[The scene returns to Yu and the girl]
She stood firmly, her legs planted into the ground with a confidence that did not suit a child her age.
Her water sword shimmered under the sunlight, droplets of water swirling around it in a mesmerizing spiral.
Then…
She dashed forward!
She moved her sword with precise, smooth motions, as if she were dancing through the air.
Yu — blocking the attacks with a metallic screech:
"Water sword… water bullets… isn't that a bit much for a little girl?!"
She laughed as she jumped backward, her light body defying the laws of weight.
The girl — suddenly extending her hand, her eyes shining:
"Alright… try this!"
Fssshhhh!
Several sharp water bullets shot forward, like arrows rushing out of an angry spring.
Yu quickly jumped to the side, his body moving smoothly…
But he didn't expect what came next.
From the girl's hand, a sticky water sphere shot out at incredible speed!
It struck his right hand.
Yu — surprised:
"What is this?!"
The sphere began to shake… a strange, unnatural vibration.
Yu — his eyes widening:
"No… this isn't just water…"
He immediately threw it away!
Then he leaped far backward!
BOOOOM!!!
An explosion echoed in the place where he had been standing moments ago, leaving a small crater in the ground as smoke slowly rose.
Yu — panting, sweat dripping from his forehead:
"That almost ended the fight…"
The girl — in a cold, deadly voice:
"Next time… you won't escape."
[Back to Elizabeth and the man]
Waves of water were still being launched from every direction.
His attacks were fierce… continuous… violent.
But Elizabeth…
She moved with deadly calm.
Her steps were like a hidden dance.
She dodged, stepped aside, bent, and spun… without a single change in her expression.
Then…
He stopped.
The man suddenly halted, his breathing uneven.
His eyes were exhausted… as if the energy had been drained from his body.
Elizabeth — in a calm tone:
"Your time is up."
Suddenly…
She flew into the sky with graceful ease.
Out of nowhere, a black magic staff appeared in her hand, its design complex and terrifying.
Elizabeth — with a cold smile:
"It was nice meeting you."
She raised her other hand…
Fwoooooom…
Dozens of black spheres suddenly appeared around her, slowly orbiting like sinister planets.
Then, with a slight movement of her fingers…
They launched forward!
The man — thinking to himself, terror devouring his mind:
"T-this is too much… I can't dodge them all!"
He shouted with all his strength:
"I have to use magical protection! No… at least ten layers!"
He raised his arms as magical energy surrounded him.
""Quadruple Shield"!"
Then he immediately added:
""Double Water Wall"!"
Four layers of magical protection formed in front of him, followed by two enormous walls of water.
But—
BOOOOM!!
The first layer shattered!
The second cracked!
The third exploded!
Some of the spheres deviated and shot toward the mountain behind him!
DOOOOM!!!
Parts of the mountain shattered, rocks exploding like fragments of a bomb and shooting into the air!
Toward the capital.
Yu looked at the sky, smoke rising…
His eyes suddenly widened!
Yu — shouting angrily:
"Heeey!! Elizabeth! You overdid it!!! The rocks are heading toward the capital!!"
Elizabeth — replying without even turning around, her tone as calm as ever:
"Don't worry… my son will take care of it."
[In the capital]
Screams filled the area, panic spreading among the soldiers as the sky rained massive stones!
Amid the chaos, Daniel stood on the capital wall, his sword raised, his eyes observing every movement.
Haruka (loudly):
"Daniel! We evacuated the area! No one is in the way now!"
He nodded, then said calmly but firmly:
Daniel:
"Well done. Now focus with me… I'll guide you, and we'll stop them together."
Haruka stepped closer, her breathing steady and her eyes focused.
Daniel (in a low voice):
"I'll use my sword and magical energy to weaken the rocks from afar… and you, when you see the blue light on one of them, strike its center. That's the weak point."
Haruka (nodding seriously):
"Understood."
Daniel raised his sword high:
""Guidance Vision – Kinetic Field"!"
Faint blue signals began appearing on the rocks in the sky, one after another.
Haruka jumped onto a tall tower, then to another, like a bird among the clouds, reaching for the signals and striking them one by one.
The rocks exploded, shattering into dust that scattered through the air.
Haruka destroyed a third rock, then a fourth, then jumped down to destroy one approaching the administrative building.
Every time Daniel guided her, she executed without hesitation.
The sounds of impacts echoed throughout the capital.
Then… after long minutes of tension and concentration…
Everything stopped.
No more rocks.
The sky was clear.
Dust fell like gentle rain.
Daniel slowly lowered his sword, breathing deeply.
Daniel (calmly):
"Finally… it's over."
Haruka climbed down from the top of the tower, catching her breath as she looked at the sky, then wiped the sweat from her forehead and said seriously:
Haruka:
"…What causes rocks to fall like that in the first place?"
Daniel's expression changed slightly as he looked toward the distant mountain.
"I think I have an idea who's responsible…"
Silence filled the moment while Haruka stared at him with concern.
Haruka (raising an eyebrow, hesitantly):
"Responsible? Isn't it just a coincidence?"
Daniel (narrowing his eyes, his voice tense):
"What kind of coincidence is this? Rocks of that size falling at this exact timing…"
(He looks toward the distant mountain where clouds of dust are still rising from the explosion.)
Daniel (thinking):
Mother… what exactly are you doing right now?
The man began panting after receiving those blows, wounds covering his body.
He thought:
Luckily I managed to create another barrier… otherwise I would have died for sure.
He then looked at the watch in his pocket and said:
"7 minutes left."
After a moment, the girl retreated from Yu until she reached her brother.
She said to him:
"He's strong too… I thought she was the only obstacle here."
He replied:
"Just hold on for 7 minutes."
She answered:
"Can't they hurry?"
He said:
"Don't worry about us. We only need to stall."
She replied:
"Understood."
Yu interrupted them:
"Huh? What are you two talking about?"
The girl attacked him again, while the other man launched toward Elizabeth with a barrage of water.
He thought:
We must finish our mission so they can bring her.
[On the other side]
Haruka stretched lazily and said to Daniel:
"My bones hurt from all that smashing."
He didn't respond and ignored her while wiping his sword.
She added:
"Why are you ignoring me?"
He said:
"Can you be quiet?"
She looked at his sword.
"Is it broken?"
"No."
She asked curiously:
"Then why do you use your sword if you can use magic?"
He replied:
"My magic becomes stronger when I use my sword."
She asked:
"Really? What is your magic?"
He answered:
"None of your business."
He finished cleaning it and returned it to its sheath.
She pouted.
"Selfish."
Then she smiled.
"Anyway… I think we make a pretty good te—"
She didn't finish her sentence.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
They suddenly felt someone beside them.
When they looked carefully, they saw a huge man standing there.
"Hello."
Suddenly—
He threw a punch toward Daniel.
Daniel turned quickly, but he didn't have enough time to block it.
In an instant—
A punch struck his stomach!
He spat blood in pain and was launched through the air until he crashed into the wall.
Haruka shouted:
"Daniel!!"
The giant man then turned his second punch toward her.
She thought quickly:
If I don't block this… I'll die.
She raised both arms to protect herself and planted her feet firmly on the ground.
The punch hit her hard!
She was pushed backward with great force until she nearly hit the wall.
She thought:
This hurts… hurts… hurts so much…
This man… his strength…
He began laughing.
"This is truly interesting."
Then a woman with purple hair and red eyes appeared.
Smiling, she said:
"You don't need to kill her, you know, Edwin."
The other man laughed.
"I know. I just wanted to test her toughness. You shouldn't always be so strict, Josephine."
Haruka stood there panting.
Damn… those two look dangerous.
And that monster's punch still hurts my arm even though I blocked it.
She looked at Daniel, who was covered in blood after hitting the wall.
He's probably unconscious already…
She looked back at them and thought:
Damn… what should I do?
To be continued.