our surprise, instead of attacking or retreating, he plucks the spear that Petra has thrown out moments ago right from the ground, twirling it around as if to make a rough evaluation of the craft.

“Very well made,” exclaims the angel. “If I hadn’t already known Asmodai, I would have thought this spear was crafted by an expert smith. Light and easy to maneuver too. Unfortunately…”

Michael suddenly moves forward as fast as the wind, but instead of his half-broken rapier, in the angel’s hands right now is a solid iron spear, and its thrust, if it manages to hit, would spell a deadly wound. I barely manage to block with a quick swing of Excalibur, but as our weapons clash, the weight of the hit sends vibrations all the way to my nerves.

“Shit!” Petra, realizing the situation, raises her hand forward. “Dispel!”

As the spear burns to embers in Michael’s grip, the angel lets out a satisfied smile, dusting the remaining ashes off his hands. “And you managed to keep a leveled head enough to discern your current circumstances. Well done.”

And as the last word leaves his mouth, Michael turns around faster than the eye can see, swinging his broken blade in the nick of time to slice an incoming wind bullet in half.

“Tch, and I thought I could at least catch you off-guard,” the long-haired young man grins.

“Knowing that you’re the only one with the ability to wound me, of course, I’d be more careful around you, fused warrior,” Michael answers, his smile completely disappearing from his face, leaving only room for utmost respect.

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His opponent, meanwhile, replies with an excited shout as he summons a row of nothing but guns keeping themselves afloat on whirlwinds. “The name’s Benkei now, by the way! Remember it!”

“That I will, hero!” Michael shouts in return, and syncing with his booming voice is the thundering sound of bullets being fired, and the howling wind that ensues. Wasting no time, Michael swings his blade without rest, creating an impenetrable defensive wall of slashes.

Bullets being sliced apart result in a wild explosion of wind as if a tornado has just stormed the entrance of this small, cramped space. Nonetheless, Michael continues, and even though the walls nearby are all cracked from the powerful storm, on the angel himself, no wounds appear.

Both sides are standing at a stalemate. And both sides know of this, which is why right when the wind dies down, Eliza’s shout can be heard from the side:

“Don’t worry, Gramps, I’m-You!”

“What’s the hurry, Princess?” Asks the redhead with a cheeky grin on his face. “Would you not continue to entertain me further?”

“Didn’t your parents teach you that girls don’t like clingy boys?” Eliza throws a full-force punch at her target, which is responded in kind with another punch of his own, creating a shockwave enough to further crack the underground cave we’re in.

“Well too bad for you, my old man is a virgin with nothing but guilt in his head!”

“Now you’ve learned, so get away from me!”

“Try me when you’re as good as him, brat!”

An exchange of earth-shattering punches and kicks ensues, rocking the cave to an unbelievable instability, so much that any hit from them sends us to disarray that the entire structure might collapse. However, the two combatants don’t seem to care at all, with both wearing a mix of anger, annoyance, and ecstasy as a crimson red slowly dye their bodies.

“Ease on the power! This place will collapse!” I try to give a warning shout, but neither would listen. Realizing this dangerous fact, there’s only one card left for me to play.

“Damn it! Petra, Pelle, cover me!”

I stab Excalibur into the ground once more and pour all my power into the ground beneath us. Soon enough, the cracks are filled with soil once more, and the rummaging has subsided. For now, we’re safe from being collapsed upon, but I know that I still have to constantly maintain my control as a base for this to work. And doing that means I’m leaving myself exposed.

A clanging noise sounds, and Michael’s sword strike is blocked by a timely spear from Petra. Pelle continues with a thunderbolt, but the angel parries with ease. Without another word, the angel tries to close the distance between us, while the two girls try their best to lure him away.

Our struggle continues, but no one can imagine a silhouette dashing their way in, straight where I’m standing. However, their movement is too amateurish that even though I can’t make out their face, I know exactly where they’re going to strike.

“Out of my way!”

I planned to make it quick, so I unsheathe my Galatine and slash forward, expecting them to dodge or block with their own weapon. However, they keep on running towards me, and in that instant, regret fills my entire body.

In one swift slash, Pedro is cut in half.

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