Aragon increased his aura power by another fraction, and as if it were a molten sheet, he dissolved the invisible field the girls had worked so hard to create. "Damn it, he broke our field... He's really strong," Rachel muttered to Ada, her voice trembling with frustration. Ada, however, responded calmly, her eyes fixed on the enemy as she tried to maintain composure.
The man advanced relentlessly toward them, his heavy footsteps resonating in the air like war drums. "Bingo, you fell right into it," Eduard said with a subtle smile, turning to Floud. "It's your turn, kid."
Floud nodded with determination. One of the spheres in his band began to glow yellow. Electricity started to swirl around him, forming vortexes of thunder and lightning that shot toward Aragon like an electric prison. "Again with cages?" Aragon commented dismissively. "It's not the same as before," Floud retorted, moving his hands quickly to intensify the vortexes.
But Aragon didn't stop. His aura surged with even greater intensity than before, concentrating at the tip of his index finger. With a precise gesture—like parting a curtain or flipping a page—he split the electric vortex and stepped out with chilling calmness. "If you're going to play, kid, this is an adult's battle. You'd better prepare yourself," he said, his gaze piercing.
Floud gritted his teeth, angered by the man's condescending tone. Without hesitation, he combined fire and earth into a devastating ray that struck Aragon, creating a deep crater in the ground. "Oops! I guess I got carried away," the boy said, looking up at Eduard with guilty puppy-dog eyes. "It's just... he made me mad when he said I was playing around. I'm serious during battles."
"Sure, kid," Eduard replied with an ironic smile, though his expression quickly turned serious. "But this isn't over yet."
From the large crater emerged Aragon, now enveloped in a mix of blue and red aura that shielded him as he brushed the dust off his armor. "I told you, kid—not playing around. Fight seriously, or I'll have to teach you a lesson."
Floud, irritated, decided to use all five of his combined magic, though he knew it would only last a short while. Rising into the sky using wind magic, his five spheres glowed intensely: red (fire), yellow (electricity), brown (earth), blue (water), and white (air). He merged them into a giant sphere in the center of his chest. "Take this—it's what you asked for: COMBINE BEAM!" he shouted, launching a multicolored beam that lit up the sky like a dazzling light show.
The explosion was monumental, leaving an even larger crater than before and raising a mushroom cloud. Floud plummeted downward, but the girls telekinetically caught him before he crashed into the sand. "Are you okay, little one?" they asked worriedly, but the boy was unconscious, his eyes swirling like cartoon spirals. "Don't touch him—he always faints after using all his combined powers. What revives him is candy," Benjamin explained in a low voice.
"What did he say?" the girls asked, confused.
"He said we'd need tons of sugar to revive him," Riota replied, crossing her arms.
"That kid is strong, but stupid. Leaving himself useless against another attack is reckless," Gat muttered, clearly annoyed.
As the dust from the explosion cleared, a silhouette emerged, walking slowly from the epicenter. "If you're going to keep playing those silly games, I'll finish you off right now. The brat got lucky and avoided his lesson," Aragon said, inspecting the cracks on his shoulder guards and knee plates. "Not bad, kid—not bad at all. Though you still need more training," he muttered to himself as he walked back toward the others.
When the dust cloud finally began to settle, a figure stepped forward from the epicenter, striding confidently through the remnants of the crater. "If you're going to keep up these childish games, I'll end this once and for all," Aragon declared coldly, his voice echoing metallically beneath his helmet. "The brat got lucky and avoided his lesson." He examined the cracks on his armor with a mix of irritation and admiration. "Not bad, kid—not bad at all. Though you still need more training," he murmured under his breath as he returned to where the others stood.
"Gat, this isn't over yet," Eduard warned as he saw the knight approaching them at incredible speed.
Alright, Benjamin—it's your turn. Do something big to stop him. He gave the boy in the fox mask a confident smile, and Benjamin nodded with determination. Turning to Riota, he added, "And you—deliver the finishing blow."
"And me?" Gat asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly.
"You and I are the last line of defense. Get ready and charge your energy."
"Fine, old man, but mana doesn't grow on trees, you know," Gat replied sarcastically, adjusting his green hair as he began to focus on his power.
The enemy approached at a superhuman speed, almost like a meteor tearing through the air. That's no human, Benjamin thought nervously. "Focus," Riota urged firmly, her tone also carrying a note of encouragement. Benjamin felt her words ignite something within him. "You're right. I need to give it my all, just like Floud did—or even more," he told himself as he began to transform.
His bones cracked, his skin was covered in fur, and soon he became a giant fox with a strange tail that resembled a spider leg.
The fox charged at Aragon, attempting to bite and claw at him, but the man skillfully dodged every attack. However, what he didn't expect was the fox's tail launching a thick, sticky web that trapped him to the ground like an insect caught in a trap.
At that moment, Riota appeared and, using the super strength he had acquired, began delivering repeated punches to Aragon. "How do you like this, huh?" the boy said confidently.
"You don't know how to use your powers better than that," Aragon remarked, unfazed. The blows seemed to have no effect on him. "Oh, right—you're just kids. Why send children into battle? Go back to your leader so he can change your diapers," he taunted.
"We're not just kids—we're agents," Riota countered, using her agility to keep attacking. "Besides, you guys also use children for your evil plans."
"It's true we use controlled children, but I don't rely on them much. I'm enough on my own. And as for 'evil'—I doubt it. Mr. Zeus will create a great world once he takes control," Aragon replied coldly.
"And how many lives have been lost because of that?" Benjamin interjected in his animal form, his deep voice resonating like thunder.
"Sometimes sacrifices are necessary for a better world. Stop getting in the way, kids, or I'll give you a good spanking," Aragon declared, expelling a massive surge of aura to break free from the web. In an instant, he vanished and reappeared behind Riota, grabbing him by the leg and slamming him repeatedly against the ground from side to side, knocking him out. "Silence suits you better, brat," he said dismissively.
"No, Riota!" Benjamin shouted, lunging at Aragon in fury. But the man easily dodged, sending the giant fox flying through the air. Meanwhile, though injured, Riota managed to recover enough to spin around and kick at Aragon's legs.
"Not bad—you're resilient, kid, but not resilient enough. I'll teach you a lesson so you learn," Aragon said, pointing toward Eduard and Gat in the distance. "I'm more interested in fighting those two over there." Grabbing Riota by the leg again, he swung him back and forth, slamming him into the ground and creating massive clouds of sand with each impact.
"Old man, we need to move. The kid won't last much longer," Gat said to Eduard, his voice tense as he watched Aragon toss Riota around like a ragdoll.
"Focus, Gat. They know what they're doing, and they're sticking to the plan. They're agents, even if they're young," Eduard replied calmly, though his eyes betrayed concern.
Riota, bruised but still conscious, used the telekinesis he had acquired from the girls to create a sharp object and hurled it directly at Aragon's helmet. The impact rang out like metallic thunder, splitting the helmet in two. "Well, helmets don't seem to be made like they used to," Riota remarked with a forced smile, though his breathing was labored.
"Ah! That must be thanks to the power of that magical dwarf. I shouldn't have underestimated him—or them. Still, they belong to an agency of agents. Fine, I'll treat them as adults then," Aragon thought, frowning.
As his face was revealed, Aragon displayed a defiant expression that momentarily paralyzed Riota. Lifting him off the ground by the leg and this time hoisting him into the air, he announced, "First form of the aura: RAELO!" A bright light surged through his arm like lightning, concentrating in his fist. With a devastating punch, he sent Riota flying through the air like a projectile, crashing him down near the others.
Rachel ran toward him, her heart beating fiercely. Ada stayed behind to watch over Floud, who was still unconscious. "Are you okay?" Rachel asked, kneeling beside Riota. But the boy was unconscious, his body motionless on the sand. Fortunately, the hardness ability he had copied earlier had saved him from dying at that instant. "He's still breathing," Rachel murmured, though her face reflected palpable fear.
Benjamin, now transformed into a bat, heard Rachel's words and felt a burning rage course through his body. He flew toward Aragon at full speed, determined to avenge his friend.
"That kid survived the attack because he copied some power," Aragon thought as he charged his technique again. "I think RAELO will finish them off immediately. It's an attack that concentrates a precise amount of my aura and forms an immense wave of power. When it collides with something, it creates a flash like a bomb." He took his stance, materializing his energy in his arms, ready to launch another attack.
Benjamin arrived from the sky, convinced he would catch Aragon by surprise. Transforming into a sort of eagle with a swordfish-like beak, he dove toward him with ferocity. However, Aragon saw him coming with his aura. "Fatal mistake, kid," he said disdainfully, launching his technique upward. A blinding flash enveloped Benjamin, who, blinded by anger and the drive for revenge, couldn't evade it. His figure disappeared in brilliance.
"No!" everyone shouted in unison, even Gat from his position, their voices filled with despair and horror.