Meanwhile, Xers and Kiroschi had made it back to the mainland. The sound of cannon fire had grown even louder, and the Tshusenkai sorcerers along the coastline had suffered heavy casualties. Xers and Kiroschi arrived together in the city of Vespera. This was Shadowia's peninsula that extended out into the sea. There was a very high chance that the landing operation would begin here.
Xers took command of one army, while Kiroschi took command of the other. The sorcerers were firing spells at the fleets with everything they had, but since the ships were armored with dark magic, sinking even a single one took a considerable amount of time.
An idea suddenly came to Xers.
''It looks like all of the fleets have anchored themselves in the sea. I can ride Gomerai and attack the fleets from the air with my dragons! Gomerai!''
Gomerai emerged from underground, and Xers climbed onto its back. While riding the dragon, Xers began launching attacks against the fleets. Gomerai spewed heavenly flames from a distance, while Koberai tore the fleets apart at an incredible speed with Heavenly Slashes.
This continued for an entire hour.
But eventually, the thing they had all been dreading finally happened.
A gigantic fleet appeared in the distance.
This was the largest fleet in Nyxia's history, reaching a length of nearly 90 meters. The name of the ship was Lord Of Sea. Hundreds of sorcerers were inside the ship, and at the very top stood a gigantic crystal cannon nearly 20 meters in diameter.
This crystal cannon was powered by dark magic, and whenever it was fired, it launched crystals that spread poison and flames throughout the surrounding area.
Xers stared at the ship in shock.
''W-WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT KIND OF FLEET IS THAT?! W-W-WHAT'S THAT T-THING ON TOP?! I-I NEED TO TAKE THAT THING OUT IMMEDIATELY!''
Xers directed Gomerai toward the fleet. However, after reaching a certain distance, Gomerai suddenly slammed into something and bounced backward, staggering in midair.
There was a gigantic magical barrier surrounding the ship. It prevented anyone who did not possess Nyxia blood from entering it.
''H-Holy shit! What am I supposed to do?! W-WAIT A SECOND! T-T-THAT THING ON TOP IS STARTING TO GLOW BLUE! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!''
The crystal cannon on top of the ship suddenly began glowing bright blue. Then, a deafening sound echoed throughout the area.
All of the crystals were fired toward the eastern side of Vespera. Every sorcerer along the eastern coastline was instantly poisoned and burned to death.
Then, all of Nyxia's eastern fleets launched an assault at once. Hundreds of sorcerers began disembarking from the ships.
Within a short amount of time, eastern Vespera had completely fallen.
''T-T-T-THIS... T-THIS IS A LANDING OPERATION! G-GOMERAI, TAKE ME BACK TO THE MAINLAND! NOW!''
Gomerai flew toward the mainland in anger and dropped Xers off. The Nyxia sorcerers who had captured eastern Vespera immediately began advancing toward the center of the city.
''I can fight all of them, but Fukaru is probably somewhere around there. If he catches me off guard, things could end very badly. It would be smarter to stay with the army.''
Just then, Xers spotted someone swimming toward the shore.
It was Hanken.
He looked absolutely exhausted from swimming. Xers immediately ran over to him.
''Are you alright, Hanken?!''
''W-Wait, let me catch my breath... Ugh! I'm so damn tired, I can't even explain it!''
''W-What happened to you?!''
''I thought I'd come here by steering a ship, but I sank it...''
''Haha! You? Steering a ship?!''
''W-Whatever, whatever... How's the situation?''
''I-IT'S REALLY BAD! THEY'VE LAUNCHED A LANDING OPERATION ON VESPERA! THEY'RE HEADING TOWARD THE CITY CENTER RIGHT NOW!''
''W-WHAT?! THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE WE WAITING FOR?! LET'S GO!''
Hanken and Xers ran toward the army stationed in the city center.
Meanwhile, Kiroschi was still holding the western side of Vespera.
''Attack, sorcerers! Attack!''
''C-CAPTAIN KIROSCHI!''
''WHAT IS IT, SORCERER?!''
''V-V-VESPERA... THEY'VE LAUNCHED A LANDING OPERATION ON VESPERA! THEY'VE STARTED ADVANCING TOWARD THE CITY CENTER!''
''W-WHAT?! Xers must be handling that area! I should stay here and hold this position. Deliver the information to him.''
''Understood, Captain!''
Xers and Hanken had reached the city center. Chaos had completely erupted throughout the streets. Nyxia's sorcerers were looting the city, burning and destroying every settlement they came across, regardless of whether it was a house, a shop, or anything else.
But then the Tshusenkai and Nyxia armies finally met.
Both armies immediately took their positions.
Xers gave the order to attack.
''A-ATTACK! FIGHT FOR YOUR HOMELAND!''
In an instant, the two massive armies clashed.
Spells flew everywhere. The sounds of swords rang through the streets. Blood was spilling across the battlefield.
Xers and Hanken were also attacking everyone around them at incredible speed.
''Koberai! Heavenly Slashes!''
Koberai fired heavenly slashes at the sorcerers, tearing through them while the shops and houses caught between the attacks were blown apart.
But once again, someone emerged from the shadows.
Fukaru suddenly appeared behind Xers.
However, Xers had begun recognizing Fukaru's spiritual pressure. Because of this, he had become capable of sensing the danger almost instinctively.
Xers immediately turned around and struck the dagger that was about to pierce him with his sword. Fukaru was knocked backward by the impact.
The two began fighting once again.
Slashes
Clang
Chink
''Gomerai!''
Gomerai suddenly attacked Fukaru and sent him flying several meters away. Fukaru crashed through the window of a shop, slamming into cabinets before finally coming to a stop.
Fukaru got back on his feet without slowing down.
Xers charged at him at tremendous speed, but Fukaru blocked his attack with his daggers. The impact shattered the remaining windows of the shop.
Fukaru immediately melted back into the shadows.
Xers quickly left the building. A hostile sorcerer appeared in front of him, and Xers, acting on a sudden burst of rage, severed his head.
Hanken came running toward Xers from behind.
But just as he was running, Fukaru emerged from the shadow behind him.
''H-HANKEN! WATCH OUT!''
Hanken suddenly turned around.
But Fukaru was already right in front of him.
''K-KOBERAI! STOP TIME!''
The atoms suddenly stopped vibrating, and time froze.
Only a few centimeters separated Fukaru and Hanken.
But Xers was too far away from Hanken. He had five movements available, yet he needed at least twenty steps to reach them.
Xers thought.
The more he thought, the more his stamina began to drain.
''Ahh! What am I supposed to do?! W-WAIT! I'VE GOT IT!''
A brilliant plan suddenly came to Xers's mind.
''G-GQ#41!!''
A dark slash emerged from Xers's sword and immediately came to a halt.
The slash was aimed directly at Fukaru.
There was only one shadowed area beside Hanken.
Xers threw one of his swords into the other shadowed area.
''T-This will finish you, Fukaru... You'll have to use Re-Verse, and we'll win this battle! Turn back time.''
The atoms began vibrating again, and time resumed.
Fukaru immediately took refuge in the nearest shadow to avoid being hit by GQ#41.
But Xers's sword had already been thrown into the other shadow.
The sword flew toward Fukaru at tremendous speed.
It pierced directly through Fukaru's eye, passing through the inside of his skull and coming out the back of his head.
Fukaru was instantly thrown backward.
Blood sprayed through the air.
''S-S-S-SHIT! R-R-RE-RE-RE-RE-VERSE!''